[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[manintheblackpajamas]

Also, anyone know if the men's road race tomorrow will be available in full after the event on the BBC iplayer ? I'm unable to watch live and want to watch later in the evening, but preferably on BBC rather than Eurosport player.

I'm sure you've noticed by now, but if not I've just watched it in full on iplayer from the point I left it to head to the match.
Looks like it's on there in two parts but I only needed to catch up on the last 70km, which was within part 2.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hiya Geeks, we've got a job to do.

Not the one [MENTION=3858]Motogull[/MENTION] is expecting, as we were on the verge of preparing an elaborate game of 'pass the frame'.

Yesterday, on ebay, I bought Jnr's birthday present and it happened to be a stones throw from Chez Moto.
I wanted it a stones throw from Stat Towers at [MENTION=22214]banjo[/MENTION]-world, a simple hand over at the Albion was out of the question what with Jnr being there, hence a giant game of pass the frame.

Anyhoo all that is now academic as I decided to go and get it this morning.

I'm loving the frame an aluminum Focus Variado with carbon forks. It's in good nick, think the early Trek colour scheme with more than a nod to Cannondale.

I have all the headset bearings, spacers and most importantly my old Veloce groupset fits in the bottom bracket.
All that stands between us and the build is handlebars, a new chain and bar tape.

Which means there should be enough money left in the kitty for a new paint job (assuming they don't run into 3 figures)

Finally the lad gets to the point:-

The obvious answer is an Albion themed bike, but I'm just not creative.

I'm thinking blue, obviously.
Then assuming I can get them, white decals, with 'seagulls' in block on the bottom tube.
The club badge on the headset.
I'd like 'ride or fall' smaller, in a handwritten font, I'm guessing coming back from the headset down the side of the top tube.

That still leaves the downtube, and rear stays blank.

As said I wasn't gifted with a great imagination.


Any ideas as to how you'd want a bespoke Albion bike to look if it were your 13th birthday present, would be greatly appreciated.
But as it's money 'sensitive' don't go to town or overthink your time and effort as it still might not happen.

Ta muchly.

Oh and thanks again for the offer and fantastic initial reply Moto.

 

[Motogull]

I'd go subtle [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION]. You don't the young 'un thinking you've underestimated his maturity. A loud blue with some white styling should cover it.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd go subtle [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION]. You don't the young 'un thinking you've underestimated his maturity. A loud blue with some white styling should cover it.

In fairness I can't afford to go too ostentatious anyway.
In all honesty he'd love an OTT Albion bike, with AK's signature on the frame and seagulls flying across it.
He certainly ain't getting that.

I'm off to see a local 'one man band' car respray chap, on Friday, to see if this is actually going to happen or not.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

If anyone is interested, Aldi have their winter cycling gear in from today. Been out to the one in Lewes this morning and picked up gloves, LS jersey, Merino arm warmers, lights, merino socks, all for the grand total of £35. Bargain.

As for the bike Stat, I would go with a glossy blue frame, white forks, with contrasting "ALBION" decals on both (Sounds like it could be a bike brand, but with the obvious link to the Seagulls). Finished with a white saddle & white bar tape. Less is more I say. You could possibly find somewhere that does personalized decals on eBay - I bought some unofficial Giant ones for my bike (about £4) & they were great quality.

I remember having a frame re-sprayed at Rigden Cycles about 20 years ago, and that was about £100. No idea how much it would be these days though.

Cant wait to see photos if it gets done!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Something along these lines would be cool...

 

[Stat Brother]

If anyone is interested, Aldi have their winter cycling gear in from today. Been out to the one in Lewes this morning and picked up gloves, LS jersey, Merino arm warmers, lights, merino socks, all for the grand total of £35. Bargain.

As for the bike Stat, I would go with a glossy blue frame, white forks, with contrasting "ALBION" decals on both (Sounds like it could be a bike brand, but with the obvious link to the Seagulls). Finished with a white saddle & white bar tape. Less is more I say. You could possibly find somewhere that does personalized decals on eBay - I bought some unofficial Giant ones for my bike (about £4) & they were great quality.

I remember having a frame re-sprayed at Rigden Cycles about 20 years ago, and that was about £100. No idea how much it would be these days though.

Cant wait to see photos if it gets done!

That's a big IF, as the job cost £100, 20 years ago!

I'm kind of hoping the fella will have the frame kicking around for a while and do the necessary, when he's got some blue paint left over!

Funny you should have posted a Bianchi, because that's the other alternative.
As the make up parts, stem, post etc will be Bianchi branded, I could just have the bike painted celeste (a pro must paint stuff celeste, almost daily!) and then we can have matching bar-tape.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That's a big IF, as the job cost £100, 20 years ago!

