Folding Bikes - City Boy

I heard theres a second hand bike store near my work
thought it was 2 miles away...but can nearly see it from my work
I went there on my chrome mtb
Seen a big truck going away with bike parts on it....think that was to the dump :(

the man took me through the big building
they had a Giant boulder in the sale room for £35

Then went out to the store room that had the bikes that hadnt been worked on
it was huge there. Easily 200 bikes.:twitchy:
I saw 3 non folding 20s...and 5 or more old folders. They had a price of £15 per bike.
There was a Hercules Balmoral...3 speed roadster.
Had one as kid...got one now..but not finished building it
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/Balmoral.jpg

There was a Raleigh Arena racer. Had one as kid. Got one now..but its too rough really
Heres my Arena in the middle. There Arena was too big for me
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/95group26.jpg

Anyway....

I got a modern folding bike
Its called Concept City.
Single speed on steel 20" wheels.
With sidepull calipers.
Cost me £5
The components are rusty. So will fit 3 speed alloys.
Other alloy parts too.
See if I can get the weight down.

Will post pics later...when it stops raining

Hurrah! Was severely tempted by ancient but notable bicycles at my local dump yesterday. 'Divorce' is threatened if I bring home more 'junk'.

Wow, an Arena with Cowhorns! I have cowhorns on my donor 20, but I'm thinking of taking them off and putting them on something rather more sit-up-and-beg.

Snafu - what did you find? Our local dump doesn't often provide anything better than Halfords/Argos level MTBs and BMX's, though I did once bring home a decent 3 speed for a fiver.

Wow, an Arena with Cowhorns! I have cowhorns on my donor 20, but I'm thinking of taking them off and putting them on something rather more sit-up-and-beg.

Snafu - what did you find? Our local dump doesn't often provide anything better than Halfords/Argos level MTBs and BMX's, though I did once bring home a decent 3 speed for a fiver.


Affluent area. Superfluity of old Raleighs that nobody's spanners fit, but the occasional Bianchi, or vintage Armstrong/Allen frame, and lots of very nice fast Peugeot MTB frames from the mid-nineties. In reality these old steel frames are chewed up from rust, B/B cups and seatposts seized into the frame. I'd spend more restoring one of these than I would on a new Downtube.

But think of the hours one could spend in one's shed, scraping, and filing, and painting, reapplying Raleigh logos, and not being nagged because one hadn't cleaned the cat-tray out properly, or arranged the shelves in the food cupboard, so all the lables on the tins faced outward.

sigh.....


Recyling bicycles isn't worth the effort, unless you find a vintage cracker or old fave worth restoring. Sad to see so much stuff thrown away, though..

Recyling bicycles isn't worth the effort, unless you find a vintage cracker or old fave worth restoring. Sad to see so much stuff thrown away, though..

:eek: From all irate R20 modders :notamused:

Im looking for stickers for my Arena.

There was an old Carlton roadbike there. Well rough, but had large flange hubs. I had a Corsair ages ago.
There wasnt much good stuff there.

There was a Claud Butler alloy MTB. It was in the mechanics workshop. I was looking at it. The man started speaking about it. Was more interested in the Raleigh Grifter that was behind it. :)

Also...the folder I got has a real narrow hub and forks. Is there any reason for that. Is it to make it more compact? If my old shopper bike alloy wheels dont fit it. There either getting widened, or changed for rigid mtb forks.

Also..those cowhorns were on my Arena in 1984. Kept them since then. Been on a few bikes.

Hurrah! Was severely tempted by ancient but notable bicycles at my local dump yesterday. 'Divorce' is threatened if I bring home more 'junk'.

Take the divorce and get the bikes! Be Happy without threats! :D

wow nice buy £5 even i can afford that! :D, good lucky with your erm.....new/old bike :D

Recyling bicycles isn't worth the effort, unless you find a vintage cracker or old fave worth restoring. Sad to see so much stuff thrown away, though..

:eek: From all irate R20 modders :notamused:



.... unless it's an R20.. :-)


I was sorely tempted, but the thought of spending hours driving around looking for bits left me emotionally drained.... Yes, I'd love a restored vintage bike.

I've got a garage full of vintage restos. I agree though, it has to be something quite nice to be worth the effort.

As with all my bikes it will be built on a budget
of about nothing :)

Got some pairs of alloy wheels. Will fit a SA 3speed 28 spoke wheel set in there.
Have to polish them up. Might get stainless spokes for them. There 10p each at work. Not in the right lengths, but have a spoke threading machine to fix them.

