The Runwell's Franken-pedal

I've tried boiling water, I've tried penetrating oil, I've tried sheer brute force, I've taken it to a bike shop, I've taken the pedal apart to gain better leverage, I've bent two (cheap) wrenches, I've even yelled at it, but the left pedal WILL-NOT-BUDGE (yes, I'm turning it the correct way--left side pedal loosens clockwise). So, I finally hit upon the idea of dismantling my new block pedal from Harris Cyclery, and simply rebuilding the old pedal around the stuck spindle with the new blocks. After much cajoling, everything worked out fine. The pedals are still somewhat mismatched, with the right one being wholly new, and the left only having new rubber, but it looks better than it did. In fact, I may do the same with the other pedal at some point, as I do like the look of the old pedals. And with that, I'm finally really done. I have plans to take it on a big ride around town, hopefully over the weekend, and take some "glamour shots" of the bike in various appropriate locations.

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The Runwell: First Photos

Here's the "before" photo from the Craigslist posting, and the rest are from today--I'm finished! These didn't really turn out very well, and I'll post some better ones later, but I just had to put these up! Actually the rackafratzin' left pedal is still stuck fast, so I've still got that to work on. Right now, the right pedal is shiny and new, and the left is dirty and old. Otherwise, I'm incredibly pleased with how the polish went on, how the fenders turned out, and just really totally psyched about the whole package, actually! The rod brake works wonderfully, as does the coaster hub, and the saddle is the only thing that makes noise, and that just needs a bit of oil in some strategic places underneath.

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Vintage Projects Website

As a follow-up to yesterday's lament on the loss of DIY skills, I wanted to pass along this neat site I found a while back, which gives free "plans" for vintage DIY projects ranging from bicycle sidecars to archery, boats to tractors. I say "plans" with some qualification because many of them are pretty surface-level descriptions and others assume a level of mechanical and technical expertise that I doubt was ever common. Many of the designs are also pretty clunky in a charmingly antiquated way, like the extremely heavy-looking chariot-stye bike trailer in the image, but if you're inclined, there's at least a lot here to draw inspiration from.

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Are Americans Losing Their DIY Skills?

Um, yes? Is this news? Not specifically bicycle-related, but this article from Popular Mechanics is very much in keeping with what this blog is really all about.

I think that a modicum of ability in dealing with the physical world is good even for those of us whose jobs are mostly cerebral. Engineer Vannevar Bush, one of the great minds of the 20th century, made his mark on everything from the Manhattan Project to the development of computers. But when he wasn’t commanding vast enterprises, Bush spent a lot of time in his basement workshop building things. He said that trying to make a finished project match his blueprints taught him humility and problem solving.

I'll second that with a vengeance. Especially the humility part.

Link, via Neatorama.

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The Runwell: Just Another Teaser

Still working on the fenders, the brakes and pedals should arrive next week, then a couple coats of polish and done! I'm already putting together my wishlist of accessories to accumulate over the next few months, including a bell and a retro headlamp from Velo Orange, and long-term a new Brooks.

Also, I took him on a night ride around the 'hood last night and it was pure joy to glide around in utter silence and darkness (excepting my headlight). Sitting upright in total comfort, I just cruised about, taking it all in--truly a Slow Bicycle moment.

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The Runwell's History Lessons

Now that the Runwell is up and running again, with only a few things left to finish, I wanted to share a bit of its history, or at least what I can deduce from some its features. I still don't know the date of production, but the 1920s or 1930s still seems right. Apparently, most bikes with the Perry coaster hub were manufactured for sale overseas, but I know that the bike was in England until the previous owner brought it to the U.S. sometime in the 1980s (I think). I also know that the bike was in use during World War II, and here's the really cool part. The most obvious sign that the bike was in use during the war is the "Dunlop War Grade" tyres that were still on it when I bought it. Although these could have been remainders put on after the war, it's pretty amazing to think that the last time these tyres were changed could have been in the 1940s.

Another pretty clear indication that it was used during the war is the white "blackout stripe" rather sloppily painted on the rear fender (mudguard, for the Brits), apparently in house paint. I can imagine the original owner cringing a bit as he slopped white paint on his glossy black fender and gold pinstripes.

The final clue, and the one that is perhaps the most moving for me, is that replacement brake pads appear to have been cut from salvaged rubber and installed in the shoes, I'm guessing in order to conserve resources during the war. 

The sad part, and the real conundrum for folks like me, is that all of these features have now either been removed or covered up in the process of making the bike useable again. The material evidence of the bicycle's eventful past has literally been stripped away, out of necessity of course, but it's still a little sad. My great comfort, though, is that the bicycle will again be used for its intended purpose, rather than rusting in a back yard. I will also keep the tyres and brakes, of course, to pass on to the next owner of the Runwell, but hopefully that won't be for a long, long time.

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The Runwell Test Ride!

Ladies and gentleman, the Runwell runs well! In fact, the Runwell runs like a dream! After realizing that the new tires I bought on Saturday don't fit on the Westwood rims (they popped right off under minimal air pressure), and then changing out the tires from the Columbia, which worked perfectly, I put on the chain, made some adjustments, tightened down all the nuts, and I was off. I wanted to take a test ride before placing my Harris order, since I wasn't sure if I would need a new seatpost until I tried the existing one, and it turns out that it works just fine, and doesn't seat me too far forward, as I had thought it would.

This is probably the most solid bicycle I've ever ridden, at least in my adult life. With just one speed, it runs silently, and the coaster brake functions just beautifully. It seats you bolt upright, as I knew it would, but the still-comfy old Brooks saddle feels like sitting in a chair. It's responsive, relatively light, and although not terribly fast, it can move if it has a mind to. As my wife and I took turns circling an empty parking lot near our house, it already received its first compliment from a woman who stopped to admire it. Not bad for the first five minutes of its new life!

Still to do: paint and topcoat the rear fender, which will take a little while because I have both white and black paint to apply, order and install the new front brakes and pedals, put a second coat of varnish on the grips, and do all the final cleaning, polishing, and waxing. With all of it, I think I'm looking at another two weeks, taking delivery time from Harris (on the other side of the country from me) into consideration. I might post a few more teaser photos in the meantime, but you'll have to wait a bit for the grand unveiling.  

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