No problems installing the smart looking Shimano T8000 XT MTB SPD Trekking Pedals. They have MTB mounts on one side and are grippy flats on the other. Very practical for trekking, or quick trips to the shops or pub. I think they look great and feel well made.
Armed with the correct bottom bracket tool and a 3/8″ ratchet I fitted the Shimano DEORE SLX XT BB-MT800 bottom bracket along with the SHIMANO DEORE XT HOLLOWTECH II MTB Crankset 1×11-speed the FC-M8000-1 crank and the Shimano Deore XT M8000 Chainring. The Deore CN-HG601 chain meshed nicely with the Shimano CS-M5100 Deore 11-speed cassette and 11-speed Shimano Deore M5100 rear derailleur (Shadow SGS).
I’ve not fitted the shifter cable yet, so I can’t test how well it shifts or if there’s enough clearance or chain across the cassette. We shall see!
Slight snag with the brakes: I fitted the Promax P-1 PRO brakes because they had the longest arms I could find, needed to clear the larger diameter 700c rear wheel, which replaced the original 26″ wheel. The challenge is that the brake mounting points are now approximately 60 mm below the brake rim of the wheel, while the top of the wheel is 100 mm above the brake mount.
I had to purchase a Bicycle V Brake Extension (branded Lightpro) to raise the brake pads an additional 10 mm or so as the Promax don’t quite have enough vertical adjustment. It looks ugly as heck and I’m skeptical I want to put my life in its hands, so I may have to swap for the Paul Components V-brakes once those are back in stock and budget allows.
No issue fitting the brakes on the new front fork.
Details on fitting the fork in the next post!
It’s been a rather slow few days, mostly waiting for various parts and delivery companies, but this weekend should be busy, as most of the parts and tools have now thankfully arrived.
Tomorrow, I will attach the bottom bracket and the SHIMANO DEORE XT 1×11 speed crankset with a 32T M8000 chainring, along with the chain, before moving onto the challenge of the forks and the headset.
Today I fitted a Shimano Deore 11-51T cassette, the M5100 11-speed rear derailleur and the BB-MT800 bottom bracket. All went smoothly, but I won’t know whether there are chainline problems until I fit the front chainring and the chain. Some washers were included with the bottom bracket, presumably to help adjust the chainline.
On the front I’m planning on a single chainring. The 51 tooth cassette looks huge — I’m looking forward to using my “Granny Gear” to grind my way up some steep hills!
Hunt Race Aero Superdura 700c wheelset and Panaracer Gravel King SK 35mm tires have arrived, and they (just) fit in the frame!
Time will tell if there’s enough clearance for mud or debris when riding in mucky conditions.
I think they look great, and they are so light compared to the old 650 wheels they are replacing.
This weekend work began in earnest on converting my 1999 Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike (MTB) to a much more capable (and faster) touring/adventure bike. I’m far from a pro bike mechanic so I’ve spent the past few weeks learning about the differences between MTB and road gears, long-pull vs short-pull brakes, read all manner of conflicting advice, and studied the myriad “standards” that exist for everything from seat posts to bottom brackets. I almost sound knowledgable!
Long story, short, everything will be replaced on the bike, except for the frame.
The bike has a lot of sentimental value for me, so this is far from a simple utilitarian makeover. In 2000 my wife (then girlfriend) surprised me at work (Theory Center) with the bike for my birthday, and it has travelled with us ever since: first to Boulder, then Paris, then Brittany and now England. Over the years it has received a fair amount of abuse but has never let me down.
First step was to invest in some bike tools, and Park Tool have a very good reputation. I purchased the home mechanic bike stand (my back thanks my already), a set of tools, as well as digital callipers. The callipers are required for this sort of project, drastically increasing the chances of ordering parts that will actually fit this ageing frame!
This weekend I completed stripping the bike down and cleaned the frame with Muckoff and white spirit, ready for the touch-up paint. I want to cover the worst scratches while retaining the “patina” and history of the bike. My wife is an amateur artist so I’m hoping her eye for colour and steady hand will do the trick!
I’ve lots of exciting components on order, but I shall reveal those when they arrive, and if I can get them to fit!
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We woke to rain gusting around our little camping pod on the shores of the loch south of the standing stones. In no hurry, we tarried until a break in the weather, before grabbing a coffee and a breakfast roll in the visitor centre.
With just three hours of cycling until the end of our trip we pushed hard on the pedals and were soon making quick progress over the gently undulating terrain, assisted by the south-westerly wind.
The sun broke through the haze, and with the wind behind us, the weather was positively balmy! At least for a time…
As we neared the Butt of Lewis, and it’s nearest village Port Ness, the houses became more frequent and the landscape less wild, gently reintroducing us back into civilisation.
The Butt of Lewis lighthouse marks the end of the Hebridean Way and sits on a gnarled and twisted mass of Lewisian Gneiss – the oldest rocks in the UK, probably part of Canada/Greenland and formed over 600 million years ago.
After taking some photos to mark the end of our trip we retreated to the Wobbly Dog where the friendly owners serve excellent cakes and a steady stream of locals dropped in for a gossip.
We weren’t feeling the need to cycle 2.5 hours into a headwind to get back to Stornoway – so we called a local “cycle taxi” – a friendly local cabbie that could load our three bikes onto his rear bike rack and transport us safely to our hotel (luxury!) for our last night on the island.
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