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Litespeed Unicoi


RodTi

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Here be the first of 2011's little projects...

:D

 

 

The 'before' pics...

 

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The 'scar-your-retina' yellow of the main stickers look better in the pics than what they really were, so took took some drastic action...

 

 

 

After acetone and some light sanding/buffing:

 

 

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Am considering ordering the original decals again - but might go silly with custom-made, i.e Slitespeed... :rolleyes:

 

Will run v-brakes initially...

 

Still doing a little bit of research before taking the plunge on going disc - apparently some of the bigger riders reported flex at the back, which saw them running them mullet-style (disc up front, v's at the back)...

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  • 2 months later...

The rear shock arrived yesterday... spent a rather sleepless night, thinking it won't fit.

 

Turns out my idea of "finessing", and a LBS mechie's idea of "finessing", are (thankfully) two different things...

 

Fits like a glove - now just to arrange the seatpost and headset - and she will live again! :clap:

 

1,81kg as it stands...

 

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Awesomeness personified but isn't titanium brittle material and it works on a flex principle??

 

I'm no metalurgist so some one help me here still if I could find one in my size I would ride it.

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Awesomeness personified but isn't titanium brittle material and it works on a flex principle??

 

I'm no metalurgist so some one help me here still if I could find one in my size I would ride it.

 

I'm no metalurgist either :) - and we're bound to joined by contrary views [ :rolleyes: ], but suitability vs cost vs weight of Ti as a frame material aside, some say that Ti is imminently suited for a softail, due to its inherent flexability...

 

[Flame suit on]

 

:P

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I'm no metalurgist either :) - and we're bound to joined by contrary views [ :rolleyes: ], but suitability vs cost vs weight of Ti as a frame material aside, some say that Ti is imminently suited for a softail, due to its inherent flexability... [Flame suit on] :P

 

 

I would ride TI if I could:

 

a) afford it

B) find something that cool in my size

 

If you happen to come across anything TI hardtail or otherwise in a 16" let me know

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Hi

Some pics of my mother-in-law's old unicoi....

She still rides it and it is still in a good condition...

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Hi

Some pics of my mother-in-law's old unicoi....

She still rides it and it is still in a good condition...

 

Thanks for the pics Mel777! :thumbup:

 

Think my model was the first one after Litespeed swopped over to the air-shock at the back.

But by all accounts, the elastometers on the previous versions worked a treat - as evidenced by the fact that the Moots 26" and 29" softails, which are still selling like hotcakes today Stateside, still use that very same suspension set-up...

 

If your m-i-l ever thinks of letting it go - please be so kind as to let us know... :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ja so look... I got a little bit impatient...

 

Time being such a scarce commodity of late - my initial plans to slowly bring her back to life, via a pictorial, took a backseat... :blush:

 

What do my fellow Hubbers think? Not too bad for an old frame that was lying forgotten in the corner of a LBS? Yes/no?

Weight comes in at 11,740kgs - which is not great, but not too shabby either...

 

So to cut an already long story short - I'll shut up now, and pop up the pics... :thumbup:

 

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The frame in front is soon to be converted to an old-skool SS... It just needs a bit of TLC..

 

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It really blows knowing this is sitting at home, and I haven't been able to hit the trails with it yet...

 

Managed a ride up and down the yard last night, in plakkies, without falling into the pool. But it's kinda not the same... :rolleyes:

 

Unfortunately, despite a service of them last year - the back wheel has picked up a wobble/but of play, apparently due to the bearings now needing to be replaced... Here's hoping they can still be sourced locally, or it's going to turn into another few months of effort... :unsure:

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Signing off on this thread now... :P

 

Went for my first ride this afternoon - been almost a month since I was on a bike - and "wow".

 

On the HT - when the front used to be locked out, it still ran softer in the front than at the back. Corrugations in particular used to give this lard-arse grief.

 

Today, they disappeared... :clap:

 

Geometry is way better, which is not surprising since the previous frame was probably just too big for me. Front is more grounded, doesn't lift as easily - and I'm able to spend more time in the saddle... Going down - when standing, way less vibrations. Had a check when I got back - and just used more than half of the inch I have at the back, which means I'm pretty dialed in.

 

Good times ahead! :thumbup:

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absolutely beautiful, as soon as you get tired of her, let me know :D

 

Thanks Eiger - but me'thinks that's not going to be happening soon... :)

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