[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Fignon's Ponytail]

No-ones probably that interested, but the Rolls is on the road bike and feels great. Not done many miles on it yet, but its such a stylish saddle. Love it.



Also recently finished my 2nd "home built" Gravel / Commuter bike project too. Had a few issues with braking to start, but have managed to just about get a standard set of V-Brakes to work with 700c wheels in a standard 26er mtb frame. There's not a lot of clearance, but enough that it wont catch on the tyres, or clog up with dirt. Well chuffed, & rides great Definitely built more for comfort than speed though!

 

[Marty McFly]

No-ones probably that interested, but the Rolls is on the road bike and feels great. Not done many miles on it yet, but its such a stylish saddle. Love it.

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Also recently finished my 2nd "home built" Gravel / Commuter bike project too. Had a few issues with braking to start, but have managed to just about get a standard set of V-Brakes to work with 700c wheels in a standard 26er mtb frame. There's not a lot of clearance, but enough that it wont catch on the tyres, or clog up with dirt. Well chuffed, & rides great Definitely built more for comfort than speed though!

View attachment 133891

Love the light in your pictures! Nice bikes too! I'd love to build a road bike when I'm back living in a city.

 

[strings]

Amazing photos - the views in the first picture (with the Orbea) look great. I have been a wimp all winter and stayed in. Am planning a ride out on Sunday morning - nothing special, hoping for 40k. The earlier sunrises and the rise in temperatures this week makes it feel that this weekend is the weekend.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Love the light in your pictures! Nice bikes too! I'd love to build a road bike when I'm back living in a city.

Thanks [MENTION=5010]Marty McFly[/MENTION] There was a little editing done, but not much!

I had never built a bike before last year, but have really enjoyed the process tbh. It gets me out into the garage away from the kids for an hour or so too!
Both bikes that I've built have cost less than £100 to get up and running - I really have to work to a low budget unfortunately, and most of the stuff is donated or what I have laying around. The majority of components on this Shogun conversion came off the other build from last year (which will now be built up again as a standard 26" mtb for my son) but the Shogun frame was just £30 from Facebook Marketplace. Bargain!

As for the Orbea - its just a very stock, entry level Avant with Tiagra g/s. Does me well enough though for my standard & style of riding these days!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Amazing photos - the views in the first picture (with the Orbea) look great. I have been a wimp all winter and stayed in. Am planning a ride out on Sunday morning - nothing special, hoping for 40k. The earlier sunrises and the rise in temperatures this week makes it feel that this weekend is the weekend.

Cheers [MENTION=4472]strings[/MENTION]! The photo of the Orbea was from a few weeks ago along towards the small roundabout at the bottom of the Dyke / Poynings. It was my first road ride of the year, only about 25 miles, and the legs really felt it! The bottom one was last Friday at the top of Telscombe Tye just before the sun went down. It was an amazing sunset...& so nice to get home in the evening before the sun disappears!

Forced myself out in the dark this morning to ride to work (I've avoided it so far) but need to get back into it as I've also got incredibly unfit after a very lazy winter shut in!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Hmmmmm.....somethings not right about this Im not accusing Italian organizers of corruption or anything , but how can you put a brand new team in (whos sponsor also financially backs Italian races it seems) instead of Gianni Savios Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec squad who always liven things up & show themselves well at their home tour every year?! Very poor show from the Giro committee.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/cycling...out-the-giro-wildcards_sto8115023/story.shtml

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Did many Geeks make the most of a glorious weekend and get out in the sunshine? Beautiful weather for it, and I even got the missus out on her longest ever ride of 30 miles.

The e-bike has made a massive difference to her attitude towards cycling as she now has no worries about the hills, or distance! Shes even starting to see things from my p.o.v when car drivers are idiots (she always used to moan about cyclists, but now sees it from our angle!) It was a great ride over to Cadence in Litlington (at the Long Man Brewery) for a coffee....would encourage anyone heading over that way on a ride to stop off there.

Anyone catch the Omloop or K-B-K too? Surprised theres been no mention of it here. Omloop was a fantastic race, & Alaphilippe is in some great early season form. Great to see the cobbles again with a smattering of crowds lining the roadside again too!

 

[Madafwo]

Did many Geeks make the most of a glorious weekend and get out in the sunshine? Beautiful weather for it, and I even got the missus out on her longest ever ride of 30 miles.

The e-bike has made a massive difference to her attitude towards cycling as she now has no worries about the hills, or distance! Shes even starting to see things from my p.o.v when car drivers are idiots (she always used to moan about cyclists, but now sees it from our angle!) It was a great ride over to Cadence in Litlington (at the Long Man Brewery) for a coffee....would encourage anyone heading over that way on a ride to stop off there.

Anyone catch the Omloop or K-B-K too? Surprised theres been no mention of it here. Omloop was a fantastic race, & Alaphilippe is in some great early season form. Great to see the cobbles again with a smattering of crowds lining the roadside again too!

November was my last ride and I'm missing it terribly, keep on telling myself that I should get out and ride again but the black dog just keeps on getting the better of me.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

November was my last ride and I'm missing it terribly, keep on telling myself that I should get out and ride again but the black dog just keeps on getting the better of me.

Do it! Once you've got yourself out a couple of times it will become so much easier. I hadn't done much at all since October last year but forced myself out once the weather turned a bit. Im really getting the bug for it again, especially now the sun is making an appearance earlier & later!

 

[zeemeeuw]

Thanks [MENTION=5010]Marty McFly[/MENTION] There was a little editing done, but not much!

