What's made you smile today?

[ZaphodB]

you can send yourself over the handle bars easily with just your little finger

I've done that once, as an adult, with two friends riding along with me, maybe 15 years ago or more..... instantly rotated the bike full over on the front wheel , and I landed in front of it with the bike virtually on top of me.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

So a few weeks back I posted about buying the bike I’d always wanted as a kid. Silly but it was a big deal to 15 year old me back in the late 90s

View attachment 470404

Well a lot has happened since then, beginning with the frame being stripped back to bare carbon.
View attachment 470406
It then got a coat of paint I went with purple, extra points if you can name the car the colour is from.
View attachment 470407
Considering this was done with spray cans, it came out immaculately and looks amazing
View attachment 470408
So I started to rebuild it and the rebuild included restoring the forks as well. So they are now like brand new as well.
View attachment 470409
Then came a wheel rebuild with top of the range period correct Shimano XTR hubs front a rear
View attachment 470405
I hit eBay for some more upgrade,

XTR front and rear derailures and shifters (again all top of the range and period correct) 27 speed set up.
View attachment 470415View attachment 470416View attachment 470417
I aquired a new rear shock that worked, a Rock Shox SID unit which is sprung and adjustable with compressed air.


View attachment 470418
And finally to cap it all off, the awesome Magura Race Lite hydraulic rim brakes.


View attachment 470414


Now all I have left to do is find a nice condition XTR crank for reasonable money (which is a difficult task) and get some replacement decals/stickers for the frame and fork.


View attachment 470413
While I have probably spent more than I’d wish to admit the bike as shown up top was only £100 on market place and with all the upgrades it could be worth £1000-1500 which is definitely more than I’ve spent.

It rides lovely, it’s my first time using hydraulic rim brakes and the power is incredible, you can send yourself over the handle bars easily with just your little finger, the massive tires mean the thing sticks to the ground like the proverbial and despite being a 25 year old set of gears, they shift like a bolt action riffle beautiful action smooth and super accurate (as you’d expect from something that was top of the range and made by Shimano.

As you can probably gather I’m quite pleased with it, and looking forward to getting out on some bike rides with the boy when he gets brave enough to use his little pedal bike I built him with stabilisers, which I did post about the other day, but here’s the bike for reference

View attachment 470425

I'm not into bikes to the extent that you obviously are, although I enjoyed renovating my very old "upright" Raleigh bike some years ago, I'm absolutely in awe of the job you've done with this. Love the color too!

 

[bugsymike]

So a few weeks back I posted about buying the bike I’d always wanted as a kid. Silly but it was a big deal to 15 year old me back in the late 90s

View attachment 470404

Well a lot has happened since then, beginning with the frame being stripped back to bare carbon.
View attachment 470406
It then got a coat of paint I went with purple, extra points if you can name the car the colour is from.
View attachment 470407
Considering this was done with spray cans, it came out immaculately and looks amazing
View attachment 470408
So I started to rebuild it and the rebuild included restoring the forks as well. So they are now like brand new as well.
View attachment 470409
Then came a wheel rebuild with top of the range period correct Shimano XTR hubs front a rear
View attachment 470405
I hit eBay for some more upgrade,

XTR front and rear derailures and shifters (again all top of the range and period correct) 27 speed set up.
View attachment 470415View attachment 470416View attachment 470417
I aquired a new rear shock that worked, a Rock Shox SID unit which is sprung and adjustable with compressed air.


View attachment 470418
And finally to cap it all off, the awesome Magura Race Lite hydraulic rim brakes.


View attachment 470414


Now all I have left to do is find a nice condition XTR crank for reasonable money (which is a difficult task) and get some replacement decals/stickers for the frame and fork.


View attachment 470413
While I have probably spent more than I’d wish to admit the bike as shown up top was only £100 on market place and with all the upgrades it could be worth £1000-1500 which is definitely more than I’ve spent.

It rides lovely, it’s my first time using hydraulic rim brakes and the power is incredible, you can send yourself over the handle bars easily with just your little finger, the massive tires mean the thing sticks to the ground like the proverbial and despite being a 25 year old set of gears, they shift like a bolt action riffle beautiful action smooth and super accurate (as you’d expect from something that was top of the range and made by Shimano.

