Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
Seriously. I bought the arms figuring that junk would wipe right off with some acetone. Nope! Its like under some invisible clearcoat or something.
So cheesy, but it works since it seems like a good combo if cost, weight, and quality for how the bike will be ridden.
When I did a similar drivetrain do-over on my wife's bike I wanted to user her stock crank but it was riveted. At first I was looking at Zee cranksets which go for $100 w/bb. For some reason I just couldn't see using a freeride crank on a townie, and put it off. Eventually I cannibalized a 104bcd crank from a prior project. It looks like they shook the sand off and took it right to the paint booth, but it's silver and that was nice. It was a bit too grabby at first and needed a ride to run in so it wouldn't derail in 1st or 11th back-pedaling. I don't know if it will last. And then the chain ring bolts were from Wolf Tooth and the most expensive part of the assembly!
The controls are SLX cassette, NX RD, SLX shifter; and Avid V-brake levers. I now have like three or four sets of 3x8 with ez-fires lying around. I actually love how they work and feel but no use for 3x8 any more.
Before the gray market was shut down, sellers like Chain Reaction had 10 and 11 speed conversion sets that had a four piece drivetrain groupset plus a 104 bcd NW ring. That window closed before my project, though.