This isn't really a BUILD build, but kind of just tracks what I'm doing with/to my bike, so there won't be anything really fancy here.
So, meet Clanky
Clanky is a 20 year old Giant mountain bike of some sort, there's plenty of Rat going on here, but not a lot of Rod
Maybe I can change that without breaking the bank, it's gonna be pretty unconventional though.
It has an aluminium frame which was pretty light for the time and has probably done about 150,000ks (my dad) in north western Australia and maybe a thousand since I inherited it. So it's a tough number.
Here's Clanky, not quite stock but you get the idea
I have a few requirements for the 'finished' product
- High bars (have a dodgy wrist)
- as few cables as possible
- Gears!
- Cheap
First up is the seat, I love banana seats and I never seen one on a mountain bike before.
I grabbed this one from the Recycle Cycle Club for nothing, it's from a kids bike so it's small
but actually looks in good proportion for this style frame, braces are from a clothes rack
If I get a sissy bar for the right price (nothing) I might switch over.
Problem with it is there's a squeak that drives me nuts
I tried some rubber grommets on it, but the squeak remains.
Is this common with this type of seat? any easy solutions around?
Also after 50 years the foam has collapsed so it's not that comfy, I'll replace the foam when I get too it
Next I need some cool bars, and high ones, my metal plate is screaming at me on these flat bars.
Picked these BMX bars from the Cycle Club again for the right price, and my cousin sent me a stem he had lying around.
I really like them and they sit at a perfect height for me.
So clanky is looking a little cooler already, at least to my eye, but there's more to come.
I sold my motorbike last week so I needed Clanky as proper transport, and I can't hack the seat squeak and lack of foam.
So I've temporarily gone back to the road seat.
Got a couple of problems that are a priority before more cool stuff can be done
- Wheels need truing pretty badly, I'll need help with this I think.
- Head bearings are stuffed
- Need a spacer and star washer installed (wonder why head bearings are stuffed?)
Future plans and possibilities
I'd like to put gear hub on, probably a kickback two speed with coaster (been riding round with just two gears to see if I can hack it)
and single ring on the front, this would chop it back to one cable on the front
or single on the back plus coaster and keep the three rings on the front, I'd need a chain tensioner too for this. Two cables.
Triple tree forks, cause their mad
Nicer looking levers than the old shimano pods
Love a 24 inch skyway rim and disk on the front, but that's probably a dream
Fat tyres!
Paint, thinking green rims and accents to match the seat, and maybe matte black or polish on the frame.
though that black reflective vinyl would be pretty sweet.
So that's the story of Clanky so far.
So, meet Clanky
Clanky is a 20 year old Giant mountain bike of some sort, there's plenty of Rat going on here, but not a lot of Rod
Maybe I can change that without breaking the bank, it's gonna be pretty unconventional though.
It has an aluminium frame which was pretty light for the time and has probably done about 150,000ks (my dad) in north western Australia and maybe a thousand since I inherited it. So it's a tough number.
Here's Clanky, not quite stock but you get the idea
I have a few requirements for the 'finished' product
- High bars (have a dodgy wrist)
- as few cables as possible
- Gears!
- Cheap
First up is the seat, I love banana seats and I never seen one on a mountain bike before.
I grabbed this one from the Recycle Cycle Club for nothing, it's from a kids bike so it's small
but actually looks in good proportion for this style frame, braces are from a clothes rack
If I get a sissy bar for the right price (nothing) I might switch over.
Problem with it is there's a squeak that drives me nuts
I tried some rubber grommets on it, but the squeak remains.
Is this common with this type of seat? any easy solutions around?
Also after 50 years the foam has collapsed so it's not that comfy, I'll replace the foam when I get too it
Next I need some cool bars, and high ones, my metal plate is screaming at me on these flat bars.
Picked these BMX bars from the Cycle Club again for the right price, and my cousin sent me a stem he had lying around.
I really like them and they sit at a perfect height for me.
So clanky is looking a little cooler already, at least to my eye, but there's more to come.
I sold my motorbike last week so I needed Clanky as proper transport, and I can't hack the seat squeak and lack of foam.
So I've temporarily gone back to the road seat.
Got a couple of problems that are a priority before more cool stuff can be done
- Wheels need truing pretty badly, I'll need help with this I think.
- Head bearings are stuffed
- Need a spacer and star washer installed (wonder why head bearings are stuffed?)
Future plans and possibilities
I'd like to put gear hub on, probably a kickback two speed with coaster (been riding round with just two gears to see if I can hack it)
and single ring on the front, this would chop it back to one cable on the front
or single on the back plus coaster and keep the three rings on the front, I'd need a chain tensioner too for this. Two cables.
Triple tree forks, cause their mad
Nicer looking levers than the old shimano pods
Love a 24 inch skyway rim and disk on the front, but that's probably a dream
Fat tyres!
Paint, thinking green rims and accents to match the seat, and maybe matte black or polish on the frame.
though that black reflective vinyl would be pretty sweet.
So that's the story of Clanky so far.
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