Help! I Want to Turn Heads
#26
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I'm sorry, but I liked it much better before the improvements. The tipped front rack is the worst part. The old tires looked better. What was wrong with the old saddle? The bars need to be tipped forward a bit. The fenders are heinous. Hanging more stuff on it is not the way to make it a head turner.
At least you got rid of the awful blue bar wrap.
At least you got rid of the awful blue bar wrap.
#27
Senior Member
It's coming along nicely. Concur with your opinion on the water bottle cages and bar wrap. I'm thinking the water bottle cages should be stainless steel and the bar tape should be a in a different color... yellow or yellow cloth tape shellac'd to turn it dark brown?, maybe a glossy black tape will work better. Maybe others can come up with a better idea.
To fix the tilted down front rack, try to bend the piece that goes into the fork until the rack is pretty much level. Will you be commuting with it?
To fix the tilted down front rack, try to bend the piece that goes into the fork until the rack is pretty much level. Will you be commuting with it?
#28
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I'm sorry, but I liked it much better before the improvements. The tipped front rack is the worst part. The old tires looked better. What was wrong with the old saddle? The bars need to be tipped forward a bit. The fenders are heinous. Hanging more stuff on it is not the way to make it a head turner.
At least you got rid of the awful blue bar wrap.
At least you got rid of the awful blue bar wrap.
#29
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Rob, lookin' good. Cable routing and bar wrap looks good to me. I like the fenders! New bottle cages and it will be complete.
Glad to see you figured out picture posting!
Glad to see you figured out picture posting!
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Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!
Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com
#30
Senior Member
It's steel. I have the same rack and bent it to fix the same issue. I bent it using the steel fork for leverage. No problem.
#31
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#32
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I like it better now than I did before, and it's looking like a great commuter.
I don't know if the bars are upside down or not...that type of bike is so foreign to me, I can't say much about it.
I don't know if the bars are upside down or not...that type of bike is so foreign to me, I can't say much about it.
#33
Senior Member
Post more pics once you've completed the next batch of upgrades.
#34
Senior Member
It would look MUCH nicer with Honjo fenders, ESPECIALLY with those racks. I also agree on the tires, they're available in skinwalls with flat protection. At least I think they are? The blue Candy pedals are throwing me off bigtime. Were they to match the wrap originally? Also just my opinion, but brown saddle and tan wrap would have set off the paint color much better. Great looking bike overall.,,,,BD
Honjo Fenders
https://www.bikecult.com/works/archiv...coastTZMrv.JPG
Honjo Fenders
https://www.bikecult.com/works/archiv...coastTZMrv.JPG
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#36
Senior Member
Easy Changes:
- black leather bar tape
- silver braided brake cables (lose the yellow)
- Honjo, VO, or Berthoud fenders
- VO or Nitto bottle cages
Bonus round:
- IRD, VO, or vintage crankset (Spidel / Nervar / drilled Sugino)
- Shimano M700 Deer Head or Suntour Cyclone or Shimano Crane long cage
- Chrome Soma Classic Curve CX fork
- black leather bar tape
- silver braided brake cables (lose the yellow)
- Honjo, VO, or Berthoud fenders
- VO or Nitto bottle cages
Bonus round:
- IRD, VO, or vintage crankset (Spidel / Nervar / drilled Sugino)
- Shimano M700 Deer Head or Suntour Cyclone or Shimano Crane long cage
- Chrome Soma Classic Curve CX fork
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Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
#37
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Personally I agree with the yellow tape. Or white tape and cables. The front rack has to go, unless the rack is actually being used a crooked rack no matter how expensive look awful. tan wall Pasela tires may help to dress it up and brighten it up too. Maybe a honey Brooks too
Unless you use this in wet weather check out Woodies custome made fenders.....https://www.woodysfenders.com/store/i...=index&cPath=7
Now if your really want to turn heads..... strip the frame and hold it over your head.... then slam it into the ground dropouts first to give the rear triangle a little shape.
Unless you use this in wet weather check out Woodies custome made fenders.....https://www.woodysfenders.com/store/i...=index&cPath=7
Now if your really want to turn heads..... strip the frame and hold it over your head.... then slam it into the ground dropouts first to give the rear triangle a little shape.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#38
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Oh Boy, I was hoping this had dropped off the radar. Rack will be fixed, just didn't know how much stress it could take. The fenders are what I had and they will most likely come off, honjos maybe, woodies NO Thanks, I'm not much into fenders anyway. I like the yellow cable, I have seen the silver braided and don't think there is enough polished on this bike to make those work. I have obtained some faux leather black wrap. I do have a honey brooks... want to see if I can make the black work. The candys are by necessity to ride this coming week on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I have a sugino drillium double, but it does not afford me the gearing I want, however it would look good.
So I will go back to the drawing board with the constructive criticism and opinions (no I'm not slamming anything on the ground) and try again.
So I will go back to the drawing board with the constructive criticism and opinions (no I'm not slamming anything on the ground) and try again.
#39
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Really want it to turn heads? Have a pretty girl ride it.
#40
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Hmmmmm.
I liked it better naked. My r3commendations would be:
Gumwall tires, white SKS fenders (spend the time to get the fenderline perfect, this is the biggest impact on overall looks IMO). Lose the VO rear rack, it's too small and sits too high. Do a black/white harlequin wrap on the bars, go back to black housings, level out the front rack, polish the holy bejeebers out of the cranks and rear mech. Wire bottle cages and white bottles. Normally I don't advocate for white on a bike but that maroon's a hard shade to work with. Since all that will work is black or white, make them work together for you. I think the harlequin wrap on the mustache bars will really sell it.
I liked it better naked. My r3commendations would be:
Gumwall tires, white SKS fenders (spend the time to get the fenderline perfect, this is the biggest impact on overall looks IMO). Lose the VO rear rack, it's too small and sits too high. Do a black/white harlequin wrap on the bars, go back to black housings, level out the front rack, polish the holy bejeebers out of the cranks and rear mech. Wire bottle cages and white bottles. Normally I don't advocate for white on a bike but that maroon's a hard shade to work with. Since all that will work is black or white, make them work together for you. I think the harlequin wrap on the mustache bars will really sell it.
#42
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Oh Boy, I was hoping this had dropped off the radar. Rack will be fixed, just didn't know how much stress it could take. The fenders are what I had and they will most likely come off, honjos maybe, woodies NO Thanks, I'm not much into fenders anyway. I like the yellow cable, I have seen the silver braided and don't think there is enough polished on this bike to make those work. I have obtained some faux leather black wrap. I do have a honey brooks... want to see if I can make the black work. The candys are by necessity to ride this coming week on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I have a sugino drillium double, but it does not afford me the gearing I want, however it would look good.
So I will go back to the drawing board with the constructive criticism and opinions (no I'm not slamming anything on the ground) and try again.
So I will go back to the drawing board with the constructive criticism and opinions (no I'm not slamming anything on the ground) and try again.
Bilenky 650B Constructeur Tandem - First Ride - 13 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr