Utility Cycling - HMS Heavy Battlecruiser Expedition

My stepmom gave me her old '06 or '07 Specialized Expedition for free because she hated it. This thing is fugly, heavy, huge and surprisingly uncomfortable for a comfort bike. It has an enormous Suntour front shock system that isn't sealed in any way so whenever it rains and you happen to flip the bike over later to do scrape grit out of the derailleur, water, rust and oil drips out of the seals. It has an ugly frame that sits way up in the front. It has the squeakiest, most uncomfortable seat ever made. It has an overkill 21 speed Shimano twist shift drivetrain for around town cruising.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o193/noahyzimmerman/specialized-expedition-sport-2008-h.jpg

I've been riding it around town and not caring about it. And it's growing on me. It's been outdoors, rained on, never been cleaned or oiled and it still rides OK. It's heavy and pretty bulletproof with regard to train tracks, glass, potholes and urban violence. Perfect for Oakland.

Anyway, I want to turn this thing into the ultimate Buy-in-Bulk at Costco grocery getter. Here's the plan:

Get rid of the Shimano 21 speed drivetrain which I hate
Replace it with a Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal and coaster brake because I love English 3 speeds
Get rid of the lever brakes. Maybe keep the front brake
Replace the aging offroad tires with slick whitewall tires for some bling
Bento box for the top tube
Bright Avenir front and rear LED lights I have laying around
One huge Wald #535 twin rear basket, cut and stain wood slats for the bottom, powdercoated Stealth Black
One huge Wald #139 front basket, cut and stain wood slats for the bottom, powdercoated Stealth Black
New pedals, seat and grips
Flip and powdercoat handlebar white
Spacers on the chainring
White 1/8" chain I have laying around
Grind off the tabs for brakes and derailleurs on the frame and fork, sandblast and powdercoat it Stealth Black
Chop 1"-2" off the front springs to lower the front end a bit so you don't look like the Wicked Witch of the West pedaling around
Strip off any other extraneous stuff

Total: Around $300 for everything if I buy new, way less if I scrounge around at swap meets and Craigslist. Which is still a huge amount of money for a grocery getter.

What do you think? Too much to sink into a grocery getter?

I'd suggest just starting with a different bike that is more like what you have in mind in the first place.

Have you ever used those baskets? I've got the biggest Wald front and rear baskets on my Worksman right now. They are useable. The front one, especially, is heavy, makes the wheel flop sideways when you let go of the handlebars, and dings against the frame. And it may or may not stand on a kickstand like that. The rear baskets are fine for riding, but get in the way if you try to walk your bike, as in bringing it and out a door. They are definitely best suited to heavy cruiser bikes.

I don't think you can use that front Wald basket with front suspension, as it it mounts between the handlebars and the axle, and that needs to be a rigid connection.

Another challenge you will face is using a 3 speed hub with that frame. You'll need a chain tensioner since that bike almost certainly has vertical dropouts and you'll also need a new single-ring crankset and possibly a new bottom bracket as well.

By the time you tie up a bunch of money into that frame you'd be well on your way to just buying a new bike that already fits what you wanted.

I suggest keeping that bike as-is as a second bike or selling it to fund the purchase a new bike. The Kona AfricaBike Three (http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=africabike3) is exactly the type of bike you describe and you can pick one up for about $400 brand new. BONUS: For every 2 sold, Kona donates one to needy folks in Africa.

http://monkeyread.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/t2k9_africabikeone.jpg

There is a misconception that "step through frames" are only for girls bikes but the truth is that either gender can ride a bike like the Africabike Three.

What do you think? Too much to sink into a grocery getter?
Way too much time, effort, thought and money to imitate/recreate a $50 thrift store grocery getter special.

An old 3-speed is probably a better use of your budget. You could upgrade the wheels and get a nice basket for it and still have change leftover from 300$. I'd go that route. Hit up your goodwills and/or other thrift stores.

