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Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 3 Mar 2010, 9:52am
by GrahamNR17
chris667 wrote:
hubgearfreak wrote:that's great chris, what's the age of the frame, c.1990 at a guess? :D


Probably about that. I'm no snob, but it is from quite a depressing point in Raleigh's existence, so it might be changed before the event if something becomes available. It's really, really crudely built but I like it. 8)

I wanted to put my Karrimor front rack on it, but no dice, it doesn't have eyelets. I'm going to use that basket support to mount some sort of platform or basket, not sure what though. Any ideas for suitable items within my budget of nothing?

It's almost identical to my Raleigh Maverick frame, it's junkiness is, for me, its appeal :lol:

That said, it's the smoothest running bike I have. No idea what it is, but it doesn't clatter and bang like my other bikes, it just purrs along like it's made of silk. Strange really.

But glad to see there's another convert to re-using old MTB frames for new purposes 8) We can blame Hubbers for that :roll:

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 3 Mar 2010, 10:51am
by hubgearfreak
chris667 wrote:I'm no snob, but it is from quite a depressing point in Raleigh's existence, so it might be changed before the event if something becomes available.


don't dismiss it, it's perfect.

as for the basket, do you mean really, really cheap? if you go to a greengrocers, they have faily substantial blue baskets that mushrooms come in (round here they do anyhow) two bolts and a tie wrap, and you're done. with that adornment, you may not even need a lock :mrgreen:

here's a pic.
Image

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 3 Mar 2010, 10:53am
by hubgearfreak
Image

aah, one of those. i'd have snapped it up for £20, too. :D

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 3 Mar 2010, 11:55am
by random37
I don't think mine is as nice as a Maverick. IIRC Mavericks were lugged, this is welded.

For true delivery boy chic, I am thinking of a plastic rack like grocers have loaves delivered in.

But I like the blue plastic basket idea too.

Will have to do a bit of skip diving later. :wink:

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 3 Mar 2010, 7:20pm
by hubgearfreak
chris667 wrote:For true delivery boy chic, I am thinking of a plastic rack like grocers have loaves delivered in.


that're about a metre wide? excellent for persuading shiny cars (and anyone wary of nutters) to give you some space i imagine :lol:

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 4 Mar 2010, 10:16am
by MikewsMITH2
OK. Mine is a 1971 Raleigh Mercury frame bought for a fiver from a bike jumble. The wheels are circa 1980 27x1 1/4" steel rimmed/Atom hubbed from a skip rescue Raleigh Mixte donated by RJB (Thanks!) complete with Michelin World Tour tyres. The rims were just too rusty so I stripped down the wheels removed the chrome and painted them black, before rebuilding the wheels. I have reverted to a cottered steel chainset : repro Raleigh heron 44T from Cycles of Yesteryear. The drive treain is completed with a BMX 18T sprocket and 1/8" chain. I have a choice of pedals. At the moment I have some cheapo pedals from SJS but they will be replaced by some Lyotards from a skip rescue Peugeot. Saddle was a tenner from the bargain bin of the LBS (removed from a new bike). Brakes are Weinmann Centrepulls NOS from ebay with matching levers. The bars are chrome North Roads flipped in "path racer" style. Apart from new cables, the rest of the bits and pieces came from my spares bin (or those of other forum members). The bike is now on the road and I have been using it for a week as my winter bike until the salt is off the roads. There have been problems with cotter pins (too soft!) so I have ordered a pair of genuine Raleigh NOS from the Chopper owners club.

Planned spring time upgrades are:
1. 3 speed SA hub already on its way from Graham in Norfolk.
2. Alloy rimmed wheels (found in LBS storage unit and sold to me at a bargain price)
3. New tyres
4. Mudguards. My son has loaned me his winter mudguards off his road bike, but I need to source some stays
5. Powder coating the frame

By this stage the bike will be, mechanically at least, new, so should be reliable. A more radical idea would be to fit the 3 speed hubbed 27" wheel to my Severn Valley, which is equipped to take 700C or 27x 1 1 1/4". This might be the raciest toggle chain bike ever!

