XXLHardrock

Here’s my somewhat modified KHS Flite 747 in a XXL. Chainstays crimped to fit a 35mm tire. Braze ons added for a third bottle cage. Rear brake bridge raised and Paul Racer M brake added to fit fenders with a 32mm tire. Surly LHT disk fork. It’s for the 26” version because it has the same rake and A-C and a 400mm Steerer. TRP Spyre front brake. RedShift Stem. SKS Longboards with the rear done Rinko style. SP 12mm Thru Axle Dyno hub with B&M lights.

zjrog

Big fan of KHS bikes, my 86 Fiero is in this thread...

I've been curious how people crimp their chainstays, can you describe how you did? I have an appropriately Clyde hybrid that needs tire clearance. It can barely hold 40s, but I want 45s.

XXLHardrock

I had a local frame builder do it for me. Cost wasn’t very much ($150 Canadian IIRC) and he was able to check the frame alignment after, which is something I couldn’t have done very easily.

thehammerdog

beast.

super Ti- graveler.

laxpatrick

Ritchey Breakaway Travel Bike

Canyon Endurace

Fatboy

Custom geo Gunnar Sport

Old School Santana

Stumpjumper

wyd

My Specialized Roll. I really enjoy riding a lot since I bought my Roll.

WOT

Here is my “new” build. The frame set is a British Eagle Touristique. It’s a 531ST frame with a 531 fork. I believe it dates from the 90’s.
The groupset is predominately ultegra but with 105 cranks and the deore LX cantilevers.
The rear wheel is a 36h ultegra hub on a deep section asymmetric Kinlin rim.
This is a way more comfortable ride than the Trek if posted a couple of pages back.

jjames1452 

All City Spacehorse


I love this bike!!

sdmc530

I really like that! HUGE frame, how tall are you?!

cookingjnj

Not nearly as nice as many of your bikes folks. There are some real beauties posted. Mine is a 2008 Specialized Allez Elite. All stock with exception of RL wheels I added a few years ago. Getting ready to put a few more miles on her in a few minutes.

sdmc530

You couldn't be more incorrect, that is a FINE ride. And if your out riding it and enjoying it then well it better than ANY show bike I guarantee it!

Very nice!!

cookingjnj

Thanks, don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY BIKE!!!

sdmc530

Yep, that is all that matters in the end. I have a Allez that is matte black. I love matte black bikes, most people don't because they are done to death but I love that color.

I too love my bikes and that is what is most important really, if your love your ride you will love riding it!

ewdiller

Trek ALR 5

justcynn 

I started riding about a year and half ago after a 20+ year hiatus. I was 279 at my high and now ride in the mid to high 250's. The 2011 Specialzied Roubaix is my regular rider, the main thing I changed was swapping the tires from 23's to 28's. The rest has been good other than an obligatory early fall with the clip in pedals. My friend warned me that would happen, and well -he was right!

I have been trying my hand at mountain biking lately with this Trek, lets just say that is a whole other level and I think I prefer my road bike.

Riding has prob saved my life, I am glad a friend offered this Roubaix to me. Now I buy and fix up bikes to sell/give to family and friends.

WebFootFreak

I believe I have truly lucked out with a WalMart Special. This is a Kent GMC Denali. I have well over 2000 miles on her, and have had only minor issues. The bottom bracket is now a sealed unit, and I have a 52/36 that I normally use. Since it's been 4 years since I was serious, I put the original triple back on... for now. Other than the BB and the seat, I've not had to change a thing. Like I said... I lucked out. I'm going to get the hubs serviced as soon as I can. Given my goal of 3 sprint tri races this year, the plan was to upgrade as long as I PR'd 2 of them... We shall see what happens. I probably won't ever drop this ride completely because of the sentimental value attached.

zjrog

I know some give the Denali a cold shoulder. I have a friend with one and he loves it. He also changed the BB and added better wheels. I've ridden one and my only complaint is they don't make one big enough for my taste.

zjrog

Another Clyde ride is being prepped.

1997 Cannondale R300 CAAD2 60cm. A great match for my 1986 KHS in 60cm. I got it a couple months ago as a dirty nasty mess. Not even rideable.

Hard to tell, I thought it was black. Nope. Super black with a teal metal flake. Red dirt from Moab, Ut...


This is a budget build, mostly stuff on hand. The original wheelset has too narrow of rims, had 700x23 tires. Stole the wheels from my Marin hybrid project (it may see it's day soon...) and slipped on some 700x25s from the bike Collective. I couldn't find a matching pair of 28s, and not real sure they'd fit the R300. New bottom bracket and new headset. Bars swapped to get a little rise and swapped 3x7 RSX brifters for 3x9 Sora. (RSX brifters are going on a drop bar MTB project, I think...)

