Bikes-bikes-bikes: SS Reborn III: The Marrakesh Express -1

Test ride after the makeover to sort out any rattle 'n' shakes that need adjustments and tuneup

Thought things were looking really good even thought the fenders and some other bits weren't in yet since the last post

I'm a big fan of CSNY even though all their hits were before my time or at most while I was still in diaper-land. Not my favorite song from them but listening to Marrakesh Express, it somehow resonate with the change and intended use on the Stanyan.. Easy-going, observing the world around me while out pedaling, like Nash leaving his seat on the train to explore his surrounding. Again similar to poking around the confines of the train but with ever changing scenery.. I'm moving, even if its on this little claustrophobic island.. At least the wheels will still be turning...

Gear Ratio:
With all the added weight and setup changes, my usual 53/16 training mode ratio would be brutal. It will either raise a brow from others thinking is that a show off or some real masochist on a ride. Remembered my old dodgy trek commuter with fenders, racks and all was running 44/16 on 26" hoops. Quick calculation shows with what I have in the spares bin, I could just use the stock Sugino 48t ring that came with the crank and YES! The White Industry 18t freewheel with 72 poe. My all time favorite freewheel of course.All of which compensating for the extra weight on the rebuild now... GI ratio is in sweet heaven territory for the mostly flattish tarmac riding.

Sold my repair stand and never bothered to get a replacement.. this afternoon sure brings back memories of working on an upside down bike on the floor!

The Gilles Berthoud fenders and new 32c rando-tires finally came on Thursday. Was trying to test my Zen patience training anticipating some nice mounting hardware, the Sheldon Fender Nuts to arrive but just couldn't wait anymore. Guess they''ll just end up in the bolt-bin later....till who knows when it might get to be used, like so many of my bike stuff.

Front Fender mounting
Struts provided and the plastic p-clips were pretty straight forward but there's nothing included for mounting to the caliper
As luck would have it. I was actually able to fit a L-bracket underneath the fork hole.. The fenders themselves needed a little wiggling as the lug on the fork made the area a little smaller. Overall it resulted in a rather neat end-result with no ugly bits of a cheap bracket sticking out. Tucked behind the caliper, whatever exposed section is hardly noticeable.

Most of the bracker and nut hidden under fork hole, out of sight.

Not as neat as a fork crown daruma installation but looking at it, the fenders might not have cleared the brake caliper if a daruma was used.

Yes I was self-congratulating and into my usual smug self.. All alone feeling like I'm such a genius here :)

Rear fender I had equal luck like the front.. the Stanyan actually had a screw hole on the rear brake's mounting underside which I never really paid attention to before. The tricky part was to make sure to mark the fender right before drilling.

Almost.. somehow and luckily it was just slightly off centered. Enlarging it with a bit of side drilling plus a couple of wider spacers sandwiching the bolt did the job. So, again no more bracket or the need for a fender bridge and best of all no need to mount to the caliper. Clean look.

Final step... back on with the rack. No way in hell is the existing dog-ugly piece of mounting bracket going back on. Already had the foresight to grab a piece of stainless steel one from my favorite $2-store earlier in the day.

One thing I've learned, bending the doggedly rigid old one was to choose something that can still be slightly shaped by hand off the vice.

Alright, everything that should shine is now shining in their rightful places.

Not exactly the neatest due to the rack's mounting design. Would have preferred if it uses struts and the bike does have the necessary eyelets.. but then it means the eyelets can be be used for other things now... will see what can be plonked in there to add to functionality of the bike.

Test ride... with the major parts in place, twas time for a test ride today to sort out any shakes, rattles and niggles... poop goes the chain and I felt the Eccentic ENO slipped. In the enthused smug state of looking at my own handiwork installing the shiny bits.. the most basic of things like tightening of bolts are overlooked!

Would have been a decent pic with nice natural lighting if it weren't for the glaring slackened chain! Arrrghh

Oops! didn't have a size 19 wrench with me. Well.. picked up another neat little trick on tightening the eccentric hub without having a wrench to hold it in place when cranking the bolts in. Pull it against the fender with one hand and lock down the 10mm bolts on both sides. Just be careful not to pull too hard and have it slanted to one side... And it was the easiest tightening of an ENO hub ever...and one less tool to bring out as well.

....at the shop


Cool looking seat. But 5kg! No fxxking way that's ever going on the bike

Ah another one of those new lifestyle bikeshop, Creed Cycle.. seems pretty cool on Facebook so I decided to make the way down and take a look. Nice place and few minutes later, an old friend pop out of the workshop area and I got myself a neat little tail light to go with the bike

More shiny stainless steel. Matched to the hilt.

And the new tires that came? The Gille's Berthoud site says the 40mm wide would fit 23-32c tires.. Honestly I just wasn't too sure. .with the internal measuring only 32mm worth of clearance, even if the Vittoria Randonneur Croxx Pro is smaller than 32... it will still be a tight fit. Will probably doodle again tomorrow. X-fingers things will work. (UPDATE: Nope its not working. THat sucks.. now I have nice 32c tires sitting around.. gggrrrhh should have been conservative and gone for the 28c instead)

Oops... Forgot I was supposed to buy roast duck for dinner... Time to scoot