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Clunker 100 Challenge #8

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Clunker 100 Challenge #8

Old 06-06-22, 07:29 AM
  #376  
jdawginsc 
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I think you mean $93?
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Old 06-06-22, 09:36 AM
  #377  
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OOPS! Corrected. Nicer bike than I thought. (And less cushion in the budget.)
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Old 06-07-22, 05:17 PM
  #378  
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Today I finally had the right combination of weather and free time available to take my clunker out for a ride.



Not wanting to use the 20% grade hill I live on as a first test for the brakes, I drove a short way down the hill to Mountain View Champions Park to start this shakedown ride.



From there I rode a pleasant 10.9 mile loop out to South Hillsboro and back. Getting out of the suburbs is generally tedious, but I live close enough to the edge of the sprawl that it isn't terrible. I started out with some very low traffic residential streets.



That got me out into the not-yet-developed area south of South Hillsboro.



Sometimes you see a sign when you're out riding your C&V bike, and you just have to stop for a picture. (I thought about taking down the "weekend" sign, but it seemed like a lot of work for just a picture.



Finally, as promised, I arrived in Stepford ...er...I mean... South Hillsboro.



Though the day was mostly overcast, I got a surprisingly good view of Mt. Hood (from 60 miles away). I can never capture that view with a camera phone, so you get this.



From there it gets really uneventful until I got back to Champions Park.



Almost 11 miles in, and the bar tape is still mostly white. This SRAM tape is clearly worth every penny of the $8 I paid for it.



Ride impressions: Overall, I feel like I'm cheating on the Clunker Challenge. This was a downright pleasant ride. The saddle is considerably narrow than I prefer, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. The tires also greatly exceeded my expectations. I was expecting it to feel like riding on a cheap garden hose. In fact, they did OK. The only time I really thought about the tires was when the bike started to feel a bit bouncy under choppy pedaling. I hadn't brought a pump, so that alarmed me, but it turned out to be just low starting pressure. Handling was predictable and smooth. On a quick descent, the bike felt very stable. Shifting, both front and rear, was excellent. Even the brakes were pretty good.

The bike has unusual geometry for something that the catalog describes as "a legitimate racing machine fashioned after the Super Elite." It might be fashioned after it, but it doesn't have the same geometry. This bike has a 58cm (c-t-t) seat tube paired with a 55cm (c-t-c) top tube and a stubby little 80mm stem. That's perfect for me, but not exactly racing geometry. It makes for an extremely pleasant recreational rider, but if we're being honest that was probably its target market -- recreational riders who want to imagine that they're racers.

I'm not ready to give up my Colnago's spot in the garage to make room for this, but if this were the only bike I owned, I would still be a happy cyclist.
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Old 06-07-22, 07:29 PM
  #379  
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@Andy_K nice write up and pictures. Can’t believe that Mt Hood is 60 miles away in that picture. Living in the low country, scale is really not something to consider.

How much did you end up spending? Might fit in a saddle...
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Old 06-07-22, 08:02 PM
  #380  
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Originally Posted by jdawginsc
@Andy_K nice write up and pictures. Can’t believe that Mt Hood is 60 miles away in that picture. Living in the low country, scale is really not something to consider.
I know exactly what you mean. I grew up in the mountains of western Maryland where one of the tallest local peaks is Big Savage Mountain at a whopping 2566 feet. When I moved to Oregon my uncle tried to tell me that the mountains in Maryland are just as big but the ones in Oregon start at a higher base elevation. In fact, the opposite is true.

Originally Posted by jdawginsc
How much did you end up spending? Might fit in a saddle...
I'm at $101 now, but the saddle isn't uncomfortable enough for me to give up the white color of it.
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Old 06-08-22, 08:17 AM
  #381  
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Finally finished the 100 mile challenge. 6am felt like a good time for a ride. Knocked out another 14 miles.

