Happy Feet

Well, IIRC, the idea behind the contest was to dispel the notion that finding and creating a cheaper tour ready bike was easy to talk about but not very practical. Hence the call for a demonstration of the principle in practice in the form of a friendly contest. So, while just taking a picture of a bike and saying what one "would do" isn't what the thread is about (it's kind of what the thread is in reaction to) actually buying a bike and needing to do very little for it to be able to go on a tour is... I think.

Brand new bike, out of box, rack and a cheap set of nylon panniers/handle bar bag and you can set off on a small tour to see if you like doing this sort of thing. It's exactly what I did to my son's cheap schwinn so he could join my brother and I on an Island tour two summers ago.

jefnvk

What if I just assign a fair market value of $60 to an old MTB I already own, that is currently in hybrid rail trail form (i.e., not built for touring), and which I am going to build up for a tour anyhow? Especially so, cause they don't sell at $50 with racks and some bags on eBay:
Meh, why am I asking permission, I'm doing it regardless!

Happy Feet

Now that's the spirit!!!

jefnvk

Do we get extra points for keeping the international plane ticket for the tour under the $350 limit?

Maybe I just shoot for keeping the modifications under the cost of the plane ticket!

CliffordK

Hmmm...

I need to decide what I want out of Touring before investing in a new build. Each with different requirements.I've already got a few parts stored up that could go pretty much in any direction.

Happy Feet

International plane ticket! I didn't know it was going to be that kind of contest.

For my SS tour l'm planning to do a Capital to Capital ride, travelling from the first capital city of British Columbia, Fort Langley to the current one, Victoria.

There is a ferry ride but with my discount card it only comes to like.. $12 including bicycle.

jefnvk

Sounds fun too! I really need to work on the weekend/couple day trips. I tend to go big when I do things, have a hard time seeing the smaller pictures at times!

I love traveling, well before I got into biking, biking is just bringing a new dimension to my travels that I never experienced before.

Happy Feet

For me the small ones are a great way to experiment with different ideas without the big commitment/risk of a dedicated tour. When I'm bored I often look at google maps and try to create loop routes in the surrounding area and/or look for interesting theme rides like the capital to capital idea.

It also helps that I live in an area where I can access start points for some amazing
<1 week trips either on dike systems, ocean side or in mountains. The only downer is having a big metropolitan area smack dab in the middle to negotiate around/through.

Snuts

Who cares if we exceed the target cost of $350 (my opinion). I hope that several of us jump in on this. As the snow melts away, and new potential trekkers view this thread. They too may be inspired to try a sample trip/tour of their own. As I found out this past year, "I was capable" and enjoyed it beyond my imagination.
My intended trip is 89km to a historical site, old mining town. Hoping the May long weekend, weather permitting.

-Snuts-

saddlesores

just now bought a 4130 cromoly 700C LKLM 58cm frame + fork.
couldn't resist at $180. (was even harder to resist the plain
green model for only $150.)

still deciding on v-brakes or disk, 27 speed or 30 or 20.....
thinking this will be a 709'er......700 wheels with 29*1.9
tires. total build will be under $500.

the old "inferior" aluminium BMC will be downgraded
to commuter use after moving to bangkok next summer,
and once it gets a mosso M5 alu fork.

sometime after spring festival (seven week vacation in
thailand this year), zombie-killer-slayer will rise.

saddlesores

you just might be living in china if.......
i think i've heard this joke before!

an hour after placing my order, after confirming
stock AND sizes with the seller, i gets a phone
call; sorry......only have the forks that go with
the smaller frames.

that will not do. okay....i've got my old massive
downhill rigid fork that should work if disk.....
i can live with that. (or get a new fork made?)

seller had another 58cm frame....in caterpillar
yeller, no fork. on sale, closeout......for $95
shipped.

so much for zombie-killer-slayer......

***hooray, found a fjork. basic steel with a
lovely 350mm steerer tube. no more stem risers.***

shipwreck

You mean in China they have customer service and good communication?
Ive waited weeks to get something sent to me, only to call and be told that something was wrong but no one cared to let me know it was not shipped.


