Ever built a bike up around a single part, or rare piece of tech?
05-07-13, 06:24 PM
#1
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Ever built a bike up around a single part, or rare piece of tech?
Tell us your tales, show us your pics, what made you do it?
05-07-13, 07:02 PM
#2
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not a single part, but a group. i wanted to build something using campy gran sport.
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05-07-13, 07:51 PM
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I usually start with a wheelset and then find a frame that fits it and me and go from there.
05-07-13, 08:26 PM
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Here's my starting part:
05-07-13, 08:58 PM
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I'm starting with a set of turkey levers.....but really really worried it will end up looking like a Schwinn.
But then, I could always sell it on CL for 325.00.
But then, I could always sell it on CL for 325.00.
05-07-13, 09:13 PM
#8
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I started with a set of TA Cyclotourist cranks and am almost finished with the project. It's only taken 3 years....
05-07-13, 10:03 PM
#9
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I have two Campagnolo aluminum threaded headset spacers I'm looking to build out into rides. I'm not sure I can reasonably build out even one of the headsets right now!
05-08-13, 05:36 AM
#10
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Okay this actually happened to me. Forum member Noah Scape sent me a Sugino Mighty crank as a gift some time after I had sent him an old shopper bag from a Raleigh RSW16. I had always liked those Sugino Mighty cranks but had no particular use for it.
But then this rusty old Fuji "the Finest" frame turned up on eBay and I put a snipe on it, which won me the perfect frame for that crank for $48 plus shipping.
A look through the parts bin turned up the correct brakes and derailleurs as well as suitable (if not quite correct) stem and seat post. And white fenders. Finding suitable rims the correct hubs was a bit of a challenge, and I had to resort to eBay for one hub, but a couple forum members dug through their parts bins for me and in the end I have what looks very much like an original 1972 Finest.
An expert would see the flaws, but these bikes are pretty rare and the experts even more so! The Suntour NSL derailleur is not correct, for example. I should probably switch to a Compe V, of which I have two or three to chose from, but the NSL is incredibly light and has been kicking around my parts bin since 1983 so I couldn't resist using it. The shifters are also not correct; these 'Suntour Power' shifters came on the Fuji Newest at that time, but the Finest had different ones. This does not bother me.
But then this rusty old Fuji "the Finest" frame turned up on eBay and I put a snipe on it, which won me the perfect frame for that crank for $48 plus shipping.
A look through the parts bin turned up the correct brakes and derailleurs as well as suitable (if not quite correct) stem and seat post. And white fenders. Finding suitable rims the correct hubs was a bit of a challenge, and I had to resort to eBay for one hub, but a couple forum members dug through their parts bins for me and in the end I have what looks very much like an original 1972 Finest.
An expert would see the flaws, but these bikes are pretty rare and the experts even more so! The Suntour NSL derailleur is not correct, for example. I should probably switch to a Compe V, of which I have two or three to chose from, but the NSL is incredibly light and has been kicking around my parts bin since 1983 so I couldn't resist using it. The shifters are also not correct; these 'Suntour Power' shifters came on the Fuji Newest at that time, but the Finest had different ones. This does not bother me.
Last edited by rhm; 05-08-13 at 06:01 AM.
05-08-13, 05:45 AM
#11
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From the saddle...
Yes. I had an extra vintage Fujita Belt saddle. I thought that brown bike would go well with it. Next, I found a $50 plus shipping 1982 Fuji Team frame, crank and derailleurs on eBay. The auction closed with no bidders. I wrote to the seller and we agreed on $50 shipped. It was in pretty rough shape, with mud wasp nests in the steerer tube. I found the bonze anodized Araya wheelset on eBay during the winter of 2012 - I was the only bidder. Several upgraded parts later - I couldn't be happier with it, starting with a simple saddle. The Team is a great riding bike, really:
05-08-13, 05:52 AM
#12
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I have done this once for sure and maybe twice. I tried to find the thread for this but can't. One night while on ebay I fell in love with a Stronglight Speedlight black crankset. I normally don't go in for black components but I liked something about this crank. Well of course I won it, so now what to do with it?
It sat on the shelf for a year or so and I almost bought a great Presto mixte to put on but that deal went south. The seller offered me a good deal on a Batavus with SP tubine and I took it. Shortly after the Batavus arrived, not really knowing what I was going to do with it an idea struck..... all black components might look nice on this dark champagne frame.
The crank that became the nexus of the project.
The '80 (81?) Batavus Professional Noire
I think the Boarala falls in the built around tech catagory as I had been thinking about a IGH for a few years but wasn't sure how to start. Then I sort of stumbled on this sad old 'cross frame and an idea began to take shape.
