Fatty returns

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FrothNinja

FrothNinja

Veteran
Fatty, my Folda, today emerged from well over a decade's hibernation - and unseen for all that time. I thought the worst, but everything is free and works, including the chain & brakes. Not ridden it so I haven't checked the gears.
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notmyrealnamebutclose

notmyrealnamebutclose

Senior Member
I'm feeling the nastolgia - flip her open and give her a good burnout then throw her back in the shed
 
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FrothNinja

FrothNinja

Veteran
Fatty rides again!!!:bicycle::bicycle:
Just done half an hour or so on the Folda, flat(ish) roads and mostly L&L towpath.
Gears actually feel a lot better than I remember SAs feeling. Steepest grade was 10.2% and the front wheel lifted which was an odd feeling...as was standing on the pedals to get my top speed up to 21.2mph...which is when I remembered I wasn't on discs, I hadn't wire wooled the rims, and the blocks hadn't been used in anger in about 15 years.
Less than a 100 ft of ascent but to my great surprise, I averaged 8.4 mph moving speed, had (according to Strava) power avg 89 max 856 (pinch of salt as no cadence sensor on bike), and actually really enjoyed myself (& the perplexed looks of passersby).
Obvs there are now a number of wee jobbies to do (& clean up) and most of the chrome seems to have vanished, but it's a rideable bike in spite of a decade plus of neglect - even the tubes hold air! A lot to be said for not chasing weight I s'pose...
 
notmyrealnamebutclose

notmyrealnamebutclose

Senior Member
FrothNinja said:
Going down the 10.2 meant gravity probably did as much work as I did ^_^
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That's where i am going wrong, I was riding up hill at the time :smile:
 
mitchibob

mitchibob

Über Member
Location
Treorchy, Wales
ExBrit said:
I didn't know you could compost bicycles. I'd leave it in a little longer if I were you. It's not quite ripe enough.
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This made me chuckle, but I have to say, my BMX had been sitting in a garage for a good 30 years, still with same canvas patch that had to be applied as a kinda 'boot' on section of damaged, probably original tyres. Took it out to see if it was good enough to donate to someone that'd do it up a bit for another kid. Was amazed Dad even had adapter for the Dunlop valves, plus, while it needed new pedals (I used to get through those a lot), quick headset tighten and clean up, and it was WAY better than I'd expected it to be. Still needed a service, but definitely serviceable still. Managed a bunny hop on it. Brake blocks had suffered big time, so no chance of an endo, and centre of gravity on that BMX always made wheelies impossible.

Brillo pad did make it a lot better in short time.
 
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FrothNinja

FrothNinja

Veteran
mitchibob said:
This made me chuckle, but I have to say, my BMX had been sitting in a garage for a good 30 years, still with same canvas patch that had to be applied as a kinda 'boot' on section of damaged, probably original tyres. Took it out to see if it was good enough to donate to someone that'd do it up a bit for another kid. Was amazed Dad even had adapter for the Dunlop valves, plus, while it needed new pedals (I used to get through those a lot), quick headset tighten and clean up, and it was WAY better than I'd expected it to be. Still needed a service, but definitely serviceable still. Managed a bunny hop on it. Brake blocks had suffered big time, so no chance of an endo, and centre of gravity on that BMX always made wheelies impossible.

Brillo pad did make it a lot better in short time.
Click to expand...

Wire wool on the rims and now the brakes work - original blocks still serviceable!
 
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