cudak888 

Cover the shipping and it's yours. The paint has flaked in a few areas due to aluminum oxide, but it's surface, not pitting. Send me a PM.

-Kurt

cudak888 

Bob, I see your point, and I also see where I failed to be more exacting in what I was trying to convey. Perhaps this will explain what I meant without making the mistake of broad generalizations:

There are many alive today who grew up in an age when youths were seen and not heard. Some who lived this may feel that time and experience have since earned them the right to pass that same attitude onto other adults they come across along the way.

While this is most certainly not the case for everyone who has experienced such a childhood, sometimes the influence of this type of parenting results in the aforementioned behavior. Jack appears to be a person who has been greatly influenced by such experiences, based on the stories he shared with us.

Perhaps, after 80 years of life, he has earned the right to the attitude he conveys to others today. But it makes it very difficult to communicate, given the current societal norms and expectations for business and conversation.

-Kurt

cudak888 

Snapped some photos last night, but forgot to post them.

First, the "polished" Gitane. As I mentioned earlier, I use this term loosely. Still, it's arguably the best surviving frame of the bunch that's made of hotsie-totsie tubing.





And for those who like to look at train wrecks, here's the worst of the Marinoni's downtube:



The area ahead of it is not as alarming:



When the bottom of your steerer looks like this, you know that stem ain't coming out.



Underside of the top tube has a few spots, but they're not critical.



-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

Quick Kurt--- take the Marinoni frame and fork to the oncologist and start chemotherapy ASAP!

P.S. I have a Stronglight puller I can loan you. Let me know and I can mail it next week when I'm back in GA.

stardognine

Just get some Rust-Oleum paint for it. I heard it's just a can of miracles. 🤔😁

cudak888 

I might take down some of the rust to get a better idea of how bad it is. Might not be a bad thing to acid dip the poor thing to find out if it's just the downtube that's gone.

I might take you up on that Stronglight puller, but I don't want to give myself an excuse not to acquire one finally.

Yep, it's a miracle nobody has died from it

I've seen some local fixie conversions that were subjected to the fad when it started and have been rattle-canned through three or four different owners through the decade - after being beat to a pulp by each owner. The paint, not the tubing, is holding those rattletraps together.

-Kurt

52telecaster

The puller is a great idea. I bought a t.a./stronglight combo puller from a guy in Poland who made them and it took a while before I needed the stronglight but I've use it a bunch in the last year. Good tools are so nice.

tricky 

@cudak888 , thanks for the write up on these nonprofits. I had no idea there were community bike shops in that area. We regularly visit West Palm to see my fiance’s family. Given your experiences, I’d prefer to visit Recyclable Bicycle Exchange to support them. Sounds like my kind of place and Bikeworks-esque. I might be forced to visit the other one due to time constraints and just try to avoid the proprietor. Any other community bike shops you know if in that area?

bikemike73 

LOVE all the stories and THANK YOU Kurt for saving all these bikes !!!!!

The WORLD is GREATLY APPRECIATED !!!!!!!

Keep them coming.

As far as Jack *** , as pastorbob said...no one should be treated that way. Ad that to the " beyond comprehension" prices, I would politely excuse myself, and thank him for his time.

Life is too short to deal with ^%#%$&(*#

Wish you lived closer.....would love to visit your shop !!!!!!

Stay/be safe

cudak888 

Update on the Voyageur. Not really much to see, but a lot done:



Rusted and twisted chain was removed. It's longer than any KMC I had kicking around, so it looks as if a new chain will be in order for this one.

I also respaced the rear hub to 126mm (actually 128, but that prevented me from having to re-dish it and look for washers I'd never find). The hub was apparently at 122mm, which was how someone had respaced it for the Gitane's 120mm rear triangle. It's as if 2mm extra was going to "run in the family" for this rear wheel no matter what.



The Motobecane Nobly had a barely-used, Shimano-knockoff 6-speed freewheel on it which I transplanted here. Perfect fit with the Shimano 6-speed indexed downtube shifters. Deore RD also worked good, considering the state of the chain before removal.



