Bikes 2017 and a build log for my Quadangle.

[AlienALX]

looking nice, I couldn't stop if I had all the bits and started assembly my must finish and test would kick in

I can't rush it tbh. I am such a fussy rider it's unreal. I used to refuse to let my mates ride my bikes because they were dialled for me and I hated riding anything I hadn't set up.

I've added some extra brake adjusters in there (red anod things) that will allow me to adjust the brakes on the fly. Again, incredibly fussy about how much bite my brakes have. Too much and you get scabby chin haha.

Still got some work to do on the back brake (making cables). But shouldn't be too long now. May have to peel off some powder like I did with the forks. they'd gone about 1mm too far and it was jamming up the calipers

 

[sheroo]

Enjoying watching this come together - keep those updates comin'.

 

[AlienALX]

Seat and post fitted, front wheel/pegs fitted. Tyre is slightly buckled, will need more fettling. Front brake all done, bites like a dog

 

[AlienALX]

Chain.



Wheel fitted.



This is where the fun and games began. I shortened the chain (but not enough) and then the link extractor broke. I couldn't get the chain off and I threw a sulk and went for a nap. Woke up, took the Dremel to the extractor and modified it to use a screwdriver allen bit. Managed to get the chain off, shortened it and then when I tightened up the sprocket side of the wheel the peg was sliding on the welds and pulling the chain too tight. Took the peg off and ground it down a little and...



The chain is pretty tight but I am sure it will bed in.

 

[SPS]

It's looking solid mate. I'm not sure about the tight chain though.. I've seen many snap because they were too tight. If it makes a straining noise when pedalling lightly I'd get a another link in it.

Also I always break chain delinkers too.. they never last.

 

[AlienALX]

If I put another link in the wheel falls out of the dropout. They're incredibly small on this bike, literally just big enough to hold a peg and that's it..

It sounds fine. I've put plenty of silicon oil on it. Just need to remember to go easy on it for a bit. let it all settle in.

 

[Warchild]

Chain.



Wheel fitted.



This is where the fun and games began. I shortened the chain (but not enough) and then the link extractor broke. I couldn't get the chain off and I threw a sulk and went for a nap. Woke up, took the Dremel to the extractor and modified it to use a screwdriver allen bit. Managed to get the chain off, shortened it and then when I tightened up the sprocket side of the wheel the peg was sliding on the welds and pulling the chain too tight. Took the peg off and ground it down a little and...



The chain is pretty tight but I am sure it will bed in.

Chains need a little slack, and don't bed in that much. Even if its single speed it needs that ability to "bounce" when you hit drops, jump, take knocks etc. If you think its tight, I'd suggest throwing in 1 more link.

 

[AlienALX]

Chains need a little slack, and don't bed in that much. Even if its single speed it needs that ability to "bounce" when you hit drops, jump, take knocks etc. If you think its tight, I'd suggest throwing in 1 more link.

BMX chains will stretch. In fact, any chain will stretch. It all depends on how hard you go on it. My problem here is the use of a cheap freewheel. It is egg shaped, so the chain has a high spot and a low spot. Probably because these are cheap wheels with a cheap freewheel on.

The problem is (as I said above) if you add another link into the chain the wheel pretty much falls out of the dropout. Far too far back. I would rather a chain snap or freewheel failure than snapping the frame. What also doesn't help is that when you tighten up the back wheel the pegs are hitting the welds on the dropout, forcing them back.

Any way, the chain is done and the pedals are now on.



The chain is painted. So I have spent twenty minutes or so running it with my hands up to speed. Which is making a mess.



I've seen it the other way up, but like a moron got carried away buying parts and forgot to buy a stand. Doh.

Tyredruff. This stuff is driving me nuts :S

 

[SPS]

The reason it will appear like freewheel is egg shaped is because they are screwed onto a thread so they aren't completely straight, unlike a casette which is inserted and twisted to lock.

 

[AlienALX]

The reason it will appear like freewheel is egg shaped is because they are screwed onto a thread so they aren't completely straight, unlike a casette which is inserted and twisted to lock.

Yup this is a POS as well dude. It's like a £3 POS. I'm under no illusions about the wheels. At some point if I get back into riding (I'm going to give it my best shot, hoping body holds out) I will be replacing them. What doesn't help is that they are very narrow because they came from my old PK Ripper which was a race bike with V brakes. That means dialling in some 990s is very difficult as the pads want to twist and hit the tyres and then don't seat flat on the rim.

Also.. After posting on a couple of BMX forums I have met a couple of people down in this area. We're going to have a meet up soon. Any way, bit of a story to tell.

So back in 1999 I got into coding front ends for an emulator. I met a few guys who liked the same sort of machines I did. Any way, when I got back from the USA one of them contacted me and said let's have a meet up. We'd known each other for about ten years but never met.

