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Sept. 5, 2008 8:10 p.m. PHeller New Reader

I just started school again, and being unemployed for the last 5 weeks, spending has been limited, especially considering I spent way too much on vacation.

So the condo-association does it normal 1 year basement clean up. The basement is where we keep all of our extra stuff in a locked storage unit as well as bikes etc.

Well the bike racks have been overflowing lately, and I've been eyeing a few that I thought might not have been getting used. So I waited until tonight, the last day to claim bikes, and I went searching for unloved rides. I found a few that had been pulled out for donation, most flat tires, and decided to be a nice guy and fix some of the up for their future owners. Pumped up some tires, adjusted some brakes, stole some parts off some that I needed and switched them for less...interesting parts, that sort of thing.

I had my sights set on an older Schwinn road bike that looked like it might be the perfect thing to take to college with me. I drive to school, but I need transportation while I'm at school because the campus is so huge and I have just enough time to run back and forth between the dining hall and my on campus job.

So I really wanted a junker bike that if I broke or it got stolen, it wasn't a big loss. I already 4 other bikes, but they are all worth something. I need something ...free.

So I'm working on all these bikes and this guy comes into the basement. I ask "are you claiming any of the bikes" and he says "yep, those 3 over there and I'm donating that road bike you've got there".

I'm like "oh...your donating that road bike eh? well it just so happens I was interested in taking that to school, would you mind donating it to me?"

So this is what I scored. Nothing special, but it makes me happy. Project Schwinn fixie/ss/cross in the making:

Unfortunately, I've got 2 other bikes I've got to sell (95 GT Zaskar & 03 Azonic Steelhead DJMTB) a road bike I hardly ride (afraid to break it) a Cannondale Prophet I don't ride enough and a 1990 Marin Team that I'd like to restore. Basically...I need to consolidate.
Sept. 5, 2008 10:14 p.m. petegossett Dork

Prices, sizes & pics on the 2 for sale?
Sept. 5, 2008 11:42 p.m. bastomatic Dork

Sweet! I love it. Nothing wrong with downtube shifters.

My next project, should I ever find a frame, is a Randonneur.
Sept. 6, 2008 12:09 a.m. MitchellC Reader

Nice score! I see a lot of vintage road bikes around campus; they seem pretty nice. Most of them are lighter than my bike, too.

I also have the downtube shifters. I don't really mess with the front cog; it's always on the largest one. I've been using my bike for commuting purposes to/from school, and it's much faster/more convenient than the bus by far.
Sept. 6, 2008 7:20 a.m. ignorant UberDork

petegossett wrote:

Prices, sizes & pics on the 2 for sale?

you beat me to it.
Sept. 6, 2008 8:09 a.m. Woodyhfd HalfDork

Is that a Schwinn Varsity?
Sept. 6, 2008 8:30 a.m. PHeller New Reader

I think its a LeTour, but all the stickers are stripped so I have no idea.

The LeTour came with the Symmetric shifters and the AXR (ASR?) Front Derailure.

Those interested in the other bikes can PM me or email me SpeedingMusic@hotmail.com
Sept. 6, 2008 8:45 a.m. stuart in mn Dork

I've had a Le Tour since the middle 1970s; your bike does look pretty similar although the shift levers on mine are mounted on the handlebar gooseneck. I suppose there were detail changes from one year to the next. I've been happy with my Le Tour, it's nothing exotic but it's always been dependable and rides well.
Sept. 6, 2008 3:04 p.m. gamby UltraDork

Good get--even if the brake lever placement is odd. Also--get that quick release lever on the left side of the bike where it belongs!!!

It's amazing how old road biked never seem to die. They just get passed along to other riders. Pretty cool that vintage bikes are hip again.

Wanted to do a singlespeed conversion on an '84 Trek 400 that I have--just never got around to it (and never had $300 that I was able to chuck into it.
Sept. 6, 2008 7:42 p.m. PHeller New Reader

SS for $300?

Yikes...I could do it for $20 for the freewheel and $15 for the re-dish. Maybe even make that back selling some of the parts.
Sept. 6, 2008 9:23 p.m. 92dxman New Reader

Nice pick up. My beater bike is a Schwinn. It's up in the attic now to make room for my 08 Fuji that I should be picking up this week hopefully.
Sept. 6, 2008 10:25 p.m. mtn Dork

Nice. I just bought an old Raleigh from a pawn shop. $15, and it worked really well for the first two days. And then I ran over a nail (D'OH!). So I need to go get a new tire, or at least inner tube.

Me: how much is that green one? Them: 40 bucks M: can you do any better? T: No, I think its worth $40. M: Well I don't.

At this point I knew that they were just trying to take advantage of a stupid Freshman. I point out at least 5 things wrong with it, from not having a working rear break to the gears being messed up to the wheel not being put on correctly.

Me (expecting to insult them): I'll give you $10 for it. Them: $20 M: 15?

Deal. So I then buy an adjustable wrench for 35 cents from the same guys, and fix everything that I can in their parking lot. I still need to get a new brake in the back, and the gears won't change correctly and I don't know enough to fix them. I'll ask the guys at the bike shop when I bring it in for a new tire.
Sept. 7, 2008 12:09 a.m. gamby UltraDork

PHeller wrote:

SS for $300?

Yikes...I could do it for $20 for the freewheel and $15 for the re-dish. Maybe even make that back selling some of the parts.

I want some decent 700c wheels that I can mount the set of Michelin Pro Races that I have sitting on a shelf to. New freewheel, aero brake levers, some new calipers (if I really feel like getting fancy).

