Alt Bike Culture - Attn esp. Treasure Valley members-My namesake is SOS needs TLC PDQ

I need some advice about fixing the bottom bracket on Tempest, my Rollfast. BOTH of the welds are now breaking or broken and I really dont want to lose this bike! Compare it to finding out your loved one needed a new heart valve. You wouldn't have a second thought, would you?

I have so much work into the bike now I'd rather make the effort to repair it as well as I possibly could. I consider it to be the best bike I've ever owned and so...

Q: Could I find or fabricate a stout new bracket and sleeve then even bolt it in? Cosmetics are not my biggest concern. I want it to survive a few more years, maybe as much as I figure to but I wonder about me sometimes.

Q2: We have at least one other member near me in Caldwell. I would like some advise on who to see for help...

Thanks, Steven

EDIT: *Moderator*, this might do better in the next forum down the directory, although it was the first place I thought of.

Luker, dmotoguy,Gravity Worx, and twobikes all live in Idaho, although I'm not certain where...I think dmotoguy and Gravity Worx are in Boise, and twobikes is definitely in Caldwell.

Can't help you much other than that, sorry Rollfast. I know you love your baby (although hopefully not so much that you get put on probation...:eek: ).

East Hill

Luker, dmotoguy,Gravity Worx, and twobikes all live in Idaho, although I'm not certain where...I think dmotoguy and Gravity Worx are in Boise, and twobikes is definitely in Caldwell.

Can't help you much other than that, sorry Rollfast. I know you love your baby (although hopefully not so much that you get put on probation...:eek: ).

East Hill

Oh, not like THAT...I just don't walk as good and it takes forever and I've easily got 4-500 dollars total into my bike and it IS the most fun bicycle I've ever owned, hands down. I could possibly come up with that Monarch again but I'm stubborn and stick with stuff I like (boy, did that make my last relationship murder). If I have to sleeve, bolt or Crazy Glue something on I will.

I'll give a holler to somebody out there...just hoped they'd holler first.

Thanks.

Pleen is also from Caldwell, and it is about 30 miles northwest of Boise. There are several from Boise on the forum. Idcruiserman comes to mind.

What is the frame material on your bikes--steel or aluminum? Often someone can grind out the old weld that is breaking so the new weld goes down deep into the parent metal. If there is concern over stresses causing future cracking, a gusset or an overlay strip could be added for reinforcement. Getting enough heat for penetration without too much heat to blow through is always a concern, as is changing the temper in the metal or causing distortion due to a lot of heat. It is the kind of thing someone does not mind trying on his own equipment while being very cautious about ruining someone else's bike. If the bike is steel, brazing some reinforcement overlays on might be an option.

I think that Rollfast's bike is indeed steel.

Thanks for replying, twobikes :D !

East Hill

Pleen is also from Caldwell, and it is about 30 miles northwest of Boise. There are several from Boise on the forum. Idcruiserman comes to mind.

What is the frame material on your bikes--steel or aluminum? Often someone can grind out the old weld that is breaking so the new weld goes down deep into the parent metal. If there is concern over stresses causing future cracking, a gusset or an overlay strip could be added for reinforcement. Getting enough heat for penetration without too much heat to blow through is always a concern, as is changing the temper in the metal or causing distortion due to a lot of heat. It is the kind of thing someone does not mind trying on his own equipment while being very cautious about ruining someone else's bike. If the bike is steel, brazing some reinforcement overlays on might be an option.

If I can find the pictures I posted in Tempest--The Grey Bike Grows Up, there is a small chance you can see the welds look like brazing without added metal sections and I think the concern was as you are mentioning, that somehow there was concern for the thickness and quality of the original metal, which I'm also certain is steel as I just went out and did a check with one of my numerous uninstalled speakers. I will photograph the damage tomorrow as my old Epson camera has to be powered by the wall wart lately, it is trying to rain in Ontario as you may be aware and daylight will be better than the flash. The brazing HAS cracked off to my knowledge and that's what I believe happened.

Thank you for your reply...oddly enough, I just got back from Nampa after having a Thanksgiving dinner with my sister, brother in law and their kids about two hours ago...

PS Would loading the front down a bit heavy a few times add to this?

the welds look like brazing without added metal sections...The brazing HAS cracked off... Would loading the front down a bit heavy a few times add to this?