Ending total
102 miles
6000 ft

Bike 1981(?) Lotus Eclair
Initial cost $40
Bell Kevlar 27 tires $29.90 each x 2
tubes $8
Total $107.80




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Old 06-08-22, 11:38 AM
  #382  
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I was not planning on buying another bike, or joining this challenge, until I was looking at offerup the other day and spotted this Serotta. After I noticed that it had already been on the site for 2 days, I put in an offer of 60 dollars and it was accepted. Upon pickup, I satisfied myself that the seller was legit and I could proceed with a clear conscience. I also satisified myself that I wasn't totally stealing it either, because the frame is in rough shape: extensive spider webbing on the top tube, a cable guide that would probably have to be replaced if someone were to seriously restore this, and I later found a small dent on the underside of the drive side chainstay. The bike also appears, in my un-knowledgeable opinion to have a Campy drivetrain composed of 3 different generations/groups, and while it functions, it doesn't necessarily want to play well together. I will compose a thread at a later date for all of my Campagnolo related questions surrounding this bike
The serial# indicates that it was made in 1983, and I assume its a Club Special, based on the length of the decal remnants. The seat stay bridge, however is not flat, like I have seen on other 1983 Club Specials, but I don't know what else it might be. The frame is 58cm, and I ride 63cm, but fit is not terrible. I will do 100 miles on this bike in as-found condition. I am currently preparing for a long-distance move, but hopefully I can find time to re-grease the headset and bottom bracket. I will also probably come down to the deadline in getting my miles in. I adjusted the seat post to just above minimum insertion, and I am only an inch shy of my normal seat height. I have a longer post, but I plan on riding this bike at the $60 purchase price for as long as I can. Tires are at the end of their life, but not threadbare, and I don't have any extras available. The sintered Modolo brake pads squeal like pigs, but they stop the bike adequately. I will consider the remaining $48 of the budget an insurance policy for tires and tubes. Thanks!









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Old 06-08-22, 12:51 PM
  #383  
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Originally Posted by ramones71
I was not planning on buying another bike, or joining this challenge, until I was looking at offerup the other day and spotted this Serotta. After I noticed that it had already been on the site for 2 days, I put in an offer of 60 dollars and it was accepted. Upon pickup, I satisfied myself that the seller was legit and I could proceed with a clear conscience. I also satisified myself that I wasn't totally stealing it either, because the frame is in rough shape: extensive spider webbing on the top tube, a cable guide that would probably have to be replaced if someone were to seriously restore this, and I later found a small dent on the underside of the drive side chainstay. The bike also appears, in my un-knowledgeable opinion to have a Campy drivetrain composed of 3 different generations/groups, and while it functions, it doesn't necessarily want to play well together. I will compose a thread at a later date for all of my Campagnolo related questions surrounding this bike
The serial# indicates that it was made in 1983, and I assume its a Club Special, based on the length of the decal remnants. The seat stay bridge, however is not flat, like I have seen on other 1983 Club Specials, but I don't know what else it might be. The frame is 58cm, and I ride 63cm, but fit is not terrible. I will do 100 miles on this bike in as-found condition. I am currently preparing for a long-distance move, but hopefully I can find time to re-grease the headset and bottom bracket. I will also probably come down to the deadline in getting my miles in. I adjusted the seat post to just above minimum insertion, and I am only an inch shy of my normal seat height. I have a longer post, but I plan on riding this bike at the $60 purchase price for as long as I can. Tires are at the end of their life, but not threadbare, and I don't have any extras available. The sintered Modolo brake pads squeal like pigs, but they stop the bike adequately. I will consider the remaining $48 of the budget an insurance policy for tires and tubes. Thanks!



Never thought anyone would top the clunker Paramount!
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Old 06-08-22, 01:13 PM
  #384  
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That Serotta is an amazing deal. The shifters alone are worth $60 even if they aren't working.
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Old 06-08-22, 01:18 PM
  #385  
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Originally Posted by philpeugeot
Never thought anyone would top the clunker Paramount!
I still like the Paramount more.
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Old 06-08-22, 04:53 PM
  #386  
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Will completed the challenge a 2nd time today with a very unimpressive clunker 29er not super vintage but about 20 years old, clunky , heavy and ugly with pretty every feature we here at the forums tell people to avoid in used bikes. Bad paint, cheaper suspension fork, cheap disk brakes, women's frame, wrong size and general junky vibe. This one will likely be going back to the thrift store in the next day or so.

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Old 06-08-22, 07:15 PM
  #387  
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20kms today on my brother's bike.



School that was named after one of my relatives. That was a long time ago and I don't know anyone who is involved in politics now.

Solar power plant at the outskirts of town. I had no idea there was one here, though I haven't been through here in a very long time. Is it progress? I don't know.

I used to think this was all there was to the city. Farmland growing sugarcane. Another thing about this particular field is that it is where I drove the car off the road when I was sitting in my dad's lap steering the car. Whoops.

Old bridge over a river. My dad had a farm here once. Well, it's on the other side of this bridge but I can't take a picture because there is a new bridge being constructed on that side. I had swum in this river when I was a kid. Once in a while my dad or my uncle would have bananas (the tree, not the fruit) chopped down and we'd float around on them.

