Torker Graduate
 

Pics

That's awesome mattg72, I love that your ride has a room all to itself (and the kitty)!

Thanks stoutdog, the bike really rides fantastic. Once worn in, the breaks are rock solid and the gears shift like butter. For my ride, the 5-speed is totally fine. All I changed were the grips and pedals, and then I added a kick stand and a rack for my panniers. Little Miles only has 3 legs and desperately wanted to be in all the shots.

I really like that bike alot for so many reason including simplicity on many levels. It seems like it has been cat inspected was it cat approved? Miles is quite photogenic trying to steal the Torker's glory. =)

I've been looking for a winter beater for couple months now. I was contemplating getting a KHS Urban Soul, but just couldn't justify 400 bucks for a bike I was going to ride through the slop all winter. I was searching Craigslist multiple times a day looking for something that would work. All the options were either too pricey or too crappy or both. This puppy finally popped up. I was the first to write (of many according to her) and popped by after work and scored this for 50 bucks! In Toronto, that is a stone cold steal. Everything was in working order, with the exception of the brake pads :) 10-15 years of sitting will do that.
I love the triple triangle frames on these old GTs.
I swapped the stem, the bars, added some bar ends from an earlier build, switched the front brake to a v-brake. Replaced the pads on the canti rear brake. Added some fenders and an aluminum rack. I removed the front derailleur and am currently running 1x6. The rear der. is doing well so far, but I might swap it for something newer that doesn't have as much trouble staying put. I still get ghost shifts so matter how much I tweak it. Any thoughts on what I could use as a good rear derailleur for something of this vintage? It's a 6 sp. freewheel system. I was wondering about using a friction shifter up front and forgetting SIS altogether....any reason not to?

Attachment 179408

I say go for the friction shifter, also you need to get some p clips to get that rack a little more level your likely to have problems with bags staying put with it like that.

Is the derailleur hanger straight? Not guaranteeing that it'll fix the ghost shifting, but if you haven't checked yet, it's worth a look.

Yeah it's straight, I think it might be a matter of new cabling actually. Just figured if I was going to swap the cables I could probably get a new 6sp. friction derailleur for pretty cheap and swap that too.


Definitely. I can't stand the way this looks aesthetically either.

If thats the axiom journey i have the same one, im starting to think it was meant for 700c with how tall it is, I have been thinking about chopping the stays a little and drilling a new hole to bring it down some. Its a damn fine rack just a little tall, and the upper stays dont have all the much adjustment to them (up and down at least)
Sweet looking bike, i also have always liked GT's triple triangle.

this was a test commute to a possible new job I might be taking, on a beater Giant MTB someone gave me a year or so ago. The commute is basically 6 miles each way on a paved and unpaved bike trail. Doesnt really get much better than that!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_bYNfObzpWyA/TO...0/CIMG4525.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_bYNfObzpWyA/TO...6/CIMG4529.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_bYNfObzpWyA/TO...0/CIMG4530.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_bYNfObzpWyA/TO...0/CIMG4533.JPG

Wow, beautiful route there holiday. Definitely a job perk worth considering! :)

holiday76, buy some studded tires now before they get sold out. ;)

Holiday, great pics. You're lucky to have such a nice, relaxing commute.

My bike hasn't changed too much since my last pics but I should be getting a new rear rack and pannier combo around Christmas (Merry Christmas to me!). Axiom Streamliner Road DLX rack and Axiom Kootenay panniers. Other stuff too. Bell, horn, mirror... replacing all of my cheap crap with nicer units.

Keep showing off the great bikes everyone. Ride safe. :)

Dropped it last week. And, yup, the 'cross levers are VERY close to the stem -- due to the flat "wings" on the bars, which I like, I couldn't put them anywhere else.

Before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0307.jpg

After:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_1029.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_1031.jpg

I love the stealth effect, very classy. What model is that? Makes me miss my Volpe.

