Lee's New Wintertime Project...

[lee]

So I finished building up my new NRS Air this past week and decided that i needed a really cool wintertime project...So I've decided to rebuild my first mountain bike that i got whil in High School...My 1993 Bridgestone MB-4. I stripped the paint this summer and begain to paint the frame up...i need to apply 2 more clear coats and some framesaver to make sure all is well internally with my frame...

I started to go through all the old original Shimano Exage parts this weekend. They were covered in 10 year old grease and dirt (i rode th bike until 1998 or so) Some pretty nasty stuff in there. So i'm on my way...stopped by wheelworks to pick up the framesaver today, and inquire on a new rigid fork...like a dumb a$$ I had my mom throw away the original fork about 5 years ago (gave her permission to) not knowing that I'd ever deal with this frame again...anywyas.....i'll post some updates as I go along......gotta get some sweet decals for it too before i apply the clear coat..,..i'll post some frame photos and photos of the components before and after as well...i was originally going to make this a singlespeed and pretty much upgrade everyhitn, but my nrs cost more than i though...so this is going to be it for now...a sweet 24-speed retro bike..

[SloMoJo]

Now that's a cool project.
Bring life back to the ole rig.
I like that.

How does one strip the frame by the way?
How are you apply new paint? Just spray?
Also, do you have any pics of the new NRS Air?

Good show Lee.
-SloMo

[lee]

Well, i just tried to upload a photo of the NRS Air and was planning on uploading photos of the B-Stone, but it said the upload folder was fulll so i'll have to wait....(they were 120kb so not that big)

I actually was working in Ludlow Mass all summer on a pipeline, and part of the process is sandblasting of the pipe before the seal it with anit-corrosive...so to make a long story short....i got ahold of some fine sandblasting material and paid a guy a case of beer to sandblast the thing for me...i was also luck to work with a lot of guys that are metalworkers/welders...so i got lots of advice from them and from MTBR.com and found that after i sandblasted, i immediately primed the whole frame, then I applied 3 coats of auto pain (from a spray can)...wasn't sure how it would work...but it worked great...now I have 2 clearcoats on the frame...going to use Frame Saver this week on the inside, then coat one more clearcoat, then get some graphics and add the final clearcoat over them....should be a nice looking frame after that...

i'll post photos of the bstone and nrs when they get some more web space cleared up...

nice thing about the bstone is that i wont be afraid to take it around town and lock it up to run to the store or stuff like that...the NRS and my other bike, a Mrazek BOH FX hadtail...i would never lock up around boston...too afraid of losing a huge investement, emotionally and financially...

[lee]

Here's a photo of the NRS, not a great photo..but it'll work for now...

I've got a judy xc on right now (Duke Sl coming next wed) and a set of Velocity Synergy wheels, Kore post, stem etc. lx cranks, xt ders. xt shifters, eggbeaters and a flite ti seat...i like it...can't wait to get out on the trails...maybe this weekend...



Now that's a cool project.
Bring life back to the ole rig.
I like that.

How does one strip the frame by the way?
How are you apply new paint? Just spray?
Also, do you have any pics of the new NRS Air?

Good show Lee.
-SloMo

[lee]

Here's a photo of the Frame so far...still need some graphics and some more clearcoat...working on cleaning all the parts this week...start to put her together in a week or two...

[johnnyt]

Looks like a fun project! Are you going to put gears on that beast or go single speed?

[lee]

I was originally going to go single speed, but i've no money to spare...so i'm just going to build with all original components (mostly) I'm cleaning the Der and shifters...i might upgrade the brakes to vee instead of canti...it'll work better...i even have the original ritchey vantage wheelset that I'll throw on once in a while..the rest of the time I have a set of Mavic 225's that I'll use...but it'll be an 8 speed shimano exage machine...



Looks like a fun project! Are you going to put gears on that beast or go single speed?

[SloMoJo]

Lee, that a real nice looking bike. I always liked the Giants. I was really looking for an AC Air for a couple months, just never worked out. Interesting rear design on their frames, which I like. Yes indeed, sharp looking ride.

Paint job looks nice on the project. What type of abrasive did you blast the bike with? Good show.
-MoJo

[lee]

forget exactly, i think it was black beauty...not sure how commmon it is...thats what they use on pipelines to blast the welds before applying the 2-part epoxy on the weld...

it worked pretty well...i gave it a wuick sand with some fine paper, then primed...painted, sanded, wiped, painted 2x, 2 clear coats, now waiting to do the rest of the paintwork...

you can see there is a little bit of rust in the bottom bracket area...gotta get a metal brush this week and wipe that out...a lot of that was settled rust from the stem...it was really rusty inside...but after i clean it..got my jr weigles frame saver to run through twice...

long process for all of this...but hey, its fun...should be a fun mess around bike when i'm done...gotta get some flats, vee brake levers and a new seat (maybe post too...that one weighs a ton)

i'll post more photos of the build as it comes along...





Lee, that a real nice looking bike. I always liked the Giants. I was really looking for an AC Air for a couple months, just never worked out. Interesting rear design on their frames, which I like. Yes indeed, sharp looking ride.

Paint job looks nice on the project. What type of abrasive did you blast the bike with? Good show.
-MoJo

[SloMoJo]

Hey Lee,
Can you explain the inch + of space between the headset and the stem base? I have seen a couple spacers before, but nothing quite like that. Just wondering.

