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2017 Inexpensive Tour Bike (and tour) Build contest!

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2017 Inexpensive Tour Bike (and tour) Build contest!

Old 01-05-17, 11:39 PM
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Brad,

What is your verdict on the integrity of the crushed stay?
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Old 01-06-17, 12:06 AM
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I've seen quite a few steel bikes with moderately crushed chainstays behind the bottom bracket. As far as I know, they just look ugly.

I'm not sure if aluminum would be any different.

Perhaps a cargo bike would be a bit different than the typical town bike.
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Old 01-06-17, 01:18 AM
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@Doug64, Official assessment...Damage from an over tightened side stand should be avoided regardless of frame material. I've installed similar stands onto family bikes with nothing more than paint damage, this was something I should have double checked.

On the other hand, this is a very high mileage four bagger bike that the side stand looked to have been installed by the LBS at time of initial sale. The damage is between the BB shell and the chain stay bridge, which may have helped the integrity/longevity somewhat.(?) The original owner may not have ever been aware of the damage.
@CliffordK, Aluminum tubing doesn't do as well as steel tubing with similar damage, from what I've read. The TT has a pretty bad crease in it near the center cable housing guide and that alone would/should be a deal breaker for any purchase. Part of my "experiment" was to see if that would become a problem after some rough use.

After a couple of years of general riding, gravel grinding, and the day trips nothing has failed, the "experiment" continues.

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Old 01-07-17, 05:17 PM
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More of a bump to the top than anything else.
Used fenders, take-offs or scraps at our bike co-op. No luck. Boredom/Cabin Fever has me buying a new set of fenders for my build. The front racks are for my new real Touring bike build (2016 Marin).
I'm getting excited for the weather to warm, biking season to start.



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Old 01-07-17, 05:31 PM
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Looking good! I think I have those fenders too.

I experimented with vinegar and salt and did achieve a nice warm rust colour on the forks but the bleach did not add the green tint I was hoping for. After poking around on the net I came across gun bluing ideas and decided to try the cold or "quick" process, which is basically wipe on, leave, wash off. So I sanded the forks back down to clear and tried again.

Couldn't be happier!

The tubes took on a nice blue with coppery highlights that don't quite show in the photos. I may try a second spot application of vinegar and salt to enhance the highlights but who will wait to buff out the pipes with steel wool tomorrow and see what they look like. Once done I'll clear coat and start rebuilding the bearing components: HS, BB, Hubs.






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Old 01-07-17, 05:41 PM
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Are you planning on keeping this a single speed coaster brake bike?
Do your Capital - Capital tour, keep the bike and memories forever!

I like following your build.



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Old 01-07-17, 07:02 PM
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Wow, some great entries here.

That is an interesting "paint" scheme there Happy! Am eagerly awaiting the final product! I've got some blue-ing solution just sitting around as well...
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Old 01-07-17, 07:30 PM
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Thanks. I'm hoping rubbing out areas with steel wool tomorrow will enhance the patina (?).

I am thinking of keeping it a coaster SS for now but may consider adding a front brake for safety sake. It's not just a brake failure that could leave one with no stopping power but also a broken chain. I guess I'll see how much I trust the DYF technique.
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Old 01-07-17, 08:08 PM
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I like the coaster brake SS idea. Cycling, and life skills experience would lead about any of us to add a front hand brake.
+1, ha-ha.

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Old 01-08-17, 07:44 AM
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The 7 lbs "cast iron" frame became green. It's an alkyd paint spray can job. Color is RAL 6002 "leaf green". I think I'm going to spray some white stripes on it here and there too.


Last edited by Will Wheeler; 01-08-17 at 07:47 AM.
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Old 01-08-17, 11:25 AM
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Watching the ugly duck take wing! I think there is a common theme to these early starts... Snow?
We have had over a month of it.
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Old 01-08-17, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Watching the ugly duck take wing! I think there is a common theme to these early starts... Snow?
We have had over a month of it.
I actually thought about painting it blue, but they didn't have any of that left, so "OK, green then"
No regrets. I think it's a nice colour. Very close to John Deer green.



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Old 01-08-17, 11:52 AM
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I was totally thinking JD too but didn't know if you guys had them in Scandi.
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Old 01-09-17, 09:40 PM
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The old rear rack I picked up on the MUP last fall. I think someone had a wreck, and in frustration tore/twisted it off their bike. I was simply removing it as garbage at the time. But it ended up in the pile of parts. Today I straightened it out best I could. Well it is on the front now to link my front low-riders together. I carry my lunch bag as a Purse, you guy's call them a bar bag.
This is fun.
-20C, And more snow tonight, might as well be the dark of winter, wait it is. -4C Tomorrow, need to go for a ride.

I like the green, ground-up. We are going to see some personal bikes out there on the roads this season.



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Old 01-09-17, 10:06 PM
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Looking slick @Happy Feet!

Ordered my brakes and shifters today, a NOS set of Suntour Power Shift integrated thumb shifters/brake levers for $15, which I really hope the internet didn't lie to me about and can actually operate in either Suntour index or friction mode (I need friction...)!