Brazing material would leave yellow like brass when brushed briskly with a wire brush at the joint. Brazing is inherently not as strong as welding. Brazing will make a lot of heat, too, and will burn off some of your paint.

When you mention "loading the front down," are you talking about pushing down hard on the pedals or about carrying extra weight over the front wheel? Pedalling hard would naturally add stress to the bottom bracket.

Attached is a drawing of what could be possible. The heavy lines would be strap iron, probably 1/8" x 1/2" or 3/4" and could be brazed to the frame tubes and bottom bracket. It is not pretty, but it should add to the strength of the frame.

Just have it welded if you aren't concerned with cosmetics. Shouldn't set you back more than $20 or $30 if you can find someone willing to do it.

Brazing material would leave yellow like brass when brushed briskly with a wire brush at the joint. Brazing is inherently not as strong as welding. Brazing will make a lot of heat, too, and will burn off some of your paint.

When you mention "loading the front down," are you talking about pushing down hard on the pedals or about carrying extra weight over the front wheel? Pedalling hard would naturally add stress to the bottom bracket.

Attached is a drawing of what could be possible. The heavy lines would be strap iron, probably 1/8" x 1/2" or 3/4" and could be brazed to the frame tubes and bottom bracket. It is not pretty, but it should add to the strength of the frame.

I mean I carry a good bit of cargo, sometimes 20 lbs up front. But if the cracking occurred I can see that I'm putting down a lot of force. To make the mattters worse my feet splay out at about 45 degrees normally or less if I make a conscious effort. Pedal traps don't jive for me. I had a rather scary time a week back when my still like new thrift store New Balance 707 AT shoe went off the right pedal while trying to take off from the neighborhood store I spent maybe half a minute, seemed like 3 minutes trying to recover myself and keep from falling over when my right hand went off with it and I found myself sore and going left, left, left in a circle with little control of the handlebar and stuttter stepping my feet until I got back in the driveway and stopped. The shoes are worn more now and are less of a problem...

The AT is for ALL-TERRAIN, you know:eek::p:rolleyes:

I recognize the color you are describing some, and yes burnt paint.

I am not sure you can do what you suggest in the back because it forks IIRC and there's a mounting point for the rear fender. I will go look but but the tube for the seat post and the bottom tube up to the head tube are really it.

Are you pretty familiar with a Schwinn DX like frame, i.e. pre-Typhoon/Phantom? My figuring is this is one of that type.

I have a Columbia repro frame where you can see the brazings and I am sure that you could find somebody to rebraze the joints. But depending on the damage welding could be easier as brazing needs clean and tight joints. Pics of the cracks would help.

Is this a prewar frame? you might have better luck finding a new donor frame for the parts. Not a Rollfast but still from the same era. http://boise.craigslist.org/bik/482619823.html.

I have a Columbia repro frame where you can see the brazings and I am sure that you could find somebody to rebraze the joints. But depending on the damage welding could be easier as brazing needs clean and tight joints. Pics of the cracks would help.

Is this a prewar frame? you might have better luck finding a new donor frame for the parts. Not a Rollfast but still from the same era. http://boise.craigslist.org/bik/482619823.html.

Postwar I gather, standard chain pattern. That is pretty nice, but more than I spent on Tempest with shipping (about $49.99 and 120something from New York).

I'll get it inside later tonight and get a photo.

I got ahold of Gary again (he did the first repair). He works in a farm shop and he's going to see about picking it up Friday and working on it once more. I know he understands about the sleeves and he was trying to make it work and not be so much but we both know it needed more now and that's what it will get.

We'll expect updates and photos :) .

East Hill

We'll expect updates and photos :) .

East Hill

Thought I'd uploaded some earlier? They didn't get there...here goes again.

BTW The front tube is free but the top hasn't suffered too badly. It's still wobbly as all get out and require a steady, even and light foot.

That looks like it needs major TLC. I think you would be best to disassemble the bike so you can get completely around the tube with your welds.

Cool bike, I like your panier boxes. Are they from a motorcycle.

That looks like it needs major TLC. I think you would be best to disassemble the bike so you can get completely around the tube with your welds.

Cool bike, I like your panier boxes. Are they from a motorcycle.

FOR one...I bought them from an eBay store in California. They were brand new then. They had mounts but those were over 100 dollars more so it has a carrier bent and welded for it.

Gary took the bike to his shop Monday. It's his birthday today so I don't expect them today. He took some other things to the shop in addition (boards to cut for a CRT projector cabinet I made from a five drawer dresser, and I'm almost done with it).

