treebound 

Recently there was a thread from someone who was thinking of trying to find an early Schwinn LeTour to replace one they had years ago. The nearest thrift shop to me got one in, looked to be fairly early, Made in Japan. If I got the serial number correct I think it is a 1974 model. The shop had it priced a bit high, but while looking it over I noticed it was missing one of the rear derailer pulley wheels, then noticed the front derailer had the cage spacer missing and one side had been bent over to work as a "bottom" to the cage (and it probably had a tie-wrap on it at some point to hold it to the other side). Then I noticed a bulge on the top tube right behind the head tube, then a slight bend on the leading end of the downtube, then noticed the forks were pushed back just a bit, then noticed a slight flat spot on the front wheel. Bummer, head impact bent frame. So I went in to the store, got the day manager, pointed out the bent frame and missing pulley wheel, and got the price discounted as a "parts special". I figured I could use the saddle and stem and handlebars on another project or two.

I've got it stripped down almost to bare frame, haven't knocked out the steering cups yet. I don't think it would be worth giving it away to someone to try and have it straightened or repaired, and wouldn't want to have someone take it and then try to just build it back up as-is as a rider. So, before I start in on it with the hacksaw and remove the LeTour decal'd downtube to use as a shop equalizer and hang it on a wall, and before I chop off the rear dropouts to use as make shift display stands (like I saw a pic of recently where someone was using that setup as a display stand for their Sturmey Archer rear hub), I thought I'd throw this out to the group to ask the following question:

Question: do you chop or recycle to the steel yards any bent frames you find, or do you decide if they are collectable or worth hanging onto and stuff them into a corner until someone comes along looking for that specific frameset in that specific size?

I'll probably chop it apart tonight when I get home from work after having a short moment of silence and shedding a dry tear because this one is real close to the one I also had back in the 70's, right down to the red color and the chrome ends of the front forks. The handlebars on it have a narrow randonneur look to them and will probably migrate to the MTB/commuter if they feel okay once mounted.

nlerner

I have a Motobecane frame that a friend pulled from a junkyard, unfortunately after the front-end loader got to it. I've cut out the rear dropouts and sent them to a BF-er. I also chopped off the fork blades and use the crown and steerer as a tool to remove headset cups. The rest of it I plan on making into a stool at some point.

Neal

treebound 

I like the mailbox stand.

I've been thinking of making a stool like the LBS has. I might add some skateboard wheels and spread the stays wider and add a small tool tray and bar-buoy cup holder to it. Not sure if a squeeze-bulb horn would be a good idea though, could be fun on busy days in the shop when I go back there next spring for the part time gig however. I can see it now, "beep beep, grey beard coming through, honk honk" as I scoot by to grab the torque wrench at the end of the service counter.

edit to add:
Found this image of something similar to what someone at the LBS did, only without the rocking feature:

imagelinked from https://www.popgadget.net/images/cheval.jpg
https://www.popgadget.net/2005/04/index.php?page=3

Oldpeddaller

Well, at least you're giving it a decent send-off and recycling/reusing as much as possible. Better than sending the whole lot to the dump. In twenty years time, some parts might still be in use!

tolfan

I like that headset tool idea. I have one of those stools nonrocking , made it my self. Never would have come up with the mailbox idea but I like that too. Sorry I dont have an original idea to add.

infinityeye

you can also use the down tube to store front derailleurs.

-dude!

Doohickie

Oh wow, is that ghetto!

DavidW56

The mailbox made me smile. Much more original than all the open-mouthed fish mailboxes I see at the lake.

Bikesport here in Dearborn has a seat tube and maybe the rear triangle from a crashed Pinarello made into a fitting-room seat, so that customers can easily see how their new bike shorts feel while astride a saddle.

pass the peas

You won't find anything like that in the ghetto, chum. That's what's known as country.

bmaxwell

I want a mailbox like that one... heheheh that is great....

bmaxwell

is this what you guys are looking for??


https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/880605850.html