That'll probably be all for January, the camping gear at the REI garage sale killed the rest of my expendable budget with a Big Agnes tent.

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Old 01-10-17, 12:32 AM
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Originally Posted by jefnvk
Looking slick @Happy Feet!

Ordered my brakes and shifters today, a NOS set of Suntour Power Shift integrated thumb shifters/brake levers for $15, which I really hope the internet didn't lie to me about and can actually operate in either Suntour index or friction mode (I need friction...)! SUNTOUR XCD 6000 Combination Brake / Shift Lever Set | eBay

That'll probably be all for January, the camping gear at the REI garage sale killed the rest of my expendable budget with a Big Agnes tent.
What? The internet lie?

I recently bought a $20 Shimano stem shifter that offers friction/index on the rear lever and it works ok.
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Old 01-10-17, 01:53 PM
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Advice please

Someone across the alley offered me a bicycle that I accepted. It fits this catagory. My thoughts were for a beater around town bicycle rather than real touring. It will be for my son, who is not a cyclist. 2 miles to work. It's an Xmart special road bicycle, 3x7 so it has pretty low gearing. Shimano deraillers of some sort. side pull brakes are functional. So it is a functional bicycle. He wants it as a flat bar bicycle. There's a co-op in St. Louis so cheap parts should be available. Rear dropouts have eyelets, nothing near the seatpost. So p-clamps or something for a rear rack. I'll take a better look at how the rear brake mounts. I'm thinking something like what Jeffnvk got for brake and shift levers. Currently it has twist shifts which I'm thinking might interfere with the flat bar brakes if I tried to keep them. I've noticed most better bicycles have thumb shifters. My around town has twist grips so I'm okay with them. I'm thinking cheap fenders as well. Blinky lights of course. So! here's my thoughts.

rear rack some way or form.
fenders
"broomstick" hbar
Brake levers
shift levers
cables as necessary
So that's about it! I might even get in under the $100 mark.

Any suggestions?
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Old 01-10-17, 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Squeezebox
...So! here's my thoughts.

rear rack some way or form.
fenders
"broomstick" hbar
Brake levers
shift levers
cables as necessary
So that's about it! I might even get in under the $100 mark.

Any suggestions?
Just have fun with it!

Brad
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Old 01-10-17, 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Squeezebox

Any suggestions?
It's your build. The contest is to share how you can create a tour bike on a budget. Show your skill!
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Old 01-11-17, 10:32 AM
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Fair enough!!
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Old 01-11-17, 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Squeezebox
I'm thinking something like what Jeffnvk got for brake and shift levers. ...
Any suggestions?
The only reason I went with those is that my brake levers were pretty trashed and I wanted to go to a shifter that was more simple (durable?) than my plastic grip shifts for touring. While I was looking for them, had I not stumbled across the cheap NOS set, I'd probably have just gone with the basic Cane Creek or Tektro levers (whichever I found on sale cheaper), and the SunRace shifters that seemingly sell for $9 everywhere. I couldn't find anything like it new.

The only other two on eBay right now are $45 for a well used set, and $75 for one missing the actual shifters (although it has the base).
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Old 01-12-17, 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by jefnvk
Looking slick @Happy Feet!

Ordered my brakes and shifters today, a NOS set of Suntour Power Shift integrated thumb shifters/brake levers for $15, which I really hope the internet didn't lie to me about and can actually operate in either Suntour index or friction mode (I need friction...)! SUNTOUR XCD 6000 Combination Brake / Shift Lever Set | eBay

That'll probably be all for January, the camping gear at the REI garage sale killed the rest of my expendable budget with a Big Agnes tent.
Let us know how the big Agnes is. I love tent camping on tour.
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Old 01-12-17, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by 52telecaster
Let us know how the big Agnes is. I love tent camping on tour.
Will do, but its not getting used til at least April, more likely May. Thus far, I'm not a fan of the packaging, I think I am going to wind up carrying the poles and the fabric separately. My last tent packed more compactly, even though it is a bit heavier. My fish scale says 4lb 3oz for the BA, 5lb 8oz for the Eureka (albeit with a homemade tarp footprint rolled up in there):


One really cool feature is that BA is sewing a strip of LEDs in the ceiling seam of the tent, that can be operated with 3 AAAs or a USB power source (sorry for the crappy pic):
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Old 01-12-17, 08:41 PM
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Well, levers came today, they are MONSTROUS, nearly as big as my old motorcycle levers! Should have great braking power. Even better shape than indicated, truly NOS. Rear doesn't have the Suntour power shifting, but still feels quality, and easily works in friction mode (installation manual made it really easy to figure out ).

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Old 01-18-17, 01:38 AM
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A little more work over the weekend and the frame is ready for reassembly.

I'm happy with the blueing effect and rubbed it a bit to bring out a copper undertone before clear coating the works with several coats of lacquer.
After that it was cleaning out what looked like 50+ year old dried grease and repacking the head set and BB. Replaced the bearings but the cups and races were good so it was a cheap improvement. So far I'm into this build for $42 plus about $10 in supplies (when used overall on several builds).

Next step is to slap some parts on and make it look like a bike again. I have everything I need and just have to decide which bars I want and what to do about a brake.

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