Well that changed quickly - see post 3 to see what actually happened with this build ( so far )
Hi Guys
New boy here (hardly a boy really as I am 50 )
I was a really keen MTB rider a few decades ago but drifted away from cycling for some reason. A few years ago I bought myself a Specialized basic(ish) MTB and never really liked it so it got left in the back of the garage. My partner then decided she fancied a bike and we started riding on the local disused railway track paths - nice and easy, pretty and flat, very enjoyable on a Sunday - but I still didn't like the bike and it was even worse for pootling along on.
I looked around for bikes that I might fancy - nothing quite was what I wanted - or if it was close it was way out of my budget which is pretty modest.
I like steel, I fancied a lugged frame ideally, I wanted rigid forks, probably single speed ( something appeals and ideal for my use ) and I think I wanted 26" wheels ( not sure why actually ). I also have the problem that I am pretty short at around 5' 7" but have very stumpy legs - getting something that fits is tricky.
Anyway - I just bought this bare frame and forks off ebay and have thrown my Specialized wheels in to take a look and check the standover - spot on.
It's a 1994 Dawes Kickback pro - 16" frame, Reynolds 501 hand made lugged and brazed. It's a bit pink (and it now has a dink in the top tube ( thanks to UPS ). Today I have managed to loosen the siezed headset and get that apart but have just found what looks like a very dodgy BB thread on the LH side - I don't have a BB yet to see how it feels ( in the post ).
I will update this thread so you can laugh along as I buy all the tools I used to have again and work through all the problems and disasters. Hopefully at the end I will have a bike I threw together myself that suits me and my needs. ( ie toodling around and having fun on a bike I like )
Hi Guys
New boy here (hardly a boy really as I am 50 )
I was a really keen MTB rider a few decades ago but drifted away from cycling for some reason. A few years ago I bought myself a Specialized basic(ish) MTB and never really liked it so it got left in the back of the garage. My partner then decided she fancied a bike and we started riding on the local disused railway track paths - nice and easy, pretty and flat, very enjoyable on a Sunday - but I still didn't like the bike and it was even worse for pootling along on.
I looked around for bikes that I might fancy - nothing quite was what I wanted - or if it was close it was way out of my budget which is pretty modest.
I like steel, I fancied a lugged frame ideally, I wanted rigid forks, probably single speed ( something appeals and ideal for my use ) and I think I wanted 26" wheels ( not sure why actually ). I also have the problem that I am pretty short at around 5' 7" but have very stumpy legs - getting something that fits is tricky.
Anyway - I just bought this bare frame and forks off ebay and have thrown my Specialized wheels in to take a look and check the standover - spot on.
It's a 1994 Dawes Kickback pro - 16" frame, Reynolds 501 hand made lugged and brazed. It's a bit pink (and it now has a dink in the top tube ( thanks to UPS ). Today I have managed to loosen the siezed headset and get that apart but have just found what looks like a very dodgy BB thread on the LH side - I don't have a BB yet to see how it feels ( in the post ).
I will update this thread so you can laugh along as I buy all the tools I used to have again and work through all the problems and disasters. Hopefully at the end I will have a bike I threw together myself that suits me and my needs. ( ie toodling around and having fun on a bike I like )