I figure I'm in the $300 range at that point. Less if I can re-use the existing cranks.
Sept. 7, 2008 12:17 a.m. gamby UltraDork

mtn wrote:

the gears won't change correctly and I don't know enough to fix them. I'll ask the guys at the bike shop when I bring it in for a new tire.

Are they indexed (click shift) or friction (no clicks)?

If the cable seems to be binding or sticking, re-lubing the inner wire is easy and effective. WD40 and a rag is great for cleaning the crud/oxidation off. It also lubes it just fine, although most enthusiasts frown upon it as a lube. Silicone or teflon works well, too.

Explaining index adjustment here is tough to do.

If it's hesitant to shift up to a bigger cog, add tension to the cable by unscrewing the barrel adjuster (on the derailleur) a 1/2 turn at a time. (too many turns means it's time to screw it all the way in, undo the cable anchor bolt/nut, draw out the slack in the cable and re-tighten it).

If it's hesitant to drop down to a smaller cog, lessen tension on the cable by screwing the barrel adjuster in a 1/2 turn at a time.

Tough to do this stuff without a bike stand, though.

Also, check of the derailleur isn't bent in any way. No twists and the cage is perpendicular to the ground for the most part.

Hope that helped.
Sept. 7, 2008 1:18 a.m. mtn Dork

Sorry for the threadjack.

I'll go check that out tomorrow.

No clicks on the shift. It actually looks pretty similar to the picture above. I don't think the cable is binding or sticking. I can't shift period, the thing clicks over and over again and it keeps trying to shift but won't make it. I assume this is a bent derailleur. I have found one setting on it that makes it so it only hiccups maybe every 10 pedals. I have only ridden it maybe 4 miles total since I've had it and not had a chance to really find out whats wrong. Maybe that will distract me from my homework tomorrow
Sept. 7, 2008 8:14 a.m. PHeller New Reader

My thread is your thread.

I'd just take it to a shop, ask for them to "single speed it as cheaply as possible", and never worry about shifting again.
Sept. 7, 2008 10:06 a.m. bastomatic Dork

Man, is shifting ever underrated!

It's so easy to fix a "broken" derailer, it's ridiculous. Especially with friction shifting. Adjust the tension as mentioned above, make sure it ain't bent, and straighten it if need be.

Singlespeed sucks on the hills.
Sept. 7, 2008 10:18 a.m. mtn Dork

bastomatic wrote:

Man, is shifting ever underrated!

It's so easy to fix a "broken" derailer, it's ridiculous. Especially with friction shifting. Adjust the tension as mentioned above, make sure it ain't bent, and straighten it if need be.

Singlespeed sucks on the hills.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try this stuff out.

Single speed sounds like the best idea here. I live in Northeastern Illinois; I go to school in central Illinois. If I want a hill, I have to go find a baseball field and use the pitchers mound.
Sept. 7, 2008 11:09 a.m. PHeller New Reader

I've been riding gears for years (just had to). My father never let me ride anything besides the correctly fitted MTB while I was younger, so I never had a BMX bike or anything like that.

As I've gotten older and spent more and more money on bikes, I've also recently gained a strong appreciation and love for single speed.

Too many times did I attempt to roll out the door on one of my gear bikes and found that it was shifting correctly, or the cables were sticking, or the cassette was getting worn, and you don't have those issues with a single gear.

When you come to a hill, you know you've got one gear, so you stand and push. If you walk, you walk, but that's at least better than trying to find a gear, jumping a chain, breaking a chain, slipping a cog, and failing miserably. On a SS, I'm not afraid to walk, but I'm more determined to sprint up a hill.

Price for an SS should be less than $40, that is if you strip the derailures and shifters yourself, but if you ask the shop to remove your old cassette and install a BMX cassette, and then have them re-dish the wheel, maybe you could pick up some single-ring bolts for the crank (allows you to run a single ring...obviously), you should be able to keep it under $40.

But ya...adjusting derailleurs isn't hard, but think of how many people on campus you see riding retro single speeds?
Sept. 8, 2008 6:30 a.m. bastomatic Dork

PHeller wrote: But ya...adjusting derailleurs isn't hard, but think of how many people on campus you see riding retro single speeds?

I think that's part of why mine is a geared bike, my resistance to do whatever is the "in thing" at the time, whether it's good or not. I should get over it.
Sept. 8, 2008 7:01 a.m. PHeller New Reader

Bicycles in general are not the in thing...

So anything you do to make you look more cool has little or no effect on how the rest of the population views you.

Have you ever tried an SS bike for a good ride? If you haven't, I suggest it. Like I said, I never rode SS until a few years ago, and I'm thoroughly converted (except I still have geared bikes).
Sept. 8, 2008 10:01 a.m. bastomatic Dork

If I were to do SS, I would bet I'd do fixed instead. That seems more up my alley - takes a little more skill and confidence as well.
Sept. 8, 2008 10:50 a.m. petegossett Dork

I tried fixed - wanna buy a bike? Seriously, I thought it would be cool to be all hard-core like those messenger guys(and hey, I could use my bike for work occasionally & not have to worry about anyone stealing it. lol).

Yeah. I rode it twice. After I hit the pedal on the ground mid-turn on my second ride, I decided enough was enough.

So, wanna buy a bike?
Sept. 8, 2008 12:18 p.m. mtn Dork

petegossett wrote:

I tried fixed - wanna buy a bike? Seriously, I thought it would be cool to be all hard-core like those messenger guys(and hey, I could use my bike for work occasionally & not have to worry about anyone stealing it. lol).

Yeah. I rode it twice. After I hit the pedal on the ground mid-turn on my second ride, I decided enough was enough.

So, wanna buy a bike?

How much and how far are you from Blo-no?

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