I went down this way expecting to find my uncle's old farm. He'd sold it a few years ago. It was the one place I had taken a ride with my brothers and cousins and we slept overnight at their place on the farm. I have not used my bike to ride to any other place and slept over, nor does it look like I will be able to in the future. My wife does not ride, and my daughter says riding bikes is my thing, not her thing... I didn't raise her right. Anyway, instead of a farm all I saw is this big four lane road going I don't know where. My uncle had sold his farm a few years ago and I don't recognize the place anymore.

That is all.
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Old 06-10-22, 04:59 AM
  #388  
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I did 30.6kms today, plus another 6.1 yesterday late afternoon, so my total is just over 100km on my brother's bike. I'll be heading home in a few days and get back to my own clunker.

But before that, today my ride was just to McDonald's. My sister told me to check it out. It is on a relatively new road. Before this one was built, there was only 1 road to and from the next city. It's nice and flat but the traffic along it does not subscribe to any sort of emission regulations. It is somewhat unpleasant to ride along due to the exhaust. Still, it's one of only two possibilities, so a lot of cyclists use it. What to me is unusual about this particular McDonald's is they are cyclist friendly.

See?

Even has a bike repair station

Complete with recommended tire pressure guide


I'm not too crazy about McDonald's but this branch at least shows cyclists some love, so good for them.
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Old 06-10-22, 05:50 AM
  #389  
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Green Mirage Final Expenses

The Green Mirage was ressurected from the town dump scrap metal pile, so I had to estimate its value.
To do so, I found several Motobecane Mirage bikes nearby on FB and CL, listed for $20, $40, 50, and $70, an average of $45.






Since the Green Mirage I’m riding is not in half as good a shape as any of these, I’m going to start with an initial cost of roughly the average, or $25.

Parts added:

14 loose bearing balls (new) - $1
One brake pad, used – $2 if new; used -- $1
Chain, used: new about $16; used -- $8
Brake and shift cable housings – approx. 6 feet, at about $.50/foot: $3
Brake and shift cable wires – 2 new brake wires at about $3 each: $6; 2 used shifter wires at half that, $3; total $9
2 Wheels and tires -- $30
Cable ferrules (improvised from loose parts box) - $1
Seat: based on average of used seats from previous clunker challenges: $7
Front Fork: Based on 1/3 the cost of bike it came from: $10
Replacement stem shifters (used): Worth less than a fork, about as much as a seat: $7
Tubes (used): $5 each new from Play it Again Sports, since used, half that, total of $5

Total spent: 25+1+1+8+3+9+30+1+7+10+7+5: $107
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Old 06-11-22, 02:29 PM
  #390  
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Did 30 miles on the PA-10 but only expected to do half of that on THIS tire. The co-op had zero used 27 inch tires and I had no room in the budget for a new Kenda. I’ll be stuck at 35miles until I get a better tire.


“Tires hold air.”
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Old 06-11-22, 02:39 PM
  #391  
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@Classtime Put some duct tape on it and it'll be fine.
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Old 06-11-22, 02:54 PM
  #392  
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Originally Posted by Classtime
Did 30 miles on the PA-10 but only expected to do half of that on THIS tire. The co-op had zero used 27 inch tires and I had no room in the budget for a new Kenda. I’ll be stuck at 35miles until I get a better tire.


“Tires hold air.”
That sucks but myself also I wouldn't ride that tire or wheel any farther. Maybe time to start looking for a donor bike even bottom end with decent wheels and tires.
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Old 06-11-22, 03:41 PM
  #393  
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I DESPISE my replacement saddle - which has been sitting around for a few years, having come off the fixed-gear bike that I flipped about 4 years ago - but that's putting the cart before the horse.

Pulled into the greenway lot to see this interesting conveyance. One does not see many all-terrain e-quad-recumbents. The owner is a slightly older gent who has a prosthetic leg. I asked him if he built it himself (he did not, but I forgot the name of the company he mentioned. I will have to suggest this to my little brother in Portland who is waaaaay into e-bikes to rub it in).




Anyway, I had visions of riding from the usual trailhead to the far end of the greenway and back twice, and things got off to a smooth start. It was overcast and traffic was quite light for a weekend. I realized a couple miles in that changing seat positions often was going to be critical, as I could feel the saddle cutting circulation in my iliac arteries about 5 minutes in. Despite that, Bumblebee was a lot more fun to ride today. I muscled up four of the first five short hills on the route, pausing to capture the underside of the bridge that passes by Black Dog Salvage.



and the other direction. Not sure if this is art, or a sandbox, or an unused fire pit.



