Evicted the Mouse from her house.
 

They told me I was crazy (true), but I couldn't resist her.

I haven't posted much in awhile so here are two finds all cleaned up and ready for a new owner:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2537/...8598303448.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/...33feb7a961.jpg

My uber-score

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...g?t=1254705860

I found a weird one like that a while back. Well, like that but with a RD, and chrome fenders!?,,,,BD

My latest catch. Specialized Rockhopper. Don't know year yet. ( Anyone know how to tell the year made? ) Spent all day cleaning up, I will need new chain, change saddle, maybe new tires and clean up more rust and pitting.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...E/100_1840.jpg

Hi! I'm new to the forum; my mother-in-law asked me to do a little research on a bike she's owned for quite awhile. My husband just restored it for her and it rides terrific. It was made by B C America, a company out of Bethlehem, PA, and was probably made in the 1980's (?).

It's 20" and is a fold up; it has no gears, and Bendix hub brakes. We don't know the model, or really anything else about it. She bought it at a sale years ago.

Does anyone have any info. on this company? Or a bike like this? We think they were bought out by Ross Co. later.

Thanks in advance! dcreek8

dcreek8, I think it's a long shot that we'll know anything about it, but the only chance is if you can post a few pictures of it. Take a picture of the complete bike from the right side (the side with the chain). Also take some close up pictures of it.

and in it's own thread also please. :)

Post the photos in the Folding Bikes sub-forum as well.

I dont know if i should be posting Mountain bikes here, but here we go
Today on craigslist i found this Bianchi MTB. I paid $40 CAD for it. Frame says 'Meta', 'All terrain bike', 'Tubi Trafilati Special' and 'Made in Italy'

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/7...tachmentek.jpg

Purchased this bike for some winter riding. What you guys think?

They can be revived but only with diligent soaking in citrus cleaner and lubed and massaged with silicone spray lubricants. Usually they are just gummed, not worn or broken. In my experience. tom

1954 Schwinn Spitfire
 

Wow!! I couldn't believe this find! A 1954 Scwinn Spitfire! Appears to be all original except for the saddle. It was sitting outside my sister-in-laws garage and she just wanted to get rid of it?? Hopefully, after a little research and some extensive TLC I'll be able to keep it as a jewel, or flip it for another project. What do y'all think?

Here's a recent save of mine....a 1981(ish) Motobecane Grand Touring

http://www.fiataccompli.com/bike/photos/Sept2008_1.jpg

http://www.fiataccompli.com/bike/photos/Sept2008_3.jpg

It was literally a shed save (from a family member). I set it up with all original running gear (except the chain + tires/tubes & a few loose bearings) as an urban utility bike of sorts...with, I hope, some taste. Pardon the loud water bottles, I took those pics right before taking it out on a rather long urban twilight/evening ride...and the GPS migrates from bike to bike (it had a Huret odometer that ran off the front hub mounted to the fork). I'll need to get the 'before' pics up here.

moar pics?

Yes, way. :)

I've had a 100% success rate getting trigger shifters functioning again.

What happens is this - the little spring loaded pawl gets gummed up as the old grease hardens, and stops engaging the ratchet teeth. So, when you shift up and put the shift cable under load, the pawl doesn't catch and keep it from shifting back down.

What you do is this - remover the shifter from the bike, and remove the cover (usually one Phillips screw in the middle). Work the levers and look for the "stuck open" pawl. Hose it with WD-40 and work it back and forth with a small screwdriver or dental pic.

When the old grease gets dissolved and comes out, the spring will snap the pawl back in place and you're done. Visually check for function and re-assemble. It's easy to do, and you'll never have to scrounge trigger shifter pods again. :)

Thank you, bigbossman. Why do you think the manager at the bike shop said they can't be fixed? He knew he wasn't going to get a sale out of me, because he knows what kind of customer I am.

Most bike shops are parts replacers not parts repairers.

That also is not a very bikeshop like fix...similar to the standard shop reaction to dead STI brifters.

Spraying them up with solvent/lube can make them work again if they are just stuck but they are not easy to fully dissasemble and replacement parts are not available so the shop would rather not spend time fiddling with something that *might* work.

A couple of thrift store finds today........World Sport is somewhat disproportioned with a 63cm seat tube and a 57cm top tube....................and a GT Timberline that should clean up nice.

Thank you for saying most, because the shop I interned at over the summer would definitely at least try to repair it.

- Univega Viva Touring frame + the wheel set with new Continental tires & Suntour freewheel- $35
- Parts (Sugino Crank, Sakae Bars, Cyclone DR's) from a scrapped Miyata 710 that I got for - Free !
- Plastic mountain bike pedals - Free
- Alloy rack - $1

( Plus new bar tape, cables, hsgs, ss mounting screws, and bottle holder.)

PS- I gave up looking for brake hoods for less than $40.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...ivaTouring.jpg

Nice snag.

Hoods. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C4TRF2

Thanks yellowjeep.

All these are good points, however, if a lbs were to charge actual time for doing such repairs than one would be better off purchasing new shifters anyway.

We charge a standard of $10 to do almost anything when it comes to adjustments and replacements. We will atempt to revive shifters and straighten derailuers etc and should charge more according to the time spent, but in most cases that we deal with being lowend big box store bikes we often find ourselves in the position of telling someone that they need a new shifter.

That being said, if you are a tinkerer, as many of us are, then please carefully disassemble, clean, lube and reassemble.

Sorry, I have no finds and am not allowed to look too intently for any, since getting a new bike on time.

1995-1997, I'd guess