Did my normal 15 mile or so evening loop of pavement, gravel roads, and farm trails. Freight train was halted for the night at one of the crossings in the middle of a cornfield. Enjoy the gratuitous glamour shots of a well loved steel Norco.
Was given this brick by some friends of mine who needed it out of their garage/woodshop. Been sitting for 15 years, parked due to fuel pump issues. Remarkably rust free, and a fairly straight body.
Original tank and pumps were beyond saving, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are new options for gas tanks. Converted the fuel system over to a single 255LPH in tank pump (built a new harness to go from the original high-pressure fuel pump wiring back to the tank), still running the original style big fuel filter and check valve.
Took a bit of cranking, but the B230 eventually rattled its way back to life. Fuel injectors are a little gummy from sitting for 15 years, but I’m hoping they’ll clear up with a double dose of injector cleaner in the gas. Fuel rail feed fitting is seized, and I would really rather not pull the injectors. One of those classic “the less you mess with it the better it will be” type things. Mileage is almost 200 K, and the engine has an impressive amount of blow by…
Got a few more things to take care of on the car before it goes into daily driver rotation, but it’s nice to have a proper dilapidated 80s European ride again.
OK, so it’s got a bit of carbon on it, but this is my gravel Frankenbike. I treat it like a bastard cross of a 90s MTB and proper road bike. Singletrack, back roads, and terrorizing the neighborhood all fall into its purview.
Norco Search Steel frame - Reynolds 725 tubeset
Ultegra 8000 rear mech with a WT Roadlink to allow an XT 11-40 cassette
Older Ultegra cranks with 50/34 rings
Ritchey Venturemax bars with 8000 series Ultegra hydraulic brifters
eBay score DT Swiss 232 One dropper, needlessly fancy for a steel frame bike, but it’s really cool.
Easton wheels with Gravelking X1 700x40s
Various cages and straps to hold the things I might need on weekend afternoon adventures
OK, so it’s got a bit of carbon on it, but this is my gravel Frankenbike. I treat it like a bastard cross of a 90s MTB and proper road bike. Singletrack, back roads, and terrorizing the neighborhood all fall into its purview.
Norco Search Steel frame - Reynolds 725 tubes, size 55.5
Ultegra 8000 rear mech with a WT Roadlink to allow an XT 11-40 cassette
Older Ultegra cranks with 50/34 rings
Ritchey Venturemax bars with 8000 series Ultegra hydraulic brifters
eBay score DT Swiss 232 One dropper, needlessly fancy for a steel frame bike, but it’s really cool.
Easton wheels with Gravelking X1 700x40s
Various cages and straps to hold the things I might need on weekend afternoon adventures