I finally got around to finishing a few projects for the family this Fall. I was building up a spare bike for myself, and then one of my daughters gave me a couple of their old bikes (I think they had 18 bikes sitting around), so I ended up refreshing and rebuilding three separate bikes. I learned a lot and had fun, since I knew these were going to other family members.

First up was a long-term project I was doing for myself. Then, my oldest grandson turned 13 and got big and needed a new bike. So he gets this one. It’s a 1989 Miyata 312 that I stripped to bare metal and built up. Mostly Shimano 600 components. He’s having a blast with it!



Next up is a ‘93 Specialized Epic, one of the first carbon frames for them. It also has Shimano 600 parts and is a pretty good looking bike. This one, I actually sold since there was no one in the family that would fit it. I was pretty leary of doing anything with this frame since Specialized literally suggested the frame be replaced after 10 years. I had it checked over by a carbon frame repair specialist, and he gave a thumbs up.



The third one was the most interesting of the three for a few reasons. When it was made in 1995, it was designed to be a full on race bike. The guy who owned it was a fairly hot racer in Colorado back in the day. My son-in-law got the bike from him and rode it a bit. But mostly, it just kinda sat there. It’s a 1995 Cannondale R600 with the funky (and rare) Coda crankset. It was tricked out with Dura Ace parts and looked pretty darned cool. The bottom bracket was a mess, one of the reasons the bike hadn’t been ridden for years. There was actually a special tool that was needed to remove the BB ($99 on eBay) - but I found a a way to work around that. I put in new bearings, took everything else apart and regreased and re-oiled everything. It turned out pretty nice (paint chips notwithstanding). This one goes to my other son-in-law who wants to try some mini triathlons. The bike is pretty fast at 19 lbs., and it is reeeeeeally quick handling - almost too much for this old guy. Plus, it’s purple!



Now, I’m reworking my 1985 Gazelle. It’s getting a couple more rear cogs and a set of Dura Ace brakes, shifters, and derailleurs, plus some new wheels to accomodate the 8-speed setup. It never ends!