Nope fortunately – hair. 🙂

It’s a hard day out whoever you may be – well done!

Yes, the quantity of egg mayo sarnies are the disturbing part 😉

It is easy enough to weld aluminium, but it would need to be heat treated – de-stressed to have anything like the original strength. Jusy welding a crack isn’t ideal either, ideally and common practice on steel is to replace the tube, again not so straight forward on aluminium. Sorry about the negative comments, find a good engineering shop, they should know about the heat treatment/de-stressing.

Best of luck

What toys19 says – spot on!

Unless you’ve owned it from new, who says it hasn’t had oil/wax in the tubes – they probably did it from new then or even dunked it in red lead or similar at the factory. 🙂

There you go, steel doesn’t rust!

You’ve done the frame saver which is more than most, ride it and now and then remove the seat post to let it air. Hole in the BB is a good idea too.

Touch in any chips as you go, or have it blasted and repsrayed every few years.

I’ve got some Reynolds 725 and 853 tubes in my workshop, never been on a bike and they are coated in rust that only sandblasting could remove.

It’s a bit different from the masses’ choice – I like it – paint aside of course! 🙂

Under 200 quid is good going imo. Where is it made?

Eat less fibre 😀

All the above are good products (veg oil aside) just get some thing in there from new and forget about it.

I use 20-30 litres of Waxoyl a year in my business, it protects my work well and has done over the last 20 years. I only prefer that brand because it is a clear golden liquid, where as the others are black-ish – just a preference. http://www.peterflynnclassiccars.com if you’re interested in looking!

Waxoyl in a spray can from Halfords

Must get around to tidying up the garage 😆

If you want black paint non-metalic ask for pure black tinter. That’s what I use on classic resprays unless anyone requests some thing different.

The others you mention are either manufacturers branding of tinted (added other colours to black tinter) black, or metalics (silver particles in the paint).

It is as simple as that..

Firstly, in true STW forum tradition I haven’t read any of the previous posts.

I don’t buy it anymore except the edition that comes with the calender.

I would say there is less of interest in the mag for me the last year or two. It’s a bit too in bed with the advertisers, a bit too MBR-ish and lacking any back bone.

The last article I really enjoyed was the frame building one!

Outside, especially if you’re sharing the bivvie…

First I’ve heard of it, my old stomping ground so kinda interested for nostagia reasons. No idea of the route they’re using but I’d go hardtail, or light full suss if you’re that way inclined.

Tempted…..

PRK (Pro-Flex Repair Kit) = Araldite! 😉

Have a good one chaps, I’m looking to attempt the ‘big loop’ at TH this Sat.

There must be more than an lx to xt type of reason for speccing the different tubes – give them an email, I’m sure they can reveal all!

From what I understand, 725 is generally regarded as the next step down from 853 in their range, but like I said there are different reasons for selecting certain tubes types. Butting profiles, shape, curves, strength, weight etc.

I remember he put on a show at Redhill park/football ground (when it was near the station) in the 70’s. We couldn’t afford to get in, but we watched some of it from a high point in the road looking over the wall into the park. Myself and a few mates on made up ‘tracker bikes’ as we called them, rode the three miles – must have been under 10 years old then. He had massive status in the UK, the Evil Knevil thing along with Kung-FU, skate boards etc was huge – he was our English equivalent of EK!

MUDGUARDS – on wide rimmed touring bikes! This is why cantis are still used. Pauls components make the nicest.

Very impressive Alex!

For what it’s worth, close examination of the label reveals the tubes were niobium ‘doped’ assuming that isn’t going to make much difference over ”dipped”….

Alex – have you become a metalurgist during your time off the bike! 😉

It’s all very well looking at tensile strength of the material, but how about how it changes at and around the welded, or in the case of some steel that is brazed, tube joint – some materials harden but does that make them more brittle (?) my 853 frame cracked through the welded joint of two tubes. Also the butting profile plays a huge part enabling the tube to be stronger (thicker wall) where it is needed most, and lighter in the centre for example. Some tubing is triple butted to make the most of this.

Here’s a question for you Alex, what is ”niobium dipped fine grain steel” as on the label of my tripple butted Columbus Life tubed my bike, and what characteristics does that have (?)more of a challenge than a question perhaps…… 🙂

18bikesMatt – any plans for a set back version?

I like the fact that you are prepared to push the envelope and make some different to the norm bike frames and components – power to you!

BWD + Dez – because I’m worth it! 😉

It’s like all these things, taste is subjective, but I for one are more than happy with the steel.

A good natured thread despite my outspoken comments. Cheers all and happy riding.

