Kona 'Major Jake' rebuild

[Rhythm Thief]

This is what I bought after fettling a mate's gravel bike and riding it to work on old railway paths, thereby creating from nothing an immediate desire to own a gravel bike myself. After flirting with a few eBay listings for bikes at £1500 and more, I came down to earth with a bump and realised that not only could I not afford a modern 1x hydraulic disc titanium thing, but I didn't particularly want one and in fact, it would go against everything I like about cycling which I view primarily as a cheap mode of transport. So I bought this, a 2010 Kona cyclo-cross bike.
It needs fettling - someone had bodged a horrible triple chainset onto it which did not play nicely with the 2x shifters, and it needs new tyres - but my aim here is to build up a scruffy but mechanically sound bike which I can use on forest trails and old railway paths. First job is to sort out wheels and tyres for it...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Wheel fettling kit. Brake cleaner, cone spanners, grease, spoke key, magnet (for removing old bearings), new 3/16 bearings, truing stand and a big adjustable spanner cos I can't be arsed rooting around for the proper size. First job is to rebuild the hub, although before I could even remove the QR skewer I had to run an M5 die over the thread...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Wheels on. I'm glad I didn't go any bigger on the tyres.

 

[lostinthought]

Looks great, a quality bike. Are you going to refresh the bar tape for that new bike feeling?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Looks great, a quality bike. Are you going to refresh the bar tape for that new bike feeling?

I wasn't going to, but I've just discovered some 10 speed Ultegra shifters in a box, so now I'll probably change the shifters and do the bar tape while I'm at it.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The hub rebuild, in tedious detail. I always use new bearings for this as they cost thruppence for about a million of the things.

 

[All uphill]

@Rhythm Thief

Exactly my kind of project!

For me too, cycling is a brilliant, low cost and enjoyable way of seeing the world.

I look forward to seeing more of this!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The most important tool in any job: my Bikespeeds mug!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Rear derailleur put through the ultrasonic cleaner, reassembled and installed, along with the 10 speed cassette and the front derailleur. I always give the cable adjusters a bit of copper grease on the thread; it's surprising how often this is forgotten and on a neglected derailleur the thread can seize up solid.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Now to reassemble the chainset. I don't tend to put these through the ultrasonic cleaner as it can knacker up the anodising, but I've cleaned everything with white spirit and a paintbrush. I always grease the threads with a bit of copper grease and I'll usually put a light smear of grease on the chainring mounting surfaces.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Enough for today. I've sorted out wheels and tyres for it, cleaned all the mechanical bits I need (apart from the brake calipers, which I'll do another day), stripped the old bar tape and brake cables and changed the Tiagra 9 speed shifters for Ultegra 10 speed. Still to do is fettle the brakes, fit the front derailleur (I need a 31.8mm seat tube clamp, which I probably have in a box but ordering a new one is easier than turning the workshop upside down looking for it), fit new cables and bar tape, find a decent saddle and some SPD pedals in the bits box. Part two to follow soon...

 

[lostinthought]

Rear derailleur put through the ultrasonic cleaner, reassembled and installed, along with the 10 speed cassette and the front derailleur. I always give the cable adjusters a bit of copper grease on the thread; it's surprising how often this is forgotten and on a neglected derailleur the thread can seize up solid.

This is very satisfying

 

[StuAff]

As the owner of a modern 2x hydraulic disc titanium thing, I'll politely agree to disagree on whether you want one- and if you can't afford one that's moot- but that's rather nice already. Good luck!