jetboy 

OK! Winter is officially here and I figured I'd issue a new Beater challenge for those in less than the mild temperate climates such as myself: those who need a real beater to take out and survive sleet, hail, salty roads and torrential rains all in the name of getting to the local watering hole before last call because the fire is out and you drank your last whisky.

The Rules are simple, and the same as last year (as far as I can remember) with some obvious mods due to the slight change in name.

1. You get 69$ (that's right, a budget cut! get used to it) to find/build/create out of kitchen utensils.. a rid-able bike.
2. You have to ride 69 kilometers (or miles if you like) but get double points for riding in below zero, snow, rain, 40mph winds etc etc. you know if you are riding in ****ty weather
3. you have 69 days starting tomorrow, December 11 to complete challenge.

NEW this year: For the winner of the challenge I will donate $69 to a bike related charity of their choice!


last year's Hardcore 76 challenge for some inspiration: from @crank_addict

shelbyfv

Cool but you may want to run this by a mod before they shut it down. Apparently there is some rule against "unapproved" contests.

Velocivixen

Just rephrase the wording a bit. A post to encourage us to be thoughtful about spending money, especially in these times. A throw down to all those cold weather folks to get out, start searching, begin wrenching then riding. Just because.......

obrentharris 

We've been doing the clunker challenges for a while now. The mod's have not shut them down. I think the ban on contests relates more to commercial uses of the forum.
Brent

dweenk

I have been working on a project recently that was sort of back-burner, since it didn't fit me. This may provide some incentive. We will certainly have 69 days of ****ty weather around here.

WGB 

Bought a really rough Raleigh Record, a lawn spreader, some cleaning stuff and this Raleigh Challenger for (I think it was) $27 total. Sold Record frame for $40 so the Challenger was free. Couldn't sell the Challenger so I stripped frame and sold wheel set and parts and couldn't giveaway the frame which was left in my shed till last week.

Set of mismatched rims from an old Armstrong I bought for $25 (frame worth $25) so rims free. Given freewheel at Co-op. Used the old seat, seat post, bars and stem it came with so they were free, even used the old chain.

Two tubes, two knobby tires and new pads on sale at Niagara Cycle (local pickup so no shipping cost) for $27.40. Cheap cables for two brakes and two shifters from China for $3.99 including shipping.

Downside

Old hubs cleaned and re-greased but didn't I forgot to tighten locknut so cone loosened and bearings fell out on one side of front wheel and I had to carry bike home for 3km (1.5 miles). Wheels now run rough.

God it's a POS but I'm at 40km (25 miles) and today was -4c (25f) and no snow but 10 centimeters (4 inches) tonight and I suspect knobby tires are not as good as real winter tires on ice......

bikemig 

Dang, I have the perfect bike, a mid 70s Sekine SHS 271--but it will end up costing me right around $100. That bike is a prima bad weather bike, it has room for 38c tires and fenders.

jetboy 

save a few bucks and build your own fenders I won't count the cost of beer against you, just the deposit on the cans.

bikemig 

at a nickel a pop, I might just hit that magic $69 level!

Senior Ryder 00 

So, Is the below "zero" for Celsius or Fahrenheit? It makes a big difference to us old guys with less than optimum circulation. Otherwise sounds like fun.

I volunteer at the local co-op and, tomorrow, I'll look for a project.

Cheers,

mountaindave 

Hmmm, tho could be the year to finally take up the beater challenge. I forget, do we hav to count cost of parts-bin items? FMV if we can’t recall where it came from?

jetboy 

The rules are pretty flexible on the price point: to expand on the 69$ rule:

1. The total cost of the bike must be less than $69 on things you spend on it OR
2. You could not reasonably sell the bike for more than $69 by the END of the challenge. (this is to take into account a bike you may have purchased for $150 but then stripped all the good stuff off and made a beater of it - or like myself, you just plain overpaid and now are thinking, dang that bike ain't worth crap. now I am gonna ride it through the snow till its worth even less!)

#1 is enforced by your own reckoning on the worth of parts in the bin- if its something you might just give to someone for free, then its free. if its a little nicer, id say FFMV, Fair Forum Market Value, what you might sell it to a forum member - below market but enough to get you a beer, maybe even a six pack if its nice.
#2 is enforced by me, as I reserve the right to buy any bicycle for $69 at the end of the challenge. So please o please declare your colnago a beater and that no one would reasonably purchase it for $69

Darth_Firebolt

at -40 it doesn't matter!

jetboy 

I live in california. below zero is when one is wearing a hoodie and thinking, hmm, its pretty cold, I probably should have worn a coat.. but then you realize you don't actually own a coat. So you just comment on how its "freezing" today and grab a latte.

Darth_Firebolt

it was more a joke about the units of measure not mattering because -40F = -40C

bwilli88 

What about 40°C

oddjob2

In this era of news related media turned National Enquirer and open kimonos so to speak, I won't ask how the 69 dollar amount was arrived at.

However, I would recommend you exclude tires/tubes from the total, as not every participant will have a supply of road worthy and safe used rubber.

With less than 2 months after the holidays to participate in this contest, and a major "to the studs" remodeling of my kitchen and bath, along with whole house new wiring, new plumbing, and new trim, I doubt I can find the time.

GOOD LUCK TO THE COMPETITORS!

WiBoy 

Make a bike out of the old lead plumbing?

jetboy 

not a bad idea on the rubber, but remember, it only had to be worth 69$ at the END of the challenge. Used tires are not worth much.

shelbyfv

I guess it was just me, not surprised.

leftthread

There was a $29 World Sport mixte at a thrift last night. Circa '82 with stamped rear dropouts, Suntour stem shifters and Honor rear d...

jetboy 

may not have enough interest this year! what, not cold enough?

nlerner

Oh, I’m interested. Already been scanning CL for prime candidates.

TimmyT 

Just find something in a trash can on the way to your office 😉

nlerner

I’m always looking!