The bikes quite basic. Suits me fine.
It has rusty sidepull brakes. Will fit alloy Weinmann sidepulls. With small alloy levers.
Alloy bars too. Might have to fit a twist grip. But want a trigger. They dont work too well on MTB bars.
The bike has one peice cranks. Look like 152mm. Ive got a DB 175mm one piece crank from work for £1. Should have got the discount on that. Ho hum.
I do have a MTB that has an American BB shell, but a special axle that takes square taper cranks. So could rip that out and fit that in.
I got a 56 tooth campag chain ring for £1 a while ago. Could put that on my Athena cranks.
But was thinking of adapting a BMX chainring so it can mount the Campag ring on it.

I took some photos while working on the bike.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/city31.jpg
Thats it before I did anything to it.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/cityframe.jpg
Thats the frame

Then the bike reassembled with standard parts. To test it before I change parts.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citygrass.jpg
Had to change the BB as there was wear in a cone.

The City bike has a 1 peice crank on it, with normal pedals that have 1/2". I cant see folding pedals in that size.
So want to fit 3 peice cranks. Alloy cranks will be lighter too. Im wanting it to be light enough to carry.
The bike weighs 30 pounds.

I took off the rusty single speed rear wheel, it weighed 3 pounds. Fitted an alloy rim 3 speed wheel, its heavier at 4 pounds. I fitted a 14 tooth cog. It had a 16 tooth.

I have DMR adaptor rings to fit in a one peice bottom bracket shell to take a threaded bottom bracket. But there far to nice to fit on this bike. I have a ladies mountain bike in my back yard. Its got a 3 peice crank on a special axle in a one peice bb shell. Its a Raleigh Dakota, from the early 90s, by the look of it. I tapped the left crank arm off. I dont use a crank extractor on my own bikes. Just hit them with a hammer and chisel. But these Suntour cranks have the little ring over hanging. So couldnt get my chisel in there. So after some swearing I took my grinder too it.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/dakotacrank.jpg
I was going to put the alloy cranks on my raleigh cassis 5 speed MTB. But there wrecked now.
I built up the Dakota with 1 peice cranks and treble rings.

I got the front wheel out of my shed.
Its an old alloy wheel from a Polish folding bike. Early 80s
The alloy was corroded. So took various sandpapers and my sander to it.
It polished up nice.
The forks were spaced at 75mm. The alloy was about 85mm. I took washers from the axle. But is still 82mm. So I got the scaffold pole on the fork leg and pulled it wider. Measured from the unmoved leg. Then did the other one.
I fitted a stainless steel axle in the 5/16" size. With stainless nuts and washers.
I fitted Weimann 810 alloy front brake and 1080 rear sidepull calipers. They have alloy and stainless steel nuts on them. It had a 1020 steel rear brake on it, but the pads were in the bottom of the slots. I fitted new Jagwire pads to it. Might move the brake bridge so I can use a shorter, lighter brake.
The bike is now 28 pounds. It was 30 pounds.

Seen one on Ebay, called. Bike in a bag.

its a nice little frame just needs good restoration goodluck restoring it :D

I built the bike up.
been riding about on it.
replaced the refectors as the frame ones were stupidly mounted on big rusty brakets. Made small alloy brackets and fitted one to the seat. Other to the stem.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/cityalloys.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/cityfolded.jpg

and heres the bits I removed.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/cityparts.jpg

It weighs under 28 pounds. Still want it lighter. Might change the seat. Its got a 28.6mm seat pin. Havent seen an alloy one thats very long.
Ive got a titanium stem bolt. Will fit that. Bit flash for this bike. But is hidden inside the stem.

I fitted new tubes as the old ones were woods valves. Wanted Schreader valves.

Got a big box of tubes from ebay for very little. Same story for brake pads.

I got a bag from ebay. The man has a lot of bike bags
Its ok. Zip doesnt look very good though.

I folded the bike up and tried to fit it into the bag.
The bag doesnt completely unzip, to be flat like the Dahon one.
so its tricky to fit the bike in.

Ive got Alloy MTB straight bars on it. I cut them down to about 20" the same as the steel bars it came with. The stem fits in the riser. Ive got the stem in the lowest position. So might cut some of the quill tube off. Save some weight.

As I want to bike to the bus stop in morning. Then bag up the bike. Then on the bus. Then bike from the stop in town to my work. So will need it to come in and out the bag quickly. I'll practice with it. So Its easier to do.

hey this thread has 406 veiws.
thats the size of the tyres :)

Might take my bike to work next week. After Ive practised carrying it and fitting it in the bag.
Might go on the Train to Edinburgh next week also. Will it be just hand luggage? Or do I have to pay for it? Will be in the mid afternoon will be going. After work.

