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Jan 31, 2009 17:54:18 GMT
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nah the BMX isnt a GT they have a peirced top tube. With the little bit sticking out behind the seat tube. looks to be a reasonable BMX not really a name brand. but nothing on it thats really feeble either
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Jan 31, 2009 18:00:06 GMT
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jonny. I got a dead minimoto in the back fo the astra estate at work,,, the engien cases are cracked but I think it has the pull start and stuff on still.. ill have a look monday. whole motor for price of postage? might help with some spares? (got it as a box of bits) That's an offer I can't refuse I'm thinking of something totally mad for this. Had the sketch book out yesterday night with a few beers and I reckon I want something low slung. Small wheels with the weight nice and far back so you can get up on the back wheel easily and do some cool wheelies with the pedals. Long bars so it's comfy and laid back to ride. Seat will have to be big, maybe one of my freecycle deckchairs will get donated. Then have an almost identical one with the engine for cruising around. I'll try and have them fold up as well, so they don't take up too much space in the car
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Jan 31, 2009 21:48:39 GMT
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hi Jonny PM replied to mate...
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If also got a spare engine if you cant/don't take up rotties' offer dude.
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Oh my God, I so nearly bought this when it was on eBay, but just didn't have space in the garage at the time, and anything not locked down gets ponced where I live. I was gutted not to be able to go for it.
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mate, I'm unashamed to say I am going to steal some design ideas from your design in mdf in the last page...its pure class
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I love all those bikes you have made, used to have one of those fold up shoppers, great fun if you undo the hing and ride it like that, you can ride with the handlebars at your side or do tight circles
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Aug 25, 2010 10:45:45 GMT
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So, what's been going on? First up is I managed to find this thread back in the archives and drag it up from the dead. That means I can add my other bikes to this thread and keep everything together. Original thread here. From March 2010: I'm stuck on a really long commute on public transport at the moment and I've been trying to cut the time down a bit by keeping a bike at the end. Cut a long story short I know this racer will be stolen in no time if I leave it at the station and I won't be able to replace it, so I put the word out on Freecycle for a 'junk bike' to restore. Something I could use as a hack and not worry about too much. Two bikes came up. A 1966 Raleigh RSW 16 which I'll start a new thread on and this one; a late 70's Viscount. The lady said it was properly junk and I if I didn't want to take it that was fine. The first thing that went through my head when I picked it up was 'wow this is light', it looked fine to me so in the car it went. Back home a quick inspection showed it all to be fine. Set of new tyres, new saddle and a bit of spannering and it'll be great. I looked up the brand online and it turns out to be a chrome moly frame and would have had dropped bars and alloy wheels originally. That's all gone but the frame, forks and stem remain. This is what it looks like after some tyres and a thorough clean: I've flipped the road bars over, re-wrapped them, taken the front derailleur off so it's just got the 5 gears at the back, deleted the back brake and mudguard and pulled the saddle right out. Detail pics... Stem: Front mudguard remains: Flipped bars: Chrome fork, as per 1978 recall (see link below): Oh and last but not least this is the pile of stuff I didn't need ;D: I got some good info on the brand here, particularly about the cast aluminium 'death fork': www.sheldonbrown.com/lambert.htmlAnd from April 2010 (Original thread here.): I posted about my Freecycle Viscount bike in another thread. This is the second bike I picked up but I haven't been able to take any pics because it lives at work. I took it home and gave it a polish at the weekend, so was able to take some snaps this morning. It's a 1966 Raleigh RSW 16, which was Raleigh's answer to the Moulton. It's a bit more basic than the Moulton, no suspension and has fat tyres instead. It's all-original except for the tyres which were originally white. It had some very crispy white tyres but they don't make them any more. Luckily it shares tyre size with the Chopper front wheel, so I didn't have to use a 2" wide BMX tyre which would have looked out of place. Dynamo front hub and working front and rear lights: Three Sturmey Archer gears on a twist grip: The hub is stamped 66 so it's got its original 1966 Sturmey Archer hub. I have no plans for modifying it at the moment. It's a proper rare museum piece and it would be a shame to cut it up. I'd like some white tyres as original so if some turn up on eBay then I might swap them. Could use some new rubber blocks in the pedals, otherwise it's all tickety boo. I have actually been using the black racer for my commute despite being worried about losing it. I've tweaked a few things, swapped tyres and it's a real road machine. BIG lock keeps it secure during the day. I've also been building up the Viscount into a more useable bike. The flipped wide bars were really uncomfortable (and creaky) on a long ride, so I've junked them in favour of some alloy drop bars with drop brakes and suicide levers. The single brake was no good so I have put the rear brake brake back on, but it was more down to the brake levers than anything else. All the black plastic bits that had made their way onto the bike are going in favour of alloy and chrome and it's almost complete. It's a much better ride now. Pics to follow.