That's also a contemporary Blackburn rack back there. The previous Voyageur-branded rack (I believe this is a coincidence - please tell me if it isn't) didn't actually sit level with the rack braze-ons, and one of the adjustable attachments had snapped from twisting. I'm sure one could set it up with enough careful bending, but this one will bolt up without any bending at all - and it's a LOT sturdier; what one would expect for serious touring.

I don't want to throw that much money at this thing as it'll ultimately become a flip anyway, but I wouldn't mind putting a proper low-rider front rack on it. It just doesn't look right to have all those braze-ons up front and not utilize them as they were intended.



Cockpit view. I ran a new cable to the back brakes, but left the original housing (though I trimmed one end). It works well.



I'm really pleased at how the downtube and top tube wrinkles absolutely vanished after straightening the headtube. Enjoy all the spiderwebbed rust in the closeups.





I don't think anything is going to "pop" on this thing until it has some new 27" tires on it.

Got a PM about a nice one on ePay, but they haven't accepted or rejected my offer yet.

Jeff doesn't usually sell out of the secondary warehouse, but I think he's motivated to do so as they have to move out of that warehouse with the falling roof. I'd recommend calling him and visiting ASAP; there's a good chance many in that building are getting scrapped.

I don't know of any other co-ops other than RBX and Jack, though there's also Miami's Magic City Bicycle Collective - but they're mostly repairs IIRC, as they work out of a container.

Hey, it's what I like to do, even if I question why I do it (Marinoni!) sometimes!

-Kurt

cudak888 

I didn't know if this would work or not, but I bought a pair of discounted hammered Handsome Cycles fenders for the Nobly. They were priced well enough to be interesting, but I'm really not sold on them being an improvement at all.



They definitely work with the subtle Motobecane lettering, but there's something about painted, hammered fenders that I think just might come off as trying too hard.



What's more, it feels as if the fenders disappeared entirely. Once I have actual wheels and skinwalls on this - as opposed to the scrapyard junk on it right now - it might look better. I tried the front Phil/Wolber SCG front in place of the rotten steel rim, but it didn't do anything in the visionary department.



The fenders do have a nice shine when the light hits them, but it's conditional upon said light. I really don't want to do another creme-tire bike either.



-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

Kurt, IMO (which is influenced by my color deficit vision), the blue-green color of the Nobly frameset does not work well with the brown-bronze color of the fenders, even with the similar shade in the decals. To my eye the colors clash. I always try to have the colors compliment.

Now, with that said, I like the direction you are taking. The paint polished up nicely. Great save!

cudak888 

Agreed, though I'm going to wait until I can mock it up with a different pair of tires and rims. Turns out everything from this pile is 27", even the Super Champions that were on the Woodrup. Definitely want to find out if 700's will let me step it up to 32C.

I have a gorgeous Electra hybrid rim here that I was going to test, but it's axle is 2mm larger than the front drops. Would rather not file the front drops either; not when I have the Shimano dynamo hub from the Gazelle Whale waiting to get laced into a wheel. Speaking of which, I'm trying to find a match for that Electra rim, if anyone has one. (Also, I think it's 32h, so it might not work for the Shimano hub - but I'll probably just choose a different rim at that point).

I may feel better about the combo as soon as I have the crank sorted out. I need a Stronglight 122bcd chainring in 47 or 48t, and I'm even leaning towards a drilled 105 ring over a conventional 93. I'm also considering running no guard at all if I can find one of the chain/dork disc protectors for these, as they really do give the crankset a great look. Still want to put a BB-mount chainguard on it though.

-Kurt

cudak888 

Note to self: Don't photograph green Gitanes on green backgrounds.



...but in good news, the Stronglight puller from eBay arrived, and it's a gorgeous little all-in-one tool. It removes the dust caps, crank bolts, and cranks all in one:







The crank is in decent enough shape, but the 42t ring is bent in one spot. Could possibly be tapped back into alignment, but it depends what I do with it.

I'm starting to consider rebuilding the Gitane, and I really don't know why. Maybe because it seems to be the most complete and most decent of the higher-end bikes in this pile.