As you can probably gather I’m quite pleased with it, and looking forward to getting out on some bike rides with the boy when he gets brave enough to use his little pedal bike I built him with stabilisers, which I did post about the other day, but here’s the bike for reference

View attachment 470425

The one thing you haven't mentioned fitting, after all your hard work, is a Tracker.

 

[bugsymike]

I've done that once, as an adult, with two friends riding along with me, maybe 15 years ago or more..... instantly rotated the bike full over on the front wheel , and I landed in front of it with the bike virtually on top of me.

The two times I can recall crashing was when trying to ride with my hands crossed, left hand on right grip etc. Stupid I know, but things you try as a youngster, OK for a few yards, but then an instant crash when trying to correct a minor deviation. Strangely I never tried it on a motorbike.

 

[ZaphodB]

The two times I can recall crashing was when trying to ride with my hands crossed, left hand on right grip etc. Stupid I know, but things you try as a youngster, OK for a few yards, but then an instant crash when trying to correct a minor deviation. Strangely I never tried it on a motorbike.

Thankfully it was on grass (alongside a canal) , so a soft landing

I think I was demonstating how good the rim brakes were on this new bike, I either forgot to also pull the rears on my my hand slipped lol

 

[StevenRB45]

Spiders really love the Toyota, both mirrors 3 of 4 wheel arches and importantly the rear boot handle/trim.

Why?

That's where the reversing camera is...no I wasn't surprised by a bag of sugar sized spider suddenly crawling across the dash while reversing...you were.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I'm not into bikes to the extent that you obviously are, although I enjoyed renovating my very old "upright" Raleigh bike some years ago, I'm absolutely in awe of the job you've done with this. Love the color too!

This has been a bit of a passion project, I’m not planning any more now.

Part of wanting to do it is to do some stuff I’ve not done before, working with carbon fibre, the hydraulic rim brakes are really interesting and a brilliant piece of engineering. The Shimano XTR stuff while being 25 years old (they do make newer stuff) is on a-whole-nother level compared to the Shimano budget SIS stuff I had as a kid on my Halfords special bike.

It’s also been a bit of a walk down memory lane, I remember when these bikes were new and lusting after them in the local bike shop, back when they were £2,000 each which would be more like £4-5k these days.

25 years on and this bike would still put a lot of modern stuff to shame.

Basically I just wanted a project and this came along, and really I should get some more stuff done on the Punto

 

[portland_bill]

Recently I mentioned that my garage vac cleaner was expiring. It has done well, being a normal domestic cylinder cleaner, bought in 1979.
So I've been browsing replacements, from Screwfix and Machine Mart, and Karcher. Whilst I've rarely needed such a facility, it would be nice to include the power tool take off. Most units have few tools, so even cleaning the car leaves it wanting. Tempted by the most expensive option, a Karcher, plus a car tools pack, at around £280. A lot, but beautiful things. Hesitated as it'd then outlast me.
Then today, Lidl have wet/dry vacs, with lots of tools, for £55. That'll do then. Great timing.

Downside, the middle of Lidl has much temptation, so much more spent.

 

[ZaphodB]

Recently I mentioned that my garage vac cleaner was expiring. It has done well, being a normal domestic cylinder cleaner, bought in 1979.
So I've been browsing replacements, from Screwfix and Machine Mart, and Karcher. Whilst I've rarely needed such a facility, it would be nice to include the power tool take off. Most units have few tools, so even cleaning the car leaves it wanting. Tempted by the most expensive option, a Karcher, plus a car tools pack, at around £280. A lot, but beautiful things. Hesitated as it'd then outlast me.
Then today, Lidl have wet/dry vacs, with lots of tools, for £55. That'll do then. Great timing.

Downside, the middle of Lidl has much temptation, so much more spent.

You can't beat some Lidl middle stuff, it'll have a 3 years warranty no doubt like most stuff, keep that thermal receipt somewhere safe though.

I grabbed a £30 pressure washer a few weeks back (or was it £35)

(Maybe should have checked Ama.... out )