Spring 2023
This barely-used mountain bike officially joined our stable sometime around 2014 and now this little beauty wins the "Most Modified" award from our team of cycles.
Bio - "Lady Purple"
This bike saw little attention for the first 15 years of it's life. My wife road her just a few times and then it sat, unused, yet still loved for quite a while.
When I first moved to Wales in 2011, I road her a few times, but the straight handlebars and small frame were very uncomfortable. It was just an awkward bike for me to ride and somewhat dangerous (I even went over the handlebars once!)
Then as my wife became interested to cycle more; we upgraded the handlebars to an upright position and added a better saddle. We then put on some "city" styled tyres, replaced all the brake & gear cables and installed some better brake pads. I also carefully removed all the old 90's-era garrish decals.
The bike looked and rode much better and my wife took her out quite often for a few of years. We even took a lengthy cycle tour together to Abergavenny and back. But then sadly, she sat again, unused, and we contemplated selling her.
Jump forward to 2020 and when the pandemic hit we found ourselves with loads of time on our hands. We took an interest in her again. We found a great set of Shimano brake & shifters on eBay (7-speed equipment prices were very inexpensive!) as well as a set of Shinamo Alivio V-brakes (again... with everyone wanting disc brakes, the V-brakes were a great value!)
We then bought some SKS mudguards, a Topeak saddlebag, and I stuck my old Blackburn rack on the back and she was going once again. I rode her throughout the pandemic and afterwards on a regular basis. However, despite all the mechanical improvements, she still felt a bit small for me.
Then in the spring of 2023 the left-side pedal stipped out of the crankarm leaving her unridable. Additionally, the bike had a 7/8" stem which was too short, without much of a reach, and coupled to a 7/8" fork — they were a nagging problem which seemed insurmountable. Once again, we debated selling her or perhaps donating her to charity.
However, as luck would have it whilst poking around the Internet, I found an inexpensive Shimano crankset on eBay. I also discovered a replacement 1" fork at SJS cycles (a slightly damaged "second", but chrome fork none-the-less!) and lastly, I had a 1" high-rise adjustable stem given to me years ago by a buddy (which never fit the old 7/8" fork).
Suddenly, Lady Purple was reborn again! And now she's a completely new bike. The higher stem with a longer reach makes a world of difference. Plus, the fork has a slightly longer rake, so all this combines to make a much, much better fit.
Essentially, she's a new bike now. We've replaced everything but the frame and wheels. The gears change so smoothly, the brakes are tight and flawless, my sitting position is perfect. She's a joy to ride now.
When I first moved to Wales in 2011, I road her a few times, but the straight handlebars and small frame were very uncomfortable. It was just an awkward bike for me to ride and somewhat dangerous (I even went over the handlebars once!)
Then as my wife became interested to cycle more; we upgraded the handlebars to an upright position and added a better saddle. We then put on some "city" styled tyres, replaced all the brake & gear cables and installed some better brake pads. I also carefully removed all the old 90's-era garrish decals.
The bike looked and rode much better and my wife took her out quite often for a few of years. We even took a lengthy cycle tour together to Abergavenny and back. But then sadly, she sat again, unused, and we contemplated selling her.
Jump forward to 2020 and when the pandemic hit we found ourselves with loads of time on our hands. We took an interest in her again. We found a great set of Shimano brake & shifters on eBay (7-speed equipment prices were very inexpensive!) as well as a set of Shinamo Alivio V-brakes (again... with everyone wanting disc brakes, the V-brakes were a great value!)
We then bought some SKS mudguards, a Topeak saddlebag, and I stuck my old Blackburn rack on the back and she was going once again. I rode her throughout the pandemic and afterwards on a regular basis. However, despite all the mechanical improvements, she still felt a bit small for me.
Then in the spring of 2023 the left-side pedal stipped out of the crankarm leaving her unridable. Additionally, the bike had a 7/8" stem which was too short, without much of a reach, and coupled to a 7/8" fork — they were a nagging problem which seemed insurmountable. Once again, we debated selling her or perhaps donating her to charity.
However, as luck would have it whilst poking around the Internet, I found an inexpensive Shimano crankset on eBay. I also discovered a replacement 1" fork at SJS cycles (a slightly damaged "second", but chrome fork none-the-less!) and lastly, I had a 1" high-rise adjustable stem given to me years ago by a buddy (which never fit the old 7/8" fork).
Suddenly, Lady Purple was reborn again! And now she's a completely new bike. The higher stem with a longer reach makes a world of difference. Plus, the fork has a slightly longer rake, so all this combines to make a much, much better fit.
Essentially, she's a new bike now. We've replaced everything but the frame and wheels. The gears change so smoothly, the brakes are tight and flawless, my sitting position is perfect. She's a joy to ride now.
