RCMoeur 

This afternoon's project is another "get something off the back porch" affair, where a 30+ year old Roadmaster frame, some old Huffy coaster brake wheels, and assorted odd parts are now assembled into a "frankenbike" that won't win any beauty contests but should serve someone well as a work trade bike.


I'm not saying the frame is no-name steel, but I was able to cold set the rear triangle from 120 to 110 by hand without tools without pushing all that hard (and even overshot and had to hand-bend it back a bit). I swapped the stamped steel spot welded triple chainring for a single and added a basket to increase the usefulness. And made sure to adjust the message on the decals so as not to misrepresent its new status:

DAbiker2023

I want to re-cover a Vetta LiteGel seat. I've removed the original covering and looks to be some sort of faux leather (vinyl bonded to a cotton or poly blend). Anyone know of a suitable fabric to replace this?
Thanks,
DA

Mad Honk 

I have used real leather I picked up at Hobby Lobby about $20 for enough to cover at least six saddles. Smiles, MH

curbtender

I went to a local auto upholstery shop and picked up a nice scrap piece for one.

mrv 

Wrenched the cranks off
But couldn’t wrench the pedals off the cranks

A little wrenching on the stuck stem- but mostly pounding on the stem bolt hoping to get it to move.
Now I’m debating- more time & money on this- or just get that slick Team Fuji an hour away….

jetboy 

that is one stuck stem! you can always cut it out but yeah- trouble and obviously destroy the stem.

bikemig 

Took off the winter tires on my 1992 Trek 950 and cleaned up the bike. Snow and ice is a tough environment for any bike.

bikemig 

That's such a pretty bike. I'd keep working at this. Earlier this year I picked up a 1970s SekineSHR with a stuck stem. Nice bike for its day with a double butted chrome moly triangle and decent quality parts. I picked it up for the velo cheapy contest. I rebuilt the bike but left the stem alone as it just wasn't worth my time for a $20 bike. Your bike is worth it though. This is the Sekine on my first trip on it. I sunk a total of $18 worth of parts into the bike bringing the total cost to $38. This will make a fine lock up bike,

SJX426 

Got a flat on the car yesterday. 2" drywall screw. Pulled and plugged even though that approach is not recommended for radial tires. It worked to get dinner and drive it to the tire shop.
Decided to take a bike to ride back home while the car is being shoed. Pulled the Rockhopper down and change the fork to the original rigid fork and swapped the rear tire. Since the front had the fender mounted, I also mounted the rack and rear fender. It is back to commute or like I call it, the truck configuration. I know bad lighting but you get the concept. Rode it 6 miles home. Likely use it to pick up the car too.
04272023RockHopper on Flickr

mrv 

-- love that "Varsity" Green.

For my stuck stem, I'm trying to cook up a way to start pulling on it. My thinking is to get the fork and stem under TENSION, and just increase the tension slowing over time. (Like pulling a car out of mud - long steady pull. Versus pulling out of sand with a quick kinetic snap.) -- and I got a rock up my rear fender last night ( I think it was a rock) and it pulled half the fender under the other half. So now I got to sort that out.



why? just why?

merziac

https://www.amazon.com/Plugs-Total-S...49529417&psc=1

These are the plugs you seek, they are truly self vulcanizing.

I have plugged 100's of tires with these, worked at a full service Chevron station back in the day, we used these and kept a lot of tires going in a very challenging part of town and never had a failure.

I have used them ever since with zero failures when the instructions are followed.

SJX426 

@merziac - Thanks, that is close to what I used. Part of a kit.
When I was in India, I fixed 4 flats in 1 week using the car jack to break the bead to patch internally. Seating the bead with an air supply from a hose that connected to a spark plug fitting, using the engine as a pump, was a real challenge. The Firestone tires bought through the embassy commissary just fell apart on the road. Had to use inner tubes to try to keep them inflated. This was on a trip from New Delhi to Agra.

merziac

Those particular plugs are the real deal, best in the business and the only ones I ever use and trust, I have worn out tires plugged with them several times.

No blah, blah, blah, tire shops and companies condemn them because of an invented liability so they can sell tires instead.

The rep at the Chevron station had a test wheel and tire with 100 plugs in it including sidewall which is a no, no except emergencies.

He would put it on his car and take you for a test drive including freeway.

When we did replace tires that had been plugged with them, you could put a screwdriver through the loop on the inside and with a foot up on the machine it would take all your strength to pull it out of the tire, many would break without coming out even on thin bald tires.

Its amazing to me how unprepared so many people are, I carry plugs, flat fix and a mini compressor in all my cars, jump box and more on any trips as well.

