Recent content by focomat 1c

With the brass rollers set at 44mm centres ( as per instructions ) ie . at the bottom/start of the cam and using moulded Suntour brakepads in their middle adjustment position and rims with braking surfaces 25mm apart , the pivots are then on 87mm centres . These measurements taken from a Muddy...

The pivots that came with XCD 6000's are designed to be mounted either slightly inside or outside the chain stay , depending on which way round you fit them , also the shape of the chain stay itself . The rim width is the other major consideration If you let me know your intended rim width I...

I believe this bike to be one of the earlier Shogun imports into the UK by Caratti Sport , a business formerly based in Yate near Bristol . This model dates to around 1989 , is mostly original and based around Shimano 200 GS components . It was widely available at the time and was for many...

I've had this for years in a parts drawer . Its mainly aluminium extrusions with a steel stem , has elastomers contained in a tube and is adjustable for rise , It also has provision for top loading the bars . Never been used so I can't comment on its performance

There are several options here , I have always used a high tensile M5 Allen screw with a Full nut and a couple of washers . You screw the nut onto the Allen screw followed by the washers and the Rivnut . Insert this assembly into the frame , restrain the bolt from turning with an Allen key...

No ! The rubber compounds used in brake blocks have evolved over many years both to accommodate the changes in brake design and the varied requirements of the cyclists . Its basically finding the pad with the balance between wear and grip that suits your particular needs With regard to the...

There seem to be several small detail changes to the Kirk frame during it's production life . 1 The 'top tube' ' I ' Beam has potentially five cutouts/windows along it's length . It appears that some versions only have the rear window/triangle ' open ' and the rest left ' closed ' , While...

Well spotted about the cable runs , they are dummy cables at the moment just to see if it works out and it seems to be ok . The frame was chemically/physically stripped by hand , keeping chemicals well clear of the many bonded parts . It was then etch primed and wet painted using air drying...

Thought you might like to see my Kirk project that has been in store for a number of years and is now being built up . The frame cost £ 4.99 and the forks were £ 2.50 ( ebay and boot sale )

Check out ' Gun Blue ' , a chemical finish commonly found on ........................ guns !

Interesting comment , with one exception all the cantilever brakes I have come across have had a small amount of play at the brake pivot . However the Suntour/Pedersen Self Energiser brake ( shown above ) in both it's front and rear versions does not depend on the brake pivot to guide...

I have a similar Alpina with AMP F1 forks , however when out riding one day I happened to look down at the front cantilevers when braking , only to see a surprising amount of twisting of the fork legs . I fitted a brake booster to solve the problem . Considering the loads that you are...

Having just discovered this advert on the back of a cycling book ( dating to around 1950 ) it is hard to understand how this revolutionary design has been overlooked by the major bicycle component manufacturers ? maybe the ' world patent applied for ' has discouraged them ? Come on Shimano ...

Looks like 1985/86 , however the front and rear Sturmey Archer hub brakes will have year and month of manufacture marked around the outer surface of the brake drum , the front mech will have a two letter date code stamped on the inner surface of the guide cage . This will give you a starting...

Shimano did not make much of a fuss when they announced 'their' new brake design To find out why , check out ' V - Brake evolution ? an unlikely original source '