While we're on the subject of new Chinese roadsters, I may as well fill you in on the Flying Pigeon I picked up new (with a flat rear tire) at the Westminster swap meet in February. For all of $50.00. I was planning on doing a separate thread on it over the past month, but working on the garage took all my time.
Overall, the quality is better than I expected, but I had to check EVERY fastener on the bike. All of mine we tightened to what I can best describe as approximately 32 foot-ounces of torque. Everything on the bike had to be tightened . . . . . . with one exception . . . . . . . . the wheel bearing cones which, I swear, were put on with an air impact wrench. I'm amazed that the wheels actually turned. Happily, the hubs were greased. Haven't had a chance to get at the bottom bracket due to haven't gotten around to replacing the cotter tool that I lost in the fire.
I've ridden it three times now, and gotten three flats in the rear wheel for my trouble. The first two were on the inside of the tube, up against the rim strip, not in the tire tread area. Going over the rim and rim strip, I couldn't feel anything that should be puncturing the tube, but put a layer over the black electrical tape over the rim strip. And these were new 40-635 tubes, not the 35-622 that were originally stretched into the tires. The latest flat was from the patch I put on the previous hole not holding.
Gearing is a 46x20 which means it's a bit overgeared for my tastes, although looking at the freewheel I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get it off. Standard thread-on, but there's no gripping point for a freewheel tool. Will figure that one out once I've got the bike on the road regularly. There is, of course, one point in the crank rotation where it's going to rub on the full chain case. And, so far I haven't figured out how to make it stop. Eventually, it'll probably rub a hole in the backside of the case at that point and problem solved. Oh, unlike the vintage British bikes, that chain case is one welded piece, except for the removable disc over the crank sprocket, and the rear cap which unbolts giving access to the rear sprocket, (single, cheap bastards) chain tension adjuster, and removal of the rear wheel. I can see when the day comes to replace the chain, you do so by attaching the new chain to the old one and pulling it thru.
What I have gotten from this bike is a wonderful practice dummy for working on vintage English roadsters. I think I've had the back wheel off and out at least six times now, having gotten practiced to the point where it's no more trouble to do than, say, my 1972 Raleigh Grand Prix. I can set the rod brakes in under a minute and have them work properly after the first time. I do like the way it rides. If anything, the frame angles are slack to the point that my Raleigh Tourist puts faint claim in for sporty handling by comparison.
I do enjoy the bike. Once I've got the bugs worked out and regeared it to match my normal cadence, I can see using the bike in rotation with my two other Raleigh commuters.
