Retro MTB paint/polish - Alpinestars AlMega DX rebuild

Hey everyone, thanks for checking out the video! 🥳🫶 it means a lot!
All build info should be found in the video, or just ask a question, thanks!
My Instagram: / toastyrides
00:00 intro
00:59 disassembly
3:23 stripping
4:17 polishing
5:56 painting
7:33 decals going on
8:39 component tidy up/polishing
17:24 bike assembly
29:09 stock ride
34:51 unstock parts overview
36:59 rack details
37:40 version 3.0 complete
38:41 outtakes

[@toastyrides]

Hey thanks for checking the video out! So stoked with the outcome, it’s way better than I expected 😅 Parts details in the video, but if you need help then drop a comment. Hope you find it entertaining 🥳❤ Cheers!

[@andyp4420]

Go over the writing for full polish, then humbrol model paint the letters back and finally nail varnish remover, with cotton bud, to remove the overspill, bingo 👍

[@crxxpslvyr7887]

Somewhere in the future you could do a hub shifter belt drivetrain out of this!

[@rudicarlwatlington9041]

Very, very.....very nice build. I happened to watch the previous build of this bike just a few days ago, so I really enjoyed you tearing this one all the way down to the paint and using some new components sparingly. Your channel has come a long way, and it's now my favourite regarding bicycle builds and rides.

[@toastyrides]

Thank you!! Great timing for you, thanks for checking out both the videos 🤙 I love using the old parts, mixed with some upgrades, especially the Shimano DX range as they’re quite beautiful but also reliable 😎 That’s awesome to hear, thank you 🤯 I appreciate the kind words 🙌

[@JarosawTabor]

I like the looks of a bare polished metal. Bikers like it. Rust likes it.

[@guustvanuden2968]

so nice! and so cool the chroom reflects all the colors man what a bike

[@madisondeans5566]

What a build!! With those new parts the bike looks super comfy!! Love the paint to polish steel look great job Adam!!👍🤗

[@DiegoCamarero]

superb work. Congrats!

[@caseypleasant1922]

I love how much you pay attention to all the details

[@toastyrides]

Thanks 🤙 cool to see people notice the little things, it’s what takes a build up a level! Makes me stare at it for longer, haha

[@johnnywangcycles6410]

Awesome video buddy, love that polished frame with the contrasting paint scheme. Super 🤩

[@charlesholland6851]

Sweet bike! Great job on the restoration

[@insertnamehere8686]

GOAT! Great video bro. Definitely inspiring me to paint a frame.

[@ReferenceBicycle]

Outstanding! Came out quite nice. ❤

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! 🙌💕

[@donttouchthisatall]

What an amazing paint job! the mirror polish and the pink-ish colour really make the bike pop! You fine sir, are a very very talented, dare i say, bike-artist. Amazing work as always!

[@eucalyptusregnans7741]

Lovely looking bike. I really like both versions.🍻 Nice paint job too.

[@richardedwards4997]

Looks factory perfect!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you 🙌 so happy with it 🤙

[@controlreset]

Sick as, love the paint and style!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! So happy with it, the colour pops so well in person 😎💕

[@reinmutuc8999]

Absolutely brilliant!🚲🤙

[@hobscotch]

The build turned out really nice! I would have to restore my AlMega XT in any case.

[@EriebyCycle]

Beautiful work! Thanks.

[@mtbgarage2064]

nice paint job. I really like colour matching, keep going buddy.

[@Donovangulya]

Another great video 🥳

[@Genesis63N]

I love this channel, I hope I get the chance to build up an elevated chainstay bike someday

[@Cro.Mo.Sapien]

Toasty the G.O.A.T strikes again!

[@toastyrides]

Thanks heaps! 🤙

[@GeneticVehicle]

Nice work on the polishing.

[@toastyrides]

Thanks! Pretty easy work, just takes a long time 😅

[@johnbrann75]

Beautiful build. The finish paired with the frame really makes it pop.

