raverson

An almost Catch of the Day.

My neighbor comes over and asks me if I want an old mountain bike he's getting rid of. After describing all the things that are wrong with it and telling me his wife wants to start riding again and how she was planning to go buy a new one, we agree that I'll take a look at it and fix it if I can and save his wife the trouble and $ of buying a new one.

Turns out to be a 1990 Diamondback Ascent EX with True Temper cromoly frame and fork and Shimano Deore LX components with very little wear. New tires, cables, seat and grease and a bit of adjustment and she's riding smooth again. Easy fix, and a bike I wouldn't have minded owning.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Ah, is there any nicer combination?

ga_mueller

Harummph... sort of a big generalization there. People like me have a fully-equipped, bike-specific, toolbox. They just choose to work on their own bikes. Also, people like me think it's much better idea to defray a mechanics $130/hr labor charge, and do the 15 K service + valve adjustment on my 911 myself, than work on a bike for someone else... It's just a matter of priorites, I guess. You don't have time to do everything, so you have to pick and choose. (I think I might be off-topic??)

USAZorro

So there's a way for you to get your cake and eat it too. All I was saying was that if all the hobbyists charged $30.00 per hour for our efforts, you'd have to either pay more, or do it yourself. Econ 101.

I can see it now: Schwinn Varsity: 1972, 22", yellow. Great shape. Fully overhauled with new tires, cable and chain $275.00

ga_mueller

Yesss... a disconnect between actual local labor costs, and paid-for labor cost. Can we package this rate discrepancy into some sort of "CDO" type investment, and make use of the disparity between actual local-rate labor charges, and labor rates based on bike sales price, dividing into and selling these tranches to unsuspecting hedge and pension funds???? (Even further off-topic??)

robtown

Rare score for me today. I got a late 70's, early 80's Dawes Super Galaxy touring bike (sans seatpost/saddle). It has early cyclone long cage, triple ring, TA black inlayed crank, weinman center pull brakes. I also picked up the a Raleigh Technium late 80's Al frame with Shimano 6 speed indexed group, weinman sidepull brakes, and intra-tube brake cable routing. Apart from a good cleaning it's good to go. Both bikes have QR alloy 27" wheelsets. Total cost was profit off a cheap MTB wheelset that I stripped off a free bike.

bigbossman 

I have a big ol' bike specific toolbox, as well. But I'm the opposite of you - I work on the bikes, and leave the 911 valve job to the mechanic. If I f&^k up a bike, no big deal - but not the other way around....

Besides - for me, the 15k minor/major is only a yearly event (if that), and other than that the darn thing never breaks down on me. So, I'm good with it.

ga_mueller

Burned valve ~ $5K. Burned bottom bracket ~ $5. Why do I feel so alive???

ricohman

My catch of the day (yesterday anyway) has to be my $50 Marinoni.
I'm very exited about this bike.

USAZorro

Sweetness. That's right there with my $100.00 Bob Jackson from six months ago.

divineAndbright

awesome marinoni and one sweet price, you did well!

HDavidH

Two catches (ketches?) today...
A Peugot "12 Vitesses" Hand Brazed. made in France 56CM with 27 inch alum. wheels and Peugot components ($80.00) Pic attached

And a 58 CM Raleigh 440 Technium made in America with low-end shimano components and nice 700c rigida wheels ($50.00) No pic but nice blue on blue color in great shape. Looks just like this one (attached) but 58cm instead of 54.



David.

Bikedued

I had a very nice catch today. I had to get my poor Wife to drive across town to beat out someone else, but the deal went down. It was an older gentlemen dumping his bike tool stash.