Funny you mention your Volpe -- I think it's the same frame, just with different decals. It's a Valle from '08. The published frame geometry is identical to the Volpe, and the tubing appears to be the same. I decided to convert it once I figured that it would be no more expensive than adding a dynohub wheel and wiring to a Volpe (plus the Valle has wiring guides on the fork, which is nice).
http://www.bianchiusa.com/archives/2...rain/08-valle/

http://ompldr.org/vNmF2Zg/Photo0097.jpg

Now in full commuting mode. Blackburn Mars 4.0 and Romisen RC-N3 II with an R4 led.

When the weather is nice...I roll with Triton

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/DSC_7086.jpg

When it is not...I roll with 29er.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/DSC_7087.jpg

Why not? I'll try my Surly LHT into the mix for prosperity.

Fly how did you get the triangle to stay on the back of your rack/fender ?

The reflective triangle came with two velcro straps sewn at one of the tips. It was simply strapped onto the rack. Yes, it flutters a bit in the wind but not so much since I don't usually have my commuter faster than 22/23mph and some parts of the reflective triangle is made with mesh. The fluttering just adds additional conspicuousness anyhow so it's good fluttering.

Bought this bike 3 years ago. Used it for 2 months then stored it in garage since I got a road bike. I restored it for my winter cycling...
Here's the review from Canadian Tire
Releigh Sport Hybrid

BEFORE:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5089/...64c2d33057.jpg

AFTER Decoupage:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/...ef2b6c0baf.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/...d9dd682549.jpg

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k7...e/P1050709.jpg

this is stephanie. she has been torn down and built up countless times, generally with the spare parts bin.
she is 20lbs flat as pictured. i think thats pretty impressive considering the weight of the vetta gel saddle.
ratio is 42/16.
no mind the inverted rear caliper, i didnt have a nutted long reach so the 600 tri-color front put to the rear will have to do.
this bike will get some clip on roadie fenders as the previous full set became more of a pain with massive toe overlap.
also, this bike is bent very slightly somewhere so it turns left a little if you take your hands off the bars.
i still love her.

Love that decoupage. I've always kinda wanted to do that to something, but I have never got around to it.

I commute on ALL my bikes just some more then others. Parts all in one spot and some time to assemble with the holiday I got two of my projects sorted out this week.

I finally got my Porteur rack for my Raleigh that's not a Raleigh. I saw an ad for it pop up on CL for $60 but it had been painted black. I jumped on it. The owner was a nice guy and also hooked my up with a bunch of his older cast offs and that was greatly appreciated because that included a full 8 speed Campy set up with Avanti brifters and brakes, record cranks (need a Helicoil). They are well used but look usable. This bike will get stripped down soon and a Creme paint job. It may be more of my winter commuter since it has a really good headlight and that big rack. The T700 I use now stripped down into more of a Randonneur.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=179980

I also finished building my 89 R300 Cdale. I put a full 105SC group on it from a donor bike and in 89 That would have made this a R800 (same frame the model was the level of the group). 8Speed but I'm good with that especially for my build cost being around $300. :thumb:

This will mostly serve as my nice day commuter when I don't need to carry much and Sunday driver/ride with my buddies bike since they like to keep a brisk pace and I was making them look bad doing it on a Touring bike in full commuter gear with Ulock pushing 40lb. :lol:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=179979

The LBS weighed it in at 22.4lb. Not bad for a 63cm frame with a cheap Performance carbon fork. This is the first Carbon anything I have had.
I hope to get in a few miles on this bike today. I am blown away with how nice it rides with that Carbon Fork on the couple miles I have managed. I had a R600 a couple years ago with an aluminum fork and it was a brutal ride with a lot of buzz on certain surfaces. I was VERY concerned I would get the same with this one. Pleasantly surprised at what a smooth ride this bike has even with 115psi in the 700x23's and now sold on the merits of Carbon.