Shortly after this, I quite accidentally figured out how to get the bike to operate in 1st gear. I made it back to the car after the 1st circuit, took some water, stretched, and set off to attempt a second circuit. Just beyond the halfway point, it was clear that I would likely not have feeling in my legs for several days if I didn't head back - so I did. Still, I managed to log 20.39 miles, to push the total to 32.35. I am hoping to be able to get back out tomorrow, but unless my legs stop tingling, I may have to wait. In any event, the current saddle situation is untenable. Does anyone have a saddle they want to sell me? I have $2.91 left in the budget.

Post-ride, an even older gentleman on a newish Specialized who had parked beside me asked if Bumblebee was a 3-speed, and was reminiscing about the green, 3-speed "English Racer" he had gotten in 1953. (Evidently it wasn't a Raleigh). I didn't tell him that mine was older than that, but seeing it put a smile on his face, and when we went over to see if the gent with the all-terrain e-quad-recumbent needed any help putting it back in the bed of his truck, he was telling the recumbent rider that my bike was a 3-speed like the one he had, it nicely capped the day. Overall, it was a good day out, even if I still lack some feeling in my legs.

edit: Some days I'm slow, and on others, even slower. As I was pondering my saddle dilemma and taking stock of what is hiding in the saddle department, I came across the Ideale saddle that had come off the Hetchin's that I used to have. Now it might have been on the J A Holland that I had before that. In either case, I acquired the J A Holland for $185 (plus overseas shipping). I then agreed to a trade offer of it for the Hetchin's - which I sold the frame/fork/headset of for something like $850.00 - so in either case, it's a free saddle - and while I haven't gotten it to conform to me yet, it will not make my legs go numb, so tomorrow - on it goes.
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Old 06-12-22, 11:16 AM
  #394  
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I've been super busy remodeling a bathroom and have not been able to wrench or ride. However before the bathroom I did a 42 mile ride on Paramount bring the miles up to 149. I also decided to rock the World, I did this because I wanted to compare the similarities and differences between.

I've had the World since the beginning of the lockdown. Both were frame only purchased. I tried to build period or as original as I could. Between the two the black is bigger than the orange. The orange has more flex really feels like a ground hugger. The black does have flex but it feels stiff compared. I would take the Shimano GS over the Suntour vGT, I would take the Shimano Arrow front derailleur over the Suntour ARS. The brakes are a wash the orang has Diacomp levers with 610 Weinman front and back on the orange. The red dot brake levers are great, the Diacomp levers were just fine. The shifters I prefer the Shimano over the ratchet on the black. I expected the Campy wheels on the Paramount to be better, they were not. The Shimano wheels are really fast.

I find that on he paramount the new kenda tires really really suck compared the original tires on the World. I felt like a slug on the Paramount with those tires, true slug, that is a Kenda slug that can gobble the miles in comfort. The tires really have me wondering, I'm thinking I'll do a wheel swop.

The Orange World frankly is a performer built at a time of when the Yen was low to the dollar.

Onto the Bottecchia, once again I need to resize a pinched seatpost clamp to 27.2. I had a minor disappointment with the bb, the cups are good but the spindle as a chunk. The headset rebuilt clean I found some Suzie black hub wheelset I more or less have parts to come together but brake levers are the weak link in the project.
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Old 06-12-22, 03:16 PM
  #395  
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Got up to 88 east-coast degrees here today. New saddle is a huge improvement. Had to make a stop about a mile in to raise it a little, and as I was getting ready to dismount to attend to that, a whiff of the air told me someone nearby had some skunkweed. The fellow called attention to himself (crouched beside a building) announcing he was just taking a taste of something. When I stopped to adjust the seat, he went on ahead. Maybe a half mile down the greenway, I see him stopped with his bike upside down. His hands were completely black with grease, and he said he had a problem with his chain, but couldn't figure it out. I had it sorted for him in under a minute, and adjusted his rear quick release too. I went on my way with rather greasy fingers myself.

I'd only been out about 3 or 4 times this year before taking Bumblebee out, so while my circulation was fine, my legs were feeling the effects of yesterday's ride. This said, I did not have to walk up any of the short punchy climbs today. Stopped on the return direction to see what had become of what had been my LBS. I had seen on local news that they were co-locating with an adventure outfitter, so I went by to see. Sadly, that LBS is no more, and the "co-location" amounted to their stock being sold to the outfitter, and the LBS owner picking up a part-time wrenching gig there. That put a damper on the mood and I contemplated this while taking on a "small" ice cone.




