oddjob2

Dios Mio! Are you taller than the Kobe retiring from the NBA?

Kobe 

Same height 6'6" , and almost the same weight ,212lbs (I just looked it up). Ironically he grew up in Upper Merion, Pa, about 5 miles from where I did. My screen name has nothing to do with him though, it was my first road bike in 1975, years before he was born.

rgver

My entry so far, Motobecane C5 (European Team Champion)
After countless hours scratching at paint and the only thing bought for it so far is a Columbus frame decal to replace the one the paint removal destroyed. The stuck stem came fairly easily, the seat post didn't let go without a fight. The Motobecane decals I made on my vinyl cutter.
As Purchased


progress so far

oddjob2

I spent less than $20 for consumables for my Velo Cheapo entry. It is 99% complete, but for 1 hour of riding and 4 cable endcaps. I started with a “free” 1986 Cannondale SR800. I swapped a Holdsworth Cyclone with @Henry III for the Cannondale. The Holdsworth originally cost me $65, but I sold the Ideale saddle for what I paid for the bike, saving the rims and the Blumel fenders. The SR800 included the headset, seat post binder bolt, Dia Compe RGC 400 brakes and aero levers.

Other contributing identifiable bikes include the list below. The frames have been sold and netted positive cash flow of several hundred dollars and a mess of extra components, including Tricolor, RSX, and Blaze groups.

2001 Lemond Nevada City - wheel set, tires, tubes
1992 Cannondale R800 - black Control-Tech seat post
1987 Centurion Ironman Expert-105 cranks, BB, RD
1989 Schwinn Tempo - Concor America Saddle
Stem - a black 3TTT from my Nobilette where it is too long, swapped out for a shorter silver Cinelli, in my milk crate of stems buy in 2014, paid for via a Redline BMX stem in that crate sold via ebay for $115.00.

Donations - thanks guys!
@RobbieTunes - Flat shifter posts
@jethin - FD1055

Handlebars Nitto B115
Pedals - Kyokuto Top Run
Chain - unknown

There is a fitment issue with the FD1055, so I have been using a Suntour Blaze in the interim.

I've got about 9 miles on the bike, so only another 1 hour will put me over the top for a zero cost bike.

SS Cables = $4.00
Housing = $3.50
Deda Mistral Bar Tape = $8.71
BB bearings 22 @ $.02 ea = $.44

At first the bike seemed to understeer, perhaps a system of the long stem. After getting the tires up to 115 PSI, no issues with steering. There are a few paint minor bubbles around the bottle brazeons and cable guides, but overall I think FMV is about $300 for the build as shown.

oddjob2

Between yesterday and today, I rode 13 miles, so I have completed the requirements for a zero cost based entry. Currently 50 degrees in GP.

RandolphCarter

Is it too late to join the fun?

If not, I'll throw my recently acquired ($10 at local thrift shop) 1983 Ross Force 1 into the MTB / Hybrid category:



Probably will spend another $40 or so on tires and a new chain.

oddjob2

Contest open until March 1, I believe.

CliffordK

Last year a few people complained about the snow, so I added a couple of weeks.

The goal is to be inclusive, and have fun.

Tulok

Ahh how come I didn't come on here a few months ago??? I am getting in on the competition even though I won't have nearly as much time! I'm putting my total budget at under $100, then minus at least 50 miles at under 20 which will be a cake walk in my town! But maybe not so on the bike I'm planning on building ��������

RandolphCarter

Glad to hear it!

I'll double down on the 'fun' by entering this Craigslist-sourced, pristinely maintained cycle into the 'small wheel' category:



EDIT: It's a 2003 Haro F4. Not exactly 'Classic' or 'Vintage', but it DOES have the benefit of being in my basement.

I've already torn it down and built it up once, but ended up moving many of the parts to another bike.

oddjob2

About 3 weeks since the last post and only 3 weeks left for entries, 2/29/16. I'm guessing a very small pool of entries.

oldsmobum

So I have a question... If I bought a small lot of bikes and parts at one time, and already made my money back (plus some) on said lot, can I play assuming what I have left is $0? I assume not, but just making sure before I feverishly build something before the deadline.

dweenk

When the thread first opened, there was a second related thread. That is where I posted my entry along with several others. That doesn't matter to me now, since i suffered a mechanical in the SW3 hub at around 81 mles. I began to re-purpose the entry as a single speed when I noticed this.



I was going to donate the bike at the end of the contest, but now it looks more like scrap. The fork is bent at the junction of the steerer and the crown, and the top and down tubes have evidence of impact as well. So I am out.

bmthom.gis

some nice builds here! @rgver - how did you get that white paint off and preserve the original?

rgver

@bmthom.gis thinner scraper and a lot of thumbnail picking. The black on the fork quickly rubbed off with thinner, the white was a lot of work, just picking tiny chips off at a time. I think it ended up being worth it.
Progress so far, I am at the $100 dollar limit as it stands now, I have spokes and a few more bits to add, so not exactly a budget build but still fairly short money for a nice bike. Who knows maybe I'll ride the excess off.

jetboy 

OFFICIAL ENTRY in the "Urban Shopper Category with a Hawaiian Homeless Theme", looking for Runner up, Is the ROSS Trash Bin Build!


total cost to build:

SR hi ten frameset and various bits like crank, chain, shifters, bars etc: $25
brake cable: $3
some tape: $.50
some zip ties: $.50
some wd-40 and grease: $.50
things found in trash: both racks, crate, rear wheel, front wheel, front and rear brakes, bar tape, seat, cables and housing, rope for rack.

