Today's Bike Ride

[daz h]

Felldonkey, first thing to think of is rear stay rear frame spacing, gap between rear dropouts. These ideally have to match your hub width on your back wheel. If your back wheel fits your away. If it don't then you can cold set it with a plank of wood. Basically and this is a trick I learnt at Raleigh. Lay the frame on it's side, put the 2x2 bit of wood either inside or outside the seat tube the if it's long enough either gently press down or pull up against the dropout. This will cold set the frame. Takes a steady hand and eye but it's fairly easy to do. Once you have the wheels in your frame your away. You can go from there. Brake caliper length may be an issue. If you need a longer drop to suit your rims , often this is a problem on old steel frames. Just get tektro calipers that suit 80mm drop.
Get your front and rear mech fitted and and that's about it.
Like I say , check your gap, fit your wheel and get a cassette on.
The front mech can be set with a ten pence piece, that's what I use. And then get your cables on and then adjust your gears.
Good luck
What frame is it

[daz h]

Oh and you need to check the alignment. Sorry forgot that. Been a while since I've done one. Most lbshops have performed the old cold setting trick and it was common years ago. Nowadays they just want to sell you a new frame and fork.
If you get that far just ask me and I will explain how to re align with a piece of string.

[Dynamo Dan]

Oh and you need to check the alignment. Sorry forgot that. Been a while since I've done one. Most lbshops have performed the old cold setting trick and it was common years ago. Nowadays they just want to sell you a new frame and fork.
If you get that far just ask me and I will explain how to re align with a piece of string.

Thanks for all the info Daz, it's much appreciated. My frame is a Ribble Reynolds 653 made to measure when I was a juvenile. I only rode it for a season and then got scouted by a team and given a bike by them to ride so it's in really good condition. I'd hate to get ride of it. It's a lovely ride so if I could save up for a new groupset and update it that way I'd be made up!

[wheezing donkey]

After weeks of dithering with injury, work & weather issues, I finally got out on the new bike for one hour plus yesterday afternoon!
For years my old 531 'crosser was my bike for all occasions, but it could be a twitchy handful on steep descents with bends; constantly having to fight it!
What a revelation on the Planet-X Ti Sportive; stable yet agile, comfortable and relaxed yet responds to every pedal stroke. The Ultegra 10 x 3 groupset is really sweet and, after years of 'playing chicken' with the cantis on the 'crosser, the power of the Ultegra deep drop, double pivot brakes is just magic!

[wheezing donkey]

Oh and you need to check the alignment. Sorry forgot that. Been a while since I've done one. Most lbshops have performed the old cold setting trick and it was common years ago. Nowadays they just want to sell you a new frame and fork.
If you get that far just ask me and I will explain how to re align with a piece of string.

Daz, I'm guessing that is:- Tie one end to a rear drop out, up round the front of the head-tube, pull it tight down to the other rear drop out and tie it off ( use the same/corresponding point on both drop outs for tying off ). Then measure on each side of the seat tube ( squarely ) to the string. If both measurements are identical, then alignment is correct?
Ian.

[swift]

Daz. I read an old post about when you were hypnotised.

Maybe that would help with all this bike stuff.

[daz h]

Daz, I'm guessing that is:- Tie one end to a rear drop out, up round the front of the head-tube, pull it tight down to the other rear drop out and tie it off ( use the same/corresponding point on both drop outs for tying off ). Then measure on each side of the seat tube ( squarely ) to the string. If both measurements are identical, then alignment is correct?
Ian.

Yes that is exactly what you do.
You would be surprised how many times on nights Ive done that at Raleigh even on brand new frames when they have rushed them through and welded them OUTSIDE the jig:thunbdown:.
Sometimes also you have to file the dropout out and bend ( or tune it) with a special tool :thumbup:, err also known as a adjustable spanner.
I was in Mercian the other day mind and they had just done one that had been damaged.

[daz h]

Daz. I read an old post about when you were hypnotised.

Maybe that would help with all this bike stuff.

Why would I need help.?

[emmilou]

Why would I need help.?

you took the words out of my mouth, it's nice to have someone with a bit of knowledge to ask and that someone that wants to help.

keep up the good work!


oh and can you remind me what I need to ask for for that cassette that they now don't do

[Al Fowler]

Any of you lot ever cycled over the Trough of Bowland? (Obviously some of you will have).

Weather permitting, im going to have a go at evaporating my quads on sunday and try and drag myself over it. Im in the area (stoneyhurst college) and have time to kill...so I might have a bash.

I dont think my lowest gear isn't low enough...so it'll hurt!