Restoring a Beat Up Full Squish For a Lucky Kid - Flip Bike

Quick Overview

An old, beat-up 2013 Norco Fluid mountain bike underwent a comprehensive restoration, including frame cleaning, component overhauls, and key upgrades like a dropper post, shorter cranks, and a correctly sized fork, transforming it into a race-ready bike weighing around 30 pounds. This fully restored bike, along with a kit covering race fees, was donated to a deserving student at IC Imagine Public Charter School to enable their participation in NICA mountain bike racing.

Key Points: A 2013 Norco Fluid mountain bike was fully restored and upgraded to modern standards. The restoration included replacing worn bearings, servicing suspension, and cleaning every component. Key upgrades involved drilling the frame for an internal dropper post and replacing the oversized fork with a correctly sized 120mm RockShox SID. The original 175mm cranks were swapped for shorter 170mm cranks, and new tires replaced the old, damaged ones. The completed bike weighs approximately 30 pounds and is optimized for NICA mountain bike racing. The restored bike and a kit covering race fees were donated to a student at IC Imagine Public Charter School to enable NICA participation.

Context: The video documents the restoration of a 2013 Norco Fluid mountain bike, which had a history of being passed down through owners, including a mountain bike racer and his son. The bike, despite its age and wear, possessed quality components that made it a worthy candidate for a full overhaul. The project's ultimate goal was to provide a fully capable mountain bike and necessary support to a student who might otherwise be unable to participate in NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) mountain bike racing, a program for middle and high school students.

Detailed Analysis

A 2013 Norco Fluid mountain bike, originally owned by a mountain bike racer and then handed down to his son, underwent a complete restoration. Despite being over a decade old with smaller wheels, no internal dropper routing, and numerous cosmetic scratches, the bike retained good core components like Industry Nine wheels, a Shimano drivetrain, and Fox/RockShox suspension. The restoration began with a full disassembly, revealing water in the bottom bracket and worn linkage bearings, which were subsequently replaced. The rear shock was serviced, and the frame was meticulously cleaned. Key upgrades included drilling a hole in the seat tube for internal dropper post routing, replacing the original 175mm cranks with shorter 170mm ones for better fit, and swapping the oversized 160mm fork for a 120mm RockShox SID to correct the bike's geometry. New tires replaced the old, plugged ones, and the handlebars were updated. After reassembly, including bleeding the brakes and adjusting the derailleur, the bike weighed approximately 30 pounds and was optimized for NICA racing. The restored bike, along with a kit containing a helmet, multi-tool, and $650 for race fees, was donated to IC Imagine Public Charter School, a public charter school with a NICA team, to support a student who otherwise could not afford to participate in the program.