I had never built a bike before last year, but have really enjoyed the process tbh. It gets me out into the garage away from the kids for an hour or so too!
Both bikes that I've built have cost less than £100 to get up and running - I really have to work to a low budget unfortunately, and most of the stuff is donated or what I have laying around. The majority of components on this Shogun conversion came off the other build from last year (which will now be built up again as a standard 26" mtb for my son) but the Shogun frame was just £30 from Facebook Marketplace. Bargain!

As for the Orbea - its just a very stock, entry level Avant with Tiagra g/s. Does me well enough though for my standard & style of riding these days!

I love building my own bikes, obsession started back in the 80s. Used to buy the parts mail order from the Ads in the back of Cycling Weekly (had to post a cheque ) but the thrill of a new Campagnolo chainset arriving in the mail was joy unlimited!

 

[MattBackHome]

I successfully changed my bar tape for the first time and though I know it's akin to basically being able to wipe your own arse I still felt like I was Nikola Tesla when it was done to my satisfaction.

Couple of lovely 30milers over the Dyke the past couple of weekends and it's improved my countenance no end.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

I love building my own bikes, obsession started back in the 80s. Used to buy the parts mail order from the Ads in the back of Cycling Weekly (had to post a cheque ) but the thrill of a new Campagnolo chainset arriving in the mail was joy unlimited!

Always used to strip my racing bike down for cleaning as a kid, but never did one from scratch until last year! Funnily enough, I have a copy of CW from 1991 I picked up from eBay, and was looking through the ads just yesterday!

 

[banjo]

I rode a fair bit in January/February in the shite weather. Bloody man flu has stopped me in my tracks the last week. So missed out on the glorious weather. Gutted.

 

[Bedsex]

I made my Orro bike a bit more Sussex today with the addition of

some Hunt wheels. I’m rather pleased with how it looks now. It rides pretty well too. Sadly the weakest component is the powertrain that sits on the saddle.

 

[Jeep]

I made my Orro bike a bit more Sussex today with the addition of

some Hunt wheels. I’m rather pleased with how it looks now. It rides pretty well too. Sadly the weakest component is the powertrain that sits on the saddle.

Bravo! Bravo! I also ride an Orro and have put Hunt wheels on it. Mine is a silver Terra Gravel, but I think of it as more of my winter road bike.

 

[Motogull]

[MENTION=12917]Bedsex[/MENTION], that is a 'serious' looking bike. Keep it upright yeah?
[MENTION=24884]Fignon's Ponytail[/MENTION], as our resident top spanner expert, I turn to you for inspiration. I want something non 100% asphalt to ride on. I keep looking at my sorry state non suspension old MTB and wonder about a gravel conversion. It really needs a full service, seat and ideally new bendy bars and levers etc. A conversion is greener but might look shite. I suppose I could put the new bars etc on hold. Thoughts?

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

I made my Orro bike a bit more Sussex today with the addition of

some Hunt wheels. I’m rather pleased with how it looks now. It rides pretty well too. Sadly the weakest component is the powertrain that sits on the saddle.

I think Ive just let out a little bit of sex wee

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

[MENTION=24884]Fignon's Ponytail[/MENTION], as our resident top spanner expert, I turn to you for inspiration. I want something non 100% asphalt to ride on. I keep looking at my sorry state non suspension old MTB and wonder about a gravel conversion. It really needs a full service, seat and ideally new bendy bars and levers etc. A conversion is greener but might look shite. I suppose I could put the new bars etc on hold. Thoughts?

Ha! Not sure "expert" is the right term! Was a complete novice last year building my first one

Converting an old mtb to a "gravel" bike is good fun - and luckily not too time consuming as MTB's were pretty simple things back then. I was fortunate that I had most bits laying around (other bits sourced cheap from eBay) - if you have the gear already, give it a go! If nothing else its improved my tech knowledge a bit, and made me more confident to try home mechanics. I wouldn't say my bike is perfect - its heavy, the position could do with with tweaking, but the gears and brakes work which is the most important bit!

If you need to buy loads of stuff to be able to get the project off the ground, it would be worth adding it all up first to see if it would be better just to get a proper gravel bike. I keep looking at the Voodoo Limba & Nakisi (I know, its Halfords...) as they are cheap, and would be ideal for the sort of riding I do...ie: pretty casual & easy!

I have seen some conversions which look a bit odd tbh - but I made sure I bought a larger frame so it was more akin to a road bike style. If your frame is small, make sure you use a shorter riser stem (if you go with drop bars) as your back will thank you for it! The most obvious thing to start with is the tyres though - Im assuming its a 26" wheel? Get some skinnier rubber that is more suited to the lighter "off road" stuff and it should make a big difference.

I would definitely recommend doing it though if its a viable option...the sense of satisfaction I got from building my own was immense. Give me a shout if you need anything!

 

[strings]

With Orro and Mason, there are some seriously good bike manufacturers in Sussex, especially when you throw in Hunt wheels too. I do love the idea of a 'Sussex', frameset and wheelset (even though I live in Yorkshire...).

 

[Bedsex]

With Orro and Mason, there are some seriously good bike manufacturers in Sussex, especially when you throw in Hunt wheels too. I do love the idea of a 'Sussex', frameset and wheelset (even though I live in Yorkshire...).

I think mine is almost as ‘Sussex’ as I can get it now. I know it’s also laden with Japanese fishing tackle components, but they do a very good job!