Good evening all.
After many years with a Pace RC200 F1 and F8, an RC300 and a couple of Klein Attitudes I have finally concluded that retro aluminium frames and me don't get along!! With the exception of the '300 they all cracked and one Klein got pinched.
More recently I had my second 1993 Explosif but it didn't quite ignite the passion that my first one did back in the mid 90's. With that sold on my retro days ended and I lived with a 2016 Giant Propel road bike and lately a 2018 Trek Roscoe 8. Both brilliant at what they do but a bit boring.
Roll on to a few weeks ago and my Wife was silly enough to ask me to build an old mountain bike up for her so we could go on family rides....
Scouring various outlets I came across a 1992 Cro-Mega LX that looked a half decent size (my wife has loooong legs) and I managed to pick it up for a grand total of £108.
A bit scruffy and with a mixture of bits but it rode nicely. However, I started to research and discovered Gil_M's decals for the Cro-Meg DX and some alternative colour schemes for the bike. A plan was hatched, all I needed was a DX group set and a bit of patience to paint it.
Luck then dealt a decent hand when a virtually NoS Al Carter Black Panther came up for sale on here. I had one of these when I left school and recalled that it had the full DX kit. I managed to snap it up for a touch more than the Alpinestars and on it's arrival was pleased to see it in virtually unused condition.
What a coincidence that the Al Carter was a nice big frame....
So I had a decent Cro-Mega frame with naff parts and a boring Black Panther with a nigh on immaculate DX groupset including a mint Flexstem (in matching 1 1/4") and mirror finish Araya RM20 wheels. What to do....
First job, strip the frame. This I managed to have done at my place of work using plastic media blasting. Basically sand blasting but it doesn't harm the metal - they can paint strip a coke can without any visible damage to the metal, quite impressive.
This initial strip revealed a crack at the base of the seat tube slot. Not a big issue with steel so I stop drilled the ends and had it tig welded. I elected not the grind the weld flat as it isn't in the way or particularly unsightly. Probably stronger like this too.
Other than that and a couple of small dents the frame looks to be in fine fettle.
Some interesting BB scars...
Forks
Stem (was fluorescent yellow....)
I've given everything the once over with white primer to stop the bare steel from oxidising in the damp air and will start masking out the paint job this weekend.
Cheers.
After many years with a Pace RC200 F1 and F8, an RC300 and a couple of Klein Attitudes I have finally concluded that retro aluminium frames and me don't get along!! With the exception of the '300 they all cracked and one Klein got pinched.
More recently I had my second 1993 Explosif but it didn't quite ignite the passion that my first one did back in the mid 90's. With that sold on my retro days ended and I lived with a 2016 Giant Propel road bike and lately a 2018 Trek Roscoe 8. Both brilliant at what they do but a bit boring.
Roll on to a few weeks ago and my Wife was silly enough to ask me to build an old mountain bike up for her so we could go on family rides....
Scouring various outlets I came across a 1992 Cro-Mega LX that looked a half decent size (my wife has loooong legs) and I managed to pick it up for a grand total of £108.
A bit scruffy and with a mixture of bits but it rode nicely. However, I started to research and discovered Gil_M's decals for the Cro-Meg DX and some alternative colour schemes for the bike. A plan was hatched, all I needed was a DX group set and a bit of patience to paint it.
Luck then dealt a decent hand when a virtually NoS Al Carter Black Panther came up for sale on here. I had one of these when I left school and recalled that it had the full DX kit. I managed to snap it up for a touch more than the Alpinestars and on it's arrival was pleased to see it in virtually unused condition.
What a coincidence that the Al Carter was a nice big frame....
So I had a decent Cro-Mega frame with naff parts and a boring Black Panther with a nigh on immaculate DX groupset including a mint Flexstem (in matching 1 1/4") and mirror finish Araya RM20 wheels. What to do....
First job, strip the frame. This I managed to have done at my place of work using plastic media blasting. Basically sand blasting but it doesn't harm the metal - they can paint strip a coke can without any visible damage to the metal, quite impressive.
This initial strip revealed a crack at the base of the seat tube slot. Not a big issue with steel so I stop drilled the ends and had it tig welded. I elected not the grind the weld flat as it isn't in the way or particularly unsightly. Probably stronger like this too.
Other than that and a couple of small dents the frame looks to be in fine fettle.
Some interesting BB scars...
Forks
Stem (was fluorescent yellow....)
I've given everything the once over with white primer to stop the bare steel from oxidising in the damp air and will start masking out the paint job this weekend.
Cheers.