Sounds like he wants an imitation Torker Cargo-T, and $300 is half-price. I think the baskets are as inconvenient as others have stated, but I agree that you need both front/rear places to carry stuff, so get a front rack along with a sturdy rear rack, get some of those hemp reusable grocery bags and knock yourself out. (While you are at it, I'd replace that suspension fork with a Springer fork from Chubbys cruisers, but that's just because I am crazy. The more tire you can put under the bike, the better it is at carrying weight.)

And why not recycle the bike, if he wants to? There are worse bikes to imitate than a Torker Cargo T. I suppose you could just convert it to an Xtra Cycle. But I suggest the transmission be an 8 speed or a Nu Vinci rear hub, worth every bit of the weight (you need it have more top-end).

My Raleigh can't make it up my driveway, from a stop; my Cargo T shifts up to third within a few pedal strokes, and that's why I want a 7 or 8 speed.
I guess I need to go count teeth, to see if I can gear it up effectively.

My stepmom gave me her old '06 or '07 Specialized Expedition for free because she hated it. This thing is fugly, heavy, huge and surprisingly uncomfortable for a comfort bike. It has an enormous Suntour front shock system that isn't sealed in any way so whenever it rains and you happen to flip the bike over later to do scrape grit out of the derailleur, water, rust and oil drips out of the seals. It has an ugly frame that sits way up in the front. It has the squeakiest, most uncomfortable seat ever made. It has an overkill 21 speed Shimano twist shift drivetrain for around town cruising.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o193/noahyzimmerman/specialized-expedition-sport-2008-h.jpg

I've been riding it around town and not caring about it. And it's growing on me. It's been outdoors, rained on, never been cleaned or oiled and it still rides OK. It's heavy and pretty bulletproof with regard to train tracks, glass, potholes and urban violence. Perfect for Oakland.

Anyway, I want to turn this thing into the ultimate Buy-in-Bulk at Costco grocery getter. Here's the plan:

Get rid of the Shimano 21 speed drivetrain which I hate
Replace it with a Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal and coaster brake because I love English 3 speeds
Get rid of the lever brakes. Maybe keep the front brake
Replace the aging offroad tires with slick whitewall tires for some bling
Bento box for the top tube
Bright Avenir front and rear LED lights I have laying around
One huge Wald #535 twin rear basket, cut and stain wood slats for the bottom, powdercoated Stealth Black
One huge Wald #139 front basket, cut and stain wood slats for the bottom, powdercoated Stealth Black
New pedals, seat and grips
Flip and powdercoat handlebar white
Spacers on the chainring
White 1/8" chain I have laying around
Grind off the tabs for brakes and derailleurs on the frame and fork, sandblast and powdercoat it Stealth Black
Chop 1"-2" off the front springs to lower the front end a bit so you don't look like the Wicked Witch of the West pedaling around
Strip off any other extraneous stuff

Total: Around $300 for everything if I buy new, way less if I scrounge around at swap meets and Craigslist. Which is still a huge amount of money for a grocery getter.

What do you think? Too much to sink into a grocery getter?

Sounds like you have a workable plan and really put some thought into it. Well, if you'll enjoy the transformation and will be happy doing the work, then why not? You won't be able to measure a financial gain from the work, but if you'll be happy with the final result for the money spent on it, then why not?

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For a cargo bike conversion I would definitely replace the front fork with a rigid one. Otherwise the front basket is a no no.

3 speeds may not be enough for a loaded cargo bike if you face any type of hills. I know Oakland has some. Same for a coaster brake on a loaded bike.

Xtracycle is in Oakland so you might want to take a look at their longtail conversion kits. They are designed for cargo hauling and make a much more stable load carrying bike than just add on baskets on a regular bike.

Anyway, I want to turn this thing into the ultimate Buy-in-Bulk at Costco grocery getter. Here's the plan:


Just my take on it, but 3 baskets aren't much for buy-in-bulk. That will barely handle the weekly groceries. Buy-in-Bulk is probably more suited for an Xtracycle, Big Dummy or a trailer. But good luck with your idea.