ricohman

Bossman, that is a fine resto!

crazyb

before


after



before


after

pitcanary

As I got it. Early/mid seventies J F Wilson of Sheffield (just up the road from where I live. What carbon footprint?) 531 frame and forks. Paintwork was flaking and previous owner had daubed the makers name out. So..


I stripped it all down and had it clear powder coated. Sourced period parts from J F Wilson and turned it into a single speed. Now though..


I've converted it into a 3 speed with period 1975 Sturmey Archer hub.

I'm sure I'll tinker more.

Otis

You deserve a medal just for taking the bars off of those bikes! Nice job (s)

viscount

Very nice too!
I've been thinking to do something similar with a rough Superbe and a scruffy Viscount.
Amalgamate the two so to say.
But with dynohub!!
Just got a proper wheel-truing jig and need to find the time etc.

Like the idea of a lightweight frame and a chunky 3 speed.
And, if possible, this too:


(If it's not properly legible, big file, I'll split it into smaller chunks.)
Was thinking of this when Sammyboy was discussing a similar project.

pitcanary

Visually I'm not that into the idea. Messes with the clean lines a hub brings versus derailleur. But technically, it's bloody genius. I'd love to have a crack. He certainly looks happy enough.

viscount

It's usability that counts in my book.
The best of both, isn't it?
I don't look at the works when I'm riding!

etherhuffer 

Where did you find the cool grips like that/

pitcanary

Who?

onetwentyeight 

before


after



after



after



after



currently



now saving up for paint/decals....

pitcanary

The "Death before derailleur" decal is class. What frame is it? And what the bloody hell happened to the wheels?

onetwentyeight 

the decal was a joke sticker made by a friend of mine. the frame is a stan miles, ive been told it was made by bill hurlow but haven't been able to confirm it. the wheels (and frame) were trashed when i was struck by a car in a hit and run. ive since found and rebuilt an identical set, and had the frame repaired, and now it rides again! (though is relegated to lazy sunday rides, as i prefer to ride my geoffrey butler)

WNG

Ok, maybe I'm not seeing it right, but I don't get the point of the Swing Arm Tensioner.
Seems overly complicated, clever solution to a problem already solved.

Any ol' low cost derailleur with enough range for choice of triple or double chainrings will do.
Align the cage to the rear sprocket with stop screws, done.

etherhuffer 

Sorry, nasty post there. Someone had a chrome Voyageur 11.8 back up the thread there. It had unusual leather sewn grips.

pitcanary

That's alright. I wanted to make sure you weren't asking about my 1930's nos rubber full length drop handle bar grips, at a glance easily mistaken for cheap cork bar tape.

Mariner Fan

I read your velospace article about the bike. It must be very interesting hearing from the guys who were around when the bike was built. That blows about the hit and run. What had to be repaired on the frame? Looks like the downtube was dented.

Bikedued

The chrome with leather sewn grips is McDave's. I believe the "grips" are the elkhide from Velo Orange?,,,BD

https://velo-orange.com/elsebarco.html

onetwentyeight 

marinerfan - all the tubes except the seat and chain stays had to be replaced.

jgarcia186

Gios Mio that thing was hot. good job.

the beef

Awesome thread! My before and after:

Cynikal 

Do you have the pin-up plate on that alter?

lisitsa

Bought off ebay, a 10speed SportsWorld road bike complete with stem friction-only shifters and suicide levers


I found a girls bike with a 3speed hub, so I switched the back wheels, stripped the decals with my fingers (although I'm sure there would've been easier methods), found matching tires from another bike on the street, and bought 5 dollar white bartape to contrast the allblack frame. Its sort of getting to the end of its beater life now, but it was fun for several thousand kilometres.

bigbossman 

I really, REALLY like the stem/seatpost combo. Where's you get that Cinelli stem?

SingeDebile

ebay is the best place... its a 1" threadless, which is probably one of the reasons its so rare.... its called the "alter" and you can get pin-up inserts for the top of it hehe, and if all these unusual almost random things wasnt enough there is a hole in the middle to put your front brake cable! Its definately my favorite threadless stem.

awc380

Here's my before and after. Old Norco 10 speed that I first painted badly black, then single-speeded it and painted it badly yellow.