cyclotoine

So I got the bug a little while ago to build a retro bike. A had a blizzard and an edge frame on offer and I accepted, but then this Hammer popped up and I jumped on it because I like the mono-stay above the top tube seat cluster arrangement on these early rockies and the other two don't have that. So.... it was mostly original except the brakes and rear derailleur. I stripped it down and shipped it home from Vancouver and have finally started to do something with it....

I have cleaned the frame and slapped a bit of silver paint (because that is all I had) on the rusty parts just as a stop gap. It is to be used a commuter in the spring when the roads are wet and nasty... and that will be soon. We're getting +5 celcius on tuesday but I won't be here. Anyway for now I am commuting on my fat bike.

So first the wheels... the front cones were shot, the races looked less than desireable and the freehub has a lot of slop. I debated rebuilding the rim on XT hubs but loathed the idea of adding more wheel builds to my wheel build queue. In the end I got the freehub apart and found the tin 1/8" bearings I bought almost 10 years ago and rebuilt it and took out the paper thin washer and it firmed things up a bit. New bearings in the back and some donor guts for the front from a joytech hub (whoda thunkit?).

Wheels are ready to go back on, look like 14T will skip but rest should be okay.

Next.. NOS STX headset has too high a stack.... Eff! I gotta use the original or find something that is in better shape.. I have a nice XT but that is slated for the blizzard... anyone go an old LX or DX?

I feel guilty using an NOS syncros 120 on this but it's what I got and I the old 150 it came with is a bit long I think... I've got this, I might as well use it... saving the older syncros posts for the other builts... this more modern one will have to do... going to use the cooks cranks with the shoe tub on here too I think. Derailleurs will be 735/6, gonna use the suntour shifters, dia-compe PC8 versa levers and Avid arch rival 5.0 V's... should make a good commuter, might even tour on it this summer (I'd changed the wheels out for some modern ones and an 8 speed cassette if I do).







Note: I dismantled the hub the other night and took this photo today... was the pawl upside down from factory!?



To curbtender... I am finally getting around to using those cranks

thirdgenbird

Sweet frame
sweet crankset

gomango

True!

Fun project you have there.

cyclotoine

Thanks guys. I hope to do proper touch ups in the summer. I'd also like to try it with a dirt drop style bar but it seems 1-1/8" dirt drop style stems are hard to come by.

zukahn1 

Assume frame I like these Canadian frames. A lot of these I have seen came with early race face components.

cyclotoine

Canadian Company. Japanese frame. By today's standard the tig welding is amature at best. Likely UBI students coming out of the TIG class are doing a better job.

Only the top models were Canadian made (Altitude, vertex and some others later on). The blizzard was only made in Canada in '93 and then maybe again later on. not sure.

i think '93 was the first year for raceface parts. Syncros posts and stems were very early and different from After Market stems.

blilrat

Great to see you're finally building it up. Looking forward to the final build.

And I'll add another sweet to those cranks. Very nice!

cyclotoine

Progress.


Got an NOS DX headset and installed it, perfect fit.


And installed the cranks... sorting out spacers and bolts for the granny was a feat in itself and the bolts could be longer. Luckily it was obvious I need a 128mm BB and I had a UN-72 like new in the parts box, phew.

Sixty Fiver

I know the Blizzard production got moved to Taiwan by 2011... these frames were Columbus Zona tubing.

My '01 Blizzard is Reynold's 725 and was handbuilt in Canada and believe the 853 models were also built here... the workmanship on my Blizzard is very good and I heard from my neighbour, and former designer for Race Face and Rocky Mountain, that our own Frank the Welder was working to help set up west coast production although he told me he never welded any frames.

I had a Hammer and it was a nice bike, the Blizzard is a hell of a nice bike.

cyclotoine

Sixty Fiver, I'll get some close ups on the welds on the this Toyo frame for you. I agree that by the mid 1990s mostly this issues seem to have worked themselves out, but in the beginning it appear they didn't have a clue. I had a 1995 hammer in 1995 and the welding on it was a far cry from the work on this 1991, I still like the frame. Blizzards are nice frames and were their hold out steel hardtail for a long time. These later ones have quite a following. Also the 1993 ones were made in Canada so are a little extra special too.

cyclotoine

Forgot the close-ups again, maybe next time.... Almost there.

Found one XT RD was crooked though I can't tell where the bend is so I will have to swap the long cage from the crooked one for the short cage in the photo I could run the short one but would prefer the long. Then it will just need to be cabled up and add a chain. Also stoked I finally found a use for the Kool Stop Techtonic or whatever pads and holders I've had kicking around forever. I also realized the Arch Rivals are slightly mis-matched one being from '98 and one '99 there are some subtle differences... but this is to be a rider.... I do know I am going to need wider bars.

gomango

Really a great build.

Watching with interest.

devinfan

This is looking fantastic so far. Love the way those cranks look with the stem and seatpost. Nicely done!

cyclotoine

The cranks are cool, but they are fussy. I had to change the the outer ring as the 46T real was too thick and put the chain too close to the arm so I had to swap it out for a 48T and the M735 FD for the M737 for better clearance. Now just need to pick up some brake noodles at the LBS and I'll be rolling.

cyclotoine

Done for now. the bars are pretty freakin' narrow. I was riding 711mm havens last season and my Fat has 725s and I think my new mtb is coming with the same 725s so I might actually but the Haven's on this with the Haro Wing Strut when it arrives.

clubman 

It's a beauty , particularly that bar stem combo.. The narrow cockpit was vogue on rigid commuters in the late 80's. Just add slicks and you've got your classic urban assault bike.

cyclotoine

Thanks, it's fun to ride and pretty much it is for running around town, taking the dog for a 30 minute rip in the woods before work and going to work on the short singletrack down the bluffs. My full suspension doesn't need to endure the extra wear and tear of those tasks. Unfortunately, one of the suntour cogs seems to be worn enough to skip and it is a larger one. Maybe #5 . So I may try to grind a shimano cassette to fit or just build another wheelset.

I like the look of the cockpit too, I have a 140mm stem as well and think I could actually use a bit more reach. I also have an NOS raceface airalloy bar in red (same easton EC70 as the girvin) but that is for my rocky mountain edge.

I may put some schwalbe land cruisers on for a nice inbetween tire.

cyclotoine

Also, Accushift.... I have it adjusted so when you upshift it over shifts and you pull the lever back to it's "resting position" on the downshift is just goes into the resting position. It's sort of annoying, maybe the shifter is supposed to return but it dirty or corroded inside? It didn't seem like I could dismantle it so I just sprayed some triflow in there, but it seems not to have changed the function at all. Anyone else have experience to share with accushift thumbies?

cyclotoine

I have had continuous trouble with the rear hub. it seems like I might need an extra spacer/washer behind the freehub as it wobble and no matter what I do there is play in the wheel. I have taken the freehub itself apart at least five time and that is not it. the axle bearings are adjusted just so but it seems the splines on the hub are worn and this is leading to the play. I am thinking a shimano 10 speed cassette spacer might do the trick.

In other news my rocky mountain thunderbolt is major delayed... I am pretty disappointed but at the same time I have been doing a lot of riding on the hammer and I am amazed at how well I can do on the trails, especially climbing (even though I have a 28x28 low gear). Where is really starts to lack is going fast. the roots and rocks just beat the hell out of me and I have to slow down for the rally rough sections. it's a different style of riding and I can't hit all the jumps as they are not all transitioned. I am impressed how well I can do big exposed rock roll overs though... a bit of a surprise at how well I can do on the old girl. i think the winter of fat biking has helped too.