Narhay

C&V Clunker Challenge 100
The summer 2017 clunker challenge has landed. See the product of too much free time at work from 2014 and 2016 here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...challenge.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...nge-100-a.html

So, that Colnago is too smooth, fits like a glove and shifts too well. Your Pinarello with matching pantographed everything shines in the light a little too much. Your Reynolds 531 doesn't give you enough of a workout and doesn't steamroll the ruts in the pavement. Your aluminum rims are far too safe braking in the rain. You desire exhilarating change, but you're not sure how. Visitors to your house will admire your nice old bikes until that dark shape in the back corner catches their eye. Wait, you keep that POS inside? Doesn't it attract flies?

The C&V Clunker 100 Challenge. The hunt, the build, the slog.

You have 100 days starting today, July 3, 2017 to complete the following:

- $100USD (or local equivalent) firm budget to purchase a C&V bicycle and get it back on the road. This $100 includes initial bicycle purchase and all consumables/parts to make it go again. You may have to cut corners but this is all part of the fun. That wal-mart saddle just might have to be your hatchet if you spent all your money on new tires. Your time, tools, cleaning supplies, gas/transit to go get it and grease are free. If you are buying new or used, record that price. If you are using something you already have and know what you paid, use that price. If you can't remember, use the fair market value of the item. If in doubt, ask. Shipping is a cost to be factored in. While anyone who wishes to participate is encouraged to follow the spirit of the game and go out and get a new bicycle, an untouched project waiting in the shed is ok, too.

- Swapping one part out for another does not cancel out the value added to the bicycle. As found = purchase price. adding items costs money, removing them does not give you money back.

- Keep a detailed list and updated before, during and after pictures in this thread on your purchases and progress. We fiend for this sort of thing.

- A minimum of 100km ridden on your new bike. Take photos of the rebuild and of the bicycle in the places you go and post them here. Perhaps you'll have a newfound admiration for stem shifters and solid axles. Or maybe you'll hate everyone after five minutes on the bike and keep using Photobucket to share photos.

- Arbitrary style and value points. You'll get style points for both the nicest finds/builds AND the bikes that make us say "That thing actually survived 100km?". Going as cheap and crummy as possible is a badge of honour. Bonus points for using a real POS in as-found condition (flipped bars, rusted cables, saddle at a 45 degree angle, etc.) and preserving the integrity of the previous owner's ingenuity and mechanical skills.

Judging: I will just decide on my own. Bribery and flattery is acceptable and encouraged. If anyone actually has too much free time and money bribes me I will post contents of mail bike related packages for others to covet and oggle.

Sign up below.

bikemig 

I'm in. This will get me motivated to fix up that Peugeot UE 8 I picked up a month ago. It's been hanging out in the garage saying build me, ride me.




I paid $100 for the bike so I sure as heck better hope those delrin derailleurs are worth a damn.

fleslider 

Cool,I think a trip to the local CO-OP is in order, see if i can find something hideous to do!

jetboy 

I am in- nothing in hand. half the fun is the search! l

Bicycle Addict

I am in, now I need to find a bike, even though I have heaps waiting!

dedhed

I recently picked up a Koga Miyata Traveler for free. The riding it 100km might be a problem because it's wayyy too big for me.

ryansu

Hmm, well I did spend $30 on this early 70s Motobecane Mirage a few years ago and I will have access to a garage for a house sitting gig next week it is a tad small, maybe I could ride it as is for a while? so perhaps... oh cotters be thy name
[IMG]70s Moto Mirage by Ryan Surface, on Flickr[/IMG]

nlerner

The search begins!

Narhay

Excellent. Glad to have you all aboard.

Bicycle Addict

I have actually got 2 almost indentical Raleigh Arena's that I bought together for $2.50(New Zealand dollars), so I would use one of those, problem will be finding a way to price parts change over where needed? I will be able to one good one out the 2 with only consumables needed.

@Narhay, how would you think the pricing would need to be between the 2?

Bicycle Addict

Here is some pics of what I am entering.

greg3rd48 

@noglider Here is your chance to get to work on the Pug mixte...

zammykoo

I'll see what I can find. I come across a lot of crummy bikes in my area but the asking prices are ridiculously high.

Narhay

I think if theyre identical and came as a package for $2.50 then consider them as one bike and swap away.

