New project 99% finished.. Say hello to "Chrome lightning"
 

This is my new bike, 99 % finished. Only thing missing is the handlebar tape (I'll get some during this weekend).

Specs:

Frame: 1980's Chromed swiss Titan
Wheels: Michelin Select 28x7/8" (23-622)
Rims: Mavic 190FB
Brake: Weinmann Vainqeur 750
Brake lever: Weinmann
Seatpost: NOS 1980's SR Laprade
Stem: NOS 1980's Cinelli
Seat: Brooks B5N (borrowed from my Raleigh Royale)
Crank: Shimano
Chainring/cotters : 1980's no name
Pedals: Shimano PD-M 324

The bike weighs in at 20,9lbs (9,5kgs). I never meant it to be so light weight. I have to admit it was a pleasant surprise!

It is really a 5 speed, but I've made it a "cheated" single speed, leaving all 5 cogs and just not installing a rear derailleur.

Hope you like it! I think it looks pretty good.

(oh, and whatever you guys think, the fork is not bent, so don't even bother.)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/DSCN4330.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/DSCN4331.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/DSCN4336.jpg

And some pics taken at night :

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/DSCN4327.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...r/DSCN4325.jpg

Having a front brake would help keep you from crashing that pretty bike and bending the fork any more. Er. At all.

+1 great looking , but wouldn't a single front brake be far more effective?

I like it, but I'd also put a nice polish on the stem and seatpost.

Went to install the front brake and *uh oh* out of parts!! :) Nice looking build even without the front brake...

Couldn't agree more.

What's the point of a single speed with 1 brake? Even if it was in front, I'd throw on the 2nd one as a precaution. No need to try to make the bike look like a fixed.

Pretty sweet

I've done that before. The nice thing (depending on your dropout length and chainline... ) is that you have a choice of multiple rear cogs !

Well, OP is a Fin and they tend to be pretty handy with wheeled transport, so no worry there. BTW, do we get to see the Saab as well?

What happened to the Titan's famous "Swiss Finish" paintjob??
Thank you for not "drewing" the nice frame!

Chombi

Looks like a nice bike, chrome is always hot! I'd be inclined to replace the headset with a silver one, and adjust the brake cable hanger to point down towards the caliper.
Great job!

Very nice. Screams for a set of black Wienmann DP18's, black calipers (front and rear), black seat post and stem.....

Just sayin...

I kinda like it without tape, just ride with gloves.

what's "drewing" mean?

i'm not hip with all the C&V lingo yet, you guys and your secret languages, i can interpret pretty much all hip hop slang, and things from the 80's and 90's up until now slang, but this C&V thing is something else..... (j/k)

Filing/sawing off all the braze-ons and the derailleur hanger.

hey, thank you all for your comments!
I guess I managed to make it quite nice, bearing in mind that this is my first from ground up build.

I thought about getting installing a front brake on the bike, but I came to the conclusion quite quickly that it looks much better without it. I also think it looks good without handlebar tape, but I'm still going to tape it.

Does anyone know anything about Titan bicycles? I've tried to search info about the company, but I've found nothing, except that it's a Swiss made bicycle.

Thanks again! I'll post some update pics tomorrow.

YEAH! and you can even switch between them at will with the addition of a ....

drew? :p

the word I think you're looking for is no longer a part of my vocabulary since I discovered IGH bikes.

Of course. Looks always trumps stopping.

Eggzackle !

The first thing I thought when I first viewed this very nice bike was, "Stupid. One brake and it's not in the front?". Then I thought, "Hey I don't think that when I see a coaster-braked cruiser or child's bike." I think we just assume a light weight "adult" bike, especially a single speed, will be ridden very fast in dense traffic. Maybe that's not the case. When I see a 1950's or earlier car on the street I don't think "Stupid..." even though that car can't stop nearly as fast as a 10 year old Toyota Corolla.

Bottom line is: I say nice bike. Ride it safely.

I must say the brake works much, much better than expected. I got it set up just perfectly, and it feels I don't even need a second brake.
Then again, one can't entirely rely on the brakes.. the rider needs something to do too. ;)

Thanks for the comments!


(oh, I didn't get the handlebar tape this weekend.. The shop was closed! It is always open on saturdays, except the day you need something)

You are correct, provided you are happy with only 30% of the stopping power of the bicycle. I, must ask this question, though...

Why do you not want a second brake?

Both brakes are required to satisfy this mandate, in my opinion.

I, sometimes, allow form to push function to the side, but not when safety is involved.

Make sure you're chainline is really good. I've seen more than a few of those cheap swagged-on chainrings fail when too much torque was applied. One good stomp at a green light and they can collapse right over.