Also been having plans of welding the bike. Would like cable stops on the stem riser and frame. Maybe a ] shaped bit of metal at either end of riser. With 3 holes in it for cable adjusters. Then another braket on the side of the headstock, then near hinge, then after hinge. So I can have more direct cables. That dont flap about so much. And hopefully be a bit lighter.
Would also like a brake bridge on the chainstays. So I can use a shorter Weinnmann 810 sidepull brake.
My weldings not too good though. Ive got an ancient Arc welder. Been looking to get a Mig welder.
Have been practicing too.
Its why my R24 hasnt progressed any. The frames needing welded

I get bus to town. Then I have my chrome MTB locked at bus stop. So can bike to work from there. Im not fit enough to bike from house to work. Chrome bike is a cheap MTB that I was given. It was originally sold at Toys R Us. It didnt get damaged when locked to the post in town over night.
Heres the only pic I have of the bike on my PC.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/pitmuiesbridge.jpg
I got on the bike at 8 06am. Bus was early for a change. Got round the corner then along the long street to work. A man in a Landrover Freelander coming the other way. Drives across road right in front of me. I hit him doing 15mph. I didnt get chucked off the bike. He drove into the side road and stopped. I fell over as the lower forks and wheel werent attached any more. Think it was then I hurt my hand. Is only grazed though. No injury really.
He offered to get my bike fixed. Or a new bike or something. I wasnt to bothered. He gave me lift to work. Got there 15 minutes before others. :)
He brought me a bike to replace my bike. Is an old bike that my shop had sold. Is ok
I wasnt too bothered about getting anything.

I should have said I want a Dahon. :D My shops got one. Is ok.

I was going to bring the bike home from town this week sometime.
As I want to start using the folding bike.

I took the fork sliders off the bent wheel. I tried to put the frame with rear wheel in the cardboard bike box I got at work. Is for a 17" adults bike. But small for my Chrome bike. I took the rear wheel off too. I got the bike on the bus. Was heavy to carry. Had marks on my arms, from carrying the box.
Might put other forks and wheel on it. Got a job lot of suspension forks a while ago.

So nearly dying becomes a way of expanding your social horizons? Cool.

Heres my bike.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/virageforks.jpg
Dont think I can true that wheel.

The forks go back together again. They were a bit sticky to start with. Think its the plastic bits on the ends of the springs that are broken.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/viragewheel.jpg
thats it all back together.

I might strip the bike down and extend the forks into chopper ones and fit a smaller wheel. Strip the laquer from the frame and polish the chrome.

Actually, you would be surprised how much you can true a bent wheel. A local bikeshop in my town does some amazing stuff with bent wheels. Watching the process is really interesting.

Anyway, glad that you're OK. Hope you can get your bike going again.

-sam

Yes I will probably have a go at truing it.
but have other wheels that I can fit on.
Ive got lots of bikes so dont need this bike.
Was going to stop using this bike as my city bike is ready for use now.

I had left my chrome MTB and my blue MTB that the man had given me, in my back yard
was doing things in my yard on sunday.
went into my yard yesterday morning....no blue bike. :(
someones stolen it.
ho hum. was going to strip it for bits. Use the wheels on a Y frame.
cant do that now.

there was a kids y frame mtb left at the park bench up at the top of my road, on monday night.
think its been stolen and dumped.
its been moved to near the shops. An old man lives at the house there, so its not his bike.
theres a primary school round the corner so all the kids go past the bike. suprised they havent picked it up.
every now and again theres some stealing goes on here. is annoying

Hey I thought I would do some bike spannering today. I have been raiding up the garage for a while now. Chucking all my stuff out as Im getting thrown out of my house by my wicked step brother. :(

So I wanted to fit the 20 x 195 BELL BMX tyres, that I had got cheap from ebay. I had planned on fitting them to a BMX. But the tyres on City bike are from 1991 and are well cracked. I also fitted another seat as the one wasnt all that cumfy and it had a tare in it.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/city.jpg

I also put a saddle on my Marin Hawk hill and my Trek 800. Put grips on the Marin as rats had ate the foam grips. :/ Put guards and a bottle cage on the Trek, and managed to get the quill stem straighter in the forks. Was stuck when I got it at auction a few months ago. Ive got a new alloy stem and alloy bars that Im gonna fit to it.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/trekguard.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/marinsaddle.jpg

Ive managed to get the 3 bikes in my room now. Not had a bike in here for years. Im not sure if I'll keep all 3 bikes. I had intended to sell ther Trek just after I got it. But not got round to it.

