What to do in the event of a total blackout: a Revolution!

[Obi-Juan]

I had to go to France for personal reasons and was away all week. In fact, I'm leaving again tomorrow, so I wasn't able to make much progress.
Thank goodness I almost finished it the day of the "total blackout."

It still needs finishing, but it already has everything it needs and is tight.

 

[Obi-Juan]

I think I've already mentioned that I'm a true "grip shifter." I don't know if that term exists or if I just made it up.
Well, I've been using it for over 30 years and have many versions, including the first triathlon versions. I know very few people like it and I get criticized a lot for it, but if I didn't care at 20, imagine how little I care about criticism at 60. It's what best suits my way of enjoying MTB.

So an X-Ray I had lying around was my option. I have to get new decals done; everything will come.
The 737 brake levers "tuned" in my youth are very nice and don't look like they ever had an STI attached.

I've had bad luck with the brakes: in my attic, I had a pair of Dia-Compe VC900S NOS and Onza HO NOS. I started looking for the missing pair for both of them and found some Dia-Compe, and they were NOS, just like mine. I bought them, but in the end, the seller couldn't find them and had to cancel the purchase. Better luck next time...
A friend from Foromtb Spain sent me some Dia-Compes Versa C5 that work, I like them, and for now I can finish the bike. I think the Lyzard Skin Cable Hangers belong here because they're very irreverent, and the Kirk was one at the time.

 

[Obi-Juan]

The grips were Coda I had lying around the house, also new (this bike has a lot of NOS components, I must think I'm very fond of it), an HG-90, and for the seatpost I chose a Thompson Elite I had stashed away. I have to use parts, I have to avoid Diogenes syndrome. I like it; it's black like the stem, the rims, and the fork.
For the saddle, I put a white NOS Flite that I had stashed away. I don't know, I like the contrast, but I welcome ideas.

And for the pedals...
Well, I discovered Time decades ago, and they're the ones I usually use. I have Sierra NOS pedals; they're the direct competition to the Look MP-90, with one side for a cleat and the other for a platform. They fit the era and a bike with a groundbreaking look.
Awarded.
PS: The attack cleats are useless.

 

[bikeworkshop]

It is a great job
The Kirk is a proper showpiece bike,
It's such an extreme design & look, it should draw new blood into interest in old bikes.

Perfect place for xrays too, although keep them out of the sun

A pair of mag 21s might top it off nicely

 

[Obi-Juan]

It is a great job
The Kirk is a proper showpiece bike,
It's such an extreme design & look, it should draw new blood into interest in old bikes.

Perfect place for xrays too, although keep them out of the sun

A pair of mag 21s might top it off nicely

Thanks, bikeworkshop
It's beautiful, it has a nostalgic touch, from more creative times.

The X-rays need improvement, while we wait for the right stickers (this month I've "overused" the decals; I repeated the NTH ones because the size and color didn't seem right. Then I made some Ritchey ones for the Stem, some Avenir ones for a seatpost, some Look ones for a saddle... too many decals in one month, I have to wait a bit for the grip shift ones).

 

[focomat 1c]

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 )

 

[Obi-Juan]

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 )

How beautiful, and at that price, it's spectacular!
I imagine you've repainted it; it's great.
I really like the fork.
I see you've also used the rear window to pass through the cable housing and route the cables from the handlebars with fewer curves and more direct routing. I think it's a great idea.
How lovely it is to see these beloved Kirks being pampered.

 

[focomat 1c]

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 enamels . Powder coating is not really an option with these as the oven temperatures

reached can seriously degrade the strength of the epoxy adhesive used to bond the seat and down tube panels etc in position

 

[Spinsterboy]

Thanks for your story!
I think you've smashed that build. I had one of these as a kid (it's still in the garage...)
You may have made me think about restoring it!

 

[BerthaPog]

The grips were Coda I had lying around the house, also new (this bike has a lot of NOS components, I must think I'm very fond of it), an HG-90, and for the seatpost I chose a Thompson Elite I had stashed away. I have to use parts, I have to avoid Diogenes syndrome. I like it; it's black like the stem, the rims, and the fork.
For the saddle, I put a white NOS Flite that I had stashed away. I don't know, I like the contrast, but I welcome ideas.

And for the pedals...
Well, I discovered Time decades ago, and they're the ones I usually use. I have Sierra NOS pedals; they're the direct competition to the Look MP-90, with one side for a cleat and the other for a platform. They fit the era and a bike with a groundbreaking look.
Awarded.
PS: The attack cleats are useless.

Oooh. Need to find a pair of those pedals.