Back into mountain biking on a budget

[cbrdave]

Just got into mountain biking but this time on a budget,
Got hold of a second hand Carrera subway 2, already had a load of decent aftermarket parts put on, so went searching for a set of half decent sub £80 suspension forks, found a new set of suntour 100mm with lockout and adjustable damping for £48 delivered,
Got a Halfords gift card for xmas so ordered some bars and pedals and brake lines, picking up tomorrow so as I have the rest of the week off i'll be messing around building it up and then will be off riding for the first time in 15 years, once I've got the fitness uo i'll try a bit of trail riding.

All in so far ive only spent £140 and i'm enjoying the building of it, i'm glad I didn't go for a new bike now

 

[Tengu]

That sounds like fun.

I found a book on bike maintenence; for what is often billed as a simple pursuit it is very high tech and technical...

...My Ali monster is pretty much ready to go. I have had the seat lowered so I can place my feet firm on the ground. (I have no balance.) I can scoot it along, -using pedals is quite beyond me.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Look forward to seeing pics of the completed bike.

 

[nic a char]

found a camo mtb in a skip - fixed it up with spares from other skips - cost = 0
handy for hiding in the woods

 

[cbrdave]

I'll try and upload before and after pics, just waiting on some grips at the moment, had some fun yesterday trying to put the new tyres on the rims, by god they where tight, I used to build bikes back in my 20's and can't remember them being like that, let alone snapping three tyre levers and ending up with two punctures, so after a quick trip to halfords, two in ertubes and a set of metal tyre levers all a good.
Lidl so had cycling stuff in and managed to get a nice comfy gel seat for £7.99 and an under seat tool bag and tools for a fiver, bags good but won't hold my breath on the tools.

 

[cbrdave]

Before pic


After pic


Quite happy with it and will be testing it out this weekend, just need to find a bite valve for the hydration tube and some baggy cycling shorts, not into Lycra, puts me off following a middle aged cyclist in Lycra when I'm driving behind, wouldn't want to do the same for other drivers

 

[ozzy1977]

Cracking job mate.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That looks great.

 

[cbrdave]

Thanks all, quite happy, I'm pretty unfit compared to what I used to be so for the first few rides I'll be breathing out my rear by the end of it, lol

 

[cbrdave]

That sounds like fun.

I found a book on bike maintenence; for what is often billed as a simple pursuit it is very high tech and technical...

...My Ali monster is pretty much ready to go. I have had the seat lowered so I can place my feet firm on the ground. (I have no balance.) I can scoot it along, -using pedals is quite beyond me.

Hey Tengu,

What was the title of ya book?
Seems things have moved on quite a bit since I used to build bikes, could do with some sort of technical guide for reference when needed.
Any chance of a pic of a
Your Ali monster too please .

 

[cbrdave]

found a camo mtb in a skip - fixed it up with spares from other skips - cost = 0
handy for hiding in the woods

I'd be happy to find it all in a skip for free mate, I used to be given old bikes to salvage parts but I gave it all to a scrappy as I'd stopped building bikes and started messing with 4x4's,
Now I'm back into bikes and wish I'd kept the tools and some parts.

 

[Trig]

You've done it the right way. I bought a new bike, thought id go mid range, not too expensive, but not a cheapie either.
Not used in a while, but i was never done fixing the bloody thing since i got it. 10 miles cycled fresh from the shop and the chain breaks, snapping the rear derailleur with it.

Take it back to the shop to get that fixed and it comes back with the gears buggered up. In the process of fixing that and giving it a test ride and the gear cable snaps.... :aargh4:


You planning any overnighters with it or just for trail riding?

 

[nic a char]

you'll soon have too many bike spares to store again cbrdave

 

[ebt.]

Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance is a good reference.

What kind of riding are you planning to do?

 

[Tengu]

It folds much neater than that. My first attempt.

But the seat refuses to busge and so compromises its folding action.

I cant recall the name of the book, and its left in Cornwall, (Im home for the holidays.) Ill let you know when I get back.

 

[cbrdave]

You've done it the right way. I bought a new bike, thought id go mid range, not too expensive, but not a cheapie either.
Not used in a while, but i was never done fixing the bloody thing since i got it. 10 miles cycled fresh from the shop and the chain breaks, snapping the rear derailleur with it.

Take it back to the shop to get that fixed and it comes back with the gears buggered up. In the process of fixing that and giving it a test ride and the gear cable snaps.... :aargh4:


You planning any overnighters with it or just for trail riding?

Wow, for a mid range you've had some bad luck with it, I was originally going to halfords for a £300 Carrera but the bedroom fitting firm I sub to stuffed my money up as they like to do around holidays,
Not planning any over nighters at the moment, will do some normal road and park riding till I get some fitness then will be doing some trail riding, nothing to daft like downhill or jumps, to old for that, last time I tried it o broke my arm .

 

[cbrdave]

you'll soon have too many bike spares to store again cbrdave

Funny you should say that, I've now got a draw starting to fill up in the workshop, wife keeps saying sell them on but spares save money so they will stay

 

[cbrdave]

Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance is a good reference.

What kind of riding are you planning to do?

Thanks, I'll take a look and get a copy, can never have too many reference books on the shelf,
Planning trail riding once the fitness allows, been a bit lazy regarding proper excercise over the last ten years, got grand kids now so need to sort myself out so I can spend time outdoors with them.

 

[cbrdave]

Nice little folder there bud, I was given one about five years ago but had no use for it, nearly new and with a rucksack to hold it, cool little thing, one pull and it folded out and locked in place, stuck it on eBay and a local guy snapped it up for £150, turns out they where nearly £500 new, I know a bloke who has one of the first types and he keeps it like new and uses it every day, takes it On the train and rides to work in London, I hate driving London let alone cycling


I cant recall the name of the book, and its left in Cornwall, (Im home for the holidays.) Ill let you know when I get back.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, that would be great.

 

[cbrdave]

Just picked up one of theses from good old lidl, fantastic value for money, minor assembly which took less than 2 minutes, no more tipping the bike upside down or kneeling down and having the bike topple on me, couldn't be bothered to make one and for the sake of £25 it was easier.