Rate my ugly (but cheap) Macinato build...

[gordon taylor]

After a comment from Tiermat on the forum that On One were selling Macinato frames for £99... I bought one. I had a vague notion that I could match my shed full of bits to a new frame and end up with a whole bike for under £100.

Progress so far:

The frame is stunning. It came in a huge box (free delivery) with bespoke padding and protection. The finish is lovely and the paintwork shimmers. I have no idea how they make any profit at that price.



I have no recollection about where half this stuff came from. It seems to breed out there. 



More to follow... connection problems.

[gordon taylor]

So. I've spent an hour or so on it and discovered that the only spare forks I own have a 1" steerer. Somehow I've bodged them securely into a 1 1/8 Hope headset - which has a huge stack height - therefore I have no spacers and need a riser stem.



The chainset and BB have been stripped from a old hybrid frame that will be going to the tip. I was tempted by a shiny one at £45 from SJS but have resisted the urge to "click here!"



Both of my spare seatpost clamps are too big, drat. I don't see any way of making them fit. That brake is a Magura hydraulic. I'll be using a pair of old ceramic rims which scared me to death with normal brakes.

I only have 19 and 18 toothed fixed sprockets in the pile... that is going to be hopeless with a 42 tooth front.

I really want to build this without spending a bean! Anyone want to swap cogs? I need a 16.

[Chris N]

the only spare forks I own have a 1" steerer. Somehow I've bodged them securely into a 1 1/8 Hope headset

I can't see how this would work.  Either the headset fits the fork or it doesn't.

The rest looks good though.

[gordon taylor]

the only spare forks I own have a 1" steerer. Somehow I've bodged them securely into a 1 1/8 Hope headset

I can't see how this would work.  Either the headset fits the fork or it doesn't.

The rest looks good though.

I've fitted one of those long spacers that come with 1 1/8 stems inside the pinch ring for the top bearing.. then another one inside the stem itself. The crown race is from another headset but seems to fit snugly inside the chamfer of the lower bearing.

I am slightly worried about the bodge, and will test it carefully. However, I reckon that if the stem is firmly clamped to the steerer, the worst that can happen is a general looseness.

 

[Hot Flatus]

Please to not mention £99 Macinato frames again. (especially how nice they may look)

I've already ordered and cancelled once this week 

[drossall]

I can have a dig for a 16 sprocket, as I generally use larger ones anyway, but where are you?

[gordon taylor]

I can have a dig for a 16 sprocket, as I generally use larger ones anyway, but where are you?

 

Stone, Staffs.

[Chris N]

Please to not mention £99 Macinato frames again. (especially how nice they may look)

Yeah, I'm trying to find reasons not to buy one.  I've got most of the bits I'd need to build one in the shed, too.

[Biggsy]

People have successfully used 1" forks with 1 1/8" frames before.  It'll work fine as long as your bodging is good.

I would aim to eventually replace with 1 1/8" forks though to get all the benefits of this size: better strength/stiffness to weight ratio, and larger bearings for greater smoothness and durability.

[Biggsy]

I aprove of the riser stem intead of having a longer steerer with a load of spacers.  Safer, stiffer, posibly lighter.

[Hot Flatus]

Please to not mention £99 Macinato frames again. (especially how nice they may look)

Yeah, I'm trying to find reasons not to buy one.  I've got most of the bits I'd need to build one in the shed, too.

Well I don't actually need one, but you definitely do.

Plus you need to be able to build it up, test it and report back  within a week as this would coincide nicely with the following week when Mrs CLINT won't be here to notice any unexpected packages arriving 

[PaulR]

I've a shiny 16 you can have for this worthy cause.  Do you want to PM me your address?

[gordon taylor]

I've a shiny 16 you can have for this worthy cause.  Do you want to PM me your address?

Oh! Thank you!

pm on the way

[PaulR]

and a reply sent.
P

[swinger76]

wow m8 good job like the frame bargain for the price awesome keep the pics coming!

[thewinch]

Just in case you are not aware drop bar magura levers are pretty rare and can change hands for a decent amount of money.

[gordon taylor]

Just in case you are not aware drop bar magura levers are pretty rare and can change hands for a decent amount of money.

I bought these second hand from someone on the forum - maybe Paul? I can't remember.

They've been on a couple of long distance tours, so they are tatty now, and I have discarded the flimsy QR levers which release one of the sides for wheel removal. They are also the most difficult brakes to set up that I've ever encountered - there is only one bolt to tighten, but several things to adjust at the same time as you are tightening it.

I did wonder whether to go for straight bars and a V brake instead.

Update: all I've done today is to fit a pair of pedals.

[Nonsteeler]

Just in case you are not aware drop bar magura levers are pretty rare and can change hands for a decent amount of money.

I bought these second hand from someone on the forum - maybe Paul? I can't remember.
They've been on a couple of long distance tours, so they are tatty now, and I have discarded the flimsy QR levers which release one of the sides for wheel removal. They are also the most difficult brakes to set up that I've ever encountered - there is only one bolt to tighten, but several things to adjust at the same time as you are tightening it.

I was pretty intrigued by this magura drop bar combination, too. I'd really love to have one for my fixed gear bike. But alas they are indeed very rare - or that's what I understand after quick round of googling.

[onb]

Dam I wished I hd never opened this thread this am ,prior to which I had convinced myself I had enough bikes and could neither afford or need a fixie.Its been on my mind all dy at work and Im about toembark on a internet trawl for all the bit I need that I dont already posses for this build Anyone got a back wheel going cheap.

[Manotea]

Update: all I've done today is to fit a pair of pedals.

Shame on you; everybody knows pedals go last of all!

[gordon taylor]

Update: all I've done today is to fit a pair of pedals.

Shame on you; everybody knows pedals go last of all!

Ug. I can feel the pressure to get on with this thing, finish it and post some photos.

Unfortunately, life gets in the way... any further progress is likely to be next weekend. Sorry.

PS: The base for the greenhouse is my official "priority" ... but that's taken eight months so far. Mrs G doesn't even know about the blue thing in the shed.  oops.   

PPS: If I disappear mysteriously in the next month or two, would someone kindly suggest to the police that they might like to investigate the suspicious lump under the unfinished greenhouse... 

[onb]

How does the back wheel stay in place/chain stay tight what with no tugs an all.

[gordon taylor]

How does the back wheel stay in place/chain stay tight what with no tugs an all.

I have tugs somewhere, which I could use... but the back wheel in my "best" fix bike never moves - perhaps because I tighten those track nuts using the same approach as might a constipated gorilla.

Generally, I dislike tugs because they're fiddly. 

[PaulR]

Doesn't the Macinato have those natty taperlock track ends?  In any event, I've never felt the need for chain tugs on my steel-framed Kona with standard non-tapered track ends.

[giropaul]

How does the back wheel stay in place/chain stay tight what with no tugs an all.

The same way any track rider's chain does - you never see a trackie with tugs, and they throw out loads of power!