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Aug 25, 2010 11:29:51 GMT
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The Raleigh isn't looking much different: In fact I've changed nothing apart from a few tweaks. I came off the RSW and hurt my wrists so I've got the handlebars cranked round so I can hold the sides. I know it's all a bit Chris what's-hisface but it turns out I really like this riding position so they are staying in that position and only look a bit strange because of the white brake hoods. Come to them in a minute... New tyres all round. I went for these Michelin Pro 3's at extravagant expense but they are excellent, slick, loads of grip and shaved over 300g in weight: I mentioned the brakes. Well I've never been happy with the manky white hoods, the blue anodised finish and one of the lever mechs is missing the plastic piece on the front. With the all-black look they really stick out like a sore thumb: I managed to score some Shimano 105 SLR aero levers in fab condition and bought some new black hoods: For the price of these I could have actualy just bought some brand new Tektro aero levers, but these SLR's really are the nuts. They have cast alloy bodies with proper bearings and the movement is solid and smooth. Can't wait to fit them up with some black cables, a long awaited well deserved upgrade for this bike
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Aug 25, 2010 11:54:32 GMT
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Onto the Viscount. This has turned into a bit of a late 70's period build. Retro frames are all the rage in London right now, so anything vintage alloy, Shimano or Campagnolo is going for silly money on eBay. Luckily, all the sought-after stuff is 80's and early 90's, which leaves me to scoop up the late 70's bargains for my bike ;D The plan was to keep the frame and fork, which are pretty, and work around that. I was thinking of swapping the wheels because they aren't very straight, handlebars to alloy drops, brakes to bare alloy drops, single speed, alloy seat post and new saddle. It's sort of gone to plan apart from a few things. This is what it's looking like so far: Alloy seat post is hiding under there. Really light unknown make alloy drop bars are cranked up slightly with Weinmann bare alloy drop brakes and suicide bars: My commute is uphill all the way there and downhill all the way home. I tried it in one gear but couldn't do it, then I couldn't get the freewheel undone, so chose to keep the 5 gears at the back! It's a 5 speed screw-on freewheel, so not like the modern cassette setups: I've already got rid of the smaller ratio at the front to tidy things up and I'm going to lose the nasty black plastic derailleur that's been put on at some point and swap on this nice old Huret one I got cheap on eBay. It's technically not as good as a Campag or a Shimano but it'll look right, do the job and cost 99p rather than £30 for the popular brands: Those of you with the better eyes may have spotted I've got some toeclips on the Raleigh. I'm keeping my eye out for some alloy pedals that can take toeclips and I've just been trying them out on the other bike to see whether I get on with them... Yeah, I know. Metal toeclips with no straps. Scene. I've been hanging around with the fixie brigade in central London too much etc ;D I do have straps: I don't think I'm liking toeclips to be honest. They don't fit well and are uncomfortable so I might not use them after all. And that just leaves the saddle and some bar tape to find. I'd quite like brown leather all round, but to be honest it's going to be a matter of what comes up at the right price. I was tempted to go for a Charge Spoon saddle and matching bar tape in brown, but I've got to be careful not to let the budget run away. So far it owes me less than £40 with a bit of spannering and grease and that's it. Expensive saddles and fashionable bar tape could nearly double that
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Sept 1, 2010 12:00:18 GMT
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Aw, these were too pretty to not have... The Huret derailleur is fitted up and works a treat. I did Critical Mass on the Viscount last Friday and rode it home from around St. Pauls to Kent. I have to say it rides really nicely. I *think* it's just a saddle needed to complete the project now ;D
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Sept 12, 2010 20:59:53 GMT
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I don't think anyone is reading this but I'll continue anyway ;D What is it they say, when the cat is away the mice will play? So I'm working in the living room. I've fitted my Shimano 105 SLR brake levers and re-wrapped the handlebars in red. I'm not 100% sure I like them and I think I might go back to black, what do you think? And my god, are Forello/Silva stingy with their handlebar wrap length or what? I had to unwrap them twice to get them to reach
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Sept 13, 2010 9:08:47 GMT
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I ve had old racers and rewrapped the bars as the tape was ripped. Ussually I had some left over after that.