[@toastyrides]

Thank you 🤙 I think it needed the bright colourway to really do it justice, the blue was a bit too subdued I think. Love the new pink/polished/yellow look to it 💕

[@lugu9708]

A lot of DNA on that jockey wheel lol.. Another mint build - well done 👍

[@johnnymandry2354]

You are very good at this and I really admire your videos

[@impface]

Usually not a fan of elevated chain stays but this bike is beautiful! 🔥

[@toastyrides]

Thanks! They are quite strange, the larger frames look a bit better I think too. The horizontal toptube evens things out a bit maybe?

[@Maik1968]

As always a very nice and entertaining rebuild and video. Sitting on the sofa, watching and thinking what I could perhaps in my garage 😀 at the moment when you mentioned the gloves-thing I thought by myself: why are there always holes in them 😂 take care and keep on going, cheers from Germany to New Zealand 🌞🍀

[@simonhayes9569]

Love your format man, informative but calm👌Just finished an elevated chain stay myself. A lot of flex when you put power in the cranks but I kinda like it 😂

[@AlexBarrett31]

Fantastic video. My first bike as an adult was a pristine 1989 MS Racing Comp. I rode it for a bit but decided to sell it to a friend because the frame was a size small for me. Alpine Stars bought em out in '90, so a lot of the frames are the same / similar in design. Love the video, love the bike. If it was a size larger I would have never gotten rid of it.

[@ericmonty]

I love that Deore groupset… I had that on the first mtb I bought when I was 15.

[@BikeDispatch]

This is gold mate. Subbed. I think we’re in the same hood. Might see u out there🚴🏻‍♂️🇳🇿😀

[@rodster44]

That's the way it should have come from the factory. Excellent work! You really nailed the 90s color scheme. I owned the steel version of this bike when it came out. Short chain stays are fun.

[@draggonhedd]

Absolutely fantastic build! I love this frame and your paint and polish job really does it justice! Those pulstar wheels are absolutely DROOLworthy, I'd love a set for my M900 cannondale, would really offset the yellow nicely. Also, a little tip for installing handgrips, use standard windex, its nice and slippery when wet, and when dry the grips stick on REAL good. It's my go-to.

[@sisjan82]

Nice work!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! Really happy with how it came out 🤙

[@gregmerner3632]

Dead hot! Nice work, I am jelly

[@toastyrides]

Thanks! 🤙 so stoked with this one, looks amazing 🤩 hope you find something similar to build 😎🤞

[@43cleaner]

had alpine dx brilliant bike .

[@davidburgess741]

Kinda my kind of my project. I just had my Dave Moulton sand blasted and power coated. Way tougher than paint. One decal upside down, but O well, it gives a certain Je ne sai quoi! Almost all 1979 Campagnolo including crank dust caps!

[@johnssonnz]

Belíssima my friend great job....

[@toastyrides]

Thank you, Michel! So happy with it, wouldn’t be possible without you 💕 thanks so much for sending the bike up to me and all the effort getting the stem and bottom bracket out! 🤯👏

[@brianmaldonado3723]

Super cool.

[@deeranfoxworthy6069]

If you happen to remove the logos while polishing the cranks, you can use an enamel paint. Let it overflow into the writing and then when it's partially dried, use your finger or a rag and wipe off the excess around the lettering. Only works though if the lettering is stamped into the crank. And for the top headset cup on that style, you can pack the upper race instead as the bearings stay a lot easier in that than on the more vertical surface of the pressed in cup. And then just put it on the upper cup and when you insert the fork, just keep pressure down on the top as you thread the fork up into the upper race.

[@ashpunting]

I like this build I think this frame is so different plus you've turned this simple looking bike into a bit of a art piece you could take a picture of this bike and hang it on the wall 💯👌

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! It’s so good looking, will definitely make for some cool pictures 😎 👍

[@ashpunting]

@@toastyrides it makes a good screen saver as well 😉

[@ColbyRidesBikes]

With a frame like that I would 100% turn it into a belt drive of some sort. Maybe an internally geared belt drive gravel grinder.

[@toastyrides]

Yeah a belt drive e-stay would be sick! Would need horizontal dropouts though to get the tension right. Thought about it but was too hard/expensive to get the magic ratio right with vertical dropouts and a belt drive 😅 Wanted to go 2 speed “retro direct drive” too, but again that works best with horizontal dropouts.

[@tedwingate]

Gorgeous. This is begging for a stripped and polished Evo Brooklyn handlebar/basket.

