98 clockwork - rebuild take 2

Re: My first Orange.

Done! And ridden (round the block anyway). It's nice!

A few tweaks to make, shifting's not as crisp as I'd like (need to check rear derailleur/hanger alignment), and also I'm wondering if the cage of the front mech might be slightly misaligned/bent... plus wheels need a fully OCD true-up to be 100% (in which case I can also get the brakes adjusted better). But hey, chasing perfection isn't why I've put this together, and besides I think I need to ride it a bit before getting too carried away with the spanners.

I'm chuffed. Build feels super light compared to what I've been riding recently and on a quick road test it feels both comfy and quick. I like the way it looks too.

Can't wait to take it on a decent ride!

Re: My first Orange.

bluetomgold":3clrvw3v said:

I'm wondering if the cage of the front mech might be slightly misaligned/bent...
Can't wait to take it on a decent ride!

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Have taken it for a decent ride now. It's brilliant. Also got hold of an M736 front mech which is much better. It's amazing how quickly the quality of XT stuff went down hill in the mid 90s (once XTR came in?)

Would like to swap the brakes for some earlier ones in terms of the looks, although having adjusted the pull on the levers the current M750 ones work brilliantly.

Forks seem to be getting worse though! Really bottoming out easily, so soft. Need something else... or a rebuild...

Re: My first Orange.

I think your problem with the front mech was using a later hyperdrive-c mech with the older non compact drive m730 chainset. They do not deal well with the bigger chainrings. Now you have matched the mech to the chainset it obviously works.


Fork problem will be the elastomers. You can't seem to get decent micro cellular urethane any more, most people use solid urethane rod and chop it to fit, or buy pre made ones from the internet. They are better than mushy old elastomers but not as a good as new originals.

The indy sl are actually pretty good when on form, and exactly the price point of fork the c16 would have had new.

Like the colour and decals, but please oil your chain!

Re: My first Orange.

was8v":3llt6oce said:

I think your problem with the front mech was using a later hyperdrive-c mech with the older non compact drive m730 chainset. They do not deal well with the bigger chainrings. Now you have matched the mech to the chainset it obviously works.


Fork problem will be the elastomers. You can't seem to get decent micro cellular urethane any more, most people use solid urethane rod and chop it to fit, or buy pre made ones from the internet. They are better than mushy old elastomers but not as a good as new originals.

The indy sl are actually pretty good when on form, and exactly the price point of fork the c16 would have had new.

Like the colour and decals, but please oil your chain!

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Thanks for your comments. I actually lubed the chain straight after taking that picture...I'm pretty thorough but nobody's perfect! It started rusting almost as soon as I'd fitted it which given the dry weather was a surprise. Normally I find this sort of cheap generic chain tends to be oily enough straight out of the packet that they don't need anything for a while... :roll:

Appreciate your advice on the forks. You've made up my mind to give them a service. Can't really afford anything better at the moment anyway, and I'd hoped that they'd be decent enough. I've not taken a set apart before but seen some videos online and it looks straight forward enough. Looks like I'll need a long straight allen key bit and maybe a long extension for my socket set before attempting it though. I think there's a guy on here selling "universal" elastomers?

Not sure re the front mech... the issue was not shifting to the bottom ring, and I'm pretty sure the cage is bent. I compared it to a very similar (good) LX one (same era), and the XT one definitely looks wonky in a manner which would explain it (i.e. the lower outer part of the cage is bent away from the frame). It just won't push the chain over far enough, unless you set it at a funny angle, in which case you get clearance issues. OTOH, it could be a combination of a slightly bent mech and marginal compatibility... :? Anyway sorted now so it doesn't matter, and as you point out the new one is more in keeping with the spec and vibe elsewhere.

Re:

What width Bottom bracket are you running? If it’s too narrow for the cranks the inner ring will be too close for the mech to shift down to it properly.

Re: Re:

LongboardSi":2qkpjjoi said:

What width Bottom bracket are you running? If it’s too narrow for the cranks the inner ring will be too close for the mech to shift down to it properly.

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Ha! Funny you should ask. I had the bike turned upside down this afternoon and noticed that the cranks are sat closer to the frame than they ought to be. I remembered that I wasn't sure about the BB when I fitted it a few years ago - it was the best I could find in my parts stash, and I made a mental note to check it later...forgotten :facepalm:

...So yeah, currently it has a 118mm BB which is a little too narrow, also the chain line isn't brilliant which explains the less than crisp shifting to the lower gears at back. I guess I'll order a 122mm UN55.

Oh well, I'll get there. :roll:

Re:

Pulled the 118mm TH Industries bottom bracket and fitted a 122.5 Shimano UN55.



The gap between the small ring and the frame has grown reassuringly (previously it was practically touching) but oddly following an attempt to re-align the mech I still had shifting niggles. I'd noticed previously that to get it to shift properly I'd ended up with the mech at an angle. Even now, with the mech straight it hits the frame before the adjuster stop, so I've had to angle the mech in at the back to get enough movement.

Also another niggle (I'm being uber fussy here) is that the R/H cup on the new UN55 has a lip which looks like it is supposed to fit flush with the frame. Well it doesn't. Instead it leaves a little gap that looks like a great place for dirt and grime to accumulate...



Anyway... at least the chain line is better so it is one step closer to that fictional ideal...perfection.

Oh and added some more gold bling/weight weenie bits. Halo anti-theft skewers. I don't want to lose my wheels. And I didn't like those cheapo yellow grips so they've made way for some black Kangaroo ones.

Been riding it lots, mainly streets/parks, but love it. Wish I lived somewhere where decent trails were near...

Re: Re:

bluetomgold":2t5z006x said:

shifting's not as crisp as I'd like (need to check rear derailleur/hanger alignment)

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Sorted this morning. Mech hanger was bent. Shifts a treat now. Also finally managed to get the front mech properly aligned and working as it should. In addition to the narrow BB, it would appear I had the mech mounted too high. I should know better. Still, you live and learn.

bluetomgold":2t5z006x said:

Wish I lived somewhere where decent trails were near...

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Today I finally discovered what a lame excuse this is... Took the bike out to Epping Forest this afternoon, only half an hour's drive away, had a great couple of hours aimlessly exploring. Got lost and completely knackered. Absolutely wonderful.

Look, it's got mud on it.

Re: My first Orange.

Seeing as this is already a bit of a mish-mash, I thought I might make some further tweaks out-of keeping with just about everything else. I've got other bikes that are original and/or more faithful to their period, but on this one I just kind of want to use bits that I like...

Anyway I'm posting to canvas opinion on whether these changes are a good idea or not. I want it to be a nice looking rider, light and functional without spending a fortune. And I enjoy changing things around and making tweaks - this bike will never be original, so it's a good one to mess about with.

First up:



These chainsets really speak to me. I just think they are one of the most interesting designs Shimano ever came up with. And the black on the LX one looks better than the silver XT to me... But on the other hand, maybe a bit modern? I've realised that a compact chainset is probably a good thing having caught the old M730 one on the ground a couple of times...and this will be slightly lighter than the existing one... but maybe a compact 5-arm chainset would look better? Tell me what you think!

Re: Period Incorrect - another C16R

Also, got these: