Wife's Bike Refurb
04-10-15, 08:10 AM
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Wife's Bike Refurb
Wish I had taken some before pictures.
This bike started out as an early-90s Scwhinn Crossfit. My wife and I both started our cycling journey with cheap garage sale bikes, then she grabbed this off of Craigslist as her second bike. I've moved up since then, but she has just always loved this bike especially after upgrading the saddle and changing the bars for a better fit. Several times I have offered to get her another bike but she just likes this one, and the last time we had this discussion she said "my only problem with this bike is that it isn't pink."
Well, we fixed that.
Stripped the bike to the frame and had it powder coated. I knew it was going to look too naked with no graphics at all, so I saved the "Schwinn Quality" badge and then had an 'Excelsior' decal made - one of her new favorite words she picked up from helping my son with his Latin homework.
I didn't find any overly worn parts in the tear down, but I did have to go to my LBS to have the front derailleur placed correctly. Shifts like a dream now. New Continental touring rubber, and poof it's a new bike.
This is a really nice bike that you don't see on the market any more - a modestly priced hybrid with a quality steel frame, brazeons for fenders and rear rack, and a non-suspension fork. The original wheels were a bit cheap, and somewhere along the way someone rebuilt the rear wheel with an Alex Rim. The front is still the original wheel.
In the end, I think my wife had the right idea. This bike suits her needs perfectly, fits her perfectly, and now it's her favorite color.
Total cost of this rebuild about $45 for the tires, $120 for the powder coating - which would have been a great deal, except I stripped out some threads re-assembling and had to spend an unnecessary $30 on a helicoil. Still not bad $175 for what to her is better than a new bike.
This bike started out as an early-90s Scwhinn Crossfit. My wife and I both started our cycling journey with cheap garage sale bikes, then she grabbed this off of Craigslist as her second bike. I've moved up since then, but she has just always loved this bike especially after upgrading the saddle and changing the bars for a better fit. Several times I have offered to get her another bike but she just likes this one, and the last time we had this discussion she said "my only problem with this bike is that it isn't pink."
Well, we fixed that.
Stripped the bike to the frame and had it powder coated. I knew it was going to look too naked with no graphics at all, so I saved the "Schwinn Quality" badge and then had an 'Excelsior' decal made - one of her new favorite words she picked up from helping my son with his Latin homework.
I didn't find any overly worn parts in the tear down, but I did have to go to my LBS to have the front derailleur placed correctly. Shifts like a dream now. New Continental touring rubber, and poof it's a new bike.
This is a really nice bike that you don't see on the market any more - a modestly priced hybrid with a quality steel frame, brazeons for fenders and rear rack, and a non-suspension fork. The original wheels were a bit cheap, and somewhere along the way someone rebuilt the rear wheel with an Alex Rim. The front is still the original wheel.
In the end, I think my wife had the right idea. This bike suits her needs perfectly, fits her perfectly, and now it's her favorite color.
Total cost of this rebuild about $45 for the tires, $120 for the powder coating - which would have been a great deal, except I stripped out some threads re-assembling and had to spend an unnecessary $30 on a helicoil. Still not bad $175 for what to her is better than a new bike.
04-10-15, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by alathIN
This bike started out as an early-90s Scwhinn Crossfit. My wife and I both started our cycling journey with cheap garage sale bikes, then she grabbed this off of Craigslist as her second bike. I've moved up since then, but she has just always loved this bike especially after upgrading the saddle and changing the bars for a better fit. Several times I have offered to get her another bike but she just likes this one, and the last time we had this discussion she said "my only problem with this bike is that it isn't pink."
Well, we fixed that.
In the end, I think my wife had the right idea. This bike suits her needs perfectly, fits her perfectly, and now it's her favorite color.
Well, we fixed that.
In the end, I think my wife had the right idea. This bike suits her needs perfectly, fits her perfectly, and now it's her favorite color.
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04-10-15, 10:33 AM
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Looks nice! Amazing what can be done with our favorite bikes if we don't rush to buy a new one.
A definite one of a kind bike there...
I may have to explore powder coating and custom decals for my old steed.
A definite one of a kind bike there...
I may have to explore powder coating and custom decals for my old steed.
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Slow Ride Cyclists of NEPA
People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.
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Slow Ride Cyclists of NEPA
People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