Meanwhile, I also mocked up the Motobecane with the 93 hanging off of it and a brown and tan (which was brown and white when new) 38C tire off an Electra, mounted to a more presentable spare rim.







Once again, the fenders aren't jiving, but I think there's potential in that tire.

The only thing is that the more I look at this, the more I realize I'm basically building an IGH Raleigh Super Tourer out of an inferior frame with a sexy paint job, and that just makes me want the Super Tourer instead.

-Kurt

52telecaster

Motobecanes do have great paint. Paint that punches above it's weight.

cudak888 

Well, I do take issue when they clearcoat over chrome - that soured me over one Moto long ago.

Their fender eyelet design also locks you into rod-style fender stays, but that's not entirely a bad thing, and they're ridiculously easy to adjust as a result.

We'll see where I go with this. Would like to dig up an 8 speed Nexus and some decent 700C rims.

-Kurt

Whit51 

One of the best threads ever in my 15 years on the C&V forum. Thanks for posting!

cudak888 

I've run out of bronze wool, so progress has been fairly slow on everything - and as time has gone on, I've become a bit fond of the Gitane, probably as it's the only bike with decent tubing in the whole pile that isn't completely scratched up or wrecked.

I did some (more) haphazard cleaning for the heck of it - even though the chrome still looks terrible - though I think it could be half-presentable, given a bit of work. Again, I threw the same spare wheel on the front that I tested on the Moto. Once again, I also don't have a match, though I'm not a fan of the rim that's on it.



Removing cork bar tape always improves things. I use "improve" in a very loose sense.



These Mafac Competitions should look decent after removal and cleanup:



The chrome ugly. It's not pitted though; most of this wants to come off. Somehow, the bronze wool isn't lasting as it used to...



There's a decent bottom bracket under that grime...as usual. "Pity about the rest."



Worse rust on the frame. Ugly, but not anything to worry about.



Ideale saddle clamp. This pile of ugly ought to look a bit better after an OA bath.



Meanwhile, a chain arrived for the Voyageur, which allowed me to discover the 50t ring is bent. Great - as if the bent ring on the Gitane's Stronglight 93 wasn't sufficient enough.

However, I realized that I'd been overlooking a free tire staring me in the face, in the form of the one surviving 27" Continental Grand Sport off the Woodrup's front wheel.



It doesn't have the pretty skinwall look that this bike needs, but hey - it's a flipper, and it probably won't sell locally for more than a Benjamin, if that.

FYI, if anyone has a used, matching (or close to matching) one on hand...PM me.



I had just enough of this green (and hideously overpriced) Yokozuna cable to finish up the RD. Not a perfect match, but nice.



Part of me dies a bit inside at the idea of buying a Biopace ring on purpose. Even if they are in fashion all over again for some inexplicable reason.

-Kurt

cudak888 

I've taken a few photos over the last few weeeks but haven't had time to post them.

One BF thread referenced that the Gitanes are notorious for cutting slag left on the chainstays; commonly associated with the stays rotting out on these. Thankfully, not a problem here - yet. Ground them successfully with a Dremel.

Before:



After:




I also took the cottered crank off the Moto and plopped it in an OA bath with some bits from the Gitane. Wound up selling the crank to dmark as I decided to throw a spare swedged Aero Coronado crank on the Moto. Turns out I'm fresh out of 68mm spindles though (!), so installation will have to wait a bit.





The Gitane got a bit of a cleanup last week. Not great, not bad.



Shiny new NOS Huret downtube cable guide:





Of course the thing isn't straight. I can't find anything straight since I've completed my collection of frame straightening tools.



Done. Like an idiot, I didn't think to check the frame before installing the BB. Worked out though.



I polished the Stronglight crank and reinstalled it this evening. For a rough example, it presents well.




More pics in a moment...

cudak888 

The Stronglight 93 looks a lot better in this picture than in person:







The Stronglight Competition headset is crap in more ways than one. It doesn't look that good, plus the outer raceways have lost so much chrome that I felt it necessary to clear it to prevent rusting after reinstalling.