You should just buy a Flying Pigeon, and replace all the bearings with ceramic, get some better brake pads, possibly some lighter rims. Maybe have an artist airbrush those zombie hunter killer graphics all over it.

saddlesores

frame arrived today. oh, so lovely.
despite the inferior (probably generic) 4130 cromoly,
has fd+rd+brake cables internal routed,
3 bottle cage mounts, dropout kickstand mount,
bb-bridge kickstand mount, v-brake studs,
and disc brake mount.

have a straight rigid fork on order w/350mm steerer,
and cane creek headset.

prolly build disc wheels, either novatek or deore hubs
and mavic rims. bb7 or v-brakes are options.
novatec is 6-bolt, no extra centerlock parts needed.
alex dh19 700c rims, 36 3x sapim triple butt.

deore m591/592 9spd with 11:36 cassette, 9spd chain.
deore m522/523 (not labeled deore?) 22-30-40
octolink bb. (m612 is labeled deore)

i can ignore the 11T cog (103 gear).
with 29*1.9 tires, high gear is 87,
low gear is 17.3

question for experts:

if i want to use a 9spd 11:40 cassette,
that would exceed the RD specs
(cog 36T, front 22, cap 45)
with too large cog and 47 cap.
i can set the limit screw to lock out the
11T cog (no loss there) for 45 teeth total,
but what about that 40T cog?

why? low gear = 15.6

zze86

Spot on guys!

zze86

Not like you need my permission but sounds like a fair valuation and new build to me!

gerryl

BTW if you are looking for racks LKLM also make some fine SS racks. Saw a guy this past summer riding a LKLM bike with LKLM racks.

robow

It might work but you very well might need to reverse the b-screw on your RD in order to get clearance for that 40t cog. You definitely want the longest cage RD that will work with your drivetrain.

chrisx

I am using a 42 tooth shimano xt cassette with my old xt 9 speed long cage derailleur. I had to get a longer b screw. It works fine. You must change the b screw to make it work. You can not use a short cage derailleur with a 40 tooth cassette. If you are buying new, why not order a 11 speed derailleur to use with your 40 tooth cog?

Snuts

Looking over my drivetrain. Is this going to work (well yes it will), or need to be addressed to lift a loaded touring bike?
Need some facts. Time to educate myself on the subject of "gear inches".
Using my sprocket counts, and new found calculator. This bike will have a low gear of 23.52G/I. High of 93.05, less important.
Here is what I used to form my opinion on.
The bike I built, and used for my long trek last summer has a low gear of 23.63G/I. Well, I have a 2400km trek of experience on that bike loaded heavy! Just so happens I bought a new bike this fall (impulse buy), for next years touring season. With the new Schwalbe tires on it, it has a low gear of 19.51 G/I. Yes, a very noticeable upgrade in my opinion. I look forward to trekking with it.

Well back to this build. I tried my hand at hot paraffin waxing my new bike/chain (2016 Marin). Naturally, I cleaned this (trek 850) drivetrain, and waxed it. It was in surprisingly great condition. Evidence is pointing to a relatively low time well stored bicycle in this Trek 850. Research suggests it is a 1987 Antelope 850.

That's it for today.

-Snuts-

saddlesores

what's your front chainring setup?

seems the 11-speed rear deraillers are designed for 1x or 2x systems, so they
have a reduced capacity, at least according to the specs.

for example, the RD-M8000 will handle a 42 tooth cog, but specs say the total
capacity is only 39, and max front difference is a measly 10 teeth. i'm sure
there are some other options available (maybe not here locally). the XTR's
might handle more....but the price! cost more than my frame+fork!

think i'll go with the Deore M591/592 for now, spec'd at 36T cog, 45 capacity....
and as we all know, shimano is conservative on their spec sheets. will see what
i can do with the "B" screw and a 40T cog. if it doesn't work, i'm only out
$20 on a derailler that can move to another build. don't wanna blow $150
an XTR if not needed. that's RT airfare to Burma + visa!

shelbyfv

I don't have an entry of my own, but another BF member now has a beautiful Cannondale ST I sold him for $300. DA 9 speed shifters, Sugino XD triple, Nitto stem and bars, Ultegra/Open Pro wheels and more. A "find" like this will be hard to match, IMO.

zze86

Meant to post this Friday night but got too tired.