I'm kind of hoping the fella will have the frame kicking around for a while and do the necessary, when he's got some blue paint left over!

Funny you should have posted a Bianchi, because that's the other alternative.
As the make up parts, stem, post etc will be Bianchi branded, I could just have the bike painted celeste (a pro must paint stuff celeste, almost daily!) and then we can have matching bar-tape.

Buy some blue bar tape and some white bar tape. Make it stripey.

 

[1066familyman]

Buy some blue bar tape and some white bar tape. Make it stripey.

Outrageous!

Where's the celeste going to go!?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Outrageous!

Where's the celeste going to go!?

In the bin. Where it belongs.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well that was fun while it lasted.

Spoke to paint bloke this morning.
A really interesting chat about what the job would entail, it turns out 'I've got some blue left so I'll do that frame', just doesn't cut it!

£50 for sand blasting and £200 for the respray.

TBH as enthusiastic as he was, I don't think his heart was in the job as the first stuff he said was:-

'wow that's a really nice bike, in Rothmans colours too and it's pearlescent as well'.

 

[1066familyman]

Well that was fun while it lasted.

Spoke to paint bloke this morning.
A really interesting chat about what the job would entail, it turns out 'I've got some blue left so I'll do that frame', just doesn't cut it!

£50 for sand blasting and £200 for the respray.

TBH as enthusiastic as he was, I don't think his heart was in the job as the first stuff he said was:-

'wow that's a really nice bike, in Rothmans colours too and it's pearlescent as well'.

As a kid I remember being bought a 2nd hand bike in a shop in Essex on a visit to our cousins. I think my Dad must have stripped it down for me and reassembled it as that part is a bit hazy, but I clearly remember spending my pocket money to buy a can or two of green spray paint from a car parts shop. I remember spraying the thing myself and then buying some cow horn handlebars and clear red rubber hand grip thingies to go on it. I loved that bike!

Have you considered a voucher at a local car parts shop for junior and a parental consent form promising any spray paint he buys is for legitimate purposes?

Just a thought.

 

[Stat Brother]

As a kid I remember being bought a 2nd hand bike in a shop in Essex on a visit to our cousins. I think my Dad must have stripped it down for me and reassembled it as that part is a bit hazy, but I clearly remember spending my pocket money to buy a can or two of green spray paint from a car parts shop. I remember spraying the thing myself and then buying some cow horn handlebars and clear red rubber hand grip thingies to go on it. I loved that bike!

Have you considered a voucher at a local car parts shop for junior and a parental consent form promising any spray paint he buys is for legitimate purposes?

Just a thought.

Nah that ain't happening it's far to good a frame for that, just a little bit tired, in all the usual places.
As it was cheap enough and everything I've been saving from my own upgrades will fit on, I thought a paint job would ice the cake for a few extra ££'s, but not £££'s.

When we're done he'll end up with a £500-£700 specced bike.

 

[banjo]

Nah that ain't happening it's far to good a frame for that, just a little bit tired, in all the usual places.
As it was cheap enough and everything I've been saving from my own upgrades will fit on, I thought a paint job would ice the cake for a few extra ££'s, but not £££'s.

When we're done he'll end up with a £500-£700 specced bike.

What about cow horn handlebars though.

 

[Jeep]

+1 for the DIY paint job. I resprayed my Puch from silver to blue, and even had £10 left over for some lacquer. However, this is the bike I bought 2nd hand from Shay's Cycles for £39 on a day trip to Halifax.

It's now a pub bike and will be lurking outside a curry house tonight ready to take me home!

 

[1066familyman]

What about cow horn handlebars though.

Only if he's allowed to put playing cards in his rear wheel spokes, held in place with clothes pegs on the seat stays.

I think if one is done without the other it breaks some kind of rules, or something

 

[1066familyman]

Bloody hell! A quick image search for cow horn handlebars and the first image up might be my old bike!

I notice the sneaky barsteward has swapped out the red rubber hand grips though as a cunning attempt at disguise:



In fact, I think I might even know the culprit. There's more than a hint of celeste to that paint job and I'm sure even at that young age, my taste was never that bad.

 

[Stat Brother]

On my cowhorned bike, they were so wide I couldn't ride down many alleyways!

 

[banjo]

Only if he's allowed to put playing cards in his rear wheel spokes, held in place with clothes pegs on the seat stays.

I think if one is done without the other it breaks some kind of rules, or something

Ah happy days.

 

[Stat Brother]

Ah happy days.

I've remembered I sprayed my 'racer' black as it grew into the horned behemoth.
But I couldn't be bothered to clean it first so just sprayed over the clumps of mud.