It included:

A dozen or more nice Shimano, Park and Sugino spanners, two chain whips, a cable puller, a BB tool, a whole handful of freewheel removers, a brake adjusting clip, Park brake lever T handle screwdriver, Tioga quick adjust(wth is it?), Accugage pressure gauge for prestas, crank arm puller(Park again) two Park spoke wrenches. It also included a few Park tools that I have no idea about. Look like big tweezers with right angled peg ends? There's also a Dish gauge I think, looks like a bow (for arrows) with an adjustable center piece? To top it all off, an unbranded portable wheel truing stand. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning The price was $75 for everything. He knew it was worth more, but stuck to the deal. He's a great guy, and I thanked him profusely.

He also has a Fuji Sagres he wants to sell me, but I'm hesitant. Not about price at all. The frame is 27"!! It's in extremely nice condition, but all I would be able to do is tear it down to build a bike up that fit me. I don't have the heart to do it. The bike even has all the older gold tinted levers etc...... It looks gold tinted anyways?,,,,BD

mstrpete

I suppose this is as good a place as any for this:

I was at the free bike clinic the other day, fiddling with the Fuji, when I spied this hanging from the rafters. It needed pedals and a seatpost bolt just to be test-ride-able, and it had been beat on pretty badly, but it's cleaning up pretty well so far. It might be too modern for C&V, though; it's a'94 or'95. I'm thinking of making it my commuter. Opinions are welcome.

USAZorro

I have a couple mid 90's Treks myself (an 830, and I'm pretty certain an 850 that is nominally my son's). If I commuted, one of them would be the choice from amongst my stable for the task. If you put the right tire on them, they ride almost like a road bike, but can handle off-road quite well too, as long as it doesn't get too extreme.

cudak888 

All right, no rim for you!

Just kidding, of course. Great find...I'm envious...

ricohman

Its not my fault.........
Anyway, this doesn't happen every day.

mstrpete

What would you suggest for a tire? This one has a 700x32 on the back, and a 700x38 on the front. Yeah, I know-you should've seen this thing. Pretty messy. The rims are 700, I measure 24mm wide outside to outside. Should I try to split the difference and go with a 35 or 36? I ride on enough in-town roads that curbs, gutters, and gravel are part of my day.

USAZorro

Unless there are lots of nubs on the tread to slow you down, and presuming they're in good shape, I'd ride them until one of them (rears tend to wear down faster) gives out, and then go with what's left. With proper inflation, I can see either size working out with no problems for you. The trick is to find something that you can run at 50 or 60 psi on the road, won't have too much tread so as to slow you down too much, yet have some tread to get you through slippery spots when you get off road.

My bike has a set of 26" x 1.95" Kendas that have a tread pattern that is continuously raised in the middle. I get traction when the going gets rough, but I can maintain a decent speed without killing myself on the road. They're quite respectable for being such inexpensive tires.

curbtender

Labor of love, all these bikes are sought because we rode them, we wanted them or heard about them. Making a bike what it's worth? Priceless.

jgedwa

And by the way, I saw the twin to your Bob Jackson hanging in the basement of Pedal Pushers the other day. Just the frameset, actually. Not quite the same deal you got on yours.

jim

USAZorro

How'd you rate a trip[ to the basement? I thought Jay had to give you a special invitation. I can only take occasional trips to the back room to look for derailleurs and freewheels and such.

BanffBikeGirl

I found a neat old cruiser-style Sekine from the late 70's beside a dumpster the other day. It's probably not worth much but it' kinda cool looking, it rides smoothly, and It just needs a new seat and seat post.

East Hill

Hello BBG--I know you live quite simply, but do you have a way of showing us a photo? There's an ongoing thread for Sekine bikes, and it would be great if you could add whatever information you have to that thread.

Welcome to Bike Forums!

East Hill

Eyeseeu

Vietto update:
The guy I bought the Vietto frame from (see a few posts back) was auctioning off the other parts separately. Luckily, I was able to win the stem, handlebars, brake calipers, hubs and gears, and the rear derailleur. He then emailed me to say he was giving me the original 1949 CLB Brake calipers and the original leather seat as well. The only thing that won't be original are the rims and cables it appears. I have also talked with Dr. Deltron who is going to work his magic on it, and hopefully before the end of the year I will have it completely restored!