Decided one circuit was best, but I wanted to see how fast I could get this old thing to go. With just over a mile to go, I hit a flat, open stretch with absolutely nobody else in sight. Strava said I topped out at 20,8 mph on semi-dead legs.

I wanted to point out my cheap, solution to my front brake dilemma. After going through my spare brakes, and realizing that all I had that would work was a center-pull, and then going through my 2 or 3 hangers, and realizing none of them would work, hit upon this idea. I had purchased a bag of 50 plastic adjusters for cheap a few years back and thought, "If I only had a place to set this"... After a trip to Ace with one of the adjusters and the lamp bracket, I found a perfect washer for 59 cents. Despite being a perfect size, it needed to not move around. I've been sorely disappointed with various "super glue" formulas before (including Gorilla Superglue). Well, let me tell you about one that works beyond my expectations. Loctite Super Glue Gel control went on exactly where I wanted it to go, and on went the washer. No less than 10 seconds later, I thought, "hmmm let me move this just a little farther away from the headset lock nut.' Too late. That washer was not moving.




And the "new" saddle. Will have to see it there's some way to replace the bag strap attachment points that were on the rear of this saddle when it left the factory. Even if I can't, this is a huge improvement over what was on it yesterday.




Today's mileage. 14.30
Total mileage 46.65 almost halfway there (over 3/4 had I chosen a metric frame)
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Old 06-12-22, 03:35 PM
  #396  
TrekCommuter
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Imperial century challenge completed (on multiple rides) on the Jamis Quest, which I would put as a '98 or '99. It has been a spirited ride and has been fun to cruise around on as a commuter and on family rides. It has a longer reach than what I am used to, and the geometry was not my favorite for commuting in traffic. However, I've enjoyed the challenge and the old 700x23mm Vittoria tires held up remarkably well. It has taught me a lot:
  • It's amazing what a little cleaning and WD-40 can accomplish
  • While I would never run 23mm tires on my Bianchi Volpe (primary road bike), I might consider dropping down from 28mm to 25mm at some point
  • I love my Trek 7.2 FX for in town riding with traffic
  • I love my Bianchi for distance riding, and it is exceptionally comfortable
  • There are some screaming deals on Craigslist - especially if you're willing to get your hands dirty and work on shifters and derailleurs
I'll be keeping the Jamis and returning it to its original purpose - trainer bike in the basement. Tomorrow the Trek will return to commuter duty.

Keep the awesome pictures and stories coming!
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Old 06-12-22, 11:49 PM
  #397  
philpeugeot 
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Sorry, no pics this time, but managed 34 miles today after biking to the Sunset District. A bit of drizzle in the Bay Area wasn't enough to ruin the ride, and I'm glad I installed some fenders to keep my bike fairly clean.
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Old 06-14-22, 09:40 AM
  #398  
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The true end of the Clunker Challenge ...

Having completed my 100 km (115.8 km, actually), I managed to complete the final stage of the Clunker Challenge - sending the bike on. I swapped out the Vetta saddle for the Avenir that came on the freebie Trek 820, then retrieved last year's Centurion LeMans and swapped out its 23 mm Continentals for the 25 mm IRCs. I removed the Look pedals and fitted its stock MKS platforms. I lowered the seatpost back down to a sane height. I cursed because as always the rear Continental was a tight enough fit that I punctured the tube. Finally, I took pix and posted it on FB Marketplace for $75 Sunday afternoon. Got a message about it today offering $60, grabbed it on a trip home to walk the dog, and there we go!

Final photos of Champagne Charlie - hopefully he has a good home now!



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Old 06-14-22, 10:16 AM
  #399  
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I failed with my PA-10E.
There was a 10 dollar Univega with suspect tires downtown and I almost went for it. Instead I glued up a couple thread bare Sprinter Gatorskins on a mismatched wheel set, attached clips and straps, replaced the Ideal 80 with my old Brooks and went for a spirited ride.


Not a Clunker.
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Old 06-18-22, 04:35 AM
  #400  
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New Approach

Thought I would try something different. After disassembling the Fuji, I came across a single speed bike (charge) that had a few interesting tidbits. So my goal is to combine elements to make an interesting hybrid, especially the bullhorn bars and brakes.

Charge $35

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