I've installed new 5/32nd ball bearings in it. The stock 25 bearings don't roll well, a few less cause too much play at the lower raceway. The frame cups are fairly rough, so I'm not surprised.



-Kurt

AdventureManCO 

They actually look a little rough in the picture, too.
















I keed! I keed!


Great thread. Even greater work you are doing. It takes a tough soul to go after such tough projects, and I really admire that. I myself am drawn to the co-op projects, which is where I found my former homeless PX-10 and Ironman. Both had plenty of issues, including stuck parts. However, coming out the other side of things (and having some success), you do really take more away from it, knowing that many others would not have had the gumption to throw down with all that rust, and would have binned the things long ago. But no! Not you! Stick it out and win. A great sense of accomplishment in that, even if the bikes don't really put on the shine that indicates such.

I've got a '72 TdF...it is really good to see you work through this one. Mine has issues as well...notchy headset, bent back steerer/forks, and missing stuff. But I took a brief, highly unsafe, trip around the park w/ it on a donor set of wheels and the ride was just magical enough to make we want to hang onto it and see what could be done. Hoping yours is the same when you first get the chance to saddle up. In my brief research on them, the ride is rated quite highly by others.

I myself should get some frame measuring/straightening tools, but I'm afraid of what I might find.

RCMoeur 

Difficult-to-deal-with people in the cycling community? Heaven forfend!

For several years, we had a psychologist riding regularly with our bicycle club. He said he found bicycle clubs fascinating, as in his assessment it's generally a group of people with individualistic tendencies (trying to) cooperate in a group setting. He said it also might explain why some clubs were very good at spinning off separate clubs in the heyday years of the 70s-early 90s, as headstrong people butted helmets and oftentimes took their two-wheelers elsewhere.

When I worked in shops in the 1980s to get through college, nearly every shop owner I knew was a "difficult/interesting individual" in one way or another. Sometimes just frustrating, sometimes ending in a police raid. I can think of only two exceptions, and I hope they are happy and well.

But great work on straightening out those frames. Impressive work.

cudak888 

Definitely get the full set of straightening tools before considering measuring anything. Saves a lot of heartburn.

This thing is worming itself into my heart as I work on it, but I know I'll never quite fit it. I need a 58-60 and this one is a 56. I did enough cramming onto frames two centimeters too small 10 years ago to know not to try it again. I knew it'd get scrapped if I didn't pick it up though; nobody else was lined up to get them either.

His assessment of cycling clubs might not be far off from most clubs in general! I've certainly seen these tendencies as part of the model railroading hobby too.

Granted, cycling usually involves fairly dogmatic beliefs about riding as well - just mentioning John Forester is enough to result in a bar fight around a group of family/commuter riders.

-Kurt

cudak888 

Voyageur has seen some improvements in the meantime. Tires have been swapped out for gum-ish wall replacements - good enough for flipping duty, and the only 27's that were priceworthy off Amazon.



Chainrings are a hodgepodge of rings from the spares pile, but - importantly - everything but the granny is no longer a greasy, grimy, unsightly Biopace ring. Not that I'm happy with the wear on the middle cog, but that's all I had.





Looking tidy back here:





Bar tape is arriving soon.



The bad news is that it pulls hard to the right. I dropped the fork and spent an hour and a half with it in the Park jig; couldn't really find much wrong with my prior adjustments. Discovered the front rim 3mm out of dish to one side (remember, these rims came off the Gitane, so their history is separate of the Voyageur), but it still doesn't explain the problem.

Pretty sure this one will have to go on the frame table; chances are the headtube is not aligned along the vertical plane.

-Kurt

cudak888 

I can't believe this worked. But it did. That's a solid stainless propeller shaft.




And that's a Cinelli 1E, free and clear of its prison.




And, of course, it's dead.

Every aluminum stem that isn't Japanese becomes a Death Stem if you wait long enough.




In other good news...




And not a scratch on her from it. Just a gazillion pits and ugliness



-Kurt