just thought id introduce myself.

Screech · **Joined:** 08 Feb 2010, 05:10 **Posts:** 5

well its a little odd to find this site, as a lot of people know im a massive fan of the bb7 and balfas in general.
picked mine up new in 04" from a guy down in Devon, seems it was some kind of warranty replacement and there was a few issues with the cross member hitting the shock at first, (all resolved in the end, much love jamie even though we may have disagreed on that one). never quite got to the bottom of why it was a replacement, perhaps someone on here could enlighten me?

in fact i was a little surprised to see two of the earliest photos of the frame on here. its funny how you have managed to pick the same bike in two peoples different pinkbike albums! but it dose allow me to re save some photos i thought lost when my old computer died. (TO SITE OWNER - All links to photos included in this post are given here for use on your site and your site only,(so no one can go pinching them for other purposes) all photos that are directly linked to in the post below can be replicated on this site at your will and can be reused for non-profit making reasons.

)

that ones mine, the box is still in the shed at home.

and this one is as well

que major disappointment when i find the shock hitting the cross member.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 678982.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 678983.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 679678.jpg
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http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 679681.jpg

que rapid fire discussion on the early versions of southerndownhill and the solution is a free cross member, an offer that was never eventually required as it still has the one in the pictures fitted complete with red paint still, although what effect this repeated impact on the reservoir of the shock has i have no idea. ?

so from there a quick build up and out to its first ride, combe sydenham in the ice in January arriving by mini cooper. flat-packed was the key word.

not a fault with the bike all day and only one incident.
this didnt land well.

fast foreward a bit and a few months down the line still no issues, hitting up the ride central series.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... der162.jpg

now we get to the beginning of the chameleon period, and one of the things that most people remember the bike for. it didnt half divide opinion, and personally i think it suited it. ford sahara beige, normally seen on a sierra. lush.

and out hitting the ride central series again

balfa rock plow in full swing.

right now at this point there was things going on and there was talk of t shirt companies and teams, although in the end it all came to nought.
for which me and a friend of me who was responsible for getting the ball rolling sorted out painting the bikes.

it was about this time i got my hands on the new style chain rollers, one lasted the whole series and was only changed for the other spare much later on while i was at uni, still with plenty of life left in it.

with that done it was out to the second year of the ride central/dirt racing series.

this went on for about two rounds before it all fell apart,
ashs bike was repainted white as the paint on his was never "right" having far to short a time in prep and between coats.

mine was left alone for about a year before i could be bothered to do anything with it again
made a few component changes, monsters went for boxxers, hopes went for avids, and everything came over all blue. (seat imperial blue to be precise)

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 1700-1.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 7_2046.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 7_2046.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... 7_1807.jpg

4 months down the line smashing it to bits at the student champs with ex balfa rider chris barnard.

this brought up a few issues, first the boxer races dived like a russian sub and second my bars were bent.

this meant an upgrade to what are now believed to be BETD internals and a quick call to jamie at balfa.co.uk for shiny shiny.

one further thing that was finally solved was the twitch or kick of the pedals it would give over higher speed jumps and hits, this was something that was really holding me back and stopping me getting to grips with the bike properly, finnaly found to be the spv valve in the 5th element causing issues cause im a light rider,
problem solved with a brokenbike.com shim stack kit

bike was ran with this set up for the student champs last year and performed faultlessly. (at this point still with its 1st cogless roller)

by this point she was starting to look a bit worse for wear, so i pulled her apart for her annual service and repaint, this time the stickers i got with the dangerboy kit went on.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03645.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03640.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03646.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03647.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03647.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157 ... C03647.jpg

and thats how shes set right up to this day, i can see it across the room from me now, just waiting to get back up the trials after 6 months of with bad health and too much work.

to this day i have never had a mechanical on a race or uplift weekend and have also never found the bike to struggle with anything.

current spec is : 2004 bb7 with cogless chain roller
home built 5th element with custom shim stack
frankenboxxers with 05 crowns 03 lowers and 99 internals
dangerboy direct mount stem and bars
avid juicy 7s with dangerboy shorty levers
shimano hone cranks with dmr ring and e-13 bash
x9 mech and shifter
draco front and bulb rear hub on d321 wheels
expedo mx4 flats
dual ply 2.5 maxxis

its not built for light weight, eveything on it is reliable first and light second. no real effort with any ti or carbon and its tipping the scales at ~44lb, or 21kg.