Classic & Vintage - New build complete! Polish made 60's Romet Hurricane (w/ pics)

Okay, Okay I know this isn't exactly the re-build that was expected in this thread, but hear me out. I found this bike at a guy's house who saves bikes from the dump and yard sails and fixes them up to sell. Mostly lower end mountain bikes, bmx bikes, kids bikes but also a few lower to mid end 10 speeds. Not knowing much about bicycles at the time, I got this one as it was the only one that fit me. Awesome, new bike for $30! Yes, I was an idiot, yes I rattle caned the thing without taking pictures or trying to figure out the make/origin of the bike (this I ended up painfully doing months down the line). Yes, I threw away the badge!

Well, with this piece of steel my love for bikes began. I took apart the bike, put it back together, fiddled with it, bought new tires, eventually rims, and replaced what needed replacing. After much research, I finally figured out that the bike was in fact made in Poland, possibly around the 1960's or earlier. Information on these bikes is almost non-existent, and what good information there is, is all in polish! There is still some uncertainty, but my research tells me that this is a Romet Huragan (Hurricane) probably from the 1960's or earlier.

As I improved the bike little by little, I realized the uniqueness (I guess if that's what you want to call it?) of the bike. Instead of having 2 mounts for down tube shifters, there was only 1 on the right side. Also, the braze on for the rear derailleur guide, right before the cable reaches the derailleur, is made to house 2 cables. Further research told me that the bike was originally equipped with a 'suicide' front derailleur, and a rear derailleur that had two cables, one to switch gear and the other to adjust tension. Neat! Well, much to my dismay, these parts are just not available anymore and are completely obsolete.

So after months of contemplation, I *sigh* decided to turn it into a fixed gear bike. I know, I know. I am no more of a fan than the rest of the C+V crowd of those people who chop and flop a perfectly good vintage road bike into a fixie. I hate seeing it done to perfectly good bikes, its a cryin' shame. I did it because I knew it wasn't a top of the line bicycle and that there was little else I could do to give this bike justice. I wasn't going to track down the original parts and didn't want to just use clamp-on down tube shifters. I saw it as the only way to get this guy serious road time. Plus I did really enjoy how it road and saw it as a great fixie candidate with the long drop-outs and all.

The paint was chipped very badly, so i found a place to powder coat it for not too much (which I wasn't very satisfied with: note the BB picture). Re-built the bike with some parts that I had and some new stuff. Didn't want this to be an expensive build, but we always end up spending more than what we originally planned.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/CfdFighting17/IMG_0748.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/CfdFighting17/IMG_0756.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/CfdFighting17/IMG_0761.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/CfdFighting17/IMG_0763.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/CfdFighting17/IMG_0752.jpg

I didn't want this to be a fancy looking bike. I am very much not a fan of the multi-colored flashy fixed gear bikes out there. This is New Hampshire Powder Coat Alt.'s version of a 'chromed fork'. It's much more of a silver but I kind of like it. I'll probably replace it with an actual chrome fork soon. Also, I'm not sure about the bar tape situation. I like how it looks without it, but was thinking either black or white tape, probably leather style not cork.

Thanks for looking, let me know what you think!

Why didn't you remove the headset before you had it powdercoated? That just looks wrong.

Why didn't you remove the headset before you had it powdercoated? That just looks wrong.

Agh I did! I removed the headset at the top of the headtube fine, but the lower bearing cup according to the LBS mechanic was probably pressed in and counldn't be removed. Okay. So when I go to get the bike powder coated, the guy asks me if I want the cups covered up so they won't be painted. I tell him of course, and he says he can tape them up and that it will be fine. Two weeks later I pick up the bike and the bottom cup is painted over!! Ahhhh. To say the least, I will never go back there again.

Pretty lugs on the head tube. BB lugs are kind of plain-ish. Overall, I think you've got a good looking bike. I especially love the orange juice carton bike stand. :thumb:

Trader Joe's finest.

Don't drink Robitussin before biking. It can cause you to swerve down the 'Rabbit-Hole.' As for not being able to remove the lower cup...

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=180244260661&d=single&c=Tools&sc=Headset&tc=Head-Race-Removers&item_id=CU-185

No matter what - it's not difficult to remove. I'd be quite suspect of a bike-mechanic who'd tell you otherwise. At least try to get the paint off the poor thing. It's suffocating.

I'd ride that. I think it's a nice job, even with the PC'd bottom race.
Was it originally a cottered crank?
Is it flexy or stiff?
Now, seeing the frame doesn't fit you very well, you can sell it to me.

I'd ride that. I think it's a nice job, even with the PC'd bottom race.
Was it originally a cottered crank?
Is it flexy or stiff?
Now, seeing the frame doesn't fit you very well, you can sell it to me.

Yepp, it came with the most difficult to remove cottered cranks that gave me hours and hours of agony. I'd say it has more of a stiff ride I guess, but I've never been good at telling those type of things.

Sorry, I threw the seat on too high, bike fits me great :D