Before

After

This second generation chrome Minson needed some serious TLC to bring it back to life and I could see the potential of how it could be with a good clean and some new parts!

The rear wheel was in a poor state and full of rust and whilst I’m into the distressed, relic and steampunk aesthetic it wasn’t in keeping with the vision I had for this one so I sourced a 72 spoke 16” form ebay which has a coaster brake built in. The new wheel gives it a much cleaner and lavish look, I had taken inspiration from low-rider bikes I had seen online and thought it would be interesting to see if it was possible to try and do something similar for a skatebike.

The seatpost was an issue as it had rusted and fused to the frame. I had to send it off to a specialist who has a device that can pull out pretty much any seatpost without damaging the frame. This was an added expense however this Minson needed saving! Whilst it could have been used by younger people at the height it was stuck at, it was far too low for me (just over 6 foot) and so it was a necessary spend. It’s a 25.0mm seatpost and I opted for a 400mm long model to give me the greatest range and also still leave ample depth in the frame.

The brake cable and callipers were yellow/gold initially so I switched these to blue options to try and match the saddle colour and the brake leaver colour. As the saddle is higher I got a slightly longer brake cable that I had sourced from ebay and that was designed for a Raleigh Chopper but had a good length for a skatebike.

I also put on a new chain and gave the frame a good clean with cola initially and then used some Autosol on a shammy to try and bring out more of the shine. The skateboard truck was switched as the rubber had eroded in the pivot cup and I couldn’t locate a replacement that would fit so switched over the full truck.

Riding the Minson is different to the Lerun and Max/AXL models and feels more sturdy due to the increased distance between the front and rear wheels and the crank is slightly closer to being directly underneath the seatpost. The 16” wheel does feel a bit quicker than the Lerun with it’s 12” wheel, however, the biggest change difference is the braking. Personally I prefer the coaster brake option rather than the handle and callipers however it’s great to have the ability to use both!

This Minson has come a long way since I took receipt of it and I’m pleased with how it has turned out, if you could do something different to a skatebike, what would it be?

Jon N (UK) at Instagram: @SkateBikeUK

See Jon’s Chrome LeRun Restoration