How many bonus points do I get for buying one of these after seeing the pic? =)

I bought one of these tonight on Craiglist. Well its a Schwinn Prelude, but it looks the same just from Target instead of Walmart. The guy said he road it once and it looks that way. It still has all the stickers even the clearance pricetag. LOL He put one of those Nashbar Air seats on it. In my ride around the neighborhood it seems really comfy so that might be a minor upgrade. I post some pictures tomorrow, but I think I will commute on it for a while and see what I think of having a road bike as commuter. Overall for what I paid its pretty good. I just had to adjust things so it fit, wipe the dust off from it being in a garage and its ready to go.

Upright mountain bike? Aggressive comfort bike?
 

Just finished my winter bike build. Its built up from a Redline R530 frame which were intended to be comfort/upright bikes, but I wanted a more aggressive look. I picked up the frame frame for ridiculously cheap, so I thought it would be fun to see what kind of winter beast I could build. Its built with up with a 3speed Shimano Nexus Coaster brake hub, Surly 1x1 fork, and the rest of the components are lowerish end and uninteresting so I won't bother rattling off a list unless someone wants to know. Already have the studded tires (Nokian Mount & Ground), and will be adding fenders of course. I'll probably also be replacing the seat.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyjGmYVUEvA/TJ...0/IMG_0504.JPG
Did I mention glow in the dark grips?
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyjGmYVUEvA/TJ...0/IMG_0508.JPG

here is a before and after of my commuter/recreational bike...
from an older GT outpost (can anyone take a stab at the year???)\
from craigslist for $100 ....
net tires, paint, handlebars, cables, rack, seat, grips.
I really love this thing.
total investment = < $200

before (but with new tires)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ke/myGTmtb.jpg

after...
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...e/GTMTBnew.jpg

Did you paint it yourself? Looks great!

A grey(gray?) bike for a grey day.

http://i52.tinypic.com/2e216o8.jpg

This is the first bike I've ever built up, and the process humbled me. I've been riding it to school since I finished it. It's a 54cm Pake C'muter frame with components from a late-ish '90s stumpjumper. It's now a 1x9. Alex dm18 wheels, cheapo bars, planet bike fenders and whatnot. Big thanks to EBC Bikeworks for the seat tube and downtube-shifter-cable-stop-doodad; you guys are swell (and for the cable housing and ferrules... and for taking a look at my brakes... and headset... and..)

I have a rack I'll put on later tonight. Like I said, it's my first bike 'build' so criticisms are encouraged.

i like it!!!
how is that c'mute frame?

Thats quite a transformation. Nice work.

Thanks. Aside from the fact that I think the paint will chip off if you look at it the wrong way, most of my concerns revolve around my part selection. For instance, my brake arms have quite a bit of play compared to the old frame... I don't know if the bosses are just a different size than usual, or if my old avid brakes are a weird size. The rear dropout spacing allows for MTB hubs to fit pretty easily, but I needed to track down some axle adjustment screws, otherwise (with the 9-spd cassette) my chain would rub on the seat stay - again, I just didn't know ahead of time. There are other minor little things I have to find solutions too, but otherwise it seems like a good frame. I've never ridden a light steel frame, but this one doesn't seem too heavy. In the end I think I'm happy with it, especially because it was way cheaper than other new frames out there.

If I had to do it over again, and I had a good used frame resource, I would have repainted an older cheap/free frame. Since I didn't know of any good resources in my old city, and I was afraid of buying (and probably overpaying for) some old frame off craigslist, I just went with the Pake. I've gotten a few compliments on the frame, especially about the colour. I've also gotten a few looks while riding it at school, too, but I think they were bad looks, and I think they were directed at me.

I like it...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyjGmYVUEvA/TJ...0/IMG_0504.JPG

Built a new toy myself... should be good for those commutes that tale me off the beaten and paved path and am sure we'll play in the snow a little too.

