Standalone 

Check it out!
8 speed 120 mm

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=24353

this takes me out of SS territory, but I think y'all have convinced me to get this thing geared. Thanks!

kyselad

Don't do it; the SA 8 speed has direct drive in 1st gear, so unless you're riding a folder, it's a pain to set up. I you want to go 8 speed, go Nexus/Alfine. The range on the SA 5 speed is pretty good for most applications. If you're dead-set against respacing, the 3-speed is probably good enough for a townie.

Standalone 

cool thanks for the heads up... don't worry though, I'd run the numbers before buying anything.

THEJAPINO

Open pro's please.

I re-converted my 80's paramount to a geared bike. Someone had a newer low-spoke count Shimano wheelset for DUMB CHEAP! I passed and went hunting for a set of open pro's. The bike looks very period correct and if you didn't know anything about bikes, you might think my bike is just some old road bike. Its a sleeper

Leukybear 

Sounds like an awesome project to me! Perhaps the making of an spectacular father's day/ birthday?

Any "deep V" variant/ colored wheelset will attract thieves... sorry.... But thankfully a beefy accessory cable pared with a u lock does a good job at deterring thieves.

Sammyboy

That frame though. It's not 25" in a million years.

Standalone 

whatever, dude.

Standalone 

To clarify for others who don't get the name, Gandalf Greyhame (the Grey) was drawn down into the pits of the Mines of Moria as he defeated the Balrog. Later in the trilogy, he reappears as Gandalf the White. Thus the planned name for the bike.

That would make me, the destroyer of the original bike, the Balrog, I guess.

Sammyboy

You appear to be measuring the top tube? Normally when someone gives a frame measurement without specifying what measurement it is, it's the seat tube. A 25" bike is big. Not impossible big, but 6'3 riders and above big.

Sammyboy

(the clue, but the way, is the head tube length. I tend to ride 24", and can ride 25", and the headtubes on both of those are longer. I'd guess this is 23")

Standalone 

I'm posting a photo of the measurement-- why "guess..." ??? Do you think that I'm just sticking it on 25 to keep some kind of silly internet cred?

You're being thrown by the relaxed geometry of the frame. I love the geometry, it's what I grew up riding. Great for regular distance/pleasure/charity/commuter/century rides. It's not even a butted or chromoly frame, really only one step up from gaspipe, but it's pretty and shaped right. Who cares about an extra pound of steel in the frame when you're 60 like my dad and just toodling around or maybe riding to work on a spring Friday?

Anyway, c-t of the ST is the standard frame measurement that folks use, especially on an old frame. Like my 66cm Panasonic or my 62cm Jamis. The bike is hanging up from its rear wheel in my workshop. Too many bikes around to keep them all horizontal. c-t is what you see here.

I'm not going to get into an argument over what frame size fits whom, though TT length is most important to me. But it's still a 25". And I'm big. So's pops. Bike geometry's a complicated thing from what I gather.

Not sure whether I can still post about the frame in here, since I'm setting up a wheel build at the LBS with a SA 5 speed, with drops and a bar end. It should fit in the 120 MM rear spacing. (or should I post a pic to prove the spacing...?)

Sammyboy

Ok, my bad. In the picture, it looks very much as though you're measure the TT, not the ST, because of the way the seatpost appears to be emerging at an angle to the tape. Looking again, I guess you've let go of the other end of the tape to hold the camera, and gravity has done the rest.

Standalone 

yup. the bike was hanging down from the ceiling of my workshop/garage from its rear wheel.

in other news, the rear wheel is finished, with a 5 speed SA freewheeling IGH hub (120 mm OLD) laced up to a plain ol' sun rim. I'm throwing an Atala original campy hubbed front wheel on the front. The front will remain 27" until I come across a decent front wheel for cheap. Since the same tube will work for both, I'm not to worried about it.

Part of the idea is to put together a sweet vintage ride with chromed lugs that isn't a super theft magnet.

Apologies to the ss/fixie purists. This thread has obviously left the realm of this sub forum

avner

Look brah,

This **** sounds hot.

Either post pictures or i'm going to stop viewing this thread because everytime I see you post, I come looking for pictures.
The Balrogs cute.
But I can't keep coming looking for pictures of the bike and feeling this crushing disappoint.
Thanks.

Standalone 

Done. And Done.

Leukybear 

It looks great!

Make sure you get a good lock to go with it for your dad as I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who wants it.

Standalone 

chainline.





I did the fenders pedals and seat. Everything else I left up to the shop, Devil's Gear in New Haven. The only part of the build I didn't like is the black brake cable. They went with black b/c the shifter cable was black and I had a 20 year old black gel saddle on it when I took it in. I think I could have gotten away w/black on the shifter cable and white on the brakes, but I'm not really that much of a color matching wuss.

Saddle is a VO 5. (Wasn't that a shampoo in the '80s?) It was $20 off. My father, who was never all that tough when it came to saddles, thinks it's plenty comfortable, even brand new in 30deg F weather. I had been a bit worried about it.

VO half clips and the smooth VO fenders were on sale for $29. I left the fender stays long on th e back just to give some flexibility in removal and placement on some other bike, since they function fine w/o trimming. I think the bike looks pretty hawt without the fenders, but I really wanted to build up a dignified gentleman's road cruiser.

I have some more photos. There are a few with my father after he recieved it that are pretty cool, at lest to me.

Dad's already had it out twice after being off bikes for 18 or 19 years. He's been raving about it. My mother said that she's not seen him so excited and happy about anything like that for years and years. It's just as fun seeing him with it as watching my little guys enjoy their Christmas!

Leukybear 

Now that's heartwarming.

On another note is that quill stem by AVA? Because it looks just like the stems that sheldon brown warns about.
Not trying to cramp the occasion but safety is always first.

Standalone 

And in the bike mag my wife stuck in my stocking was a picture of this new Pashley 3-Speed FG:



and no chromed lugs...

blickblocks

Beautiful build OP!

Sixty Fiver

Dad's already had it out twice after being off bikes for 18 or 19 years. He's been raving about it. My mother said that she's not seen him so excited and happy about anything like that for years and years. It's just as fun seeing him with it as watching my little guys enjoy their Christmas!

This is Christmas... well done.

HandsomeRyan

Edit: I didn't see that this thread had a page 2 and the bike was finished. (it's early here) Turned out nice.

Dcv

Outstanding job and great post. Thx

Standalone 

Thanks. Tonight's blizzard will be the first time I will EVER be disappointed to see snow. I definitely wanted to get a good 15 or 20 in with Dad before they head back to Maryland. There's a raw east wind already kicking up pretty fiercely off the sound...

Thank you. The front wheel is actually from my mother's Orange '73 Atala, the bike I took on MS150's when I was 12 and 13. (so 27" front w/a 700C rear. Eventually the front might get a dyno 700C) The most beautiful part about it to me is its connection to my first years of riding.

The stem does look quite similar-- thanks for the heads up. But as I recall it says something cipielli or some thing. Definitely italian. The shop did the wrap for me. I'd hate to have to try and re-do it myself!

edit: stem is carinelli, botteccia's house brand/maker. Came off a dumpster dive botteccia. Liked it better than the one that was on my mother's Atala.

avner

Beautiful build man. The only thing I could desire is mustache bars, but over all that thing is absolutely gorgeous. Very happy to finaly see pictures.