Clunker singlespeed - built for Isle of Wight Challenge

[Jonny69]

Hi folks, this is my first attempt to build a mountain bike. I got roped into the Wight challenge which is all off-road and all my bikes are roadies, so I needed a new bike to do it on. I wasn't prepared to shell out a fortune on Gumtree or eBay for a bike that would still need a load of work, so I put the word out on Freecycle for a junk mountain bike. Which turned up this:

Just what I was looking for. Rigid steel frame and everything pretty much knackered and ready for the bin. Rear axle was bent, bb axle was bent (how?) resin brakes and cranks, gripshift gears. Perfect!

I toyed with the idea of gears for a bit but decided I'd go single speed so made a pile of all the bits I didn't need:

That left just the frame, which got a rub down and a lick of satin black paint:

Then some new Tektro V brakes, new sealed bb and a black alloy seat post:

And finally I built some wheels with alloy hubs, Vuelta Airline aero section rims in red and polished stainless spokes. I was going to run high flange track hubs, but when the rims arrived I found I couldn't get spokes short enough. I cut the bars down a bit, then added some BMX style grips and black alloy flat pedals. This is the finished item:

 

[theredchili]

Great job, looks very nice.Have you any ideas what it is ? I love the stem,looks late 80's,early 90's to my untrained eye !

 

[lewis1641]

good work. those huge tyres and the chainset give it a klunker look

 

[Jonny69]

Great job, looks very nice.Have you any ideas what it is ? I love the stem,looks late 80's,early 90's to my untrained eye !

No idea to be honest; it had no stickers on it. The frame is TiG welded and the cream plastic gripshifts and blue anodised bar ends scream early to mid 90's to me as well.

 

[Bob]

Looking very tidy

How did you get on in the Wight challenge? 18 miles of off road with a single speed :shock:
Was there anyone else with the balls to do it on a SS?

 

[theredchili]

maybe an old Raleigh ? i'm sure someone on here may recognise it, any serial number on it

Those cranks are nice, what brand ?

 

[Jonny69]

Looking very tidy

How did you get on in the Wight challenge? 18 miles of off road with a single speed :shock:
Was there anyone else with the balls to do it on a SS?

Cheers! Came about halfway through the field overall but probably could have done better if my other team members were a bit faster

I was the only single speed there. It was tough on the hills but I was only walking it where other people with gears were walking too. I needed toeclips - mistake not putting them on especially with 44/17 gearing! Definite advantage on the smoother bits and downhill though - she really flew

Those cranks are nice, what brand ?

They're called 'Mighty' single speed cranks, but they aren't Sugino. They're just budget things with a pressed-on chainring but they're really nice quality. Loads of places seem to be stocking them now in a good range of toothcount.