Ti doesn’t do it for me, although I could make an exception for a >95 hei hei. Apart from the crack factor there is just something vulgar and apsirational about it in my opinion. Sorry – not meaning to offend any owners with my comments. 🙂

I’ve learned the Endura lesson the hard way too. As far as I’m aware the stuff isn’t made in the UK anymore either! ?

Swobo do some nice kit – because you’re worth it!

Start slow and try not to get carried away, if you’ve still got gas in the tank at Itford Farm, Rodmel you can always hammer the last leg to Eastbourne! rather than limp it as I did!! As already said take real food (savoury) – I was craving this after the day eating sugary energy food. And yes, as Singletrackmind said – it will hurt but hopefully rewarding once you’ve completed!

I hope your repair lasts.

I think long term you are the ideal candidate for a custom steel frame. Show the builder the pics of your frame failures, and they can select a chunky 853 seat tube – many variants exist – for tandems and other heavy duty applications, add a brace or big fillet braze joints where it meets the top tube. Most importantly beefed up chainstays with a BRACE BOTH sides for disc and Rohloff torque plus general stength, and a Rohloff specific drop out to do away with the Speedbone. As already mentioned have a look at the Curtis T45 or Freeride frames as a starting point at least.

The frames you’ve busted so far haven’t enjoyed the best reputation for longevity!

I run mine with the angle pointing towards the front on both – so I’d say your mate is right (of course)! 🙂

The tread pattern is very very similar to that of my 2.35 Nevegals and they are marked with the rotation direction – angle pointing towards the front on both – so I copied that.

Great tyre for the summer imo.

Hey, Paul – sounds like a plan, I’ll look into that.

Definately(!) let me know when you’re over, we could show you the singletrack at Whiteways Lodge which is not too far from Petersfield on the SDW near Amberley/Arundel, or the lovely singletrack at Brighton…two really good areas.

🙂

Thanks Alex!

I did all the paint work myself, when I was quiet at work. The frame was sating black when I got it, the forks white. It is a bit of a faf doing the forks, got to be stripped down for a start.

If you were having your frame done where ever) then it would be more cost effective to supply the stripped uppers and lowers to the painter at the same time. Not sure if that helps any.

ha ha – no time for that metro-sexual pastime of gardening – but I did make the fence though 🙂

It isn’t a garden anyway, that’s where I hose the bike down – so there! 😆

It’s a real mixed geology and not really as Downsy as you might expect – apart from the odd big climb! 😉 Always enjoyable, you’ll have a great time.

Hopefully see you some time over the summer Paul, those southern forests sound intriguing….. 🙂

Still not ridden mine so can’t comment on how good or bad it is.

A bit closer though

😆

Looks a bit incongurous Stoner – the poshest of sheds filled with er On-ones…. 😉

If I were going for a road bike I’d probably go with Rourke from your list, as I’m not up on road geometry, and I’d be confident in them. You would have to be fine with just TIG welding though as they don’t do brazing IIRC. If I knew exactly what I wanted then Kevin Sayles – either fillet brazed steel or lugged 953 would be my choice, again from your list of builders.

I have an Enigma mtb but it isn’t quite built up yet so can’t comment on it really. It isn’t strictly custom for me, although it is unique, as I bought the one-off fillet brazed ex-demo that STW reviewed.

My experience of custom (mtb) frames so far, is know what you want and make sure the builder agrees to make it to your specifications. Produce a drawing. The reason I bought the Enigma (a bit of a rebound purchase and it was half price – which helped of course) is that another builder/company made a right hash of my custom frame project and I didn’t accept it – wasn’t anything like my drawing and specs and had serious flaws. I won’t name any names but safe to say that the company hasn’t been mentioned up to now on this thread.

Mather was my original choice, but despite being on his ‘list’ and agreeing to make a start on the consultation stages by at least over a year ago, ignoring all my emails, I’ve decided he wouldn’t be the best choice – should anything go wrong or I needed a repair. Commuincation is key.

All the best

I used Mark Anthony once and that was very recently, they had the only pair of 170 Middleburn sq taper crank arms that I could find. Phoned them up and made sure they were indeed in stock, paid for them over the phone (recommended) and they arrived in the morning! Phucking excellent and a really good price too!

Best of luck with resolving your problem.

simonm – blimey I rode GT red the last week and was surprised how tame/lame it was (rode some black sections too, same opinion) – glad we didn’t make Kiri. Sorry locals but was expecting more technical/rugged trails for some reason. Was still enjoyable but a little dissapointing in that respect. We did Inners which was a bit better, a little more natural in places, plus the Caddon Bank drop section added some spice to the end of the trail.

Tragic – the Police statement in that report sums it up IMO.

Holy crap – do not ride that thing!

All the best and keep us informed.