Today I've mainly been finishing off my singlespeed build . I had been toying with the idea of getting rid of my Rock Lobster but having seen Jim's recent SS build it gave me the idea to give it a go too. I had the bike built with full SLX previously and have kept the changes to a minimum with the exception of fitting an On-one full carbon fork which I think suits the bike better than what it replaced and seems a bit stiffer too. Gonna get out for a quick ride tomorrow to see how I get on, have fitted a 30t chainring and 20t sprocket which should hopefully suit me but time will tell. Some nice new 2.4" Continental Trail King's will give a bit of cushioning to what I know is a stiff frame.
Put the Pugsley back together today. Was supposed to have been done ages ago but due to family stuff and a good few weird problems with my old BB it was put on the backburner. I thought I better get my finger out and sort it for Dunkeld but then a few hassles again with a bb cup and it was only chased out yesterday afternoon and put together this afternoon. Now Dunkeld is cancelled I will have it out as its been out of action for a while now.
I was originally going to just put it back together as it was before but then as time went on I thought of a few changes. Only minor stuff as changed the stem from black to a polished race Face, thanks Kaiser, then same for the seatpost, stem spacers etc. Polished up the sides/braking surfaces of the Large Marge rims.
Bottom bracket was a pain due to Truvativ not doing the Hussalfelt anymore and finding a 100mm one near impossible then when I did it was about £60, so I ended up just buying a standard one for £16 and using my axle and internal shield. If I changed BB then I would have to change chainset as well.
Then after a good few years using only the H bars off road I decided to try, for a change, a set of Surly Torsion bars I had picked up before NOS. I liked the bend and it was only this afternoon once it was all together that I thought, what the hell, I'll try them and see how they go. I only had a short ride but they feel really nice. They are strange long as due to the bend and where it is they tend to look from certain angles as though they aren't symmetrical. they are its just an optic.
Anyway I just thought I would share as the sun was out and the sparkly bits in the paint were noticeable. It wont unfortunately be this way for long as I must say the paint is....poo...If you look at it the wrong way bits start flaking off, I did up the brake bolts gently, and it was just flaking off. When I put the front wheel in the drop outs and was doing it up, Heather who was having a coffee on the back step remarked that she could hear the paint cracking. Oh well, such is life.
Here's a couple of pics.
I've had this one from new in 2004, when I first got back in to cycling. Took me a while to decide on which frame to get back then as this was my first new bike since 1992! and rode it pretty much every weekend for a couple of years.
Had it paired with some Pace RC36's, XT and hope mono mini's (will dig out a pic of it when I get a chance). As I said in my previous post, it's quite a stiff frame mainly due to all the hydro-formed tube shapes going on and wishbone rear end. It fits me really well though so it's not uncomfortably stiff, just doesn't waste any energy you put in. I don't have any experience of the Steel Rock Lobsters so can't offer any comparison in the ride but this is a real peach and not one I was really wanting to part with so glad I've found a use for it.
That is a really nice looking Rock Lobster Dyna. I don't have much experience with them but I don't think you could go wrong with any of them and yours looks superb.
Its funny as I seen a Rock Lobster last week in my local shop. It was being worked on and had a decal on the top tube, from memory I think it was TIG team or something like that, or Ti TIG Team. It was steel and painted fire engine red with yellow decals. Stood out from the usual stuff.
That is a really nice looking Rock Lobster Dyna. I don't have much experience with them but I don't think you could go wrong with any of them and yours looks superb.
Its funny as I seen a Rock Lobster last week in my local shop. It was being worked on and had a decal on the top tube, from memory I think it was TIG team or something like that, or Ti TIG Team. It was steel and painted fire engine red with yellow decals. Stood out from the usual stuff.
That would've been a Team TIG SL I suspect Jamie, think that was the top of the line steel frame before the 853 replaced it?
Your Surly is looking really nice too, prefer those bars you've fitted too.
After much searching of old CD's I've finally found a pic of the Rock Lobster taken soon after i first built it (October 2004 on a trail above Westruther near Duns).
This would be a good spot for a MacRetro ride BTW if anyone is interested at some point this year.