2000 Marin B-17

Part 1: I accidentally bought this "for spares for another build" but decided on keeping it as a keep at work hack for lunchtime rides around the surrounding countrtyside. Some of it worked OK but needed some serious TLC.
Some nice parts, Bomber JrT forks, Hope disc and Big Un hub, solid enough drivetrain. Some not so goob bits, frame flakey and scuffed, shifter shafted, wobbly rear hub, magura rear brake all seized, stiff pedals and BB, generally a bit tatty and unloved.

Starting from the clearly non-original; spec wasn't a problem for me. This was something I could start with, use up some spares and do a nice job on a budget.

So, I stripped her down, cleaned her up and started thinking...

Part 2: So, stripped down the components from the frame and started cleaning. Rebuilt the rear hub, not too badly worn but manky with old grease so stripped the goop off and tightened up properly. Chain, rings, cassette, mech were all in a similarly goopy state, so degreaser, stripped and cleaned, fresh lube an into the parts pile. Forks seem to function well so not doing those just yet.
The front disc was OK but would benefit from fresh fluid and possibly fresh pads. The rear brake was functional but the adjustment was not adjustable due to fractured mounting brackets and seized bolts, so thats back in the parts bin for a later job and since there is a disc mount on the swingarm I will go down that route.

I want gears too, so the single ring and yellow raceface cranks (square taper) are going and I can use an old XT unit from the bin (hollowtech). BB out then.



So now I get thinking, what parts to go on? Do I want a budget build so that I can keep it at work as intended, or is this going to be the nice build and send another one for work duties? I am indecisive, and go backwards and forwards for a bit....

Part 3: So I decided, keep, and make a decent job, build up cheap for now but with scope for long term keeps. So the frame needs sorting then. Out with the headset, shock and bearings and off to the powder coaters with you! I spent about 3 weeks going backwards and forwards chosing what colour, but the boy (5) decided for me. He said that daddys bike should match his, so I'm heading down a road that will lead me to black with orange bits. That should work well with the black bombers, bars, wheels etc.

So, satin black powder it is:


Then I realise how much of a PITA it is trying to get the bearings back into the swingarm without a proper press. Homemade jobbie worked OK once I had built it, and the frame is back in one piece! Now, which parts....

Good start - looks great on the powder coat.

That is going to be nice. I do the same thing all the time, buying a bike for parts and then decide to keep. below is a Pic of a tool I made for bearings and headsets it works awesome.

Yeah, I made something like that. £7 at the hardware store and so many uses.

Part 4: And the biggest lesson of the project so far - protect the threads. I asked the powder coaters to make sure that the threads for brake bosses, bottom bracket and mech hanger remained clear, they said no problem.

However....

So I spent a whole 2 minutes looking up a tool to clear BB threads, saw the price, feinted, then set to with a fine screwdriver and wire brush carefully scraping out the threads. I got there in the end, and an old hollowtech BB is now in the frame, with an old XT black and silver crankset.

The rear mech hanger would not take the bolt. I spent a little while looking up a source for a replacement, just in case, and they seem pretty rare so decided to proceed with caution. After careful scraping with a fine screwdriver it still wouldn't go in, so I went to visit my friends at the local hellfrauds who produced just the right tap to chase the thread out. Job done. To keep the colour scheme I went with an old black LX mech from the parts bin.

A new/old FSA Pig headset, some black Outland bars, black deore shifters, and a (temporary) silver stem to the front end means forks on and I can start on the cable routing and brakes. I have a hope mono mini for the rear, so out with the supplied wheel and in with one with a disc hub. I recently upgraded the original wheels on my Trek so the rear wheel from that goes in, deore hub on bontrager rim, all black. I will work with the supplied front wheel and disc for now, but might have to lose the hub as its the only red bit. I could use the matching front wheel from the trek too but I currently have no spare brake for it (the Hope on this bike is 5-bolt). Job for another day.



I didn't have a suitable front mech in the bin, so bought a shiny new XT mech at a good price on fleabay, and a clarkes orange gear cable set.

Looks great in black. Nice start

Right, sourced a suitable brake disc for the front so will pop a new wheel in and lose the 5-bolt hub and disc. Also got a short race face stem in black to replace the silver unit.
Been talking with Mr decals Gil_m about some originals but he has none on file that match, so that can wait for now while I get some source images for him. Next, brakes to strip and service, black side tyres to fit, gears to set now the chain is on and then we can hit the trails. Got a family holiday planned early June so that's my deadline. What can go wrong?

Part 5: last few bits done and this is rolling. The cables have been under tension for a week or so to stretch out and the chain is now fitted so gears can be set. How much of a PITA is it to adjust the front mech limiter screws with a chuffing big swingarm RIGHT IN THE BLOODY WAY! Grrrr! Anyway, with a bit of contortionist screwdriver action (oo-er) we get there.

Big-Un wheel out and away with the 5-bolt hub and disc to ebay, in with the black shimano/botrager wheel to match the rear and a sensible 6-bolt disc. Brakes slotted straight in with barely a shim in sight. Add a pair of nice black Schwalbe Albert tyres and job done.





I have tried to keep this black with orange bits so it matches my sons bike. Its ended up a bit of a cobbled bodge of parts and styles, certainly not a thorough retro build but its been fun getting my hands (very) dirty again after a few years out of the saddle. Nice matchy bikes, happy boy.



This was intended to be a build to take to work for runs out at lunchtime and the sort. However since the boy decided the colours to match his, it seems daft to take it somewhere we cant ride together, so I will use this for my summer riding and take my work-in-progress Mount Vision to the office instead. Give it 12 months he will have outgrown that bike, so chances are I will strip this one back down again and re-balance the parts a bit at the end of the season, get a dirty bike for work and a shiny bike to have at home.

Or perhaps not, lets see.

'final' spec list:
2000 Marin B17 frame, black powdercoat
Fox Vanilla shock
2001 Marzocchi Bomber JrT forks
FSA Pig Headset, Race Face Diabolous stem, Outland bars and lock on grips
Deore shifters, XT front mech, LX rear.
Shimano Octalink BB, XT Cranks and rings, XT cassette, DMR V12 pedals.
Hope Mini brakes, 163mm rotors
Deore hubs, Bontrager rims, Schwalbe Albert tyres.