July 14th, 2008
Burned Out? No Hope
Hope #1
The last ride out on my Turner Burner showed up my chronic lack of maintenance. It is many years since the brakes were bled, and even then by Tim rather than by me. In the meantime the DOT had absorbed a fair amount of moisture. So much so that halfway down the three mile descent at the end of the ride despite my best efforts to only use the front brake the rear had boiled up and I was having to pedal to make any progress downhill. At a quick stop to cool the brake with water from the Camelback and bleed some brake fluid I overtightened the bleed nipple which sheared in the caliper.
Fucksocks.
This was not a trivial problem. You see “International Standard” wasn’t so standard back when this brake came out. See that #1 on the caliper? Hope themselves made at least 6 different IS calipers. Unless I could get that bleed nipple out, or Hope had some spare #1 caliper halves I would have no rear brake for the Burner. Having gone the the effort - and expense - of buying my wife a Flux so that I could get my hands back on my favourite geared XC race bike this just didn’t seem fair.
I dropped the offending brake system off with Hope at Mountain Mayhem and received a phone call a week later confirming that a #1 caliper had been found. Great news. The brake had been repaired, serviced, bled, fitted with new seals and pistons, pressure tested, and was now just itching to go back on the Turner.
Tonight, aided by a starter beer or two, I refitted it and rode round the street in flip-flops and SPDs pulling skids and grinning.
Now I just need a Syncros - genuine Hammer and Cycle Canadian mind - top cap to keep my vintage stem in place and the Burner will be ready for the Endura Sleepless In The Saddle.
Stupidman Racing the Burner
I should point out that despite the age of her frame the Burner is no RetroBike candidate. I keep the old brakes because they’re the only things that will fit, and the stem because, well, how many improvements have there been in stems in the last ten years, but the rest of her finishing kit is completely up to date.
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July 14th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Ace!