MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
So... it's been a while, but I've finally finished 'rebuilding' the Bow-ti... My idea was to save all the retro bits in their pristine/BNIB condition and replace them with similar, but more modern equivalents that I wouldn't be so concerned about damaging or wearing out. Strange to some I'm sure, but there you go, it makes sense to me 😉
I've stuck with v-brakes for now, they seem plenty powerful enough tbh, especially in the dry (ask me again after a ride in the wet and mud! 😆 ) All parts with the exception of the brand new RP23 (and the Ibis stem) were sourced off the forum, so thanks to all who sold bits to me at good prices, appreciated 😀
Bars are pretty narrow, not sure if I'm happy with them, but will give them a go for now... 90mm Ibis stem cost me a small fortune from the States, but seemed the right way to go, also sourced a 120mm stem, but I think this is too long for me, but will hang on to it for a bit longer just in case! Oh, I also have a lovely Kent Eriksen Sweetpost to finish it all off, but am waiting on a 28.6mm shim...
Haven't been offroad yet, but a few test rides along the canal etc have given me an idea of what the bike is like in use... Nice and quick and very little bob under acceleration, almost hardtail like in fact, which is nice 🙂 But... hit the brakes hard and, whooo baby, does the back end lift something fierce; I guess this is the 'stink bug' effect that folk refer to with the Bow-ti? You need to be aware of it, that's for sure, otherwise you're going over the bars (especially if you're on a steep technical descent I suspect!)
Anyhoo, here are a few pics to show her off a bit, a few more can be found [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/32746168@N08/sets/72157624079614149/ ]HERE (flickr set)[/url] if you're interested 🙂
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Any questions and comments, fire away... yes, I know my valve/tyre alignment is out, sorry 'bout that 😉
Very nice!
Hey, if you're local (South) I'm leading a Retrobike ride tomorrow at Surey Hills - see my post on here, or check on the RB area forum. Be good to see it! 🙂
Neo-retro-niceness!
Still lovely.
Hey, if you're local (South) I'm leading a Retrobike ride tomorrow at Surey Hills - see my post on here, or check on the RB area forum. Be good to see it!
You know what, I reckon I might come along for this... hopefully the bike is up for it as well! 😆 You're meeting at the Royal Oak, at 1030am, right? Have sent a PM to TheGreenRabbit, but if you want to text me on 07584294781, that'd be good! Will get down to Gomshall around 1000, so should be there by 1030 hopefully...
Still lovely.
cheers 🙂
I reckon that looks a lot nicer than when you got it- restraint seems to suit it. Good work!
that'll never catch on you know
Handsome bike.
Nice is it time to rebuild my
old litespeed ocoee fs and
tioga disc drive?
Very nice rebuild. Love the Avid Black Ops. Afraid I don't like the bar ends or gripeshift.
Yeah,
This looks real classy! The modern stuff suits it well! Nice and discreet! The parts you have chosen look a lot better than the original parts you had on it! Well done!
Thanx Max
Very nice! I wonder if the Crossmax SLs look a bit 'agricultural' think I'd go for some Kings on XC717 Ceramics or something.
Agree it looks better than when you bought it!
Agree it looks better than when you bought it!
It does, doesn't it? Looks long, sleek and racy now, IMHO... pity the rider is none of these things! 😆 Shall have to work on my fitness to do the bike justice...
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Decent shakedown ride yesterday around the Surrey Hills with the Retrobike crew, thanks to Woodsman for the heads up. Bike seems best suited to flowing singletrack and 'cross-country' stuff, it's lovely and smooth in these situations and feels fast. Not so sure on steep/'technical' descents; could just be that I haven't got the suspension setup right yet, but I never felt particularily confident/comfortable in these situations, especially if I was braking, picking lines down roots/steps etc... TBH, I'm not the most confident rider on the tricky steeps anyhow, so a bike that has inherent handling characteristics that make them a bit more so is always going to make life 'challenging' for me... still love the bike though 8)
One thing I really noticed (as did others on the ride), the fork/headtube seems to flex quite a bit under braking, ie. the wheel looks like it's ducking in under the frame, not sure what's going on there, headset is nice and tight, no play that I can feel... maybe just a characteristic of the frame (it is designed to flex after all?)
Going to drop the big ring I think, it never saw any use on the ride yesterday, so shall probably switch to a duo setup, or maybe even 1x9 + a MRP 1.X guide... also like the look of Paul's thumbies, though this'd mean changing the rear derailleour I think, does SRAM do a 9-speed bar end shifter?
nice psycle!
if you are going 1x9 i reckon the nstop and a ti bash ring looks quite tidy?
(a guy on here does them for £20)
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who is he bash ring guy?
heres his last thread i think?
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-titanium-bashgaurd-1
they come matt but 30 minutes and some wirewool and you have a shiny finish, im well chuffed with mine
if you are going 1x9 i reckon the nstop and a ti bash ring looks quite tidy?
Looks pretty good Tim, shall keep it in mind... but I am quite drawn to the 1.X, not sure why... 😆