12:49
kaniamazdar
Actually, Keith Pops talks about a good deal more than old bikes at his blog, but his site DirtyAgency.com has a major focus on his work restoring old bikes. He's got some cool photos, a few links, and a sexy promo video, and he promises more soon.
Sunday, 5 August 2007
Think dirty. In a good way.
Actually, Keith Pops talks about a good deal more than old bikes at his blog, but his site DirtyAgency.com has a major focus on his work restoring old bikes. He's got some cool photos, a few links, and a sexy promo video, and he promises more soon.
Thursday, 2 August 2007
The Wheelmen.org
If you've happened upon my little half-acre of webspace and perhaps been disappointed that my 1971 Columbia Sports III isn't exactly all that old, here's a link that should fulfill your old bike fix.From their website TheWheelmen.org:
The Wheelmen is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping alive the heritage of American cycling, promoting the restoration and riding of early cycles (1918 or earlier), and encouraging cycling as part of modern living. Members are intent on learning lost skills, retelling lost stories, researching and writing of the golden era of cycling.
As for my own best efforts, they're on hold this week until I can get to the hardware store for a bigger wrench. Then, look out!
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
GIANT ANTHEM S
MANA TAHAN............ Sepeda produksi 2006, ini salah satu yang dibeli dalam bentuk full-bike. Memang sengaja ambil yang entry-level dari Giant Anthem (S), karena lebih ekonomis beli dalam bentuk full-bike dibanding beli frame saja. Sampai saat ini tinggal seatpost dan rear suspension saja yang masih orisinil, lainnya mana tahan sudah up-graded.
Spesifikasi :
Frame : Giant Anthem S
Frame year : 2006
Frame type : AluxX SL low-multipivot full-suspensions
Frame size : M (18 inch)
Color : blue silver
S/N : GR606996
Forks : RockShox Reba Race DualAir w/ remote lock
Rear suspension : Giant Maestro-A
Front derailleur : Shimano Deore LX FD-M580
Rear derailleur : Shimano Deore LX RD-M580
Shifters : Shimano Deore LX SL-M580
Crankset : Shimano Deore LT Hollowtech-II FC-M580
Cassette : Shimano Deore XT CS-M760
Chain : Shimano Deore XT CN-HG93
Bottom bracket : Shimano Deore XT
Pedals : Shimano DX
Brakes : Shimano Non-Series BR-M520 mechanical disc w/ 6 inch rotor
Stem : Maxm SL-Series
Handlebar : Maxm Al-5
Grips : Odi Ruffian MX
Headset : TH Industries Aheadset
Seatpost : Giant SP-D281
Saddle : WTB Rocket-V SLT Black
Wheelset : Mavic CrossRide Disc
Tires : Bontrager XR-Jones
Cables : Shimano XTR
Accessories : Cateye Enduro8 (cyclocomputer), Topeak (saddle bag), Topeak TC-2228B (handy-phone pack), Velo (chainstay-guard), Minoura (bottle cage), THE Pro-Series (shroud), Topeak (pump), Giant Quark-5 (head light), Giant Charm-3 (tail light)
Bike-Saw Puzzle
It's been a few days since I've had a chance to get back to the bike, so today I did a bunch of stuff. I was only planning to take off the crank, but then I realized that I didn't have a big enough wrench (isn't that always the way?). So, instead, I took off the wheels, chain, kickstand, and fenders, which I then arranged artfully and took a picture.While I had the bike upside down, I wiped off the accumulated dirt in preparation for the really thorough cleaning I'm going to do before sanding down the bad spots on the paint. I'll head to the hardware store this weekend for a bigger wrench and finally get the crank off, and maybe the stem as well. It's starting to get interesting.
Tip: When I tried to remove the rear fender, I found that the screw holding it to the frame was rusted tight, so I sprayed a little WD-40 on it and let it sit for about ten minutes. After that, it turned quite easily. This is the only time you should use WD-40 on a bike--never lube the chain or gears with WD-40. The problem is that WD-40 is formulated to resist water (WD=Water Displacement) and stay on whatever you put it on for a really long time. The longer it sits on your chain and gears, the more gunk gets stuck to it, and the gummier everything becomes. Use a specialty bike lube from your local bike store for your chain and gearing mechanism.
Friday, 27 July 2007
Shifty Shifter
Yesterday, I disconnected the shifter and took it off. The bike is now cable-free, like the fixed gears you see all over the place these days. I actually like the clean look, but I'm not willing to give up gears and brakes to get it.
The picture on top is the shifter that was on there. Note the rust, broken plastic, and the cable casing that has peeled away. The cable itself is also in pretty sorry shape down near the indicator spindle (look at me, showing off the internal gear hub lingo--it's the little chain that comes out of the right side of the hub).
The picture on the bottom is the new trigger shifter and cable I'm going to order from Harris Cyclery. One thing to note is that my original cable isn't adjustable like the one shown here, which can be trimmed to fit, then the anchorage added. Since I'm not attempting a completely authentic restoration, the universal cable and the more modern-looking shifter don't bother me, but if you were doing a hard-core restoration, you can still get the original cables at Harris Cyclery, although I think their quantities are limited.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Old Bike Photos on Flickr
Here are three Flickr photo groups that I just discovered today, which focus exclusively on three-speeds and/or vintage bikes. They're a great resource for anyone working on one of these machines. I promptly posted a photo of my bike (above), so hopefully some of the group members will follow me back here. If you are one of those folks, welcome. Feel free to offer unsolicited advice and/or encouragement.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
"Before" Paint Detail
Here are some "before" pictures of the rough shape the paint is in.
Nothing too exciting today. I removed the rear brake assembly and discovered that it was even dirtier than the front brake assembly (see yesterday's post). So that was fun. It is very satisfying to clean all the parts, though. See if I still feel this way next week.