Miles on bike: ~5 as I have only gone to the local trader joes and back. but I am not worried about getting to $0. that will happen as it comes.

Erwin8r

Nice. Good work!

jetboy 

some action shots:

Insidious C. 

The metamorphosis is more or less complete. Changes include 650Bs, OPC conversion, fork upgrade, north roads with barcons. More details and disclosure of expenses later.

CliffordK

Nice "Frugale"

I guess I haven't been too active on this thread for a while.

My Velo Cheapo builds are falling behind schedule.

And, I get other things on my mind, so I'm not quite sure if the entry will get completed.

However, send me a PM, and I'll reply with my E-Mail address, and start collecting build details. If you have less than 50 or 60 posts, then post a "help me" post here, and I'll send you the PM.Oh, this is a leap year, so you get an extra day. Deadline coming up on February 29[SUP]th[/SUP]/March 1[SUP]st[/SUP].

Early entries might be nice, but would be unnecessary.

obrentharris 

Velo Not-So-Cheapo - A Cautionary Tale

Only a fool would buy a ratty, rattle-canned bike based on a series of crummy photos and dream of restoring it on the cheap. I am such a fool.




I bought it for last year's Velo Cheapo but got caught up in other things so here it is a year later and the albatross is finally off my neck.
I suffer from a great bicycle weakness: I can easily see the potential in a project bike but am peculiarly blind to the pitfalls. I really convinced myself that I would be able to carefully remove the orange spray paint and expose the original lovely paint job underneath. I really believed that all of the components would be in working order and re-usable (well, maybe not the tires.) I really believed that, with a couple of new cables and some lube, this would be a fine cheapo restoration... Strike 3!

Purchase price plus shipping - $119.99

The orange paint came off very easily, whether with dilute paint thinner or a soft 3M abrasive pad, however the white paint underneath came off just as easily. The original blue paint was much tougher stuff than the white but even though I could remove the orange spray paint from it the blue was riddled with rust. So new paint was in order: I've painted a few bikes in the past and can do a passable, though not great, job but automotive paint is expensive and color matching adds to the cost and this is Velo Cheapo after all. So I decided to try my hand at a spray can job. The blue is lighter and less aqua than the original but otherwise the painting actually went pretty well. The primer and color coats laid down well and needed a minimum of sanding. The clear coat, Duplicolor, was a pain. In retrospect I should have driven into San Francisco and bought a can of Upol clear. The chrome socks had been extensively reclaimed by mother nature so I painted over them, leaving only the chrome on the dropouts, which was in decent shape.

Paint and paint supplies - $40
Decals - $40




The rear derailleur cage was completely trashed. The mounting screws for the front derailleur were corroded in place and sheared off in removing the derailleur. The chain was a rusty mess with 12 frozen links. The tires were trash.

Used derailleurs and tires from local co-op - $29
New chain and cables all around - $41
Used bar tape salvaged from another bike - $5?

The pedal threads in one of the crankarms were wallowed out so I had to rethread to English threads and buy a used pair of pedals.

Pedals - $20



Grand Total - $294.99

The bike is much too small for me so I have only put 8 miles on it... doesn't bring the total down much.

It's a pretty bike though!



Brent

nlerner

Very nice resto, Brent!

4funbikes

OK, This is a build I've wanted to do for a while (upright roadie/poor mans Riv). Conveniently enough, most of my bikes utilize the velo-cheapo system anyway. Timing works well too.

Shogun?? Frame/Fork.- $12
Came from Westminster swap last weekend. (came with headset and BB)

Wheels/tires/tubes (Shimano hubs/weinman dbl wall)- $0
from a flip two years ago. Wheels have been sitting since.

Brakes, Weinmann levers/ shimano normal reach calipers.- $10
another Westminster swap find.

Bar/stem (steel northroad. wald?/ SR custom)- $0
flip

Cotton bar tape and chain $8
LBS

Simano bar end pods with 105 7 speed DT shifters (works with flat inner washers!)
pods came off a nitto dirt drop bar/stem bought a t-town that has since been sold.
Shifters from a flip at some point (105 7 speed with flat washers/stops aren't a hot commodity)

Cables (mostly scraps. I'm cheap and keep all my old cables. Bought one inner RD wire)- $2

Brooks b17-$0
flip


Cranks SR apex- $7
T-town swap.

Derailers. Shimano 1050 front, Deore MT60 rear.
Flips.

pedals,rack, SR seatpost, cyclepro saddlebag-$0
Various flips.

Total- $39

Mileage so far- 15 (conservatively)
Frame purchased 2/7. Build finish 2/10

oddjob2

Mid 50's again today, so another 5 miles on top of the 22 miles to date.

lotekmod

My build fell behind schedule but I finally got it done and took it for a test spin today. This is my new commuter, around town, and family picnic bike. It was my daughter's trail behind bike that drove the build. I found out last year I really needed a bike with a flat bar and brake levers to handle the extra load, and it prohibits the use of a rear rack.



Before




After, with a rear Pletscher rack hacked into a front rack. Build was right around $100, cost to be broken down later. The only thing I actually bought was the paint and tires.



Commuter mode with Blackburn bags (will not be included in the cost)



And today was warm enough to take my daughter to the park. She now wants her trail-behind bike painted orange to match. That's my girl!