Switched the SS drive for an 8 speed this evening...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/mouldenmtb2.JPG

thanks hikelite , yes i did paint it... spray can. lot of degreasing, lots of sanding, primer, then paint...
it is definitely my new favourite color!
if i could do it over, I would have given it a few more coats... thats about 2-3.

awesome bikes on this page, loving that paint boro... and I might have to look for some glow in the dark grips too thanks to cody!

Here is mine loaded for a ride out in the forest and how it looks every morning for the ride to work:
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...es/newb020.jpg

and how it looks after a bath:
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/PIC-0019.jpg

hey
hope i can post my pic soon :P still have got to change and add something

Figured I would add a few gears to the Beast and commute through the river valley today... t'was awesome.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/beast1.JPG

What frame is that? You tempt me with all kinds of project ideas. =)

Thanks, i have sort of been thinking about it still but the more i do the more i like the red ha.

It is a "there's one and I have it" frame.

It is a '96-ish Jim Moulden custom (local builder), filet brazed with Reynold's 853 / Prestige tubes.

Friend gave it to me after using it as his winter beater... :twitchy:

My commuter/errand bike, updated. Put the stock handlebars back on, added fenders, rack and Wald folding baskets. The bike came with the giant front basket.

http://gallery.me.com/ilynne/100022/...12852046930001

Her eis an update, I rode the Prelude to work and around a bit and I didn't really like it all that well. I was going to switch stems, but realized I didn't have what I needed. I did like the seat alot so I put it on my faithful Trek commuter. Its like a pillow. Not sure it would be great for long rides, but I like it alot on my short commute so far. One thing it seems like people have mentioned about the Prelude/Varsity is the spongy brakes. I suspect its because to get them adjusted right I had to move the almost all the way down to the end of the brake caliper. Honestly if I was trying to get the most out of this bike I would put an old 27 inch wheelset on it and it would be better braking from the brakes on the bike. It wouldn't be hard to find a lighter wheelset in my basement than what is on there. The wheels are almost anchors. I am not ripping on the bike, but just some thoughts. I am offering for sale at work and I already have a bite.

A big complaint of mine is the brakes, for sure - they work well enough, though, and it works well enough for my needs. I also grabbed mine originally off Craigslist, I've probably only got $300 total into it including the cost of the bike, initial tuneup, and some Conti Gatorskins/pumps/tools/etc. I'm coming up on mile 800 and I think its been worth it so far. :)

Here's my CX bike with its commuter outfit on.
Schwinn Crosscut with homemade redwood crate.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/...53789271_b.jpg

That sounds like you have gotten your money's worth already. Its a decent base to build from really. Some people might rip on something like that, but despite everything a bike is a bike and if you ride it thats what matters.

I was just thinking last night if you wanted to improve the brakes for little investment and a bit of time you could get some nicer brake shoes that also have longer studs and maybe fashion a insert out of some type of thick metal (maybe someting as simple as an eletrical box plate) to stiffen up those calipers so they don't flex as much. On the Prelude I got them so they are more than acceptable after fiddling with them for a few minutes. I actually got a compliment from someone Monday night about how nice it looked from someone that actually rides alot. Target Schwinn Pride!!!...soon for some lucky college student I think. =)

For me I am going back to my Trek mountain bike commuter. Its amazing how much stronger and quicker a newer chain makes it feel. I waited way to long to do that. I know I have at least 500 miles on it, but based on my very small investment on the bike and to outfit it for commuting with. I think its been more than worthwhile. I started out riding to work to save money on gas, get excercise and maybe save the planet a bit, but now I would actually rather just ride to work possibly even without other those benfits. =)

I suspects that what happened to most of us. It did for me at least :thumb:
Are you to the point yet where you don't like to drive? hehe

Ditto. To me, the greatest aspect of cycling is how it is both a functional means of transportation, and wicked fun at the same time. I used to try to have fun in my car, but the cops and my insurance provider put the kybosh on that pretty quick. Driving is drudgery, cycling is enjoyment.

i live in portland Oregon and they actually have racks inside to hold bikes.