Classic & Vintage - converted my cyclocross bike to a city bike

i debated the idea for months, but now that it is done i am happy with the results. its not like i cant go back. after all, it only took a pair of fenders and a pedal swap.


it took me a while to decide what fenders to use. i actually have a set of planet bike fenders grady graciously let me use but they just did not mount quite right and the glossy finish was distracting. (grady, i will return them when i pick up the tommasini.)

anyway, on with the details. i ended up with sks alley cats. i decided you just as well go full length and the muted flat black finish matched the rest of my bike nicely. please excuse the dirty bike.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1191.jpg

it took me several attempts to get the spacing correct but the results were worth it.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1193.jpg

i know most people install the fenders behind the brakes but because of my cantilevers i decided to mount the tabs to the back of their respective locations for a cleaner look. on the front fender i installed the bolt from the center of the steerer tube to further promote the clean install.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1198.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1202.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1203.jpg

i was able to get the rear fender spaced properly using a nylon spacer that i found at home depot. i will eventually use a shorter bolt but for now, this will do. it is what i had available.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1201.jpg

the pedals are aero 105 pedals. these were hand me downs that i got from my parents in the early to mid 90s. i only used them a year or so and then switched to looks. these have been sitting in the parts bin for many years.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1194.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1196.jpg

i would rather have a more traditional silver pedal with a black cage but the price was right and the quality is top notch. maybe someday i will find the right trade, but for now i cant justify spending money for a small visual upgrade.

a few other random pictures from today:
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1200.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk177/thirdgenbird/sscx/100_1199.jpg

Looks great, very clean and simple. Just keep an eye on it as it screams "Steal Me" !

Nice job,

Joe

Looks great, very clean and simple. Just keep an eye on it as it screams "Steal Me" !

Nice job,

Joe

thanks!!!

it helps that i live in a small midwestern town. maybe i should have said small town bike. the only place it will get left out of sight for long periods of time will be at work. this is on the edge of town, has no pedestrian traffic, has security cameras, and everyone will know who it belongs to. i am still debating what to use for a lock elsewhere. a u-lock is out of the question. i think the only bike rack in town is at walmart. everywhere anywhere else will have to be creative. the downtown area does have a lot of small trees along the sidewalk so a cable lock may be the only option.

Well done!

I like the clean lines and the spacers were resourcefully installed.

I had great times on my Casati Gold Line S which I rode as a single speed last fall/early winter.

I will be selling the Casati frameset next week and then looking for a little larger frameset.

Yours looks to be just the ticket.

I would love to have fenders and cantis like yours.

So practical, plus I will be able to get more tire in there.

No worries about the fenders either.

Glad you could try them w/o laying out the cash for something you didn't like.

Looks great, ready to muck up!

The flat black rocks. Great bike

thanks grady. the frame is a touch big for true cross use but works perfectly in this capacity. if i ever get the chance to go on a longer tour ive also got the option of throwing the 10spd parts from my road bike on this.

i am actually excited to get a chance to try the fenders. the front one is a fair bit longer than the PB fender. i hope it keeps my feet somewhat clean and dry.

The flat black rocks. Great bike

thanks. that is what really sold me. i got a very large gift card for the local shop when i got married almost a year ago. i saw these fenders hanging on the wall and i had enough left to buy them so i said why not.

Great looking city ride. I would love to know what kind of fork that is, it doesn't look stock but it looks great.

Great looking city ride. I would love to know what kind of fork that is, it doesn't look stock but it looks great.

I bought the frameset second hand in the twin cities. The lugwork and dropouts on the fork match what I have seen from local buider curt goodrich.

http://curtgoodrich.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/IMG_2524.jpg
http://curtgoodrich.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/IMG_2477.jpg

Very cool bike. I would love to pick up one of those old steel Bianchi cross bikes. One of the bikes I regret selling was my old Bianchi Nuovo Record from the mid-1980s. It was sort of a sport touring frame with eyelets for fenders, which is unusual on an Italian bike. I sold it before I started bike commuting, and it would have made a great commuter. Plus, you can't beat Celeste green.

Thanks. The frame really isn't anything special, but it probably is one of the last examples of an Italian made bianchi that has cantilever studs and eyelets. I don't see myself parting with it anytime soon. If anything, it will get fresh paint and a touring build.

I like it! :thumb: Have to admit that I was expecting more of an upright conversion when I saw "city bike"...

Are you running fixed or singlespeed? Does that (larger) inner ring just function as a chain guide, or do you use it for subtle gearing changes when the mood strikes? :thumb:

I like it! :thumb: Have to admit that I was expecting more of an upright conversion when I saw "city bike"...

Are you running fixed or singlespeed? Does that (larger) inner ring just function as a chain guide, or do you use it for subtle gearing changes when the mood strikes? :thumb:

I've been debating flat bars but I still want to use this as a training bike in poor weather. If you can remember my other bikes this is fairly upright. I am in my 20s after all.


The gear setup is a little odd :)

The rear hub is a white industries eno. The fixed side has a chain line that lines up with the inside of a road double and the freewheel side lines up with the outside chainring on a road double. My first reaction was one of disappointment because I didn't want to change the single ring out when I flipped the back wheel. After some pondering, it turned out perfect. The bike has two setups:

42x16 fixed.
this uses the inner chainring and is the perfect ratio for road riding.

39x18 freewheel.
this uses the smaller outside chainring and works well for mild offroad riding and less than ideal conditions.


In both cases the chain line is nearly perfect, and if you do the math, the chain length is the same for both ratios. Because the bike has semi horizontal dropouts there is also no brake adjustment required for either setup. You just take the wheel out, flip it around and bolt it down.

Neat! I dig unique setups. :thumb:

Neat! I dig unique setups. :thumb:

My goal it to make all my bikes unique. My tommasini has 8spd campy that was converted to 10spd and my Yokota has plastic derailleurs, brake levers, shifters and spokes.

Hmm...

Too bad it doesn't accept fenders.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg93/realestvin7/Bikes/Bikes202-1.jpg

Hmm...

Too bad it doesn't accept fenders.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg93/realestvin7/Bikes/Bikes202-1.jpg

Hot!!!

Looks great. You and I have very different concepts of what entails a "dirty bike."

Looks great. You and I have very different concepts of what entails a "dirty bike."

The bike gets mud and snow on it, I just typically take pictures after a cleanup. My last mtb was almost always covered in dry mud.

That is a great looking bike and the fender spacing is A++! Great job