So I say where do you want to meet, he says at this arcade in a town called Pagham. It's about six miles from where I used to live and about 4.5 from where I live now. Any way, I get to the arcade and see this enormous great BMX ramp out the back. Like a huge great vert ramp extended into a bowl. So I ask my mate I was meeting about it and he says "That ramp belongs to Carlo Griggs, ex world champion". So we go into the arcade and the owner is his brother. We chat for a bit and I leave.

Any way, it turns out that Carlo Griggs was indeed vert world champion for years. But here's the weird part. He owns Proper Bike Co. Of all the top plates I could have chosen for my bike (most of them were in red) I went for that one.

OK so it's probably not weird if you are into science and the chances of probability but the chances of that were pretty slim. I had never even heard of him or Proper Bike Co. I stopped riding in about 1989 and he was still very young then and in the 90s I never heard of him, even though he was kicking all sorts of ass apparently.

I might phone the arcade and speak to his brother and see if they will let me access the ramp to get the final pics of the bike

 

[SPS]

Yup this is a POS as well dude. It's like a £3 POS. I'm under no illusions about the wheels. At some point if I get back into riding (I'm going to give it my best shot, hoping body holds out) I will be replacing them. What doesn't help is that they are very narrow because they came from my old PK Ripper which was a race bike with V brakes. That means dialling in some 990s is very difficult as the pads want to twist and hit the tyres and then don't seat flat on the rim.

Also.. After posting on a couple of BMX forums I have met a couple of people down in this area. We're going to have a meet up soon. Any way, bit of a story to tell.

So back in 1999 I got into coding front ends for an emulator. I met a few guys who liked the same sort of machines I did. Any way, when I got back from the USA one of them contacted me and said let's have a meet up. We'd known each other for about ten years but never met.

So I say where do you want to meet, he says at this arcade in a town called Pagham. It's about six miles from where I used to live and about 4.5 from where I live now. Any way, I get to the arcade and see this enormous great BMX ramp out the back. Like a huge great vert ramp extended into a bowl. So I ask my mate I was meeting about it and he says "That ramp belongs to Carlo Griggs, ex world champion". So we go into the arcade and the owner is his brother. We chat for a bit and I leave.

Any way, it turns out that Carlo Griggs was indeed vert world champion for years. But here's the weird part. He owns Proper Bike Co. Of all the top plates I could have chosen for my bike (most of them were in red) I went for that one.

OK so it's probably not weird if you are into science and the chances of probability but the chances of that were pretty slim. I had never even heard of him or Proper Bike Co. I stopped riding in about 1989 and he was still very young then and in the 90s I never heard of him, even though he was kicking all sorts of ass apparently.

I might phone the arcade and speak to his brother and see if they will let me access the ramp to get the final pics of the bike

Cool story, I've had a few proper bike parts myself

 

[AlienALX]

Cool story, I've had a few proper bike parts myself

Yeah man the gyro top plate I bought is lovely. Really thick and meaty

Here is the ramp he has behind his penny arcade.

35 grand and untold aggro with the council apparently. If I were twenty years younger? haha I would probably be lying in the bottom of it right now concussed

 

[SPS]

That's pretty awesome

 

[AlienALX]

That's pretty awesome

Aye it is. Hoping the weather breaks and I can ride down there.

Oh yeah I forgot to say lol. Ever tried putting 50 PSI into a tyre with a 8" long pump?

It turned into a 15 minute workout and I could only get about 42 PSI in before the pump got so hot I could hardly hold it.

I'ma get me one of them ones you stand on and can really get the pressure in. I don't want to bottom out the rims with my fat ass.

 

[SPS]

Aye it is. Hoping the weather breaks and I can ride down there.

Oh yeah I forgot to say lol. Ever tried putting 50 PSI into a tyre with a 8" long pump?

It turned into a 15 minute workout and I could only get about 42 PSI in before the pump got so hot I could hardly hold it.

I'ma get me one of them ones you stand on and can really get the pressure in. I don't want to bottom out the rims with my fat ass.

I used to put 110PSI in my tyres at the park with a hand pump, so yeah I feel the pain.

 

[Greenback]

see I was enjoying this thread, and then you had to remind me of the not joys of hand pumping tyres

 

[AlienALX]

see I was enjoying this thread, and then you had to remind me of the not joys of hand pumping tyres

hahaha it totally sucks ass man

I want one of those ones you put your feet on then give it serious welly.

 

[SPS]

hahaha it totally sucks ass man

I want one of those ones you put your feet on then give it serious welly.

Just get a stirrup pump. Like 8 quid from Asda.

 

[Warchild]

I used to put 110PSI in my tyres at the park with a hand pump, so yeah I feel the pain.

I know that pain. I have to get my shocks to 300psi! for auto sag to be effective.

 

[AlienALX]

I know that pain. I have to get my shocks to 300psi! for auto sag to be effective.

JFC, can you even do that safely with a pump?!?!

I ordered these today.

And most importantly.

It's been peeing with rain for the past week here. There was a break in it today but I had no lock so I had to walk a mile. Would like to have taken the bike but ah well, soon