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Aug 15, 2009 18:27:40 GMT
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Is it the frame that's actually that heavy, or everything else? Are your wheels steel or aluminium? Steel wheels weigh an absolute ton, you could get some value new (or half-decent used) ally 700c wheels for under £80 a pair which make the bike noticeably lighter (and much easier to accelerate as they are rotating mass too - if your wheels are 27" you'll need to drop the brake blocks about 4mm). If you set it up as a single speed (you'll need a chain tensioner for your bike) then you can get the weight right down - my steel singlespeed weighs about as much as my uncle's 2008 Specialized Allez. The design of the lugs on your frame is really nice by the way! It'd be a shame to mess with the bike. I think it looks great as it is. You don't need a chain tensioner for this bike though. Its got horizontal dropouts so you can tension the chain by pulling the wheel back in the dropouts (like on a BMX). I've got a Suntour DR like your new one too. Its a nice bit of kit. I particularly like the open cage design. Makes threading the chain a doddle. |
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Aug 15, 2009 19:55:46 GMT
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Is it the frame that's actually that heavy, or everything else? Are your wheels steel or aluminium? Steel wheels weigh an absolute ton, you could get some value new (or half-decent used) ally 700c wheels for under £80 a pair which make the bike noticeably lighter (and much easier to accelerate as they are rotating mass too - if your wheels are 27" you'll need to drop the brake blocks about 4mm). If you set it up as a single speed (you'll need a chain tensioner for your bike) then you can get the weight right down - my steel singlespeed weighs about as much as my uncle's 2008 Specialized Allez. The design of the lugs on your frame is really nice by the way! It's actually not all that heavy, for me anyways. I'm sure it's probably 20 or so lbs, but that doesn't bother me. The wqheels are 700c Araya aluminum, with sunshine hubs, which I believe are alloy as well. And there's no way in hell I am going single speed or fixed. Need my gears, too many hills and mountains here. Thanks though, I lucked out and I am quite happy. The only heavy thing on the bike really is the rack, which is made out of steel rods not steel tubes. |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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Aug 15, 2009 23:28:42 GMT
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Oh thats looks bad. my bike crashed into a landrover last year. I was going 15MPH on a straight road. He crossed over in front off me. Took my front wheel and forks off. I didnt have any injuries. Didnt even fall off.  Think I'll put normal forks and another wheel on it and sell that bike. The man gave me a replacement bike. Which the local kids quickly stole from my yard.  Got it back though. I had Suntour VX gears with power levers on my Carlton Corsair. There good shifters. |
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Aike! That's insane that you didn't bail from that!
Glad he settled and didn't just boot it out of there!
I'm still not sold on the down-tube shifters. I find it a really awkward location to reach to while peddling to shift. I want my bar-cons back!
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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I had Suntour VX gears with power levers on my Carlton Corsair. There good shifters. ive got a few sets of those in the parts box here ;D |
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Aug 16, 2009 10:19:11 GMT
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You should see if you can get an On-One next. Like a surly, but without the brand "tax" You can also laugh that he prints all the angles incorrectly on the website, so he can laugh at the Chinese copy merchants wondering why their bikes ride funny. I've got this frame  and the wife has this one  |
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Aug 16, 2009 21:30:05 GMT
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You should see if you can get an On-One next. Like a surly, but without the brand "tax" They look like nice frames....but hardly touring frames. Also...I think importing one might be a bit troublesome  I'm kind of thinking about either getting another LHT frame, or a Steelwool Tweed. Although, the Salsa Fargo makes some sense as well since...I tend to abuse my bikes by taking them anywhere I feel like. And sometimes that can mean pretty brutal conditions (Usually NOT ramming into boulders though). Alternatively, I might find some old used touring frame and go that route....or....ultimate scenario: I get a good job and get a custom frame! Yeah, that ain't happening. |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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TS
Part of things
Posts: 558
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Aug 16, 2009 23:06:24 GMT
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Aike! That's insane that you didn't bail from that! Glad he settled and didn't just boot it out of there! I'm still not sold on the down-tube shifters. I find it a really awkward location to reach to while peddling to shift. I want my bar-cons back! lol, he was on a lawnmower. Its not like he could boot it anywhere. |
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Gnarly crash, man. Luckily you weren't badly hurt.
Anyway, love the new bike. Those drilled brake leavers are especially cool!
