Hard tail

The Tinslecat came round yesterday and we spent the day getting the TC Bros hardtail fixed to the frame. First job was to roughly mark and cut the rear subframe off.

CHING! I then spent quite a while trimming the bits off we didnt want and cleaning the frame up. All under TC's watchful eye....

The critical cuts where at the bottom of the main downtube (behind the engine) and cutting the two cradle rails 0.75" from the rear of the exhaust mounts. Turns out that some masking tape is exactly 0.75" thick - how convenient!!

Then it was lunch brake. After which came the fun bit of sticking the new hartail in place and measuring things up. This actually turned out to be not as complicated as we thought. The downtube has to align with a cross member on the hardtail. The lower rails just slot together, so the only tricky thing is deciding where exactly you want the top tubes to join the main frame.

We made sure it was square by measuring from the headstock to each rear axle plate and to our amazement it was cock on! (to within a mm at least!!). So we started welding....

I was going to do all the welding but Tinslecat RREEEALY wanted a go, so I let him start then he hogged the welder for the rest of the afternoon and only let me do one tiny bit :-P

If your wondering who is who - I'm the handsome one....

Once it was all welded up we loosely hung bits on it, then I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on it and making brumbrum noises.

What a class day! In all seriousness, couldn't have done it without the Tinslecat's dangerous advice, helpful guidance and welding skills, thanks again bud. But then again - what kind of friend comes round to your house and makes you cut up a perfectly good frame?!