For those of you that follow my blog you will know that I was due to take part in the Manchester 100 at the start of September. This is indeed correct, however as I always do before an long ride (especially ones of 100 miles) I tend to give my bike a bit of a service in an effort to correct any niggling problems I have been finding over the past few weeks etc.
This time was no different however I had decided to do something about that darn bottom bracket!
Whist on holiday the week before the ride I got on eBay, purchased a nice looking second hand bottom bracket and chain set. Plus I even bought a new big ring rear cassette to help me up the hills.
Saturday came around and after arriving home from holiday and helping out with all the unpacking and washing I was finally able to get down to the job of changing a major component on my bike.
I was easily able to do the usual ,remove the chain and get dirt everywhere etc.
When it came to removing the left hand crank first I was a little worried!
I had previously tried to remove the left crank using a crank-puller tool and had stupidly crossed the threads and now found that every time I tried to use the tool on this side again all it did was strip out more thread! eventually I decided (as I was replacing the crank and bottom bracket) it was going to have to be "Hammer Time!" (M C Hammer music goes through my head! Love the 80's).
Much bashing swearing and more bashing occurred until eventually the crank came free and I was happy again! Ah! a sigh of relief, now the rest of the job is simple! As I removed the left hand bottom bracket cup with no real issue, alarm bells should have been ringing. Anyway I was able to remove the bottom bracket and found the bearings inside had turned into a rusty looking mush. Evidently the high mileage in all weather has had a great toll on my bike and besides which, it was an old part when I first bought it so really I should have looked after it better.
Anyway, next came the easy task of removing the drive side cup!! Erm! when I say easy, it should have been.
Let me just take you back a minute to the last time I fitted the bottom bracket to my bike. About 2 years ago after purchasing a rusty old Marin Larkspur frame I built it up into what would become my bike.
 | |
| This is what my bike looked like eventually |
The Marin frame was a bit knackered and rusty so I sent it to my cousin Edward to get it powder coated in yellow so it ended up looking like new and I was happy to have a new looking bike.
When the bike came back indeed it was new looking and well coated allover, the only problem with the all over effect was it had also coated the threads in the bottom bracket housing and the rear derailleur mount. Thankfully my dad being an engineer was able to get a "tap" to clean out these threads almost fully. The rear derailleur mount wasn't a real problem. The bottom bracket was though as it required a very large tool to cut it, and one side even has to turn the wrong way too!Much swearing and stress but eventually we got the thing together.
Now it came to taking it apart after a little over 2500 miles of riding in the past 2 years it just wasn't going to budge! Then disaster strikes, the teeth the tool grips onto gave way and all broke off leaving me with a metal cup that I couldn't grip in anyway. Arrgh! much more hammering and sweating as I was supposed to be riding 100 miles in the next 12 hours I eventually had to concede defeat and realised that my bike experiment had this time not gone as well as one would have hoped!!!
 |
| The offending item! |
So I now had to replace my bike frame with a new one asap or I would be riding the hybrid to work for ever! The hybrid is o.k. but my goodness its heavy and slow in comparison to my road bike. even the steel framed old girl.
So! after much searching and a mega stroke of luck with my mum giving me some money as a present, I finally ordered a new bike frame. Not an old second hand eBay special (even though I did get this one off eBay, but straight from the manufacturers) but a brand new only just made still in the box frame, very exciting!!!
Finally last Wednesday it arrived!
I bid on bought a Dolan bike directly from them using eBay.
The eBay page didn't even describe how good this frame really is. I was expecting a heavy, badly put together totally alloy frame with all the bits being a bit rough around the edges!
What I got was...
So come Friday night I loaded it into the car and with a leave pass to go and play I headed off up to my mate Matt Gush's house (he also builds bikes and knows what he is doing far better than I do) to build this baby up!
I had beforehand realised a few things:-
1. My current brakes wouldn't fit, so I had to purchase some more (they arrived on Thursday)
2. The steer tube would need to be cut to the right length and star washer fitted.
3. I had better get this right or I would be up poo river without propulsion!!!
After arriving and disgorging many bike bits, tools, nappies (the wife's contribution!) a cycling related DVD (Cycling dreams, great DVD, worth watching) and beer! we then set too building the bike.
Matt took a great leap and set too cutting the steer tuber to the right length. I was worried about this myself as getting that wrong would really cock things up and I trusted he knew what he was doing. I screwed in the new bottom bracket (not that I have had much luck with those recently!) and then we set about fitting the star nut into the steer tube. This even involved consulting a "Manual!". To our surprise all it said was use a special tool to do it, or just hit it with a hammer until it goes in! We of course opted for option "B" with almost disastrous consequences! it didn't go in straight the first time. We resorted to much tapping to get it in the right direction with me hoping that this wasn't yet another fatal bike error!!! Eventually though we got it in and I then got on with doing things like fitting the brakes.
 |
| Fitting the brakes after much stress! |
 |
| All starting to take shape |
Now much to my surprise but really it shouldn't have been in the 25 years since my Marin was built frames have changed shape a little bit and in fact got shorter. This did mean that my cables were long enough which was one worry, but also strangely the cable outer's didn't quite reach in all cases. Thankfully Matt and I are quite resourceful and between the two of us were able to remove the shorter hoses and replace them with longer ones that fit correctly.
Eventually after blood, sweet and swearing lots (yes I cut my thumb open too) we had a bike that looked ace!!!
 |
| Tada! The finished article |
 | |
| Matt comes back from a quick spin! |
When he returned he had a big smile on his face that told me everything, This was indeed a very fast, very light bike that we had put together and it was going to be a joy to ride! So I went up the road myself too. Bit of a risk in the dark with no lights or helmet but it was still great fun and she certainly does live up to the superb reviews given to her by the likes of bike radar etc.
 |
| New home for a new girl |
Now I just can't wait to have my first run out on my bike. Hopefully a nice little leisure ride around the local area to get used to the way she handles (and just because I love cycling), but more than likely the Monday morning commute to work down the A57 into Manchester center. As Matt so nicely put it though, I now have to get personal records on at least 20 Strava segments to justify getting a new bike! Hmm a challenge I feel!
Coming soon I will be taking part in what will be the final sportive of the year ,the national trust "Hidden Peak" sportive from Bakewell. Its only 80 miles but I think by looking at the route map here about 78 of those miles are up some chuffin steep hills!
I can't wait!
I will let you know what goes on anyway and any suggestions as to what to call the new girl please let me know!
Cheers and Happy cycling
 |
| The old girl |
No comments:
Post a Comment