Bicycle Addict

Great, who knows I may even have budget to buy another!

ollo_ollo

Not sure if I'm in this year, busy schedule, but I have 2 possibles + a parts bike at the moment:

1. Motobecane Mixte, beater campus bike just finished for my grand daughter who is away for the Summer. Bought as a complete bike minus wheels, seatpost and saddle for $10, every part on it frozen in place from rust, dirt, corrosion and neglect, lots of missing paint and rust everywhere

2. Raleigh Super Course. Also bought for $10 as a complete bike, minus wheels and bottom bracket. Seller was put off by the Proprietary Raleigh BB threading and decided it was only fit for a "wall hanger"

3. Parts bike. A Motobecane Super Mirage with a broken & badly welded head tube. Bought for $25 from our local co-op as parts source for the Mixte, but re-purposed to build the Super Course

As you see, I had a NOS BB for the SC in my parts stash. I overhauled the SC headset last week and transferred brake calipers from the Moto.

swen0171 

I'm in! I got this early Univega MTB years ago for $9. Most of the parts are still in the bins somewhere. Trick is it has a 7/8 inch quill stem and I'll have to figure some way to get bars up higher than stock to ride 100 miles.

[IMG] Univega1 by Brynnar Swenson, on Flickr [/IMG]

top506

A trip to the dump is in order.


Top

Bicycle Addict

7/8 Stem? I thought all Univega's were 22.2(or earlier 21.1) then on to 25.4?

ollo_ollo

Here are a few pics of the one I have ready to go now:

I sprayed all moving parts with PB Blaster and after a few days the frozen parts were working again. I lubed the cables, overhauled the bottom bracket and headset being careful to preserve as much exterior rust as possible and now she's rolling again.

That's a 51 y.o. front wheel from last year's entry(66 Schwinn SuperSport) a surprisingly comfortable saddle from our local co-op's "free" box, steel seat post from my junk drawer, used tires and tubes from the $25 moto donor bike, fenders are some I saved from a LBS' trash for the spare parts. The rear wheel is brand new, one of two I got on CL for $20 from a guy who bought them on line, then found they wouldn't fit his bike. Probably I should remove the sticker to stay with the "unlikely to be stolen" theme.

It actually has a nice ride, goes & stops, will provide basic campus transportation for my grand daughter. If she think's "Eeew, it's too shabby to be seen on", I can probably get a few bucks for it on CL or just pass it on to the co-op. Not sure I will ride it a 100 kilometers, but maybe. Don

jetboy 

I used my clunker from last year today! took my daughter out to the 4th festival at berkeley marina.

that one I really went all out to make a usable and versatile ride- it was worht it but also a lot of work in the end. I think this year I might just really go full clunker- I am hoping to find a cruiser of some sort. see what turns up though...

a quick pic after we got back:



the red schwinn traveler is actually really nice- i got that for free and fixed it up for my wife. its surprisingly lightweight.


Edit: I may have found a candidate: a large frame bent up trek. not a cruiser at all but for $30 its the best i found on CL. and its only 5 minutes from my house.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/6198198233.html

Pompiere

21.1 mm should be the same as 7/8 inch, 22.2 mm is the same as 1 inch. The inch size refers the outer fork tube diameter, the mm is the actual quill diameter to fit inside the fork. It should be easy to find 21.2 stems, a lot of cheap MTBs used them.

rustystrings61 

Technical questions that may require a decision from the judges!

I note the initial rules include this sentence -
I have not one but TWO bikes that I would like to enter into this contest, but I may need a ruling on them.

Bike One, seen here as acquired 6/17, [IMG]IMG_4866_zpsnh7xmkph by Russ Fitzgerald, on Flickr[/IMG] has already been largely re-built, though I can surely come up with more photos as things are re-adjusted and reconfigured. It squeaks through the fiscal hoop at $96.21. I am about to start putting mileage on it anyway - if I take an 17-day penalty on it, post pix and build story, etc., will it qualify?

Bike Two, seen here as retrieved 6/12 [IMG]1985 Centurion Signet by Russ Fitzgerald, on Flickr[/IMG]], was purchased at a scrap yard for $10; while as seen it has had some work done, much more remains if it is to actually go 100 kms. It is not entirely untouched - again, would a time penalty cover that?

I would propose riding BOTH bikes 60 kms minimum within the time frame with photos, etc. Will that fit within the requirements of this challenge?

Narhay

I have considered this situation with the grave importance it deserves. I eschewed meals and pleasures of the flesh whilst I have sat upon my stereotypical thinking rock on the cliff determining the outcome. Eventually a clear solution arose.

You shall have entered both bicycles and will ride both not 60 but 100km each. You will also bequeath me your firstborn.

rustystrings61 

100 km each it is! Somehow I had 62.5 miles shoved down to 60 km ... not enough coffee!