[@SmokeyVlogs]

Holy smokes so cool 😘

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! 🥳💕

[@SmokeyVlogs]

@@toastyrides thank you for uploading and sharing 😍😘

[@riskyrax]

nice work would was thinking only thing I would change is the bars. then ya did ha

[@_o_m_m]

Upside: no more rust on your phone!

[@brrrt6666]

Lovely build, cleaning jockey wheels is definitely not my favourite though, yuk!

[@mainicow]

Such a nice looking bike! Love the paintjob and matching details! :) Do you know what the inner width of your rims are? I'm looking to fit some billy bonkers on a retro univega project, but concerned about the rims being too narrow for 2.1 tires...

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! I don’t think they’re anything too wide, the 2.1 Bonkers aren’t a huge jump from retro 1.95 tyres so I wouldn’t be too concerned. 2.3 Maxxis DTHs or Hookworms are another story, though! Those tend to roll a bit with lower pressures on skinny rims. I’ll get back to you with measurements 🤙

[@nikilisswan4005]

Hey dude, I’m currently polishing a 1998 GT backwoods and I was wondering how many stops / what grit sandpaper you use? I’ve got a medium and extra fine scourer pad, what is your starting point with sandpaper and how many grits do you use on the way to 2500?

[@RichsRidesandRestorations]

That’s a stunning build, even with the cable tie 😉 Those decals are amazing! I’ll have to check them out for my next builds. 😍 Good job the phone survived 😱 Did it drop out the tripod or chest mount?

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! Zip ties save the day 🤌 They’re so beautiful! Crisp, clean lines and vibrant colours 😍 Haha I would’ve been disappointed if it died, it’s been so good to me! It fell out of a tripod mount, just a cheap springy thing. Definitely need an upgrade before I hover it over liquids again 😬

[@houseofsolomon2440]

@Toasty Rides Nice job! I was thinking a black cable tie might look a bit better than the white. Maybe worth a go (?)

[@dardizon26]

Did you apply clear top coat on the chrome part too?

[@johndavidmachell]

Do you do builds for others? Got a rad 90s Avanti Montari frame I’d love to build into a single speed

[@nikilisswan4005]

🔥 🚲- what wax did you use? Another epic resto

[@toastyrides]

Cheers! 🎉 really love the result of this. Damn I can’t remember off the top of my head, there are plenty of alloy waxes/sealants out there though. I haven’t tried a ceramic coating yet, but would think it would perform quite well too 🤔

[@user-wr6nc5st1r]

Hey me and my partner are big fans love your builds do you have a business selling your top cap’s because we love them 😁

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos 🥳🤙 I don’t have any top-caps for sale yet, but it’s something I’ll be doing in the future! I’ll mention it here and on instagram when they’re available 👍🫶

[@user-wr6nc5st1r]

No bother at all and oh that would be great 😊 thank you 😊😁🤙

[@execuline]

Nice build - Where do you get your baskets?

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! 🤙 I used to get them from BlueLug, Japan, when shipping was cheap. There are some Walds locally but they’re not cheap, hardware stores sometimes have suitable baskets 👍

[@Xanderino]

Looks awesome! 🔥 Nice work! 👏 Are you not worried the exposed metal will rust over time?

[@toastyrides]

Thank you 🫡💕 it was quite a bit of effort 😅 It’s an alloy frame so it will only oxidise a bit, not rust like steel, but from experience the waxing protects from that happening. I think other coatings would be better, for long term solutions though!

[@Matt_Goertz]

Tiny detail, but I wonder if that paint would stick to zip ties?

[@toastyrides]

I just checked where the ziptie was but there’s no mark from it. Or are you wondering if you could paint Zipties with it? I used it to colour-match the Zipties on the Specialized, so the Zipties on the sharkfin blended in a bit. Had to scuff the tie first and it stayed on ok, some chipped off on install though (makes sense though).

[@Matt_Goertz]

@@toastyrides I'm talking about colour matching zip ties, so you've answered my question. Thank you!

[@michael61985]

I liked the blue better

[@toastyrides]

Knew someone would say that haha. There’s still a video of it all blue for ya 🥳🤙 The pink-polished is much better in my opinion, super stoked with it 🥹💕