The third clunker is one I didn't expect to build, and then didn't expect to ride much before giving away, but then it turned out to be the most fun of the three.
I saw a couple friends for the first time since pre-pandemic and met their daughter who's big enough to pull around in a bike trailer now. She's all set up with a good bike and trailer. He's 6'3" and has never had an adult bike before. He's been looking around for a decent used hybrid, but is having a hard time knowing what'll work without context, and it's a little hard to borrow something at that height.
After looking at some listings I realize I've got a 20" Peugeot frame hanging in the shed (a strange recycling find, unfortunately stripped down from a complete rideable bike) & probably enough parts to build a test rig. Fork comes from the local co-op, so does the headset and a pair of V-brakes to fill out the things I haven't got, throw in donations totaling about
$20.
High Impact Tubing! Whichever department store thing this is was the only fork with a steerer the right length.
Most of it is put together before I notice the rear brake posts are a little high... turns out the Liberty was a hybrid! With a 1" steerer I'm not likely to find a hybrid fork that'll work. With 700c in the back and 26"
(recycling - $0) in the front it looks a little goofy but rides great. Of three clunkers I've got 1/6 wheels the correct size.
I've been saving some swept back bars for stuff like this, and match those up with an adjustable quill stem - figure any way to get extra height can't hurt. Ends up feeling great for me, but I'll give my friend a flat bar too in case the reach is too short for him.
Front derailer is a low quality cheap Tourney, deservingly scrapped for a rounded nut that I got off with a splitter. Shifts just ok and doesn't rub after a lot of bending.
The derailer hanger is bent, and I use the trick of threading in another wheel to use as a gauge. Never bothered to try it before - I think I like it better than trying to use a run down Park one with a bent rod or too much flex.
Rear derailer is a Claris that I'll need for my brother's bike, but it stayed on the whole challenge and has to count -
$10.
Cassette is just a bunch of cogs shoved together with spacers to make a 7 speed (12-32 with whatever seemed shiftable in between), matching the only flat bar shifters I've got, Microshift 7 speed withbroken covers
(all recycling finds). It shifts better than I expected and will stay on for now.
Crankset is an FSA Tempo that I've been keeping around for a bike to give away, 50-34 chainrings. Let's call this
$20. Gearing all works out pretty good, think it provides simple shifting and a wide enough range.
I borrowed the seatpost from another bike (should be about
$5 to replace), bought the front tire from the co-op years ago (
$5), and I think all the other parts are recycling junk again. Brake levers are pretty decent Tektros, another of those strange recycling finds.
This is the bike that's easiest to put miles on and I start choosing to ride this one over anything else. It rides like going for a gentle walk that just happens to be 23km/hr, and now I want a sweepy bar MTB. At somewhere around
$60 CAD for the build I've put on
134.8 km. Tomorrow may be the day I bring it into town to give away, and hopefully it's in the ballpark enough for my friend to figure out what he likes and doesn't like for adult bike #2.
I'll call these two challenge complete!. Sneaking in the photos with post-challenge edits.