Secondhand Raleigh Junior Rigid MTB: lemon or worth a punt?

[Reynard]

Well, some more bits have been purchased.

I went for the Altus RD-M310 rear derailleur in the end, and it seems like I have acquired the last available one on Planet Earth. Plus I now have on order from SJS Cycles the Altus 11-32 8-speed cassette, a black 25.8mm diameter seatpost, a pair of brake hangers and a rear mech hanger.

That lot sticks another £53 onto the build, so the running total, including the cost of the bike is now £176.

Of the necessary expenditures left, I still need chainset, bars and a set of gear cables. And I'll be in touch via PM re those shifters @DCBassman

 

[12boy]

Grant Petersen at Rivendell discusses why lower end derailleurs, brake levers and shifters work as well as their more expensive brethren at just a little more weight and a lot less expense. Even lower grade derailleurs are better than high end ones in the past. You will have a bitchin machine when your done fer sure.

 

[DCBassman]

And I'll be in touch via PM re those shifters @DCBassman

Cool. After the flat bar/drop bar/flat bar faffing I did to the Scott roadie, including a short spell back at 8-speed, they've still got essentially new inners fitted. One less thing to buy!

 

[DCBassman]

Grant Petersen at Rivendell discusses why lower end derailleurs, brake levers and shifters work as well as their more expensive brethren at just a little more weight and a lot less expense. Even lower grade derailleurs are better than high end ones in the past. You will have a bitchin machine when your done fer sure.

Truth. I'm using nothing above Alivio grade, and it all works far better than, say, 15 year old Sora stuff. In fact the 7-speed Altus stuff from 2001 was still absolutely slick last time I used it.

 

[Reynard]

Grant Petersen at Rivendell discusses why lower end derailleurs, brake levers and shifters work as well as their more expensive brethren at just a little more weight and a lot less expense. Even lower grade derailleurs are better than high end ones in the past. You will have a bitchin machine when your done fer sure.

Unless you're a pro and are talking about marginal gains, what's a few grams here and there?

The frame is steel, so it's never going to be a lightweight, and I just want to fit it with decent, reliable components that don't throw the toys out of the pram if they go within 50 paces of a wet, muddy road.

Although the seatpost, bars and chainset are being upgraded to alloy from the original steel. That will take close to a kilo off the bike, which is kind of more useful.

P.S. I did some serious air intake looking at prices of the higher end stuff...

 

[Reynard]

Cool. After the flat bar/drop bar/flat bar faffing I did to the Scott roadie, including a short spell back at 8-speed, they've still got essentially new inners fitted. One less thing to buy!

Ah, brill. Then all I'll need is some outer. I'm sure they sell it off a roll in the LBS...

Truth. I'm using nothing above Alivio grade, and it all works far better than, say, 15 year old Sora stuff. In fact the 7-speed Altus stuff from 2001 was still absolutely slick last time I used it.

I've got Claris on the road bike and Altus on the hybrid. I've no experience of the considerably more poncy stuff, but there's nothing wrong with either of those.

 

[12boy]

I buy Jagwire cable housing in 10 foot lengths and cut to suit. Eldest son asked what I wanted for Christmas and I said a Park cable and housing cutter and he got me one. I don't use it often but when I do, it makes me happy. A well made tool filling its purpose really well is a real pleasure.

 

[DCBassman]

I've got Claris on the road bike

Technically, the levers I'm sending you, St-R221L and 225R, are Claris STI IIRC

 

[Reynard]

Well, the bits I ordered from SJS turned up on Saturday, so I spent the morning tinkering.

The cassette has now been fitted onto the rear wheel, and the rear derailleur has been attached to its hanger, and thence onto the bike. Looking good. Although I forgot to apply some grease to a couple of the screw threads, so I shall have to rectify that in the morning. Oops, my bad...

Alas, even with the best will in the world, the 25.8 mm seatpost I ordered won't fit, so it's got to go back. It should have fitted, as I measured the inside of the seat tube with vernier calipers and bought the post as per advice here, but it won't even get past the clamp, even if I take the bolt out.

Although I'm wondering if the clamp (the bit with the two eyes to take the bolt) isn't bent. With everything else that's been borked on the bike, it wouldn't surprise me. But I'm also entertaining the thought that the top of the seat tube may have been pinched to take the narrower post...

Otherwise it looks like I will have to go for a 25.4 mm and use the shim.

 

[raleighnut]

Well, the bits I ordered from SJS turned up on Saturday, so I spent the morning tinkering.

The cassette has now been fitted onto the rear wheel, and the rear derailleur has been attached to its hanger, and thence onto the bike. Looking good. Although I forgot to apply some grease to a couple of the screw threads, so I shall have to rectify that in the morning. Oops, my bad...

Alas, even with the best will in the world, the 25.8 mm seatpost I ordered won't fit, so it's got to go back. It should have fitted, as I measured the inside of the seat tube with vernier calipers and bought the post as per advice here, but it won't even get past the clamp, even if I take the bolt out.

Although I'm wondering if the clamp (the bit with the two eyes to take the bolt) isn't bent. With everything else that's been borked on the bike, it wouldn't surprise me. But I'm also entertaining the thought that the top of the seat tube may have been pinched to take the narrower post...

Otherwise it looks like I will have to go for a 25.4 mm and use the shim.

You can get 25.6 mm seatposts.

 

[Reynard]

It was bugging me all afternoon (I was out, and you know how things just simmer in the back of your mind) so I went and had another look.

I opened out the top of the seatpost with a screwdriver - it *WAS* bent btw, and had another go. Got the post in no problem, but it only went in about two and a half inches or so before refusing to go any further, and I didn't want to force things and damage the post.

So stuck my fingers in, and found the answer. Namely the welding on the seat stays are causing an obstruction. Ergo, that explains the 25.4 mm post and the shim. It's something the calipers wouldn't have picked up when I measured the internal diameter of the seat tube, as they don't reach down that far.

I guess I'd be OK filing the weld back a little and trying again.

 

[12boy]

I'd go with the shim. Removing part of a weld may not be wise.

 

[Reynard]

I'd go with the shim. Removing part of a weld may not be wise.

I'd agree with you if I had to take a significant amount off - my background is strength of materials after all.

But given the projected use, these frames are probably way over-engineered, incorporating a significant Factor of Safety. It's not just the absolute strength vs the applied load, but also the actual standard to which it has to be made as set down in statute.

In this case, the issue is where a small amount excess metal from the weld has run down the inside of the tube. And then of course the paint that has been applied to the inside of the frame has accumulated on that as well. Given the 25.4 mm post is rather loose in there, I only need to take off a fraction of the excess - it shouldn't have any effect on the structural integrity of the weld itself. Likely just taking the paint back down to bare metal should be enough. (Well, I hope...)

 

[Gunk]

Can you get in there with a Dremel?

 

[raleighnut]

Can you get in there with a Dremel?

A few strokes with a 'half round' or 'rat tail' file should be plenty to remove the slight 'bulge' sufficiently. Just make sure to give it a good smear of Vaseline to prevent corrosion afterwards DO NOT use grease, the soap in it will not protect the bare metal from rusting nor will it stop galvanic corrosion from 'sticking' the post whereas Petroleum Jelly does an excellent job.