It wasn't sleeved and it looks strong but the way it can creak worries me so! I'm thinking of seeing if my friend really wants the Monarch and buying it outright for my backup, but I will have this problem again and he is large also.

Can I get the housing from any other particular bike with English measurements? I'm using a Redline crank and the original sprocket and the bearings and races are fairly new.

Another thought is to take a section of 1/4 inch thick tube cut down one side and flared at the bottom to braise into the housing and weld to the tubes or even bolt it on twice. I think I need to stop the flexing as that is what I think is breaking the joints. Seeing that it's been braised three times now I think it will be OK but only if I stabilize the twisting.

There is no way I can help the force I put down nor the angle that I put my feet down at and I feel pedal traps could be a real danger to me, as clumsy as I am getting on and off and sometimes catching on shorts during dismount. I've never liked them and I make some conscious efforts to straighten my feet but that is how I also walk so it's a challenge.

Pictures will follow ASAP...I'm a dervish right now trying to finish money-making projects and keep food and bills taken care of and clothes coming. Never mind finishing my livingroom and bedroom A/V setups with reel, cassette decks, Laserdiscs, DVD, Camcorders, mixers, other things and over 250 available watts into 6-10 speakers in the livingroom alone and 1 or 2 CRT projectors.

I'm insane but happy. thank you, thank you very much...

PS I'm still getting my computers together after this one crashed and building another for someone else.

Pictures will follow ASAP...I'm a dervish right now trying to finish money-making projects and keep food and bills taken care of and clothes coming. Never mind finishing my livingroom and bedroom A/V setups with reel, cassette decks, Laserdiscs, DVD, Camcorders, mixers, other things and over 250 available watts into 6-10 speakers in the livingroom alone and 1 or 2 CRT projectors.

I'm insane but happy. thank you, thank you very much...

PS I'm still getting my computers together after this one crashed and building another for someone else.

OK, but we expect photos when you have time.

We love you even if you are a nutter :p .

East Hill

OK, but we expect photos when you have time.

We love you even if you are a nutter :p .

East Hill

I'm into KARAOKE. I'm a SINGING NUTTER.

If I liked planes, I'd be a FLYING NUTTER.

Who's at the door?

NUTTER, HONEY!

The guy down the street owns the corner store and a paint shop a few blocks away. He promised he'd help me use my paints and clearcoat if I sanded it, and he's giving me the sandpaper today. I'll ask if he can help me get the fiberglass bought when I see him. I only have a box of Bondo.

I found a VGA battery camera and downloaded the driver. Hopefully I won't need to rely on the Epson Photo PC 600 that took a fall and has to be on the adapter plus I can't get the NIMH batteries to stay up well (???)

I'm into KARAOKE. I'm a SINGING NUTTER.



WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS :p ! Karaoke in Caldwell? Who knew :D ?

East Hill

WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS :p ! Karaoke in Caldwell? Who knew :D ?

East Hill

No, Ontario. Maybe in two places once again...missed Saddles and Spurs on the 4th, saw the sign yesterday.

I'll bet someplace like the old Victor's has it or a clean and sober club, as in Nyssa.

I haven't got the connection to UL to my computer yet...appparently it's PS/2 to DSL and I need to see if I still have an A-A DSL for my DSL female to PS/2 connectors. My Epson uses PS/2 to serial but it won't work well without the power adapter.

Ever seen a Xirlink digital VGA camera? Apparently the website has been down for a long, long time and while I found the drivers, I need the cable. No cable and the program mostly grays out and I can't find the camera because I'm not using the right connection.

Here's news! The body shop owner from down the street gave me the proper grits of sandpaper and said if I strip it down he will help me paint and I gather help me get the fiberglass and build the fairing when I get to that. Cost: $0

^^^
You might ask in the Foo forum if anyone has what you're looking for with the camera. Not saying that anyone will have it, but they might be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

It's good to know that I was not mistaken in my belief about karaoke in Caldwell (although that's kindof a catchy phrase, isn't it?)--I've been through Caldwell :) .

Great job on scoring the goodies!

East Hill

^^^
You might ask in the Foo forum if anyone has what you're looking for with the camera. Not saying that anyone will have it, but they might be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

It's good to know that I was not mistaken in my belief about karaoke in Caldwell (although that's kindof a catchy phrase, isn't it?)--I've been through Caldwell :) .

