Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

I forgot haha. I bought this for my 50th. It's currently still sat in three pieces, waiting for better weather.







*sniffles and fidgets* I'm not addicted, honest.

 

That second picture looks like an interesting ride (depending on your persuasion).

(By which I mean it has no pedals..)

 

You’ve got some really very interesting bikes in your collection or that you’ve had the pleasure to work on and ride @Vault-Tec

How do you store them if you don’t mind me asking?

 

The very rare ones are stored in a loft. Once up and assembled they don’t fit out of the hatch without being taken apart.

The modern bmx bikes I ride are in my bathroom at the flat and the Ti bike lives in the walk in closet in the bedroom.

None are left outside. Living by the sea you soon learn that one night out there will flash rust any exposed metal that can rust.

 

Beautiful looking crank and pedals on this bike

 

[Nods in agreement]

The south of Cardiff borders the sea and I work in Cardiff Bay… Yeah, rust is a bitch around here. I had my last motorbike from new and it picked up a ton of rust in just three years.

 

I remember two things. One, I took my orange bike for a late evening ride when the dew point was starting to set in. Time I got home the axle bolts had flash rusted. In the other case I stupidly left a BMX covered outside for about a month. Never again. I had to take the wheels apart as the axles were orange ffs.

Yeah it is harsh man. They are actually upgrading our bike area to full cover as I type this, but I still wouldn't leave one outside.

 

The saga continues.

So I realised when changing the wheel spacing on the rear that the axle was bent. At first I refused to believe it (as it was new when I fitted it) but I then realised that I pulled it too hard with the chain tensioners and then done the nuts up like a gorilla and yeah, it was indeed bent. I bought a set of hubs for £16. New.



At some point I want to replace the freehub too, so it was cheap enough. Now on one side of the carbon wheel the bearing is sealed. And I thought it was fine. It wasn't. Turns out it was the original, so about 32 years old. It seemed to spin nicely but on closer inspection it had lots of play and when removed and span out of the wheel it rumbled. Not a problem, they cost exactly £2.20 delivered.



So now the wheel has been rebuilt on all new bearings and axle. However I hit a snag.

When I redone the clear coat on the wheel I bravely opted for matt. It had gone fine on the crank and fork, but it went bad on the wheel. Look at the ends of the spokes and the nasty murky bits.



This did not annoy me before because the rest of the bike was very well used and tatty. However, it was bugging the crap out of me now. I knew that if I tried to buff it it could well make the matt clear coat shiny and well, it did. So, I decided I am going to totally refinish the wheel.

Firstly I will sand it back, and then I am going to do something very brave (aka stupid) and try this.



It is designed to be put over a black base coat. Well, I have a black carbon wheel. I am hoping that it not only resembles that, but also shows the weave. I also decided against matt or satin clear again and got some real 2k paint with the bladder inside that contains the hardener.



Now this could end up going two ways. One, I create something truly spectacular or two, you see me shopping for a new rear wheel in about a week's time

We shall see.

 

This thread needs a new title:

VT Likes To Ride Bicycles

 

Your all lazy bastards

 

I did 20 miles today on the hybrid.
Along Swansea seafront and through Clyne Valley.
It was fab.

 

The temptation to buy a BMX and pretend to be a kid again, is strong!

 

Just don't go silly and they are fantastic fun.

I spent yesterday afternoon giving a little HED.



Complete with happy ending



After giving it a good scrubbing in the shower I began the masking. IE the hard bit, with fine line tape.





Now it needs a full mask (with regular tape, don't have it here) and then a good chemical wash and this, before I start paint.

 

Well after a lot of work we are half way there.



TBH that was most of the work. It took about two hours.







I got four coats in and the rain started to spit. I wanted five, but I will take four.



2k clear tomorrow with any luck. I just need like, one hour with no rain.

 

Sod it.





Let's just not talk about what it cost, OK? *sobs*

 

"hmm, that chromacoat doesn't seem to be doing much".

Then the sun peered in through the back door...



Clear tomorrow.

 

Still not sure about the pink tyre but at least you got Bill helping out (seems to have done for him though).

 

Been working on the decals.

 

Is this just a simple "sketch it up/import it into Photoshop then print onto sticky vinyl/cut using a Silhouette" job, or something more complicated?

I've been using a Silhouette to cut stencils for a case decoration mod and the detail it can produce is fantastic.