polymorphself 

Which bars are these?

polymorphself 

OTS 

polymorphself
Please what Is the light mounted on your left seat stay?
Your Voyageur shines, nicely done.

polymorphself 

Thank you! And it is this: https://global.bluelug.com/bl-select...ar-silver.html

It screws off of the mount easily to plug into a charger. Great little light.

grant40

Little Schwinn.

pastorbobnlnh 

Ten years and one month ago, I posted about my '75 Voyageur II, above. I never liked the ride all that much, and eventually stripped the frame of everything except the headset.

I've hung onto the frameset all these years, waiting for inspiration, and it came from Neal Lerner last September when he offered a 27" wheel laced to a 1951 Sturmey Archer AM three-speed IGH in the Classifieds. I finished the build late yesterday afternoon and took it for a couple of quick laps around the neighborhood. This is going to be a fun ride!

daka

I am loving that chainwheel!

trucklet

Got mine all cleaned up for Spring, I think it's a '75 too. I'd like to get metal fenders, gumwalls and a nice bell and crank caps on eventually.

pastorbobnlnh 

@trucklet , I wanted to install a set of chrome fenders on my Voyageur II, but they wouldn't fit with the larger 27 X 1&3/8 Swift tires I had purchased for my build. I'm guessing you'd need to install 700c wheels, which is what I ran originally with the black fenders.

Your Voyageur II is rockin' its originality and the paint and chrome appear to be in great shape! My paint and chrome show loads of patina.

dschad

Hi all,
I just installed the VO 700c x 45mm stainless smooth fenders on my 1986 which I bought new while working at a Schwinn shop during high school. I wanted to share my experience in case someone is considering similar and needs more data:



(Please forgive the stem and ratty bar-tape situation - I'm fiddling with new stem/bar configurations).

The fenders require a bit of squashing to get between the stays, but not too much:



And there is a lot of room with 27x1 1/4 tires when the wheels are installed.

I have not completed the final installation, it can take a while to get everything just right, and I wanted to ride instead of fussing around. For those with micrometers out, I did find that the limiting radius factor on the rear fender line is the brake-bridge on the seat stays. I used the folding bracket included in the kit, which has a bit of thickness to it. There is an L bracket which can be used and would give you a few more mm to help make the spacing more even/radius constant.

My trial ride suggests that the metal fenders don't rattle at all, but they do amplify the zizzz-zizzz of the freewheel. They also make a lovely, soothing sound when your tire picks up and throws a big batch of sand for the fender to safely capture.

Don

casanewt

Interesting that the 45MM were that much too wide. I installed the Planet Bike Cascadia 45MM ones on my Fuji TSIV, and they were fine on that frame.

polymorphself 

I've got the same fenders on the same Voyageur. Was a little bit of a squeeze between the stays like you said but otherwise fit well and take up to 35mm, though mine wears 700c.

rgvg

Picked up Voyageur #2 on my lunch break today. It first came up on fb a few months ago but the price was a bit high. After a few months the price just about halved so I inquired about it. I was hoping it was a 21" but then I saw the updated description said 19". I already had a 19" Voyageur, but I thought I might fit better on a 21". Anyway, a few more months pass, and the price dropped down again. I went on a week's vacation, came back, a few more weeks pass, and wouldn't you know it the price dropped again. This was driving me batty.

I had also been puttering around with my other bikes, and I finally came to the conclusion that what I really wanted was a 21" seat tube and a 19" top tube. Which, of course, is not a thing. My 21" bikes now have short stems, 60mm and in one case 50mm.

And I hated to admit it but really, I do like riding my 19" 89 Voyageur, even if it looks goofy with the funny stem, and even if the chainstays are slightly crushed from a previous owner's kickstand (I know you can't see it but I know it's there and it bugs me) and the fork is slightly tweaked (it's wider than 100mm for some reason).

I think the seller wasn't getting a lot of attention because the bike is small, the posting misspelled Voyageur as Voyaguer, and it was listed as being out in Surrey, which is I guess about an hour's drive away. But if anyone had asked, he was willing to bring it out closer, which was a short light rail ride from where I worked. In fact he was a bit late meeting me because he had a stop in Burnaby, which ironically was where I worked and from where I'd left to go meet him.