Still have cleaning of the crankset to do, but maybe a ride this weekend.

sdmc530

Its a shame people bike shame.....if it is dependable, and you like riding it that is a good ride. Looks like a nice set up to me. I didn't know what it was with all the decals off and painted up nice.

nice bike!!

sdmc530

Nice, I love a home build!!

zjrog

I bought a Walmart bike for my grand daughter for XMas, I was told it wasn't a real bike (for a 9 year old), but a BSO "Bike Shaped Object".

All my bikes are home built. My old KHS was bought as a bare frame 31 years ago, my "Reward Bike" was a bare frame last year. I've never bought a NEW bike, for me. And even bikes I buy complete, get torn down and refurbished (I kind of like older things)... I'm fortunate enough to be able to do much of my own work as it is.

aplcr0331

2016 SuperSix Evo

sdmc530

this actually makes me sad for so many different reasons

cyccommute 

While these kinds of things get replaced on other bikes, they are usually replaced because of want, rather than need. The problem with many of the bikes that are purchased at Walmart is that those kinds of parts need to be replaced. The $100 dollar bike becomes a far more expensive bike very quickly just to keep it operating. A bikeshop bike that costs $400 can be ridden further and more without the same problems. A “bargain bike” that costs more to keep operating isn’t a “bargain”.


It’s not (necessarily) a case of “bike shaming” but a case of warning someone of trouble down the road. I work on hundreds of these kinds of bikes at my local co-op every year. I’ve had to deliver bad news to people with nearly new bikes all the time. Bottom brackets seem to be the worst but there are numerous other problems that require fixing that oils be far more expensive if the person had to pay a shop to do the work than if they did it with volunteer help. And, sadly, sometimes I have to tell them that their bike can’t be fixed. I’ve had more than a few of these bikes be ruined by a bottom bracket that pulls apart in the frame and can’t be removed or be screwed into the frame. They can’t be adjusted nor fixed.

Kids bikes are less of a problem but they still aren’t built to last. How many bikes do you really want to buy from Walmart at $100 vs paying more for a bike that will last a lot longer? My opinions are colored by my experiences at my local co-op. A few years ago, some organization gave all the kids in the neighborhood a Huffy Rock It. There were dozens of the same black bike with ugly yellow wheels running around and we had a constant stream of kids coming into the shop...usually to fix flats. But then the bikes started showing up with a few more problems. Bent cranks, bent wheels, loose bearings in the headset, crank and wheels. As the summer went along, problems kept coming up but the number of bikes coming in kept going down. By the end of the summer, there were almost zero bikes coming because they had broken beyond repair. We don’t see any of them anymore. They are all gone. Some may have been stolen but most of them went out in the scrap at the co-op because they were broken beyond repair...even for a place where it costs very little to keep a bike going.

When people tell you that Walmart bikes are “BSOs”, they aren’t saying that to be hurtful but as a warning that the “bargain” you think you are getting may not be that much of a bargain. With each passing year, as the price of the Walmart bike stays at around $100, the cost of making them keeps going up. They have to cut more and more corners and making the bikes of poorer and poorer quality as time goes by. A Walmart bike from 2010 was a far better bike then one from 2020 is. The bottom bracket spindle in the picture below, for example, is but one example of many that I’ve seen in recently purchased Walmart bikes.

Untitled by Stuart Black, on Flickr

Actually both sides were cracked. This is a serious problem that could result in serious injury. And, it’s not a single example. I’ve seen many, many others.

I have nicer bikes than 99% of the bikes I see at my co-op but I don’t really let people know that and I don’t bring it up with I talk to people about their bikes. I don’t, and won’t, “bike shame” someone who brings in a Walmart bike. I work on them because I understand people’s financial situation. I’d like to see people make better choices that have better value rather then just being inexpensive.

sdmc530

cyccommute

your points are all VERY valid, but I will use my sister for example. She would get her boys a new bike from said box store every two years. They were just trashed after that timeframe. Not because of low quality alone but kids are hard on stuff in general. But yes the bikes are not great. Now take a new bike from a LBS, your going to spend 300-400 for a bike that will last longer. My sister could buy two bike that lasted 4 years for under $200. I think at that rate and how kids grow its actually a wash over time/money spent.

Now my son has a specialized bike, paid $400+ and that was my choice because I choose to support my LBS and refuse to support Walmart. The bike is great, in a few years when he out grows it I will get what $50 for it and by another bike at probably $500 plus. I can afford to do this but for some its just not possible to purchase a bike for that kind of money....they don't or can't spend the money on bike. People know what they are getting at Walmart it is not secret but comes down to personal economics.

So I guess I still think its sad that a person gives a grandchild a bike a "BSO" and is shamed for it. If my son received a bike as a gift that might not be what I would choose I know my son would still be excited about it and I wouldn't spoil that for him or shame the giver either.

I know you see things from another side of it at the CO-OP and I think its awesome that you do that and all CO-OP operations are there what a community blessing, but its not that black and white.

AND why not take the bike back to Walmart if it is defective? I still don't understand if I buy something and it fails in a short time I take it back?