This is how it looked chained to the sellers garage door when I went to have a look. we had a schedule conflict of about 30min so he left it out.
Pretty much as she sits today.
It sat on the shelf for a year or so and I almost bought a great Presto mixte to put on but that deal went south. The seller offered me a good deal on a Batavus with SP tubine and I took it. Shortly after the Batavus arrived, not really knowing what I was going to do with it an idea struck..... all black components might look nice on this dark champagne frame.
The crank that became the nexus of the project.
The '80 (81?) Batavus Professional Noire
I think the Boarala falls in the built around tech catagory as I had been thinking about a IGH for a few years but wasn't sure how to start. Then I sort of stumbled on this sad old 'cross frame and an idea began to take shape.
This is how it looked chained to the sellers garage door when I went to have a look. we had a schedule conflict of about 30min so he left it out.
Pretty much as she sits today.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Last edited by Bianchigirll; 05-08-13 at 05:56 AM.
05-08-13, 05:57 AM
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Not yet, but thinking about it. Not particularly rare but a little unusual, Sachs Huret ARIS derailleurs. Maybe an ALAN/Vitus frame - carbonio even?
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05-08-13, 06:46 AM
#14
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Because I found these cool old wooden grips..........
Last edited by Velognome; 05-08-13 at 08:52 AM.
05-08-13, 07:22 AM
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1-Campagnolo or Shimano compatible.
2-Then the group.
3-Then the frame, within my realm of desire.
4-Then the seatpost/saddle/stem/bars.
If I start with the frame, then I can troll around, but the wheelset generally makes the decision.
05-08-13, 07:45 AM
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I built up these racers for my team-mates from just a handful of washers, but it didn't turn out like I expected. 
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05-08-13, 10:33 AM
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Sorry no pic... But really for me it starts with a cardboard box full of old stuff... I keep feeding it and upgrading the size of the box till... Wow... There's a bike in there...
Now if my wife will just let me put it together... Honey???
Now if my wife will just let me put it together... Honey???
05-08-13, 10:53 AM
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I might eventually build a bike around a set of Simplex bar end retrofriction shifters that I got a couple of months ago through a tip here from a fellow forum member....
Finding the levers out of the blue makes me also think that it could be a sign that a certain bike that they can be used on will cross my path soon....None of the bikes in my present fleet seem appropriate for them...
Default for me would likely be a late 70's/Early 80's sport touring model Peugeot, But Motobecane sounds good too......and one never knows if a French beauty like a Singer will suddenly fall out of the sky for me?? Stranger things had happened....
Chombi
Finding the levers out of the blue makes me also think that it could be a sign that a certain bike that they can be used on will cross my path soon....None of the bikes in my present fleet seem appropriate for them...
Default for me would likely be a late 70's/Early 80's sport touring model Peugeot, But Motobecane sounds good too......and one never knows if a French beauty like a Singer will suddenly fall out of the sky for me?? Stranger things had happened....
Chombi
05-08-13, 02:27 PM
#21
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I was gifted a single Simplex Retrofriction rear shifter on a band clamp. I built a bike around it.
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05-08-13, 02:38 PM
#22
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I bought a bike:
[IMG]
[/IMG]
And decided to make a bike from it:
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Just need to add paint.
[IMG]
[/IMG]And decided to make a bike from it:
[IMG]
[/IMG]Just need to add paint.
05-08-13, 08:21 PM
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Now that I think about it, RHM sent a New Departure coaster brake hub in a Box of Crap a couple of years ago. I laced it to some 27s and I really love the wheelset. It was interesting in the Schwinn Typhoon;
It was really fun in the old Raleigh Record (though I'm experimenting with some fast wheels and gears on this thing):
Aesthetically pleasing in the old Continental, but this frame doesn't inspire me;
I'm gonna try them on this old Supercourse that I got at Trexlertown last weekend (no pics yet), then maybe back to the Record. We'll see. The right frame will come along.
So that's 4 bikes and counting inspired by that hub and I've picked up a 2 speed kickback to play with too.
It was really fun in the old Raleigh Record (though I'm experimenting with some fast wheels and gears on this thing):
Aesthetically pleasing in the old Continental, but this frame doesn't inspire me;
I'm gonna try them on this old Supercourse that I got at Trexlertown last weekend (no pics yet), then maybe back to the Record. We'll see. The right frame will come along.
So that's 4 bikes and counting inspired by that hub and I've picked up a 2 speed kickback to play with too.
05-08-13, 08:22 PM
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And I'm still looking for just the right frame to go with the nice chrome fork on the Typhoon.
05-08-13, 08:39 PM
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A Maxi Car/Mavic 650b wheelset followed me home a few months ago. I'm in shakedown mode of the test build, and will be tweaking/swapping components before she's final....