Basket Case Mirage Questions
08-31-20, 12:05 PM
#1
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Basket Case Mirage Questions
A friend found this on the curb and wondered what its grocery-getter potential was. He was interested in single-speeding it. I told him I’d give it a try.
Wondering about a few details. Does that fork look bent? BB is rough, but spins. Leave it? I don’t have cotter pine tools.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
The peeling green paint has a great patina!
Wondering about a few details. Does that fork look bent? BB is rough, but spins. Leave it? I don’t have cotter pine tools.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
The peeling green paint has a great patina!
08-31-20, 12:11 PM
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yes, blades have "relaxed"/"softened"
appears there is steerer deformation as well
this fork steerer has a stiff butt in its lower reaches so there is plenty of "meat" to work with for your cold setting endeavours...
---
and yes, shell is CH
the REWAX MD spindle shall likely be pitted, most used ones are
---
birth annum appears MCMLXXIV
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yes, blades have "relaxed"/"softened"
appears there is steerer deformation as well
this fork steerer has a stiff butt in its lower reaches so there is plenty of "meat" to work with for your cold setting endeavours...
---
and yes, shell is CH
the REWAX MD spindle shall likely be pitted, most used ones are
---
birth annum appears MCMLXXIV
-----
Last edited by juvela; 08-31-20 at 12:45 PM. Reason: addition
08-31-20, 12:15 PM
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yes, blades have "relaxed"/"softened"
appears there is steerer deformation as well
this fork has a stiff butt in its lower reaches so there is plenty of "meat" to work with for your cold setting endeavours...
---
and yes, shell is CH
the REWAX MD spindle shall likely be pitted, most used ones are
-----
yes, blades have "relaxed"/"softened"
appears there is steerer deformation as well
this fork has a stiff butt in its lower reaches so there is plenty of "meat" to work with for your cold setting endeavours...
---
and yes, shell is CH
the REWAX MD spindle shall likely be pitted, most used ones are
-----
08-31-20, 12:17 PM
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Goodness knows when the BB was last serviced, if it were to be resurrected I would beg borrow or steal the Cotter pin tool needed or maybe find a co-op in PDX that could remove them. I love Moto's but if I was looking for basic transport/grocery getter it might be easier to find a neglected old MTB to get back up an running.
Last edited by ryansu; 08-31-20 at 12:30 PM.
08-31-20, 12:24 PM
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Goodness when the BB was last serviced, if it were to be resurrected I would beg borrow or steal the Cotter pin tool needed or maybe find a co-op in PDX that could remove them. I love Moto's but if I was looking for basic transport/grocery getter it might be easier to find a neglected old MTB to get back up an running.
08-31-20, 12:32 PM
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08-31-20, 12:38 PM
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They are not cheap but I have had very good luck removing cotters with the Bikesmith cotter press including a Motobecance Mirage that I refrubed a few years ago
Mirage before
Mirage After
Mirage before
Mirage After
08-31-20, 12:49 PM
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not necessary to purchase a purpose made cotter press -
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not necessary to purchase a purpose made cotter press -
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08-31-20, 01:06 PM
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I just rebuilt an old French bike--a Gitane mixte from 1973. It was a PITA but I enjoyed fixing it up. There is a certain coolness factor in rehabbing an old bike. I rebuilt the mixte for one of my neighbors who wanted it as a "townie" bike.
One problem you are going to have is that the handlebar clamp size is likely 25.4 but the clamp on the the stem is likely a 25.0. That's a possible failure point. I'd get a cheap english stem which you will likely need to sand down a bit to fit (since the quill is 22.2 and French bikes are 22.0) but this a safer way to go. I've been working on a Peugeot UE 8 that had a similar problem.
This is my UE 8 before I dealt with the problem by recycling an old french flat bar with a 25.0 clamp size:
One problem you are going to have is that the handlebar clamp size is likely 25.4 but the clamp on the the stem is likely a 25.0. That's a possible failure point. I'd get a cheap english stem which you will likely need to sand down a bit to fit (since the quill is 22.2 and French bikes are 22.0) but this a safer way to go. I've been working on a Peugeot UE 8 that had a similar problem.
This is my UE 8 before I dealt with the problem by recycling an old french flat bar with a 25.0 clamp size:
Last edited by bikemig; 08-31-20 at 01:13 PM.
08-31-20, 01:13 PM
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If you don't feel like sanding down a stem, look and see if you can find a cheap Nitto unit. The ones I have owned are indeed just under 22.0. Running a brake cylinder hone down the inside of the steerer tube to clean out any corrosion solves many problems. If you have a Nitto stem and it still doesn't fit, remove the top locknut and check then. You may need to open up the top of the headset locknut, as sometimes the opening is slightly less than the steerer tube itself.
