Living the (ever changing) life of Ridley..Another finished, so endeth this chapter, or summat

[Mike Muz]

So now I've taken delivery of my fourth
My first, an X-Bow was a 54 (real terms 56). Alloy, canti and nice but a bit too small. Now sold.
My second, a white X-Ride was a "58" a bit too big, also canti but I could ride it. Bigly oversized forks meant a harsh ride though. So now sold that one too.
Third and my number one race bike, is a "56" X-Night SL. Still 10 speed but hydraulic disc. Fits me well for racing but I was looking for a second bike.
It's a thing in the cyclo-cross racing that I've been doing for several years now, at local league, some National Trophy, the National Champs and some of the World Championship races. One bike can seriously impede a good result if you don't have a spare, along with a mate to clean a muddy bike while you're racing the other.
My current spare, for mud races is a Boardman also with hydraulic brakes.
But for drier races, I can use a canti brake bike pretty well too.
So I took the plunge, having not been able to find a disc version at a sensible price, buying this ex-Telenet Fidea (which has morphed into the Trek Baloise Lions team ) team frameset. Looking up photos it was last seeing action in 2016. Really looking forward to building this one up and yes, it's the same size as my number one race bike.

 

[The History Man]

So we need pic of Nicolas in action.

Good to see you back on the site xxxx

 

[Mike Muz]

 

[Mike Muz]

And thank you

 

[Mike Muz]

So today I made a bit of progress. Had a rummage through my collection of bottom brackets, swapping bearings before finally fitting the cranks. The chain ring bolts would be changed for red to go with the other highlights. Also cleaned up the Avid brake calipers. Avid do good calipers but use rubbish tiny o rings to fit the barrels. These come out all too easily and when that happens a barrel can fall out when you fit or remove a wheel, resulting in no brake if you can't find it again or don't see it drop out of the brake. So I swap these as a matter of course for circlips, also cleaning up the brakes and greasing up the threads on the adjusters.
Tubular wheels are still a thing in cyclocross, despite the onset of tubeless setups which I personally only use for the roughest of surfaces.
I was a total newbie to fitting tubs but I found it quite easy although I would only use them for racing. I thought some nice red hope quick release skewers would look nice on this bike so have added them.

Also put on the Ritchey bars and stem to see how it will look, along with the Sram levers. Will take them back off to service the headset though. The seatpost, handlebar tape and cables are on the way

 

[Retro Spud]

Muz - good to see your still mixing it up with the cyclo x cross crowd

Nice bikes by the way

 

[Mike Muz]

Muz - good to see your still mixing it up with the cyclo x cross crowd

Nice bikes by the way

Thanks Nick.

This year it will be to the detriment of HONC. It clashes (again) with the first race of the season. Hope you're well my friend

Muz

 

[novocaine]

looking good.

when I saw the 3rd piccy I thought "well that aint a race bike", then it clicked, CX, Yep I'm a numpty.

 

[The History Man]

I remember watching a certain spud decking it in the mud one HONC many moons ago.

 

[Mike Muz]

I remember watching a certain spud decking it in the mud one HONC many moons ago.

He certainly knows how to crash