1994 Dynatech Diablo STX. DONE (More or less..)FINAL PICS

It's blue and silver...ish and it's got tubes of Titanium.
Best of all, it's got an UGLI.
It's a bit knackered, and my restoration skills aren't the best but I am going to see what I can do with it before Iconoclassic.

Good bits:
Almost catalogue spec, everything is there apart from tyres, seatpost and saddle. And the rear wheel.
It's got nice stubby bar ends that look in keeping with the bike.
it's Ti.
Did I mention the fork?
It doesn't weigh much ( apart from the rear wheel. I dunno about former soviet strategic ti, this just feels like it fell off the back of a Russian tractor)

Bad bits:
The electrical tape is covering the bits where the laquer/big stickers have been peeled away. This will need sorting. I have a cunning plan.
The handlebar is steel, and rusty. Also under electrical tape.
The paint is peeling off the stem. Again, hidden by tape.
Dent in the seat tube ( nothing I can do about it and it doesn't look serious. )
Joke rear mech.
Rear wheel made of collapsed matter in the heart of a soviet military installation.
Some genius has tried to paint the rear cantis using a rattlecan and no masking. :facepalm:

All in all it looks like I am moaning, but really I am not. There's nothing there I can't do SOMETHING about and it's going to be my towpath / gentle ride with guests bike.

The frame is fine with no cracks or debonding, same with the fork and most of the original stuff is there, anything that isn't can be replaced with what I have in stock or very cheaply.
So yes, looking forward to getting this one sorted and ridden



The tape...


And what's under it:


and:



That fork: the end cap is a bit oxidised - any suggestions?


Thanks for looking

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Very nice looking project! Good luck with it

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Thanks, I am stripping it down at the moment and it seems nice and sound.
Here's the rest of the plan:
Clean and polish everything on it.
Strip the fadey bit, airbrush a new one then cover the top and down tubes with Helicopter Tape.
New Decals.
New stem, preferably a matching one.
New bars ( something cheap, light and straight: these are chrome plated steel and all rusty )
New rear mech: I have a 94 LX one that will do nicely.
Wheels from Rampage ( a nice and cheap Bonty set )
Pedals: I have a nice set of Wellgos with clips and straps, or possibly a pair of SPDs...
A period Crudcatcher and maybe, just maybe a Race Guard.
The chainset, front mech, shifters, levers and canti's are all fine, or will be after a bit of a clean.
The Tioga seatpost really suits it, and the Madison saddle is comfy if a little modern.
I'll probably stick some Splashbacks or the tyres that Little Skink put on his - whitewall semi slicks on it, it doesn't need full knobblies and I would like it to be nice and light.

So, here I go with a scalpel on the Ti tubes..wish me luck, I'm going in.

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Good plan and I agree on most of the points.
I would suggest to not change stem just give this one new layer of paint. Mix it up at local paint shop and spray it.
And helicotape does not look nice and if you decide to remove it at some point it will take paint with off. Give it few layers of lacquer instead.

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

oh, nice, very decent nick with the fixes looking mostly easy

Brings back sweet memories - my first Diablo was the STX in turquiose, some scrote pinched it from the garage a few days after I got it home . . . must dig out the frame number :mrgreen:

I have an OE seatpost but it is marked 27.0 so might not be the right size as I think these are 27.2 frames

The stem is difficult, guessing is steel? (My MTrax 1500 was) How about a £2 stem from these folks that could work nicely and still be "retro":
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/ST3TBONOMTB ... o-mtb-stem

You could get the white wall Metzcals while you are at it

doctorstewie":bae8x4ik said:

So, here I go with a scalpel on the Ti tubes..wish me luck, I'm going in.

Click to expand...

like to see some pics of that please

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Thanks folks
Dare: I think you are right, I will do the laquer thing. I am going to see if I can get a good match on the paint: I think I will post seperately to see if anyone knows of anywhere in the north west who can match it.

If not I will simply strip it back on the main frame tubes like a '91 model and respray the stem ( I like it, despite it's slightly agricultural feel. )

LS: I will take as many pics as I can and post them on Saturday - I will be tied up tomorrow with visitors.
I had a quick experimental peel tonight and it looks like I am just going to have to sand it: so I had a very gentle go with some 1200 grade wet and dry and I think it's going to take some time I'll be going over it with the finest abrasive I can find - perhaps even micromesh. I'll have to bone up on polishing ti.

Tell you what though, the frame feels lovely and "pingy" and rings like a tubular bell.
As for the seatpost mine is marked 27.2 and is a typically ( for RSP) snug fit. It moves and doesn't feel too big, just a bit snug. BUT it doesn't slide about, and there are no burrs inside the seat tube to damage the post.

Oh man having it nicked so soon:-( Been there, I think we all have. Glad you have another now

You going to Iconoclassic? I have to have this bike finished by then because I registered it last night :facepalm:

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Maybe try chemical paint remover, after that take drill and those brass buffing wire wheels and paint will come off in a minute!

It is easy to do whatever you want with the frame after that...

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

I picked up one of these pretty cheap a year or two ago and had some fun spending a little time and money on a few upgrades. My thread is here - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=292714 - the photos at the bottom show how it looked the last time I took pictures of it. It's my only proper retro ride at the moment and I love it.

Mine has what I think is the original post which is marked 27.0, which might explain why the 27.2 is a tight fit? Actually I've thought about changing the post lately for a USE so it may be for sale if you want to get the original. Personally I think silver suits the frame better than black.

Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out!

Re: 1994 Dynatech Diablo STX.

Good find, Stu - looking forward to seeing it after you've done your refurb

Re:

Forks are steel not ti
Stem is steel also.
The ti tubes are seamed.
I have a Dynasty-Tech frame here in pieces of you want to look at it.