Great job on scoring the goodies!

East Hill

I think I figured it out and IF I can find my A-A (male to male) USB cable I can put a PS/2 adapter on it and try it. That's as far as I could get on it and that was mostly intuition and experience.

PS PS: I got an external CD-RW drive and a yard rake donated the other day also.

Update: It's holding together okay. It's also so cold at night that if I don't get facial antifreeze or find my best itchy woolen terrorist ski mask I could look like permanent Botox or something.

I have a lovely balaclava from Cabela's which is blaze orange on one side, turned inside out it's Mossy Oak camo.

It's toasty warm :) .

East Hill

When this happens again, which it definitely will if you had it brazed again, find yourself someone who knows his way around a MIG welder (a pro, not a shop-monkey). Before you bring the bike to him, strip everything out of the BB and clean all the grease out. Also, mosey over to the hardware store and get a set of needle files and use them to get all the braze out of the nooks and crannies of the joints. What you want to be left with is nice, bare, clean steel with nothing to contaminate the welds. Then explain to your welder that a low voltage setting with a slow wire speed setting need to be used so that you don't get too much root penetration into your BB and keep the heat-effected zone small so you don't have to worry so much about twisting the frame. If he does it right, the welds should look just like the braze job did but be MUCH stronger. Since I've been out of school, I've almost completely given up on brazing and consider it inferior to MIG in most applications. Also; if you don't care about the aesthetics, have him add a few small gussets from your chainstays to your seat tube and your seat tube to your down tube. That will boost the strength and longevity a bit by taking some stress off the joints. An honest welder shouldn't charge you more than 40 bucks for a job like that.

I have a lovely balaclava from Cabela's which is blaze orange on one side, turned inside out it's Mossy Oak camo.

It's toasty warm :) .

East Hill

I have a Starter dual shell coat that cost me $5 at a yard sale and believe it or don't has been TOO WARM to ride in until lately.

Does that make me a FASHION VICTIM? :roflmao::rolleyes:

I have a Starter dual shell coat that cost me $5 at a yard sale and believe it or don't has been TOO WARM to ride in until lately.

Does that make me a FASHION VICTIM? :roflmao::rolleyes:

I believe you about being too warm until lately. I've finally decided that I need the full finger gloves, but it's halfway through December, you know?

Fashion victim...yeah, probably. But you're talking to a woman who has a Cabela's balaclava facemask in blaze orange/Mossy Oak camo :p .

So I'm hardly one to talk :D .

East Hill

And I happy to talk at all I guess. By blind luck I guess I caught the leaking gas box in time two hours back. It's happened before but I don't go out a lot normally.

Wow!

Are you all right? Everyone in the house all right?

East Hill

I just found this thread - I'm from Boise, but have NO idea where to get something like that done. glad you found someone to take care of you!

Wow!

Are you all right? Everyone in the house all right?

East Hill

Si, muy bueno!

I saw it was thinking about snowing and decided to take up the slack of my outdoor extension cord so it didn't touch the ground on the way to the shed light in back and that's how I found it.

Hey, it also showed me where I might need to patch the cord and luckily that part can stay in the shed patched an out of he weather for now.

It was a bas gasket or maybe two on the meter box. It's happened in a few places and was caught every time but I wouldn't have normally even been out there.

Man, you were lucky indeed! I'd say someone was keeping an eye on you there, so I hope you gave appropriate thanks :) .

East Hill

I just saw this too.. i have a tig and a mig and can help you out next time. my dad can braze... so between us we could get you going.

I just saw this too.. i have a tig and a mig and can help you out next time. my dad can braze... so between us we could get you going.

It does groan a bit so I don't power up hills...didn't look like it would break just yet but I want to get it the best I can before I go to paint anything (and the body shop owner down the street said he would help me if I stripped it and sanded it good). Sleeving is probably a good idea and it can be braised to taper down to the tubes.

I would appreciate more details, price, whatever as I don't even get to Nampa often so I want to plan. I think you could be of help for my fairing mounts concept where the bottom attachs around the top of the forks and over the handlebar with a tubular base for the wood/composite body for the lightest weight. Right now I couldn't expect the bracket to take the stress/force with the fairing, but I want this bike to live! You rarely see such thought and determination coming from me like that, and I don't like losing stuff before I finish...

Please PM me? Thank you!