Sunday, October 01, 2006

Tube bender

So I managed to get the discs on (only getting a wee spot of grease on the rotor and pads ... sheesh, thank goodness for iso-propyl alcohol). I got the steerer of the Pace forks cut, and filed and a star fangled nut fitted and then using the king headset spacers, arrived at a good handlebar height.

From there it was all about the 3/16" stainless steel tubes and a tube bender. Photos will follow, but I currently have a nice run with one bend directly to the front caliper, awaiting the Nokon top section from brake lever. The rear was a bit more complex. There are 2 guides for hose on the left seatstay, so i had to employ an s bend at the bottom to route directly into the caliper and then a very slight bend at the top (at 90 degrees, to follow the angle of the seatstay as it moves toward the seat tube). This will then accept a small Nokon section from the rearward cable stop on the top tube, with cable and the Nokon liner until i use another Nokon loop at the front to the rear brake lever.

It should (a-ha-ha) all look neat and tidy and work powerfully and be relatively impervious to dirt ingress. Should be. I *may* have made the bends a bit tight, and as such the brakes *may* be a little stiff. Fingers crossed.

The only bit I'm pretty sure I am not happy with is the top section of the rear brakes s bend. It is a little angular, not smooth, gentle and radiused like I wanted. May alter it, we'll see.

4 comments:

Alex said...

Sounds like a sweet project, I love fabbing little bits like that to make it work 'just so'

I am thinking of using an Avid FMJ along the top-tube to give a smooth run to the XTR canti even with the Jandd frame pack on....thanks for the inspiration!

Alex

Anonymous said...

Pics please Jon!

Alex said...

Yep, pics and sources for tubes plus how you are fixing the Nokon to the tube :)

Alex

Anonymous said...

ah, you've gone Jones-style! Been meaning to give it a go on Mel's Moots. Next time the cables wear out...