Clean That Bike! But How...
02-19-06 | 08:01 PM
#26
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 467
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From: Boston, MA
Bikes: 2005 Orbea Dauphine, 1997 GT Timberline
Well it took the better part of two full days by my project is complete. I started by dousing the bike in hot soapy water outside and giving it a quick towel dray before moving inside for detail work on the kitchen tile floor covered in newspaper. I wasn't getting the bike as clean as I wanted, mostly because I was afraid to remove the front and rear derailers. Then I figured... what the hell. And the fun started.
One began as a 1997 GT Timberline has now been transformed to a Singlespeed. I am terming it an "Urban Utility Vehicle." I ripped off the derailers, took of all of the stickers on the frame, removed the shifters, derailer cables and bottle cages. While I was at it, I also took off the worn brake pads and cut off the brake cables. Upon inspection, this was a brilliant idea as under the housing they were completely gummed up.
The next morning I headed over to Harris Cyclery (of Sheldon Brown fame) and picked up some new cogs, a chain tensioner, break cable, new housing, new break pads, cassete spacer kit, fenders and assorted park tools (brake cable tool, cone wrench). It's the first time I've ever done "real" work on the bike so it took me some time, but the conversion is complete and I couldn't be happier.
I'm running 42x18 with a Surly Singulator Tensioner (Vertical Dropouts). I still have the original cranks and tripple chainring, but I plan on replacing those with a single chainring and new cranks if necessary. I also need to do something about the grips. My bar grips were short (3.5") because the rest of the room was taken up by shifters. I ended up putting the grips back on and then just using tape to fill the gap between the brake lever and the end of the short grips. It works for now. Ideal upgrade would be new wheels with an eno eccentric rear hub allowing me to go fix/free and ditch the tensioner... someday.
Anyway, if you're still reading, here are a few pictures. I really like the simpler look and how the frame looks sans GT Timberline stickers.
All Pictures
One began as a 1997 GT Timberline has now been transformed to a Singlespeed. I am terming it an "Urban Utility Vehicle." I ripped off the derailers, took of all of the stickers on the frame, removed the shifters, derailer cables and bottle cages. While I was at it, I also took off the worn brake pads and cut off the brake cables. Upon inspection, this was a brilliant idea as under the housing they were completely gummed up.
The next morning I headed over to Harris Cyclery (of Sheldon Brown fame) and picked up some new cogs, a chain tensioner, break cable, new housing, new break pads, cassete spacer kit, fenders and assorted park tools (brake cable tool, cone wrench). It's the first time I've ever done "real" work on the bike so it took me some time, but the conversion is complete and I couldn't be happier.
I'm running 42x18 with a Surly Singulator Tensioner (Vertical Dropouts). I still have the original cranks and tripple chainring, but I plan on replacing those with a single chainring and new cranks if necessary. I also need to do something about the grips. My bar grips were short (3.5") because the rest of the room was taken up by shifters. I ended up putting the grips back on and then just using tape to fill the gap between the brake lever and the end of the short grips. It works for now. Ideal upgrade would be new wheels with an eno eccentric rear hub allowing me to go fix/free and ditch the tensioner... someday.
Anyway, if you're still reading, here are a few pictures. I really like the simpler look and how the frame looks sans GT Timberline stickers.
All Pictures
Last edited by DerekU2; 02-19-06 at 08:10 PM.
