Best of the "Worst" bikes? Bike Boom and BSO's
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Best of the "Worst" bikes? Bike Boom and BSO's
What's the worst bike that you still went ahead and fixed up? Here's mine: A Columbia Arlington bike-boom "road bike" with one piece cranks and steel wheels. Replaced the rear with an aluminum rim out of the pile, adjusted the brakes and derailleurs and put on some new gumwalls. The paint, color, and overall aesthetic seemed too cool to just trash. Hopefully someone gets some use out of it!
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1984 Kuwahara before cleaning and polishing.
After a CA bath and alot of elbow grease.
1984 Kuwahara Apollo. I used to really dislike these because it had a lugged frame and steel wheels. But it's still a "Kuwahara" though the cheapest one they ever made. I passed up many of these over the years but the chrome got my attention and it also had most of it's OG parts. Glad I saved it now.
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The worst?
This. Thought it'd be fun. It wasn't. It was horrible. At 25kph it would begin to resonate with my pedaling cadence and oscillate totally out of control. Terrifying.
Did one ride around the block, took this picture, and put it straight into the dumpster when I got home.
This. Thought it'd be fun. It wasn't. It was horrible. At 25kph it would begin to resonate with my pedaling cadence and oscillate totally out of control. Terrifying.
Did one ride around the block, took this picture, and put it straight into the dumpster when I got home.
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I bought this Huffy for $5, mainly because it looked like it had hardly any miles on it. I put a well worn pair of Pasela tires on it and it wasn't bad, although it was a bit small for me. Switching to Northroad style bars made it better. I ended up donating it last spring when everyone was looking for bikes.
late 1980's Huffy Tectra
I bought this Kabuki for nostalgic reasons, my first ten-speed was a Kabuki. I have replaced the steel components and rims with alloy stuff from the parts bin, so it is down a few pounds from its original weight. I would love to find a Submariner or a Super Light some day, but this one works for now.
1970-something Kabuki Super Speed
late 1980's Huffy Tectra
I bought this Kabuki for nostalgic reasons, my first ten-speed was a Kabuki. I have replaced the steel components and rims with alloy stuff from the parts bin, so it is down a few pounds from its original weight. I would love to find a Submariner or a Super Light some day, but this one works for now.
1970-something Kabuki Super Speed
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Takara was right there in the bike boom. I have more money in this thing than it will ever be worth, but for nostalgia purposes, it is worth more than I have in it.
Takara 950 Deluxe 12
Takara 950 Deluxe 12
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
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Definitely this Phillips Manhattan. Still makes me shudder:
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Dude, that Columbia is like a body-off restoration of a Datsun B-210 "Honey Bee".... I freakin' love it!!!
--Shannon
PS: The black Takara is rad.
--Shannon
PS: The black Takara is rad.
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Wow, that's a good looking bike! Reminds me of the Takara Horizon Mixte I bought. When I picked it up I thought someone put lead shot in the seat tube as a joke. Every component was steel. Swapped over aluminum components from another bike with a rotted frame, and it turned out OK, but still probably the heaviest small frame I've ever had.
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#11
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This....potentially. While Made in France, and kind of a historical artifact to the Denver bike business (it was only sold in Denver), the drivetrain is shot due to the fact the plastic in the components ages quickly and the front derailleur already is cracked. However, the chromed fork crown I found out after getting it home is actually plastic. Cottered crank, but original bar tape, no rust, decals in mint condition.
So now I either need to try to keep is period specific, or just say screw it, and use modern components. Or - leave as is as a piece of history. If it were not for the pristine condition, I would turn it into a commuter, but something tells me this, while being a heavy Hi-Ten 10-Speed bike, there is something about retaining this for its condition at this point.
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Fixed up a cheap Ross road bike for a buddy a couple years back. Hi-ten frame, stem shifters, steel-rim 27" wheels, turkey levers, etc....
Ended up being a pretty fun bike when it was all said and done, so long as it isn't raining out!
Ended up being a pretty fun bike when it was all said and done, so long as it isn't raining out!
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OMG, this thing rides dreamy. Horrible color.
BOOM, Azuki is actually pretty good the worst is the cranks, the Maxi gap in between the chainrings is chain suck waiting to happen
BOOM, Azuki is actually pretty good the worst is the cranks, the Maxi gap in between the chainrings is chain suck waiting to happen
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Got this as a freeby from a neighbor. Haven't done much to it except scrub the rust off the shiny parts, adjust brakes and shifting, adjust handlebars to a better angle. It's in my basement hooked up to a bike trainer now, but I took it for several 5 or 6 mile rides last fall. Gotta say, it's surprisingly fun to ride, for what it is. I have a relative who's owned a few new cheapo Walmart Huffys over the years and I rode them once or twice, and I can assure you I'd take a 40 year old Free Spirit over those any time...
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One ride on this Carabela, and I knew it was a better fit for one of my almost-non-cyclist friends.
He will 'enjoy' it more than me as his 2nd bike - given the infrequency of his rides on his 1st bike.
edit: some times a clean and pretty-ish bike deserves the position of Garage Queen/King.
He will 'enjoy' it more than me as his 2nd bike - given the infrequency of his rides on his 1st bike.
edit: some times a clean and pretty-ish bike deserves the position of Garage Queen/King.
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 02-03-21 at 05:33 PM.
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I bought this Kabuki for nostalgic reasons, my first ten-speed was a Kabuki. I have replaced the steel components and rims with alloy stuff from the parts bin, so it is down a few pounds from its original weight. I would love to find a Submariner or a Super Light some day, but this one works for now.
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Interesting that this thread would come up at this time. Though I have owned, street restored and ridden several old Torpados, from the sixties and seventies, the most recent was the lowest in the Torpado line up. I have never street restored a lower tiered bike...
But the bike was so complete, and so original, that I could not resist spending a couple of hundred bucks on a simple restoration. It is good to go now but too cold outside for me to be good to go...
But the bike was so complete, and so original, that I could not resist spending a couple of hundred bucks on a simple restoration. It is good to go now but too cold outside for me to be good to go...
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Last edited by randyjawa; 02-03-21 at 05:13 PM.
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For me it's absolutely, positively the Godzilla Takara.
(...apologies for the photobucket shot. guess it's been a while hahahaha)
(...apologies for the photobucket shot. guess it's been a while hahahaha)
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
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Wow, that's a good looking bike! Reminds me of the Takara Horizon Mixte I bought. When I picked it up I thought someone put lead shot in the seat tube as a joke. Every component was steel. Swapped over aluminum components from another bike with a rotted frame, and it turned out OK, but still probably the heaviest small frame I've ever had.
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Hey Het Volk and guy 1138! Too many similarities to deny. Bike I got in about 74. St. Etienne sticker, distinctive lug shapes and wannabe M on the steel fork crown. It must have been a morning bike. Similar to how vodka figures in to the quality of Baltic Birch plywood I use in my woodworking. I recently refurbished it. Bike is strong, solid, has a nice ride and I'm not afraid to get gravel bikey with it. Obscure wisdom and knowledge from verktyg and juvela were a big help. Triplizer from Red Clover. Now 52-42-30 and 14-28 makes hills easier and weighs in @ 26lbs as built. Still looking for 25-25.5ish alloy seat post to replace original steel. I like this bike.
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Paging past the pics of the yellow mixte, on first glance I thought the head badge said "Can't Either"
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