Freakin'Chickin

Hello folks!

I know you guys get somewhat addicted to post with pictures, I'll try to add some soon enough. As my ice canoe racing season faded away as fast as the ice melted this winter, I decided to make something out of my spare time and restore an old bike to the usable state. But, as I am still on the unemployed side (I am a seasonal worker: forest technician for the moment), budget is tight.

I found a abandoned frame halfway into the Cap-au-Diable (Devil's Cape, a little cliff here in Quebec city where people find it great to pitch things down it: bikes, computers, office chairs, beer bottles), and I tried to rescue it, but I couldn't quite catch it, so I had to make it stumble down to the bottom of that cliff. It's an old mixte frame from Eaton's: a red Roadking, seems like a mid-70's or so. I knew they weren't pricey nor valuable when new, but evet after its 30 meter fall, seemed still rescuable to basic functionality, as an "errands-runner" "and beer-getter".

The chromed fenders were badly bent, as the fork was a bit, deraileur hanger a bit also, but except for that, the bike seemed in "almost-as-good-as-new" condition. I bended them back into shape. Not much rust on the frame (except for some little tiny spots), I polished the stem, handlebar and cottered crank with steel wool and it got along fairly well. Brakes are kinda pitted with rust a little more, but a good polishing with a dremel tool got rid of that too. One of the cotter pin was getting loose, but I hammered it back while the nut rested on a 2x6" and it made the job nicely. I changed the pulleys on the Shimano Eagle deraileur (pulleys were pickd up from another dump rescued deraileur), and after a little degreaser soak, chain + deraileur seem brand new. Fenders were whacked back into some shape with a hammer, looks okay, not too ugly, I guess!

The only problem I have to figure out now, apart of putting it back together, now, is that I have only one wheel to put on it. I found at the same place, Devil's Cape, an almost mint steel wheel, with a good looking and serviceable "IRC Guaranty Roadster" tire on it, black thread with white walls. Very cool looking with the Firetruck red paint of the frame. BUT, it is a 26" x 1 3/8 size, and seems to fit the bike perfectly. The problem is that I don't have the matching rear wheel. Bummer. Can't seem to find a pre-owned or NOS one lying around bike shops somewhere and I can't resign myself to order one new, or on Ebay. The price tag that goes along was my main concern because I wanted that project to be as cheap as possible.

I found a pair of ordinary (i.e. modern) 26" wheels with a 5 speed cassette close to my home. But wheels are alloy, and they really don't have a nice looking rim: very wide, with cracked 26x2.0 tires. I would have to measure the wheel axle to see if it fits, or if too wide, I could "cold set" the rear triangle. Could I simply switch to a 26" wheel in back + 26X 1 3/8 in front? That would not make for a cool looking bike, only serviceable though. Would brake reach be an issue? Either that or I switch both wheels for 26" decimal, or I pull out the cash and order a new wheel + tire. Do you know of any 26x1 3/8 tire with white walls, to go with the previous IRC?

Thanks in advance for your replies... Pictures to follow tomorrow!

gurry

Keep going back to the Devil's Cape, something is bound to show up. Sometimes, piecing together a cheap ride can take longer than you want. Just keep an eye out for those old three speed bikes, they have the 26 by 1 and 3\8 wheels you want. Do you have a shifter on the handlebars?

love2pedal.com

Sorry, I can't answer your question, but I just want to say Quebec City is the prettiest city I have ever visited in North America and I would love to go back again! I loved cycling around that island a few km out of town to the NE

Freakin'Chickin

I have a stem-mounted shifter that came along on the bike, so for that it's okay, even the cable is in good condition. The clamp seems big enough that I could mount it on the frame too. I guess I will only have to be patient: people around here have not yet started the yard/rummage/flea sale for spring cleaning! And you may be right, when snow will have finished melting, maybe I'll found another gem-of-a-wheel!

Freakin'Chickin

Thanks, love2pedal! Yes, the "Ile d'Orléans" is a nice ride to do, usually the first big one we enjoy doing in April: very scenic, not too many cars around (unless you are on a Satuday afternoon in July), little hills, no too windy. As Felix Leclerc, the nationalist singer, said about it: " 42 milles de choses tranquilles", and many others. "Le tour de l'île" is a beautiful song from this poet.

I now have moved to Lac Saint-Jean region but most of my friends are still around here, and as I am a seasonal worker, I spend winter around here, then it's up in the north!

gurry

While your up north for the summer, wouldn't it be nice if one of your friends found a parts bike for you? I like to go to yard sales in the nice weather to see if there are any bikes. Last year, I bought an Eatons Glider for two dollars. I too, need wheels, but I am looking for aluminium. Finding the wheels is the hard part, but it can be done!

luker

I'm pretty sure that you won't be happy with different sized rims front and rear...and there is a difference between those you listed. I would also be suprised if you could get 26" mountain bike wheels in the bike, anyway (too narrow at the bottom bracket). I don't think I've seen a mixte without 27" or 700c wheels - and the wrong rim will not line up with the brakes.

Freakin'Chickin

Yeah, this is what I thought at first... just wanna have another opinion to calm me down in my eager process I have also found a set of 27" wheels... I should try them also, but the 26 x 1 3/8 seemed to fit nicely with the front brake. Gotta try! It's raining/hailing/raining today, good time to do so!