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With a bocephus sticker on his 442, he'd light 'em up just for fun
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Tallsam, when you said Landrover, I was thinking a Disco 90 or something! Alltorque, lucky and glad are how I feel about it all, and yeah, I love the old Dia Compe levers as well. I wish I knew why no one does that now? It looks awesome! Anyways, finally got around to taking some shots of the steel rack:    It is made out of solid steel rod. It is beefy, and very heavy! I'm pretty sure with weighs around 5 or more pounds. Also, definitely Alloy rims:  I also just dropped the bike off today at a LBS for an overhaul, along with the new derailer and the bars off the surly. After this I'll probably look for ANOTHER beater bike, and look into getting this bike powdercoated...possibly. |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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Ive never seen a bike bend like that!! you must have been going some pace chap!! glad your ok tho, and mobile again so soon!!
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Aug 18, 2009 16:46:23 GMT
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Yeah, it's assumed I was hitting 40-50 kph. Could have been faster, could have been slower. Don't know honestly.
And mobile again on a sweet old bike at that!
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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Well, got my bike back from the overhaul. Only to find out that some jackass BUBBA'D* my bike! *Bubba'd means "redneck modified". Usually entailing a hack saw, a welder, or some other imprecise tool to "fix" a problem.) I was all ecstatic to get my bike back with that pretty Suntour V-GT on it....but I look down and...GASP! That hideous, plastic Acera is still there! Turns out, some previous owner IDIOT had welded the derailer onto the bike! They literally welded the damned thing on! I am intoxicated at that! Now I need to get it ground down and drilled out, so I can slap a helicoil in there. Sigh. Guess I'll do that when I am ready to get the frame powder coated. In othernews, I went back to the place where I got the Nishiki to grab some pics:       |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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lae
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,045
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Aug 22, 2009 10:06:35 GMT
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Looks like my shed.
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Currently:
Mk1 Focus blandmobile
Formerly:
1969 MG Midget
1972 Avenger GT
1981 Datsun Cherry
1989 Corolla
1979 Mercedes W123 200D
1995 Ford Falcon
1996 Ford Telstar (bet you had to google that one)
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TS
Part of things
Posts: 558
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Aug 22, 2009 18:04:16 GMT
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Mine too. Except more stuff. My shed is about the size of a toilet.
Looks like a fun place.
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TS
Part of things
Posts: 558
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Aug 22, 2009 18:06:52 GMT
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Aike! That's insane that you didn't bail from that! Glad he settled and didn't just boot it out of there! I'm still not sold on the down-tube shifters. I find it a really awkward location to reach to while peddling to shift. I want my bar-cons back! lol, he was on a lawnmower. Its not like he could boot it anywhere. I've just realised you said Land ROVER before and I read it as LAWNMOWER. Nevermind.  |
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Aug 23, 2009 20:14:35 GMT
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Yeah, the place is a gold mine....you just need to have the time and patience to find the gold that you're looking for amidst the rubble. Found some weird bags being sold as "Dutch Military Have". 6.99 each.  Looking at grabbing some Ortlieb or Arkel mounting hardware and turning these rubber wonders into cheap panniers. Of course...I could just find some way to sew a bungie cord on the bottom, hack the two straps on the back into loops around some biner clips... |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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Bad month?   This time, I was riding on the road, and some pedestrian jaywalked out in front of me. ....Somehow, he walks away with a bit of a tire burn on his leg, while I tumble over the bars and slam my OTHER shoulder into the ground. I walked away again, this time I wore my helmet, but didn't need it. Hopefully the guy will willingly pay for any damage to the bike (wheel + ??) and any time off work if one of the local Working organizations doesn't cover it. Got #'s and witnesses. |
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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lae
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,045
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Aug 29, 2009 13:00:54 GMT
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Should just be the wheel, steel frames are pretty tough. Have a look at the ends of the forks and the caliper too though.
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Currently:
Mk1 Focus blandmobile
Formerly:
1969 MG Midget
1972 Avenger GT
1981 Datsun Cherry
1989 Corolla
1979 Mercedes W123 200D
1995 Ford Falcon
1996 Ford Telstar (bet you had to google that one)
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Aug 29, 2009 16:37:46 GMT
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Definitely am going to be.
I also think I'd better start leaning how to overhaul my own bikes and build my own wheels if I'm going to keep running into things...
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1972 RA21 Celica - Stalled
1980 Nishiki International - Commuting
"The 2cv's looks at least have certain quirky charm - sort of like an old VW bug with tuberculosis."
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Got it back though. 
