Introductions - Hello

Hi

I'm a 1st year cosmology phd student with a taste for 2 wheels. Other interests include guitar playing (progressive metal), motogp and world superbikes. Currently own a (rather crappy) 80s sun solo fast tourer which I have been slowly turning into something usable. More details available on request!

Nice to have you timmyhiggy.
Post a pic of your Sun Solo sometime.

Certainly,

I found her on a second hand listings site for £20. One bus ride to the far end of town and I handed over the money (I had decided I was going to pick it up regardless of what it was like, at the worst I could sell it on at £25!). It was a right heap, and I hadn't cycled in years. I rode it home (probably 3 miles) and there were a few little surprises. The tyres had gone so brittle that the analog speedo's partially seized up wheel was spitting rubber at me and carving into the tyre, the brakes stopped me slower than scuffing my feet on the ground and the seat was plain plastic. First of all I bought some new brake pads and cables, ripped the speedo off and bought some bar tape which I fitted myself - quite badly I might add! Also fitted a new saddle and put a rear rack on it.
Then I took it for a ride with a friend, fell off it being a silly bugger and the front wheel bearing on one side completely disintegrated leaving me to ride the last few miles with a bike that steered itself. Bought a replacement 27" wheel and replaced the tyre too. Fitted it round a friends house and left the bike in this state for a while
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v290/215/66/504229591/n504229591_508402_4625.jpg

Then I eventually caved and got the buckled and rusted back wheel replaced, and put some foam handlebar grips on
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4322/215/66/504229591/n504229591_1773712_7285630.jpg
Since then the first gear as worn rounded so I have to do all my hill work a damn sight faster than I would like to just to keep the pedalling smooth, The rear derailleur broke completely so I fitted a cheapy shimano megarange one, I got the bars re-taped recently and fitted full mud guards, and have my eye on a new front derailleur and thinking seriously about replacing my gears. Also considering replacing it with a more modern tourer as it isn't really the right size for me, to get the foot-bum distance right my saddle is quite a lot higher than the bars and the wheelbase means I have to put the panniers at the extreme back of the rack to avoid my feet, which leaves you with a very unbalanced bike when you load it up for camping!!

Thanks for the photos.
You are having quite the adventure learning to keep it running.

My first bike was $15. Tires were dry being 23 years old.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/DW_C2194.jpg

It cleaned up good and looked like new.
I rode it 1500 miles before getting a new one that had a perfect fit.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/DW_C2212.jpg

Sadly, no amount of cleaning up will make mine like new! Got a couple of large (4cm radius) bits of paint missing with rust showing through.
I have learnt a lot about bike maintenance from that beast though! I've always been pretty techy minded and not averse to getting the tools out to play with something and have taught myself to do spoke tensions, brake cables, gears etc. Not sure I'd be too keen on a sequential shifter at this point in time, I quite like the simplicity of analog levers that you just change gear with based on feel!
I seem to be going down a similar bike path to you. I have a bit of a soft spot for tubular framed, drop barred old school racers/tourers, your one is a very nice looking machine :D