Narhay

I think of a beater as the car you drive in the winter that is held together by 3 rusty screws and you park 3 streets over so no one sees you get out of it. I would say there were 2 real beaters (to me)...the green Raleigh and the rusty pos white single speed.

A mountain bike with unattractive upright bars or single speed a beater does not make.

dokydoky

This thread needs more Chicago Schwinns! Here's mine, 1972 Speedster with the biggest Wald basket with as much pizza as possible. I recently found a Schwinn approved rack for the back too, no pictures with that yet.

bikemig 

There's probably some slippage between a utility bike and a beater. Still that's a pretty tough standard (a POS bike held together by 3 rusty screws). I think how much money you have sunk into a bike has something to do with whether it's a beater or not. Some of the bikes here are pretty rare and I have a hard time calling one of those a beater.

bikemig 

This is a cool bike. You need the rear to carry the beer!

Murray Missile 

I guess "beaters" have different levels of "beat". Trust me, mine does NOT do the pictures justice. Before.



Everything in that pile was at least 16 years old, the frame closer to 30 and the rusty bare spots all over it are hidden well by the black paint and skateboard stickers. I'm regretting having painted it now, the paint job didn't turn out all that well and it had a lot more "character" before.

likebike23

I can see that the definition of a beater is different to different people. Whatever your definition of a beater is, it should never be a bike that is unsafe to ride. A cosmetically challenged bike with mismatched/lower level components that you are willing to ride anywhere in any conditions is the way I see it. It shouldn't have to be a rusted out, non-functioning, and dirty. Any bike I'm going to ride is going to be maintained regardless of it's status in my fleet.

MarkusForest

A restoration candidate is what i thought also when i went to buy it. Turns out that the previous owner had liquid papered the "Legnano" letters where they had worn off. Also, sprayed it with clear coat after that. I was so enamoured with the bike I didnt really see the clear coat. You win some and lose some. It was my turn to lose one.

This is an image soon after buying the bike. The tires were spent and soon replaced. I dont remember the name of the tires.

orangeology

beater & daily commuter


and thinking to build something like this for the next summer beater

devinfan

The clear coat might not be bad, to protect the remaining paint. if I were you, I'd sand down the liquid paper so that it's level and apply new decals from cyclomondo over top and over the clear. Then I'd go red cables and red cloth tape with clear shellack. The combination of the new decals, cables and tape against the patina would look awesome. I used to have a Gran Premio which I loved. I'd say I regret selling it but it covered the mortgae that month so I guess I don't. Nice looking beater, at any rate!

MarkusForest

huh, I am still unsure how to approach this bike. Thanks for the input. btw bought the bike in your fair city. From an artist who bought it from Mike Barry.

Murray Missile 

Exactly.

bloom87

Sixty Fiver

My car is a bit of a beater... it will need new fenders because of come creeping rust issues and a few plastic clips have been replaced with stainless zip ties. It has 250,000 km on the odometer now.

But mechanically... it is perfect and today it started on the first turn when the temperature was -23 C / -10F. No squeaks, rattles, and all the scheduled maintainence gets done.

My beater bikes are like that... they might be a little old, scruffy, or inexpensive but they don't get better mechanically.

bloom87

oh yeah. this is the bike that got a really quick-fix...

people here were telling me to to the long route (new DO, etc.) but this quick fix seems to be working good.
put like 10 layers of paint and clear coat on that,.... need to put more around before winter. along with mudguards !

Sixty Fiver

Winner.

Love it.

jethin

I think we can all agree that there is a beater. Bet it gets you to the bar and back just fine.

bloom87

gets me to work, university, in the snow, rain, whatev

also race.

gotta love the chorus/atlanta wheelset (converted to single speed of course)



btw the frame is a raleigh technium

bikemig 

It even has a classic beater saddle!

devinfan

Mike Barry! That settles it, you should restore it then. Mike's "shop" is one of the best bike museums in the world. The levers on my old Legnano below came from Mike. I included a pic so you can get an idea of what I meant when I said red on red. Finding the picture made me nostalgic. I may have to look out for another Legnano!

Murray Missile 

You'll get no argument here.

bloom87

actually if I go to the bar i'll have my snazzy NR bike ! for the rest, this trusty technium CX bike will do the trick (=

DiegoFrogs

So you're using the rear derailleur strictly as a tensioner on a bike with horizontal dropouts?

MarkusForest

Ok. so that Legnano is perfect. Wow. That is what i would have aimed for. Arrgh, I must rethink my bike. Thank you!

bloom87

Exactly. Otherwise I have to tension my chain every 3-4 days, gets my hands dirty, etc...

DiegoFrogs

I can't imagine how that could be true. Weak skewer?