sluglug

skatescool... beautiful work. i like the cable routing on the brake....1st time i've seen someone do that. Whats the hole on the headtube for?

bexley

Nice. Today it looks like the gateway to hell:

SkatesCool

Thank you. As for the hole, I have no idea, it's threaded too.

wearyourtruth

looks like a place to attach cable stops


the hole through the BB lug would also lead me to believe that bike was once geared, even with the fork ends. to my understanding, in the 50's they were still trying to figure out the best way to set up a rear derailer

queerpunk

Holy crap. I'm quoting all these images because this bike is lovely. Where's 128 to comment on it? He'd like it, too.

Read Dave Moulton's blog for some info on racing bikes in post-WWII England. A lot of club riders had all purpose bikes that could be used for derailleurs and for track racing, or fixed-gear time trialling (apparently, there were also TTs with a required gear, like 48x18). A lot of people had one bike for all of this stuff, including everyday getting-around - hence old path racers being like track bikes but with more all-around geometry, fender mounts, brakeholes, etc.

SkatesCool

That's really interesting! There is a similar threaded hole on the top of the BB shell too.

imoscardotcom

Round 2. Someone just say something about my Nishiki that's my dad got some street cred on in 1974 from going to Maine, and the bike staying in the family and stuffs. Does that sappy **** mean anything to anyone anymore?

SingleSpeeDemon

huh?

hockdub

nice, ill look for ya too! i live up west elizabeth, so youll probably see me between there and old town mainly.

blamire

its finished. at last.
can anyone tell me what my 14/48 ratio is in inches? i seriously need a bigger sprocket. i was thinking 17 or 18? any suggestions.

baxtefer

It's for a grease fitting
same on the BB
common on old british bikes. Lets you just squirt in fresh grease and let the old grease ooze out.

the WTB Greaseguard headets revived this concept briefly.

ak1

I run 48/17 and like it, 17 skid patches if that matters to you vs. 3 with an 18 tooth cog I believe. Though there aren't many hills where I am, if there were I'd go lower.

Here's a link for calculating gear ratios and such.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Sgtsalt

I just converted this bike recently (it was finished yesterday) and it is a pretty fun ride. It is an old Schwinn Le Tour (1973 possibly? I'm not sure if I'm reading the serial code accurately).

Toe cages are obnoxious. I have never ridden with them before and I have to say that I don't like them. The up pull motion is so jerky! Anyway, maybe I'll become a bit more proficient with them in time.

So... not being able to coast is... interesting. I think, for long distances, being able to coast is a good thing. But, for riding through urban environments, the fixed gear seems like it will be a blast.

All in all, I <3<3<3 my fixed gear.

AaronC

everyone's got nice bikes! heres some updated pics of mine:





i'm still learning: haha


and my dog just for fun.

luke.read

nice leader, is that the leader carbon track fork? or another model? i've been looking to buy the track fork, but i haven't been able to find many pictures of it built up on a frame.

blamire

thanks i think i'll get me a 17 T sprocket then. wasn't planning on skidding but i suppose its worth having more skid patches in case i do somewhere down the line.
ta

vobopl

These are for oiling ports (BB and the lower bearing on the headtube), the one on the head tube is too far back for the cable stop - would not align the cable properly without the matching one under BB anyway.

sorry, Baxtefer beat me to it

ghankerson

My occasional daily rider

nateintokyo

the dog needs a purple collar

Badbalance

^ lol

maddyfish

Is this in reference to the Schwinn?

Tat2Art

Thanks doughboy! Yeah, I hardly ever use the rear breaks so I just think of them as rear break pad spares. Ha-ha. I do like the minimalist look too so I've decided in the winter I'll loose the bottle cages and carry my H2O in my backpack which will also serve as an extra layer of clothing. Meantime it is what it is and you called it - practical! Thanks again.

Art

Tat2Art

Thanks for the input Repeater! 1st I'm not a PRO. 2nd in Las Vegas at 6:00am it's already 90 degrees (July & August) by the time I'm home around 8:00am it's close to triple digits. People here are lucky I wear any clothing at all (now there's a mental picture Ha-ha) much less a jersey.

Art

toldey

got myself a basket, didn't like riding with a bag in the summer and sweat when all i wanted to carry was a drink, a camera and some food

VAwitt

nice ive got the same basket on my commuter, pretty nice little basket, clean bike!