1989 Ritchey Ascent Comp - My First Ritchey

[SFP]

Update time....

New parts....
- Suntour XC Pro pedals - these are mint. So I will save the Superbees for a road bike project
- a pair of Kenda K-RAD tires for the non-slick wheelset for general all around use and multi-sub trails
- mint set of era correct XT hubs laced with DT double-butted spokes to mint Vantage comp rims - This set is to become my slick wheelset once I lace in the new polished rims.
- treated myself to a new Park shop apron

in addition to parts acquired, I also installed a WTB Speed seat and a set of XT canti's until I locate a set of silver 987s.

A week of looking and I cannot locate my speciality "bicycle tools" box - it is driving me nuts.

Started yesterday morning with the tear down and rebuild.

The yellow cable casing IMHO makes the build pop - am very happy with it.

Unreal how much lighter she is - I so need to get buy myself a scale (recommendations? - thinking of a Dr. Meter fish scale).

Today swap cranks and put the XC-Pro pedals on.

Need to shorten the rear housing on rear derailleur. Once I find my tools, will crack the chain and do it and the cogs in a proper soak-n-clean.

She so so locks different from the bike I brought home just over a month ago.

A few pics. The raccoon in the last photo is Babe - she is six generation that calls my back yard home.

 

[PanoIgano]

It's coming along really nice! The colour will turn eyes for sure. Make sure you have a bombproof lock for this one as for a city bike is darn special.

I have mixed feelings about the thread of the tyres though but that's a matter of personal preference. In my experience, they have very high rolling resistance. Very stable if you are not going fast but frustatingly slow if you want to cover long distances. Anyhow, this doesn't concern you much as you are having this bike for city rides.

Do you have a picture of the bicycle tools box you are after? I might be able to help altough I am based in Europe.

 

[SFP]

It's coming along really nice! The colour will turn eyes for sure. Make sure you have a bombproof lock for this one as for a city bike is darn special.

I have mixed feelings about the thread of the tyres though but that's a matter of personal preference. In my experience, they have very high rolling resistance. Very stable if you are not going fast but frustatingly slow if you want to cover long distances. Anyhow, this doesn't concern you much as you are having this bike for city rides.

Do you have a picture of the bicycle tools box you are after? I might be able to help altough I am based in Europe.

Yes I spent $240.xx CDN on a lock. Additionally I have a heavy duty cable lock to go with the high-end U-Lock.

I also will be picking up locking wheel skewers once they show up in a couple of weeks. Really wishing I could located high end solid (or hollow) axles that I could just bolt on. They exist but hard to find out here in the length I need for the rear hubs. Once upon a time one could get XT chromoly ones.

And I do not plan on letting it be out of my eyesight for more than ten minutes or at a time.

The tire chose was selected for something that could handle hardpack small gravel, gravel, hardpack dirt as well as pavement (and they were cheap). The primary wheelset I will be running Schwalbe Marathon Plus for road/city. I am waiting for my new spokes to come in so I can build up the XT hubset with the polished Sun CR-18 rims. After which, I'll be taking this wheelset and lacing in new spokes and a set of dark coloured CR-18s - makes for easy wheel swapping. I have a Rocky Mountain for actual off road duty.

As for the tool box.... what I was referring to, is I took my specialty bike tools out of my main mechanics tool box, and put them in a "safe spot" and now I cannot locate them.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Nice bike, nice build.

 

[SFP]

Nice bike, nice build.

Thnaks Mate

 

[SFP]

Tools I have now bought....
Still waiting for my box to show up...

- black spoke wrench
- uber crappy fourth hand (only ever buy a Park fourth hand)
- crank puller
- cutters for cables and casings
- 14mm socket head
- cone wrenches
- can't forget the damn peseta valve adaptor
- guess I can count the Park PCS 10.3 stand (and yeah I am eyeing a Park turing stand)
- yet another damn 10mm wrench
- new allen key set
- bought a small locking plastic box for said new tools which is now stored in the general bike parts box.

The Suntour XC Pro cranks are on her, as well as the XC Pro Pedals. Need to exchange the new toe clips for a larger size.

Think I shall be shortening shifting cable housing as well as removing a link or three from the chain.

Took the plunge and migrated one of the Sun CR-18 Rims to the front XT hub wheel I got last weekend - nerve wracking as this is first time I have done a wheel in twenty plus years.

I am thinking I will do the back over the weekend, and then take both to a buddies shop to use the truing stand for final tweaks.

Debating installing the 130mm Control Tech stem instead of the 125mm Velocity currently installed.

Went with a pair of Zoom bar end instead of the Giant ones (they are lighter). Managed to locate some orange ODI mushroom grips that I cut down for myself.

Have decided once the new wheel set is finished, I will throw on my new off road tires and get some pics as well as hit the locale off road park (Hartland Bike Park, Victoria, BC, Canada) - I gotta see how she rides off road.

The new wheelset as previously mentioned will be getting some city-type slicks at the end of the month and I'll order another set of CR-18 rims this time to go through a full new spokes and all build which will become the multi-purpose wheelset.

Frak she is pretty.

I keep thinking about maybe throwing her into a Bike of the Month contest (thoughts folks?).

I still need to weigh her.

Keep thinking of dropping a matching XTR front derailleur on her.

No I still have not taken for a ride.

Thanks for the feedback and support folks.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Have decided once the new wheel set is finished, I will throw on my new off road tires and get some pics as well as hit the locale off road park (Hartland Bike Park, Victoria, BC, Canada) - I gotta see how she rides off road.

Take pictures in the wild.

I keep thinking about maybe throwing her into a Bike of the Month contest

The wilderness pics will help earn my vote. Would rather see a bike with a little dirt from trail action than a pristine queen that was driven to its photo shoot.