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Bought a new Genesis carbon fork for £50 to freshen the front end up, and sent it off to Argos for paint, but more importantly graphics. I never got on with the newer Kona font, and wanted the lairy Hawaiin style font from 90s/early 2000s. My best friend is a graphic designer and helped. Found a font template:
https://www.dafontfree.net/king-kikapu-regular/f131257.htm

And he knocked up a render, looked pretty good!

Having lived outside a lot, the frame was looking pretty grotty in places. I was hankering after a MGOOFs/sorted modern steel bike and realised with a bit of graft, I could make the Kona into something. It came with 7700 Dura Ace downtube shifters from new, which was weird but must've kept the cost down. Originally I was going to go full 7700, but discovered that 7900 10 speed shifters existed and focused the build around them. I also didn't want a silver groupset so ugly duckling 7900 it was.

2009 Kona Honky Tonk
In 2009 some friends planned a tour from Dunkirk to Istanbul, following the Danube for the most part. I wasnt sure about it (distance, narrow minded about travel too!) and only had the Specialized and bikepacking wasn't much of a thing then. Borrowed money to buy a Kona Honky Tonk, complete with Tortec rack and two Ortleib panniers.

Did the tour, commuted to Wheatley from Oxford for a year then took it with me to Aberdeen and kept commuting. As I got more into setup, I cut the steerer and started swapping bits out. Namely the Schwalbe Marathons which I never realised were so... gross. Had spare Fulcrums and Vittorias from the Ridley which perked it up. Meant I could put in a lunchtime ride from work and enjoy it, albeit with the Thule clamp on for child carrying!

Cockpit and saddle changeout helped a lot! Final stage in the last few months was to change out the 10-speed Record groupset for 11-speed Chorus. The Record has a new home...

So far, pretty gross right? I spent a bit more time looking at forums/blogs, and really got into the style of bikes on SlamThatStem, and found my way to LFGSS. This started to improve things on the aesthetic front.

I was furloughed and got the nod to come back to work. Gave me the green light to upgrade the wheels. Bought these used Miche SWR 50mm tubs, destickered them the hard way. Buy 100% acetone or spray on Sticky Stuff remover, otherwise you'll waste weeks of your life! Veloflex Roubaix 25mm tubs with gumwalls were my choice.

First time with tubulars but followed this approach and it worked well. Cleaned off all the old glue with acetone and a plastic knife. Tubs onto the wheels and up to 120psi to stretch for a night at least. Pop them off, 2x coats of Vittoria MastikOne on the tubs and wheels (one per night, cure inbetween). Cheapo acid brushes to apply, clean them up to reuse. Pump the tubs up a little to hold shape, final coat of glue onto the wheels then fit, stretching like mad from the valve side. Give yourself plenty of time and don't worry about the glue getting on the tyre/wheel, easy to wipe or pick off later.

Got it to here by spring 2021:

I had gotten fitter, fallen back in love with cycling again and developed a hankering for a carbon frame. Found a ex-Lotto Ridley frameset (was Tiesj Benoot's) and swapped bits across in Jan 2021. Was going to stick with the Campagnolo mix groupset I had cobbled together but decided to upgrade all bits to Record. Timed it well as prices seem to be potty now. So, 2018 frameset with 2010 groupset, and a white saddle/camo tape.

2008 Allez Elite/ 2018 Ridley Fenix SL

This Allez was my 21st birthday present in 2008. Bought used from Dysons in Dunstable, Beds if anyone knows it. Previous owner fitted 10 speed Campagnolo Veloce to it which was unusual, but cool to start cycling with Campagnolo on an otherwise common bike. I changed a few bits/added a load of white and carbon wrapped tat and it ended up like this by 2011.

By then I moved to Aberdeen for work, and became less motivated to ride so it sat. 2020 lockdown came, I fished it out and got cycling again and upgraded it with a mix of carbon Chorus cranks/Centaur shifters, Fulcrum 4s and Corsa G2.0 tyres. Disclaimer: I have an unfortunate love of lairy bartape and magnet-based computers.

Hello,

Joe here. I have enjoyed reading other's current projects and threads in Bikes and Bits. I've gained a lot of knowledge and inspiration so wanted to add my own thread to contribute.

During lockdown I got back into riding, but with two small children this tops out at 1hr max! Still, my mindset is to make the most of that time. I also have a need to tinker in my spare time, and bikes are perfect for that: you can bring them into the house and only require a few tools. Unlike cars (namely a MK2 Golf G60 needing an engine rebuild - see below) which don't lend themselves well to nipping out to the garage for 20 mins!

My bikes are built from second-hand parts, selling the replaced part on. I also keep my eye on sales to try and get things for a reasonable price. This is a retrospective as I’m terrible at documenting as I go but will endeavour to update this thread!

All, looking for some advice to prevent a miserable outcome second time around!