Bikes too, I carry an inflator, mini pump, Silca, patch kit and tube most all of the time.

Mike.delaney601

I'm currently working on a Motobecane Mirage from the 1070's. Not sure the year because of mixed components when I got it. Paint is in great condition. When it is reassembled, I will have new gum-wall tires and Huret derailleurs. Then I will move on to a Grand Touring and a Grand Jubilee. Both have poor paint. I will strip them down to the frame and repaint.
Good luck on your project.

SurferRosa

I did a job I've never done before, twice over. So, after acquiring the biggest bike I've ever wanted to keep, I started feeling like two bikes in the stable were a little short. So I changed out two Cinelli stems for slightly longer versions. Without wanting to buy new $30 bar tape, I removed the old tape and brake lever on one side, Changed out the stem, and then reused the tape.

It's Fizik classic on both bikes, which I guess made it a lot easier than I expected. I used a sharpie to dot where the wraps come together. And then a little bit of acetone cleaned up the marks. Was kind of regretting doing this, but felt pretty blissful afterwards. Here's one of them...

mrv 

dang - your pic looks weird. there's something wrong - it's like.... you're neat and organizizied. ?!?

VintageSteelEU

It sounds like you're a bit impatient with it. Soak the ands of cranks with pedals in some penetrating oil for a few days, then put the cranks back on the BB (and some inflated wheels on the bicycle) and try with the pedals again. If they don't come off, you could warm them up with a heat gun and then try again. If that doesn't help, let them soak a few days more. If that doesn't help, I would cut through the pedal axles (make sure you leave enough for the vice or spanner to bite into) and try bolt remover bit for the drill (of course making sure about the correct direction) or drill it out with progresively wider diameter drill bits.
Stem is a different story though. I had one recently I couldn't remove, so just repacked the headset with grease and I'm happily riding the bicycle. In hope next time I get back to it, it will be less stubborn.

RCMoeur 

This afternoon I'm experimenting with the few "project" bikes remaining on the back porch. And after I got an old 1990 silver/blue Trek 930 on the stand, I was pondering about how best to, um... X-Press myself.

Edit: the bike was so grubby I stripped the bike down to bare frame (7.5 lbs F/F/HS) and carefully put the complete black X-1 group away for some serious future cleaning.

RCMoeur 

"Because we're here, lad."

Is that a XCD crank?

mrv 

XCM
this is the low end Panasonic Mountain Cat 3500
when I got it on BF last year, I believe it was the original hardware- non consumable stuff
I’ve gotten lighter wheels, seatpost handlebars.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5bcf2780.jpeg

Mr. 66

Finally I found a pair of Tricolor brake levers, they were mounted to the Mercian and the bars are taped. I also tried my hand at some touch up. Worked out good, I would say that it fit under the 3ft rule, barely can tell. Invisible at 5ft. Good practice, but I couldn't find right brush. The brush I used, Windsor-Newton 000, was way to small to maintain a wet tip.




Probably can't tell but the blemish on the headtube lug is now disappeared. The others not bad. While I had the paint out I panto the branding on the Nitto stem.

DAbiker2023

I've started putting together the KHS Flite 300 I purchased (frameset) last year. It's a 2000 steel frame. I have most of the parts I need, and am looking for some thumbies to mount 7-speed indexing dt shifters to and a nice set of city bars.

DA

ascherer 

Replaced the Delrin washers on the Mk I’s Mafac Competitions with spiffy brass ones. The bushings are already brass, or I would have done those as well.

Nemosengineer 

I have been away for a few years, starting a new project so I'm back..
A 53 Cm Stratos NJS Keirin frame spread to accept a Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub (32 hole) with Jtek bar end shifter, Dura Ace 7600 track hub (28 hole), Ambrosio Excellight rims, Campagnolo Record Pista crank + bottom bracket and yes the chain line works, NJS Nitto bars, stem, and seat post. (TBD) braze on bits to accommodate cantilever CX brakes.
All parts are on hand and have been for a while. I have one last project to get out of the way before I start this, its for the big bike, should be wrapped up by the middle of May.

Untitled by nemosengineer, on Flickr

: Mike

Kai Winters

Rebuilt a C'dale Slice yesterday...new cockpit toys, rear saddle cages, replaced all cables/housings, etc. Came out nice.
No name adult tricycle that hadn't been used in years...covered in cob webs and spider egg nests...ick...replaced tubes, rim strips and the usual tuneup stuff. Always funny to adjust the leather band style rear brake...still working well.