I paid the asking price of $100 CAD, which is way lower than his initial price. He mentioned it was given to him by a friend, but his kids didn't want to ride it and wanted newer bikes, so he sold it to make space and some cash towards newer bikes for his kids.

In short, bike was hanging out on fb for months, drove me crazy with the slow motion price drops, I had to put me out of my misery.

Next steps, find a longer 26.6 seatpost, a taller goofy stem, and so on and so forth.

rgvg

Anybody ever cleaned and greased the stock hubs on the 86 Voyageur? They look like they might be cartridge bearing hubs, and I'm not sure I can get the dust cap/seal back on if I tried taking it off. I was able to regrease a pair for cartridge hubs before but they had another piece that goes on top of it so that was fine. But these don't seem to have that and I did try that once on a similar hub (without the extra piece) and I was never able to get the seal back on.

OTOH if they're not actually cartridge hubs, then maybe it will be okay.

Ged117 

I've waited years for a local Voyageur in my size to pop up. Enter this 1988, in "needs some work" condition, with its original equipment intact, including the Wolber rims. I really just wanted the frame, so any good parts are icing on the bicycle cake.

PXL_20230928_175142745
PXL_20230928_175412643
PXL_20230928_175424475

Now, to expand this story a little. When I went off to school, my uncle gave me his '90 Voyageur, though at 23" its much too small. I solved that with a Nitto handlebar stem, but I still feel a bit cramped. Even so, I've had it for years and enjoyed my ownership, while waiting to see if a Voyageur in my size and hopefully one of the green paint schemes would show up. 1990 Tange Voyageur below, with Suntour Accushift (7 speed) group running just fine, with its post and stem back to normal and stripped of my racks and lights:

PXL_20230928_175858505

I'm going to sell the '90. I have ideas for the '88. 700c conversion, randonneur handlebar, fit camping racks, new fenders (the original ones are broken), and dynamo lighting carried over from the '90.

What I'm not sure about is the drivetrain. My initial thoughts for the '88 are these:

700c conversion, spread the frame to 130mm, and use a NOS Shimano Deore, 600 Ultegra, or Dura Ace rear hub with 8-speed / hyperglide level early '90s tech to future proof it a little but keep the parts shiny and period correct (not to mention simple and reliable for long trips). I'd run it friction with bar-end shifters probably. Get new chainrings for the triple, some fenders, use the brakes if they fit or find new ones, and go from there. Or, I could leave the frame alone, and go back in time technology wise and fit a nice quality freewheel hub, install a quality IRD freewheel, and run 7-speed friction. These are both compelling options for one reason or another, so I'm having trouble deciding. Leaning toward 130mm and a wheelbuild with a Shimano 8-speed / hyperglide compatible hub though to future proof it. Which itself isn't accurate though, as I could buy 3 or 4 IRD freewheels and with good hub maintenance the system would last for many years of riding.

OR, I could find a Suntour Superbe hub and part over the Accushift group from my '90. It works great, but its had many miles and so I am hesitant to build a new keeper bike using these well-loved but well-used Suntour mechs.

Would welcome thoughts from folks.

Cheers!
Ged

polymorphself 

I recall your story, glad you found one that fits. Love the 88 paint color.

Spread the triangle and go cassette. I intended to do the same but sat on it and it just hasn’t gotten done. You’ll be glad for it.

rgvg

How are you planning to spread the rear?

Ged117 

Thanks! I'm leaning toward that option. Plenty of low-mileage '90s Shimano parts on the auction site and the cassettes will be available for decades.

I have a great local bike shop, so I'll ask them to do it professionally, its not something I've done before on a nice frame (just the 'old fashioned way' on an old Peugeot).

shoota 

Firstly, congrats on the new bike! It looks to be in great shape, and I love that color. Personally, I love mine setup modern style. 700c wheels, 38mm tubeless tires, 11s 105 group. It doesn't give up much to a modern gravel bike.

The Golden Boy 

Are those SP-11 pedals? If so- you got a decent deal on SP-11s and got the rest of a bike thrown in for $20.

Ged117 

That is what I'm thinking. Do you run fenders with the 38mm tires? I'm planning to run 35mm with 45mm Honjos, as others here have.

I've heard great things about them. My old Voyageur had the SP-155, but I found a pair of SP-11s NOS locally for my build of the '88.

shoota 

Nope, I've never ran fenders on anything before, but I think it would be a tight fit with 38s. 35s should be ok.