Retrovelo Paul Alfine

[SilverSurfer]

I've been fancying something like this for a while:

http://www.retrovelo.de/paulalfine.html

Bit pricey at £1.5k - do you think something similar could be knocked up out of an old MTB frame?

I guess a derailleur version could work, but the thing that makes it work is the whole practical aspect in a one-stop scenario (hub gears, good disks, hub dyno lighting and full guards).

 

[Agency_Scum]

How about hub brakes and led lights? Rear lights cost bobbins and front ones are a pay-as-much-as-you-like option but taking the lights off and bagging them would save a shedload of weight, techno-faffing ( wiring, solder the earth, weight etc ) and, along with hub brakes, contribute to the clean lines of the design.

 

[MikeD]

I was pondering a dynohub/LED setup on the Humu I'm putting together, but I'm thinking that I might just use a permanently-mounted battery-powered LED (probably an adapted cheap torch) on a fork-mounted bracket. Makes it hard to forget (or steal) but without dynohub faffage/cost.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I have a large old steel frame and I'm thinking a Sturmey Archer AW 3 speed, maybe drum brakes or stick with cantis and a cheapish dynohub of some sort (maybe SA again).

Full guards, Mary bars and I should have something that fits the bill.

 

[DM]

That doesn't look great VFM to me.
There must be loads of ways to build something similar but far cheaper.
An old MTB frame would be fine; tough black powdercoat; add mudguards & chain-guard etc...

A Humu would be a perfect candidate,as the BB is quite low, so you can touch the floor easier when sitting nonchalantly at traffic lights etc.

 

[Agency_Scum]

Could end up like my old titanium Rock Lobster CX bike...



( click on picture )