Fifty Plus (50+) - N+1 Commuter

Hi,

Finally got this thing together:
http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/148192650/original.jpg
It's a combination of brand-spanking new plus old to very old parts. Ridden it a few times but only once to work so far. :o

BTW, the manufacturer of the frame is Stop Cycles (One Ghost Industries) and the model is the Proletariat. :innocent:

Looks nice.:thumb:

How does it ride?

Hi,

Finally got this thing together:
http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/148192650/original.jpg
...

Where did you get the bike stand(What's it called, other than "bike stand?")?

That looks nice... Tell us more... About the frame, the components, etc... And, of course, a ride report.

(Actually, looking at it, I suspect your definition of old and my definition may not be the same...)

It looks great. I'm envious of the disc brakes, but where are the mud guards? ;)

Looks really good Cleave! My commuter is kinda ugly due to having to ride the Metro Green Line (i.e. a folder) but good to see some excellent commute bikes in the Los Angeles area.

Rick / OCRR

stapfam, it rides as I'd hoped it would. It was kind of a big experiment and my main goal was to build a bike with a close to zero maintenance as possible that I could ride to work (6 miles each way) in my regular work clothes (except for shoes). Basically a "ride like the Dutch" experiment. Gearing was the biggest guess. My ride is relatively flat but I didn't want the gearing so high that I would work up a sweat. Can't remember exactly what's on it but something like low 60-inches based on a 27" wheel. So far so good.

Bikey Mikey, I got the stand a couple of year ago. Found it on the internet after seeing people using it on some forum posts. The place that had it was in Missouri and it was around $40. I'll see if I can dig up the source.

GeorgeBMac, the frame is from a relatively small company in Oregon. It's welded aluminum (really nice and clean welds) and it's powder-coated. I got the frame about a year ago. The older parts are the saddle (Sella Italia Flite Ti from the early 2000s), pedals (Ritchey something-or-other from the early 1990s), and brake levers (Dura Ace from the mid-1980s). It's actually a miracle that the rubber hoods on the brake levers aren't disintegrating. Drivetrain is Gates Carbon Drive CDX CenterTrack. Brakes are Avid BB7 Road Mechanical Disc Brakes. Wheels were custom built at my LBS with Hope Pro2 EVO hubs (single-speed rear hub). The belt drive is really interesting. It's incredibly smooth and seems easier to pedal than my chain drive fixie (track bike) and single-speed (rain bike). Of course that may just be the gearing but it's a lot of fun to ride.

NOS88, I have mud guards or fenders on a couple of other bikes, most notably my rain bike for training. I was thinking of putting fenders on this bike and my wife said, "You're never going to ride to work in the rain." She's (of course) right. ;)

Rick@OCRR, depending on my professional future, this bike may see a number of different uses. Hopefully the powder coating is as durable as it looks. If not, that's why I opted for aluminum over steel.

You clearly put a lot of thought into this bike. Again: Best of luck with it. And I am glad that it seems to be working out for you: As the saying goes: "I love it when a plan comes together!"

hope the gear is suitable.. I only see one.