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 4 Mar 2010, 10:29am
by glueman
If I decide to TCT it would be on the On-One using the freewheel side off the flipflop hub. In keeping with the letter of the event if not the spirit. However a suitably homespun luggage carrier will be devised to blend in (looks for soldering kit, hammer, tin snips).

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 7:01pm
by GrahamNR17
They finished my frame :D

This old rust heap:
Image

Is now looking a bit sweeter:
Image

British Racing Green - somewhat enthusiastically :lol:

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 7:19pm
by Greybeard
GrahamNR17 wrote:They finished my frame :D


My turn to be jealous, Graham :( Still awaiting the Pedersen - now promised for tomorrow. It had better be good :evil:

Steve

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 9:15pm
by hubgearfreak
very nice, is it powder coating, are you pleased with the job? was it expensive, would you reccommend them?

racing :shock: did you mean british pottering green :mrgreen:

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 9:47pm
by GrahamNR17
hubgearfreak wrote:very nice, is it powder coating, are you pleased with the job? was it expensive, would you reccommend them?

racing :shock: did you mean british pottering green :mrgreen:

Yep, powder. Not unhappy with the job, but I didn't really know what to expect, never having had anything powdered before - except ones nose :oops: :lol: It's not as shiny as I expected. Not sure why I expected it to be really shiny, but I did. I am very happy that the lug work hasn't disappeared under all that coating, that was a nice surprise.

As to whether I'd recommend them, I'm not sure - people have certain expectations that I don't have. It was made clear from the outset that one-off jobs like bikes and things were a "fit it in" job for cash, and I know they are really busy, but it's been a month with them at least. I don't mind that at all, if they say from the start, but they said a week-ish. I'd like to try their stove enamelling abilities next time, and draw a conclusion from that. But they're local and it didn't involve finding a post office that can accept big parcels (almost impossible round here) and to be fair, they turned a sow's ear into something resembling a silk purse. Well, fake silk perhaps :roll: I think they're the kind of people you can build a good informal relationship with, and maybe the service will improve if I add a bottle or two of beer for the blasting and spraying blokes once in a while.

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 10:02pm
by Greybeard
GrahamNR17 wrote:It's not as shiny as I expected. Not sure why I expected it to be really shiny, but I did.


To get a high gloss finish powder coating does have to be laquered. You may be able to buff it up if necessary with a good quality polishing compound such as the one 3M do for two-pack automotive finishes - you could always give the metallic finish T-Cut a try. It's much milder than the normal one.

Steve

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 10:20pm
by random37
I had a load of frames done in that green!

Mine were a good finish, but not as good as enamel. And yes, they were a nightmare to get finished. I had to take mine to two places, and they both took months.

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 10:41pm
by GrahamNR17
Good tip about metallic T-cut Steve, I'll try it.

Just finished stripping down the new Sturmey AB unit, the black one. Now throughly de-greased shell and brake plate. Reckon that's gonna look handsome in British Pootling Green 8) Ditto as soon as I can get hold of a BF for the front :roll: Oh, and I got a pair of proper North Roads, pre-chrome, currently blue enamelled, they're gonna be BP Green too. I wonder if powder coating sticks ok to aluminium rims? :?: Although it may be too much green. Oh I hate colour decisions! Maybe magnolia..... :?

Re: togglechaintour bikes

Posted: 9 Mar 2010, 10:52pm
by MikewsMITH2
It's not as shiny as I expected

Hi Graham,
I had 2 done last year. They are not as shiny as new enamel. but you can polish it up with tcut and car polish - makes a difference. You an also clear coat using Plastikote from B&Q or even paint in contrasting panels. I checked with the powder coaters and they said to rub down the surface before overpainting. I used 1200 grade wet & Dry paper. Have look at my Severn Valley. I did the white panels and the lug lining afterwards, then applied the decals and clearcoated over the decals.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7137075@N04/sets/72157622002646257/

I am very pleased with the result. It cost me £30 plus the transfers, whereas a full paint job would have been nearer £300. He did the cranks at the same time for nothing. I also had my son's fixie done at the same time. I nevere got around to polishing this one before he rode it away
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7137075@N04/sets/72157622420214526/