I built up a Kona Honky Tonk after paint (will get a thread up I promise), and during its first ride the rear mech/chain seized, causing it to move round with the cassette and bend the hanger before the chain parted at the weak link. I was mid-cassette so the chain did not drop between the cassette and wheel. Chain was a used 11 speed KMC and a second-hand 10-speed Dura Ace 7900 rear mech. I had also ridden about 3km before this happened, shifting up and down the cassette and big ring/small ring without issue.

Anyone have an idea why this might have happened? Only things I can think of is a) B-screw was poorly adjusted and top jockey wheel hit cassette/jammed the chain or b) rear mech cage was weak and gave out when I shifted gear (the cage plate nearest the spokes has parted by the upper jockey wheel).

**UPDATE: Also fitted a used chain and rear mech to my MTB and checked it in the stand. Would pedal for a few revolutions before the chain (bit dirty and not super smooth) would suck. Rear mech pivot against the frame not moving smoothly makes the effect of this worse. Seems to be the case. Strip and re-grease everything before installing!

Thanks for making this thread, the content is incredible and it's heartening to read. Keep up the awesome work

@Dammit, no problem and @greeno thanks for the link. Thought it looked a bargain/hard to find!

No affiliation to the seller, but had this Serotta seatpost pop up on ebay (have an alert set for Serotta, sure im not alone!) Thought it might be of interest to someone on here, excuse massive link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115309467566?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item1ad8fad7ae:g:vZYAAOSwZgtiPF9x&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAA4Eldx2S899JqoQ9XfqejqY%2F6dRLLhOiPFA5yaEO7Moxdon%2FKnHjlEtuI7D%2FkOgvVsqUbkHk%2BeLe1HA%2F3SrcV3V80QpQS2erfSTCaRyFeKQPh2ixL%2BZUCkNKJnqhlFxzxkt7OPHZXUu9UP%2FGmKDb7R9PkF%2FfDIBdhLBPE8QSoYTML0aa%2FAVz%2BlIrrTLY5KsJhuyWV6lSURenT0u4vlla0UdEcwKVix0YK5ffyWKguuFEdBKGFgExomttLLLhpKYUpyTN6hG0HYn4XmQRPZSG4VOjhY0DfKpIXSfM0pUwdytvs%7Ctkp%3ABFBMoMusxvdf

Little ring sadly but here's my Merckx Strada OS. Not sure about the yellow pantographed tape, but had a go at wrapping it top down and superglued in place so it's staying for now.

Rare bike there and a great colour!

Cheers for the feedback all. @Ordinata deserved there, posting a half built bike in the wrong order! I will push on to get the bike finished and post a better photo... and work out how to embed in my post, in the right order!

Take your point @Kimmo, I struggle to get too excited about seatposts (as long as they match colour wise). Did consider a polished Campagnolo aero post but not really right for the era... Deda EL is about the only other?

Hello all,

Medium term lurker here registered to share my build. I got back into cycling during 2020 and soon started tarting up my old bike, which became bikes and led me here. Will make a longer post on my different builds in the right place, but here is the progress of my Merckx Strada OS so far.

I already had a Ridley carbon road bike and Kona steel tourer. This thread inspired me to buy a steel road bike with an interesting paint job, keep the quill stem and shift my Record 10 speed groupset from my 2018 Ridley to a more suitable home.

This is a secret bike/side sidepiece as my mate called it, delivered to work and all spannering has been on my lunchbreak - no shed space or tolerance at home for another bike!

Bike arrived almost a bingo card of anti:

Mismatched polished stem with black bars and post
Bizarre ball-trap seat
Gatorskins
Triple
Shifters/bar setup pointing to the Gods
Cages bent in so they wouldn't take 500ml bidons?!

However, all in good conditon, especially the chrome. Won it with a single ebay bid, shout to Kev from Margate for selling it and getting it shipped to Aberdeen fully built in a box. Also an unusual paintjob - googled and contacted Merckx and Snickers Workwear to see if anyone knew why the bike was painted in this livery but no joy! If anyone knows why it has been painted like this, please let me know!

Parted out the bits I didn't want, and kept the Mirage 9 speed mech and shifters and Calimas for my winter bike.

So far:
Complete 2008 Record groupset Inc. Cassette, chain and downtube lugs
Record headset - needed "persuasion" (read: big torque and slipping spanner) because I was impatient and didn't chase the fork threads. Always do this! Should've run the old headset back and forth to do it.
Cinelli Giro D'Italia bars
Selle Flite ebay bargain that I cleaned up
Kalloy post
Cheapo polished bottle cages
VDO computer
Wheels - carbon tubs with polished hubs and spokes from Arkane on the way

Everything came off and went on fine other than the headset! Still to cable it and get the chain on, nearly there.

Took a few goes to sort photos - now got an after and before!