thinking of tapping up the bars on my white folding bike. As there a bit rusty, don't want much chrome on it, I'm wanting bar end brake levers. So the cables would go under the tape.
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Sept 13, 2010 12:35:50 GMT
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On these they are under the bar tape at the front.
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Sept 13, 2010 17:12:11 GMT
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Aw, these were too pretty to not have... The Huret derailleur is fitted up and works a treat. I did Critical Mass on the Viscount last Friday and rode it home from around St. Pauls to Kent. I have to say it rides really nicely. I *think* it's just a saddle needed to complete the project now ;D ive got two sets of those... Bloody nice pedals... Even if you did just remind me with that pic that i left as set of em on a bike i sold this morning , NUTS! guess i only have one pair then
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Sept 13, 2010 19:45:33 GMT
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I don't mind them for my commute but I don't think I could do any serious distance with them. They are quite narrow and the point on the quill sticks into the bottom of my foot. The Wellgo pedals on the Raleigh are much more comfy but they would look way out of place on the Viscount ;D
Having said that, they are really well made and I like the way you can get to the bearings and maintain them.
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Sept 14, 2010 7:48:13 GMT
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I had SR Piste pedals on a few of my racers. I found them narrow too. Even when wearing my Specialized road bike shoes. there wasnt a comfy place to put my foot. I had the road platform pedals. think thats the name. sort of triangular. with the toe clip screwing to the top of the pedal. The base being the round bearing casing. I found them impossible to use. As my hard soled cycling shoes had no grip on the base. and it took 20 flips to get into the pedal. I suppose practice would have made perfect. I prefer flat pedals now. Maybe you could get rat trap pedals. The old cyclo cross fave pedal was the Lyotard 460d. They are alloy caged pedals. the teeth arent very sharp. I had them on a Chopper I built
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Sept 15, 2010 8:22:13 GMT
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Pics with some chrome toeclips and I do have to say I quite like them! I also borrowed the black handlebar wrap off my Raleigh. Just need that ideal saddle now... Ignore this one, it's me trying to be arty and failing: Double annoyance, I went down this morning to find it's got a puncture. No doubt from the road laying works that remain unfinished after 6 weeks now. Sadly, I'm surprised I haven't had a puncture from it already.
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Sept 16, 2010 22:43:16 GMT
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I've had quite a lot of fun in the garage tonight. I really wanted to do something with the RSW, like strip it down, smooth the frame off and run it bare. But I can't bring myself to do it because it's got so much patina and it's so original. I don't ride the chop any more so I thought I'd attack that with the grinder instead. First I need a pile of bits to attack. This... ...becomes this: Most of that bar the wheels went in the bin and the rest got chopped up leaving me with these two bits: Then, ground off the old welds, made up some new tubes, careful bit of measurement and clamping and tacked together for a quick look: I'm pretty pleased with it. To think I was going to buy another bike ;D lol
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lae
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,045
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Sept 17, 2010 9:28:25 GMT
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That's really cool. What sort of tubing do you use, just cheap mild steel? How much does it cost? I'm looking to put together a concept bike for a university project but cromoly tubing is about 5 quid a foot and I don't wanna spend that much on something that might not be very rideable...
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Currently: Mk1 Focus blandmobile
Formerly: 1969 MG Midget 1972 Avenger GT 1981 Datsun Cherry 1989 Corolla 1979 Mercedes W123 200D 1995 Ford Falcon 1996 Ford Telstar (bet you had to google that one)
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