Originally Posted by philpeugeot

It's been a minute since I last posted here. I acquired some bits to install on my clunker:

Front and rear Blackburn racks ($30) and

crash-damaged Planet Bike fenders from the co-op (free). I also installed a used chain (also from the co-op, free). I had trouble getting the front fender to clear the tires so I ended up bending the metal tab fork crown attachment to increase clearance. I have to say I'm pretty proud with how it turned out; there is no longer any tire rub, and the metal tab conforms to the front rack attachment, so it looks pretty clean.

Another issue I ran into was that the front rack interfered with the brake caliper quick release lever, so one of the brake arms wouldn't engage. Most members here would probably source a new caliper, but I decided to just leave the quick release unlocked. Now the front brake works fine.

I also transferred my old Kirkland handlebar bag from last year's challenge. It came together pretty well, save for a few modifications. This is what the finished product looks like:

I took it out for a quick spin to the local Ace Hardware, and I have to say, not all is well. I've never ridden a bike with clips before, so it was pretty annoying getting my shoes to slip into the clips. The gearing is pretty high; I normally ride with a triple with a bailout gear. I may need to source a triple somewhere. Also, the drivetrain is horribly rough. The chain doesn't seem to sit well with either the freewheel, chainwheels, or derailleur because it kept skipping around. I'll have to look into that. So far, I'm $70 and about 2 miles into the challenge. I hope I'll be able to figure out all the kinks by the next ride.