I'm planning on using this bike for a winter commuter as well so I've been gathering parts rather quickly to get it ready for winter riding.

I knew I wanted to switch to drop bars, my wrists can't handle multiple days on a flat bar, even just commuting. Thought about doing butterfly bars but I have them on my commuter and while I love the multiple hand positions I sometimes wish I had drops for more leverage and also wanted to try bar ends, which I've not used before.

I also wanted to switch from the threaded quill stem to a threadless setup since the drop on traditional drop bars are a little too aggressive for me and there are just so many more options for fine tuning with threadless.

Went to the local co-op to see what I could find and came away with a pretty good haul:
New Planet Bike wide fenders to fit winter knobbies - $15
used Deda compact ergo road bars - $5
used MKS (?) pedals - $5
used Shimano Ultegra 8speed bar end shifters - $50
Total = $75

Needed to order a threaded-to-threadless conversion so when Nashbar had their Black Friday sale I placed an order with them and got 25% off my total order plus free shipping.

Threaded-to-threadless adaptor
Nashbar low rider front rack
Nashbar Streetwise Kevlar belt tire (plan on riding these tires on tour)
Total = $55

Won a new cannondale rear rack for $14 off eBay.


After receiving the rear rack and test fitting. I discovered the canti brakes and smaller frame wouldn't play nice with the rear rack so I found some v brakes off craigslist for $10 and got a stem for free (guy wasn't sure what the clamp size was for and just gave it to me. Test fitted it and it seems like it's 26mm so will need to look for another)

Finally, ordered a pair of Tektro brake levers from Amazon for $17.

Parts Total = $171



Running Total = $191

Remaining budget: $350 - $201 = $159

zze86

Busy but productive weekend. Beginning and end of the weekend was spent prepping and cleaning snow but it snowed all through Saturday afternoon and just stopped about two hours ago (Sunday night) so since we couldn’t really go anywhere, I got to spend that time fitting and putting on parts.

Early on, I had decided that I hated the coloring of the decals. For some reason, it immediately reminded me of those “Extreme” Mt Dew commercials of the 90’s era. Since I couldn’t readily get rid of the decals I figured I’d embrace the “extremeness” of my bike and bought handlebar wrap to match.


$7 off ebay since no one local had this coloring. They feel cheap and plasticky but should be fine for now and may fare better for winter riding (…?)

Only thing left to do is figure out how to do the shifter cabling. I want to route the shift cables internally and drilled four holes into the handlebars; two near the bar ends about 3 inches in for the cables to pass in and two holes by the stem for the cables to pass out from. I’m not a particularly powerful rider so I don’t think the bars are going fail on me but I put the holes facing me so I can monitor them for stress cracks.

Here she is so far (stem in pic was just so I could take a pic and not part of the build):



Running Total = $198

Remaining budget: $350 - $198 = $152

Binky

Found this tandem as a THREE WHEELER on the local Kijiji Buy 'n' Sell and paid $20 for it.

It was located in a rural setting about 30 miles east of Toronto and LOTS of people saw the listing but I was the only one who drove out to see it.

Luckily, the rear drop outs were not altered by the "improvements."

The pictures are "as found" and "as now"

Required tires, a rear wheel, and fenders, and a rear brake calliper. About $100 in parts, tops.

I stole the fenders off my daughter's Peugeot when I replaced it with a Bianchi Mainstreet.



[

Binky

And here's a bike I fixed up for one of the kids:

It was a 57cm 21-speed Cro-Mo Phoenix Razorback hybrid. It got salvaged bars, Aero brake levers, Suntour gear levers on the stem, and (as if you didn't notice) flea market tires.

Bike $10.
Tires $15
Brake Levers $9
Gear levers $12
Cables $2


The tires may look pink in the picture but they are actually PINK !!!!