[lee]

Thats actually there b/c i did not want to cut the steerer tube of my Judy any more....I knew I was upgrading at some point, wasn't planning on it till summer, but i got a good deal on a RS Duke SL so I went ahead and got it...I didn't want to cut the steerer too short, and make it unusable on my other frame which does not have an internal headset...i also am pretty tall with a short inseam (6 foot, 30" inseam) so i like my bars a little high..on My Mrazek I have 15mm of spacers...but i like flat stems...kindof a quirk...i think I have 22mm of spacer on the NRS right now...i'll cut it down at least 5mm with the duke, and then have to see how that rides and maybe cut it down 5 or 10 more...the duke is a 100mm so i'll probably got rid of most of the spacers...



Hey Lee,
Can you explain the inch + of space between the headset and the stem base? I have seen a couple spacers before, but nothing quite like that. Just wondering.

[C.P.]

Hey Lee,
RE Bridgetone project Bike and single speed idea.... Does the Ricthey vantage wheelset that came with it originally have a hub with a threaded freewheel, or a freehub with a cassette? You are probably wondering why I ask? I noticed you were considering changing this bike to a single speed. You might be able to do this on the cheap - if the hub has a threaded freewheel, AND depending on the axle/bearings that are used, you might be able to remove the old freewheel, re-space the axle/bearings in the hub and re-dish the wheel, and use a shimano BMX or single speed freewheel - now this is a bit complicated to do, but I did it successfully with an old cannondale mtn bike. It was a very inexpensive way to convert that bike to single speed. The only other parts you would need to buy would be "track" chainring bolts for the crankset, and some kind of chain tensioning device. Email me if you need any tips on doing this.
You should also take a look at www.firstflightbikes.com for vintage bike parts, they have everything.

C.P.

[lee]

pretty sure its a freehub with a cassette...i'll have to check it out...might be able to do it....
any idea how much it cost you to do?





Hey Lee,
RE Bridgetone project Bike and single speed idea.... Does the Ricthey vantage wheelset that came with it originally have a hub with a threaded freewheel, or a freehub with a cassette? You are probably wondering why I ask? I noticed you were considering changing this bike to a single speed. You might be able to do this on the cheap - if the hub has a threaded freewheel, AND depending on the axle/bearings that are used, you might be able to remove the old freewheel, re-space the axle/bearings in the hub and re-dish the wheel, and use a shimano BMX or single speed freewheel - now this is a bit complicated to do, but I did it successfully with an old cannondale mtn bike. It was a very inexpensive way to convert that bike to single speed. The only other parts you would need to buy would be "track" chainring bolts for the crankset, and some kind of chain tensioning device. Email me if you need any tips on doing this.
You should also take a look at www.firstflightbikes.com for vintage bike parts, they have everything.

C.P.

[gungywump]

......gotta get some sweet decals for it too before i apply the clear coat..,..




Lee,

Why not get some IF decals or some Seven or Strong for that steel rig?

Maybe 50/50 left side IF right side Seven?

How bout' no decals at all it looks sweet just the way it is?

Or maybe some "Bikes Not Bombs" stickers?

Ooh, or how about some "Lee" stickers?

[lee]

i was actually looking at some troy lee designs stickers...thinking of cutting the troy off of it...it would be Lee Designs...

might still do that....

something like this...







......gotta get some sweet decals for it too before i apply the clear coat..,..




Lee,

Why not get some IF decals or some Seven or Strong for that steel rig?

Maybe 50/50 left side IF right side Seven?

How bout' no decals at all it looks sweet just the way it is?

Or maybe some "Bikes Not Bombs" stickers?

Ooh, or how about some "Lee" stickers?

[C.P.]

Lee,
RE single speed conversion...costs
If you have luck and the hub is threaded type -
Minus the labor to re-space the axle and dish the wheel, I can offer assistance if needed...
Surly Singleator chain tensioner 28 bucks
"Track" or single chainring bolts for crank - 6-7 Bucks.
Single speed freewheel - 15 to 20 bucks (i think)

Another thought, does the old brake levers ("exage") you'd be using have integrated shifters, if your going single speed, you'll want to get some separate brake levers too. I have a pair that I'd give away...

If the rear hub is cassette type - there are a few LBS offering their versions of singlespeed conversion kits as well. You'd only need a chain tensioner, crank single chainring "track" bolts and no dishing/axle respacing would be needed in this case. You would just be re-using one of the gears in the cassette cluster as your rear gear.
Check out Harris Cyclery in Newton they have a kit avail for this - and a web page by Sheldon Brown has some great info.
www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.htm

here's photo of a cassette freehub converted to singlespeed using spcers and a chain tensioner.

C.P.






pretty sure its a freehub with a cassette...i'll have to check it out...might be able to do it....
any idea how much it cost you to do?





Hey Lee,
RE Bridgetone project Bike and single speed idea.... Does the Ricthey vantage wheelset that came with it originally have a hub with a threaded freewheel, or a freehub with a cassette? You are probably wondering why I ask? I noticed you were considering changing this bike to a single speed. You might be able to do this on the cheap - if the hub has a threaded freewheel, AND depending on the axle/bearings that are used, you might be able to remove the old freewheel, re-space the axle/bearings in the hub and re-dish the wheel, and use a shimano BMX or single speed freewheel - now this is a bit complicated to do, but I did it successfully with an old cannondale mtn bike. It was a very inexpensive way to convert that bike to single speed. The only other parts you would need to buy would be "track" chainring bolts for the crankset, and some kind of chain tensioning device. Email me if you need any tips on doing this.
You should also take a look at www.firstflightbikes.com for vintage bike parts, they have everything.

C.P.