motobecane...

Hiya, hardly poked my nose in here till earlier this week

Last time I had a road bike was in 1987 IIRC, it was a cheapo 5 speed small wheeled number, costing £30 out of the paper, paid for by my paper round, i typically used it like I used my BMX, i remember splitting my head open erm off roading on it at 11 year old!

MTBs ever since, till recent my MTB inspired Revolution Courier Race on big wheels and slicks. Tired of the rigid alu boneshaking frame I have been considering a new city solution recently, and then this came along as if by magic! could be good for some retro fun.

i don't know a heck of a lot about road bikes. It looks pretty decent for its time, late 70s? early 80's? Altus gears (didn't realise it was a recycled name).
I've never been keen on drop bars and head up is wise round here, I reckon with some upturned bars like the charge slice http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... Slice_Bars and a few tweaks and maybe single speed, we could be in business. and for the sake of my slippy passage ways, maybe some cross tyres, or keep it road only and turn my Revo boneshaker into a 29er. hmm


post wash

pre wash ^ \/

looks like its had a few modern upgrades/stuff replaced. rear wheel is proper wobbly



Anyone know a lot about it?

Any good?

I'm really liking it (looking at it!).

More modern than you think, that. Probably late 80s. Perfect for what you want to do with it. Not special, but nice!
I'd keep it geared, personally. Those bars look good as is, or if you're on a budget just do the old roadie trick of turning the bars upside down and making them into bullhorns by cutting the drops off. That's basically all the charge bars do.
Are the wheels 27 x 1 1/4, or 700c? You may struggle to find cross tyres for 27 x 1 1/4. The ones you've got on there already will be good for general road use, just get a lot of air in them.

Cheers, shows what I know. Actually front sticker looks kinda 1986! Tricked by the brown metallic and orange. Not sure about tyre size, will look.
SS comes from living in Manc city nr centre, hardly any hills, but I've gotta get out with me mate on his posh carbon fibre effort now I have this, that could be interesting on one gear!

Actually I realise lied a bit, i used to buy tired scrap bikes off my dad (yeah I know) and do em up, not sure what old cheap road bike I had to do up at 15y.o. (1992) but thats what I did, refreshed greasy bits, rub down and matt black paint job, turned bars up sidedown, chopped em. bingo! Sold at car boot sale not long after.

Well it's finally indoors! :twisted: :idea:

Noticing more and more cool city bikes around, old and new machines.

No pics in this remote installment but I have had a look, and a wee think.

Weight is good @ 25lbs approx with all 12 gears.

Size looks good, 24" seat tube (23" TT), bigger than I'm used to but my longer than average legs can take it, will just look out for my balls!

So why does it have only 170mm cranks:?: i think I'll need longer which is a pity as they are Sugino which i think is good in roadie world and the rings look good too.

BB is rattly and loads of play, fit and forget sealed unit? or new bearings?..

Seat post isn't budging yet... not even really tried properly, applied loose juice....

Wheels, now this is a biggie. Rear (Alesa or something better maybe i think, Shimano 600 hub) is quite banana'd probably and a CMish of side to side, and a little bit up and down.

Front one (Araya off a Carrera), might be a little but uppy downie too, true enough. very loose cones, spins ok, but no grease.

I make do with 1 gear round the city so I'm leaning towards the 1 gear approach :? tempted with flip flop hubs fro freewheel/fixie, if I'm getting new wheels its suddenly gets pricey, and not totally sure where to took and what it.
been on charlie bike monger shop sute and a couple others, inc velo solo
Gonna be a couple hundred squid isn't it :?

hmm

could see about getting these trued for now.

how about a front disc hub for the fixed cog and try to find a cheap bmx rear hub for a freewheel . freewheels are more unpopular in bmx than baggy jeans at the moment so shops are trying to get rid , especially in 10mm . use some coil spring compressors to set the rear end to 110mm oln

front probably just needs a service and depending on the condition of the rim a respoke

stick with the 170mm if you can . your knees dont have to bend as much at high revolutions and if your going fixed you will want that extra 5mm of pedal clearance im sure

Ah cheers mate,

I was looking at our own Velo Solos page

http://www.velosolo.co.uk/shophub.html
I saw these when I delved into SS conversions a year ago, having a good look now, its Fixed only though isn't it? not sure how ya'd get a free wheel on it. I was thinking more flip flop swap round.

Soz I'm slightly out of my depth.

Whats wrong with baggy jeans? I was planning on wearing round town, with a beanie and long hair to be different from the flat cap and satchel Fixie massive!

next you'll be telling me the 44t ring on the BMX is uncool :roll:

yep fixed only . ive been trying to think of a rear hub that was screw on with a 6bolt disc but i think the two are too far apart in standards

you could look for a bmx rear that has both size thread on either end , i have one made by dk with sealed bearings . you could have a normal freewheel and fixed screw on sprocket on the other side

a change of bearings and a new 10mm axle http://www.cyclesportuk.co.uk/product_i ... cts_id=378

http://www.cyclesportuk.co.uk/product_i ... ts_id=1813

if you have £145 how about a gsport ratchet . very strong and because george has made it compatible left or right you just flip one of the pawls over and its fixed . you would need someone with a lathe machine a bit of the bolts down to 10mm though

http://www.gsportbmx.com/home/2007/10/r ... sics_1.php