I also worked on a Raleigh Clubmans ladies mixte racer. I fitted its mudguards and rack to it. I had got the bike from the second hand bike store a year ago. I also got a Dawes Galaxy at the same time. They were in the storage shed before they get checked over. I was going to use the Raleigh as spares for the Dawes. But didnt do much to the Dawes. The 2 bikes were £10 each. Raleighs got Campag 980 mechs with SR super custom cranks, stem, pedals and seat pin. Weinmmann centrepull brakes.
Im thinking of biking to the bike club, and see if they'll take the bike off my hands.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/clubmanguarded.jpg

My sister Nancy, was out here yesterday. I had asked her to bring her hair clippers to cut my hair. But she forgot. So I said that I could put my folding bike in her Vauxhall Astras boot and take me to her house. Then after my haircut I would bike home. The boot/trunk on her car, isnt very big. But got my bike in there. I had fitted a set of lights to the bike. Just low cost ones, I think my other sister had given them to me for a christmas present a few years ago. I hadnt used them as I dont go out much in the dark. And I had good dynamo lights on the Blue Falcon and the Raleigh Caprice, till I got rid of those bikes. The lights take 4 aa batteries in the front, and 2 in the rear. I fitted some from the Pound shop. I put the rear light right up under the saddle. So the seat would go down low when Im folding the bike. The handle bars ar cut down alloy MTB straightish bars. They have a long tapered section at the centre. Was fiddly to fit the light. The light has a part under it that can angle it sideways. This is loose. I will see if it stays. might put a bit of rubber in there.
I got out of town ok. Theres a pavement/sidewalk from town to the next village, past the feilds. So I biked on that. Ive got the gearing at 52/15, I think. So firsts no mountain climbing gear. So I walked the big hill. Ive got a box of SA cogs. So will swap it sometime.
Theres roadworks halfway home. Theres a dangerous junction, and theyve dug it up to make it more dangerous. :/ The traffic lights stopped me for at least TEN minutes. The man in the car in front of me got bored of that and went through the red light. He had to dodge an oncoming car. When the lights did go green, I biked to a feild entrance and let all the cars past. Was 10. I thought the lights would go to red before they all got past. And when I got past them, the cars were sitting at green waiting for me to go through. Theres no holes in the road now. There fixing the sides of the roads. So think they should take the traffic lights from the roads at week ends.
I got to the top of a hill and a silver car peeped there horn at me. I thought they must be commenting on my cycling. I was at the edge of the road. I had my foot off the pedal to signify that I wasnt speeding along. I stopped later at a wall. then walked away back the road and knelt down to car driver height. could see my lights ok. Had the led on quick flash from side to side. very noticable. i think it was another freind of mine in the car. They could have given me a lift. :)

I took out the rear wheel. It had a 14 tooth cog on it. I had built this bike to go along a flat road in town. I looked on Sheldons gear calculator.

52 to 14 is 1st 52" 2nd 69" 3rd 92"

I replaced the cog with a 15 tooth

52 to 15 is 1st 48" 2nd 64" 3rd 86"

I also loosened the drive side cone a quarter turn. It seems better to ride now. Ive only been to the shops on it.

I had a look at the handle posts overcentre catch. its rusty chrome. I was thinking of stripping it off and painting the parts. Theres a C clip and a bolt holding it together. But theres also a rivet. I have a drill to get it out. But gave away my rivet gun. I geuss I could borrow it back.
I will look out my titanium expander bolt. I got it from ebay with no real idea what bike to fit it on. So will fit it on to this bike.
Since I fitted a bigger cog to the wheel. The wheels a little further forward. The Altenburger 1080 sidepul brake has the pads at the top of the slots. So will see if I can build a shorter brake out of spare parts.

I biked the long way to town today. It was a nice day.
Heres some pics

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citybridge.jpg
On the bridge that was over the railway track.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citybridgeclose.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citybridgewheel.jpg
Im thinking of changing the brake to a shorter one. Change the cranks to an all alloy one
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citybridgegonk.jpg
I stuck a fuzzy gonk onto the handlepost. I could do with shortening the cables
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/Alecw35/citysnow.jpg
only snow I seen was a mound in a village halls car park.

Bike was going ok. I did about 8 miles to town. When I was in town I had parked it beside a road workers plastic fence, that was stored beside a wall. In no ones way. I was across the road in a freinds shop. A little girl came and stood on the chainstay. Grrr. should have run out of the shop and chased her away. Guess she would just have sworn at me.
I biked about 8 miles home. Have to go a slightly longer way. As they are still digging up the shortest road

Ive decided that most of my possesions are for sale. So the City folder, Trek, Mixte, Twenties and RSW are for sale. Along with a lot of spare parts. All low prices. I might post small stuff. But dont want the problems of bigger things.