08-31-20, 01:15 PM
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They are not cheap but I have had very good luck removing cotters with the Bikesmith cotter press including a Motobecance Mirage that I refrubed a few years ago
Mirage before
Mirage After
Mirage before
Mirage After
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08-31-20, 01:21 PM
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I just rebuilt an old French bike--a Gitane mixte from 1973. It was a PITA but I enjoyed fixing it up. There is a certain coolness factor in rehabbing an old bike. I rebuilt the mixte for one of my neighbors who wanted it as a "townie" bike.
One problem you are going to have is that the handlebar clamp size is likely 25.4 but the clamp on the the stem is likely a 25.0. That's a possible failure point. I'd get a cheap english stem which you will likely need to sand down a bit to fit (since the quill is 22.2 and French bikes are 22.0) but this a safer way to go. I've been working on a Peugeot UE 8 that had a similar problem.
This is my UE 8 before I dealt with the problem by recycling an old french flat bar with a 25.0 clamp size:
One problem you are going to have is that the handlebar clamp size is likely 25.4 but the clamp on the the stem is likely a 25.0. That's a possible failure point. I'd get a cheap english stem which you will likely need to sand down a bit to fit (since the quill is 22.2 and French bikes are 22.0) but this a safer way to go. I've been working on a Peugeot UE 8 that had a similar problem.
This is my UE 8 before I dealt with the problem by recycling an old french flat bar with a 25.0 clamp size:
08-31-20, 01:26 PM
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Thanks JacobLee I picked this very dirty Mirage up for about $35 and then did nothing with it for a few years and it took some work but I am happy with how it ended up and I was fortunate it was all there so I didn't have the opportunity deal with finding parts that work with a French bike of this era
08-31-20, 01:52 PM
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potential catastrophic failure - aluminum is spooky that way
failure can result in face-to-tarmac event for rider
---
should you not wish to tackle the spoon bending you have no less a master than Il Gugissimo close at hand. A most accomplished utensil straightener he be.
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Last edited by juvela; 08-31-20 at 01:57 PM.
08-31-20, 02:11 PM
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potential catastrophic failure - aluminum is spooky that way
failure can result in face-to-tarmac event for rider
---
should you not wish to tackle the spoon bending you have no less a master than Il Gugissimo close at hand. A most accomplished utensil straightener he be.
-----
potential catastrophic failure - aluminum is spooky that way
failure can result in face-to-tarmac event for rider
---
should you not wish to tackle the spoon bending you have no less a master than Il Gugissimo close at hand. A most accomplished utensil straightener he be.
-----
So, the stem is basically a throw away? I was figuring it might be okay if I just didn’t ask it to bend back to 25.0. But the fact that it’s already been spread means it’s best to recycle it? Better safe than sorry!
08-31-20, 02:16 PM
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I'd start with trying to straighten the fork before putting any work into the bike. Steer tube probably bent inside.
How you ask? Jumping the bike.
How you ask? Jumping the bike.
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08-31-20, 02:51 PM
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I would put in an english threaded stem. You might get lucky and it will slide right in. Or you may get lucky and once you ream out the locknut a bit, it will slide in. Worse case scenario is you have to sand down the quill a bit. There is a lot of material there to work with.
08-31-20, 03:45 PM
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Thanks all! Lot’s of danger signs I wouldn’t have seen. I’ll pick through it slowly for fun, and follow up with any dumb questions as they arise.
08-31-20, 04:13 PM
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Potence nota -
Philippe produced stems contemporaneous with the cycle which have a 25.4mm clamp and a 22.0mm quill. Probably difficult to locate but they exist. Just so you know in case you should go browsing at your local bike co-op.
As mentioned by others previously, unless you wish to look for a metric all-rounder bar (which of course do exist) your two main options are to ream out the clamp on a metric stem to 25.4mm size or to sand down the quill of a 22.2mm stem to fit the cycle's 22.0mm steerer.
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Potence nota -
Philippe produced stems contemporaneous with the cycle which have a 25.4mm clamp and a 22.0mm quill. Probably difficult to locate but they exist. Just so you know in case you should go browsing at your local bike co-op.
As mentioned by others previously, unless you wish to look for a metric all-rounder bar (which of course do exist) your two main options are to ream out the clamp on a metric stem to 25.4mm size or to sand down the quill of a 22.2mm stem to fit the cycle's 22.0mm steerer.
-----
Last edited by juvela; 08-31-20 at 04:15 PM. Reason: punctuatin'
08-31-20, 07:44 PM
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There is potential but fix or replace the fork first.
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08-31-20, 07:51 PM
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just think -
if you had Gugie do the front wheel holder for you the cycle might qualify for a Gugificazione transfer to be worn proudly
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just think -
if you had Gugie do the front wheel holder for you the cycle might qualify for a Gugificazione transfer to be worn proudly
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08-31-20, 08:21 PM
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I’d send that out for groceries and not let it come back.
