Pahoehoe '98(.5) - Rebirth

[albash82]

This has been sat idle since I built it for the winter of '14 as a singlesepeed.
I've always fancied building it into something really light, so I've started collecting some bits...
Frame is very tired, I've owned it since new, and since the beautiful ball burnished finish is now riddled with scratches and some weird reaction in the lacquer. I fancy making it look pretty again. So...

Big questions:
1 - What do I do with the frame?
- Restore it, polish the heck out of it, get repro dark blue deeks
- Paint it in the style of the best 90's Konas.
- Go mental.

2 - Build options
- Singlesepeed (done)
- Original resto (Lime Z2's, XT/LX group)
- Modern
- Go wild.

 

[coomber]

Re:

Polish it. New decals. Build it as cheap as you can with near modern bits, 1 x 10 is cheap etc

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Re: Pahoehoe '98(.5) - What shall I do with it?

the 'reaction under the laquer is worming - basically aluminium corrosion eathing it's way under the clear coat. the only option is to totally strip it back to raw aluminium. By hand will be hard work, and any blasting process will likely leave quite a matt finish.

Good luck with it!

 

[albash82]

Re: Pahoehoe '98(.5) - What shall I do with it?

the 'reaction under the laquer is worming - basically aluminium corrosion eathing it's way under the clear coat. the only option is to totally strip it back to raw aluminium. By hand will be hard work, and any blasting process will likely leave quite a matt finish.

Good luck with it!

Thanks! Yeah someone had mentioned to me years ago that term worming...
Think I'll see how it goes rubbing it down at some point. It'll be a slow burner though. Might just build it as is for now. Infant child is a full on time thief!

Collected a few bits tho... Hopefully scored a pair of those RC31's with Ti bits. I have a M952 rear mech, a nice set of V's and some Hope/Mavic wheels... Just need a nice set of light cranks now. I'm trying to make the build late 90's / early 00's... ish!
My mate discovered amber wall smoke/dart combo at Zyro today so they went straight in the basket, although I'm not sure they'll go on this build tbh... Are they too retro for a '98 frame? Probs not.... Maybe.... I'll decide when I build it.

So. Cranks. Might have to be Middleburn. Never had a set, but they're fairly pricey. I could get some nice modern carbon ones on it for similar money... Hmmmm

 

[otherself]

Re: Pahoehoe '98(.5) - What shall I do with it?

the 'reaction under the laquer is worming - basically aluminium corrosion eathing it's way under the clear coat. the only option is to totally strip it back to raw aluminium. By hand will be hard work, and any blasting process will likely leave quite a matt finish.

Good luck with it!

Thanks! Yeah someone had mentioned to me years ago that term worming...
Think I'll see how it goes rubbing it down at some point. It'll be a slow burner though. Might just build it as is for now. Infant child is a full on time thief!

Collected a few bits tho... Hopefully scored a pair of those RC31's with Ti bits. I have a M952 rear mech, a nice set of V's and some Hope/Mavic wheels... Just need a nice set of light cranks now. I'm trying to make the build late 90's / early 00's... ish!
My mate discovered amber wall smoke/dart combo at Zyro today so they went straight in the basket, although I'm not sure they'll go on this build tbh... Are they too retro for a '98 frame? Probs not.... Maybe.... I'll decide when I build it.

So. Cranks. Might have to be Middleburn. Never had a set, but they're fairly pricey. I could get some nice modern carbon ones on it for similar money... Hmmmm

Middleburns RS7 are like Fabergé eggs on eBay. I remember when they cost £80 new 15-18 years ago, now you won't get much change from £100 for used ones.

 

[albash82]

So I started rebuilding this last night.
Didn't get too far as it took me ages to decide how to fit the crown race without the right tool... Don't ask!
I was also having a video chat with a few mates and I might've had a few tinnies on the go.

General build vibe is light and comfy:
-RC31 Ti
-M952 1x (Cranks and RD)
-M737 / Avid SD2.0 Brakes
-Hope / Mavic wheels
-Smoke/Dart Reissue
-Nitto Bar / Thomson Stem
-Blackspire Seatpost
-Charge Spoon (Ti/Leather)

It's a lovely, light frame, so I've been wanting to see how light it'd be with some nice kit hanging off it.
I've not gone full weight weenie, but could be tempted to push the boundaries further down the line. I'm also trying to sort a suitable bouncy fork for it. Excited if I can get what's been suggested!
I've owned this bike from new, there's a link in my sig to previous builds I've done over the last 12 years or so.
It's too small for me (19", I'm 6'2") so when I get it built, feel free to comment on the saddle height
I've not gonna for any NOS stuff, some of the kit I'll be fitting is just what I have lying around and fairly well used / not that retro, but I wanted the make it into something comfy for me to cruise about on, hence the 15° rise stem and high rise bar. I'm hoping the Mrs might also be able to squeeze onto it, as I still need to rebuild her bike - oops!

*WOULD A HELPFUL MODERATOR MOVE THIS TO READERS BIKES '98 PLEASE*

 

[moonlite]

Love those RC31s . . . also like hens' teeth these days

 

[albash82]

Been doing a little bit over the last week. I'd love to restore the frame to its former glory, but just gonna get it built for now.
I think it's going to looks rather nice regardless of its rough edges. All my own patina on the frame, if such a thing can be claimed...

-Think I might need a new mech hanger.

-I luckily found the brake boss I'd removed about 10 years ago to fit a hope hose guide that screwed into the boss mount.

-Recently acquired the XTR cranks and the 104bcd spider. This niner ring I've had kicking around will need some filing as it doesn't clear the shoulders on the spider.

-The XT v's I've had for about 10 years and never even unpacked from the little box they were posted to me in! They were probably bought from this forum and I kept them at work so I wouldn't get stick from my ex for buying old bike parts, hence me scribbling my name on the box so they wouldn't get lost in the chaos of the old Boneshakers workshop.

-The RC31 ti forks were given to me by my buddy for building a bike for him. Think I did ok on that deal!

-I had a pair of thedr Avid SD 2.0 levers on my Lava Dome back in '97 ish, with a set of these XT v's. I bought them off a buddy who'd bought a '97 Kula - that lovely red one with yellow decals *drool*, He upgraded to maguras I think, which was timed well for my first set of V's.

-Spoon leather/Ti saddle. Not retro but I've owned it for about 12 years. Might try give it a polish, but don't want to end up with it all over my arse....

-Thomson stem. Again, not exactly period correct, but I wanted a nice stem with a bit of rise. This bike originally came with a high rise and short (for the time) stem. Popped up on eBay and I thought it'd go nice.

-Nitto bar, it's 720mm wide, with I think 50mm rise and a nice sweep back. I want this to be a comfy, fun bike. Found this bar on bicyclist.cc and couldn't resist!