Shedding the derailleur!

Well keep posting in this thread. There's lots of guys who know their stuff and have been making some excellent suggestions so far. Sell that Columbia for $50 and start the new used bike fund!

I would not ride that diamondback frame. The main triangle of the frame are made of a proprietary carbon fiber tube glued to alloy lugs.

That's questionable 90s carbon with unknown wear, glued(!) to steel. Not something I'd be comfortable riding for safety reasons.

The components may be worth $50

bastomatic wrote: I would not ride that diamondback frame. The main triangle of the frame are made of a proprietary carbon fiber tube glued to alloy lugs. That's questionable 90s carbon with unknown wear, glued(!) to steel. Not something I'd be comfortable riding for safety reasons. The components may be worth $50

Damn, I think you're right! That might be worth a couple hundred dollars to a collector. But yeah, wouldn't ride it, scratch that.

How the berk do you know its CF?

Adrian_Thompson wrote: How the berk do you know its CF?

Look at the 4th pic. I knew that seemed too good to be true for $50.

That's the infamous DB "welded carbon fibre" frame. They made road bikes in the material as well.

I never would have known looking at the pictures Adrian. I didn't even know DB MADE those, but after basto's comment I broke out the Google-fu. Several of the images I found looked a LOT like that bike. Interesting from a historic point of view but not what I'd consider ridable.

In general when looking at used bikes you'll know it's carbon because the seller will crow about it and ask for double what the bike's worth. If you are looking at a bike in person you can rap one knucle against the frame ant pretty well tell. If it sounds like you're knocking on plastic, you probably are (carbon.) For the type of ridign you want to do I'd avoid carbon completely. If it's low enough price to make since as a neighborhood cruiser there's something wrong with it and it's probably not safe.

That leaves you with steel and aluminum. In general, older steel bikes have smaller diameter tubes and older aluminum bikes have larger tubes. You can obviously use a magnet to check too. You can tell really good steel frames because they seem like they're a LOT lighter than they should be, and they usually had decals proclaiming "Columbus" or "Platinum OX" or several other types of tubing. Stuff labeled as 4130 or Chromoly is a good middle ground, but avoid stuff that just says "Steel." That is typically mild steel and pig-heavy, about the same stuff as black iron waterpipe. (Good technical discussion of steel metallurgy and bike frames: http://www.ibiscycles.com/support/technical_articles/metallurgy_for_cyclists/steel_is_real/ )

Good steel is ideal because it rides smoother and is lighter than cheap aluminum, the middle level Chromoly type rides nice but weight can be more. Older Cheap steel (1990s lower end bikes) is heavier and doesn't have quite as nice a ride as the high end stuff, but is still better (to me) than the aluminum of the same era. If nothing else, you can weld it to patch it up in an emergency. Older aluminum bikes (again, 1990s) tended to be over built and had a really harsh ride, and the cheaper ones were heavier to boot.

There have been a lot of good points made in this thread. Just to offer my thoughts on additional names to search for: Giant, Univega, Jamis, Bianchi, and Raleigh all had great steel road frames in the 90's. There are also great steel MTB frames that you can do a lot with as well from them and others. I still ride a Reynolds steel Bianchi that I got complete off the list of craigs for $50. New bar tape, brake pads, oem road saddle, and mid price tires, and for about a total of $120, I have a great low buck, high comfort and performance beater.

I have a steel Bridgestone rigid MTB that I keep lugging around every time we move because I plan on modding it for a fun rail-trail/family cruiser - the plan is to fab a simple sprung swingarm to replace the rear deraileur and keep tension on the chain, and have a single gear in the rear. A narrow spread, 3 ring crankset up front will handle all the gearing I will ever need. Ditch the rear shifter, and front brake altogether. I love clean bars. A set of V brakes out back will also handle all the brake I will ever need.

I know that doesnt help much in your quest, but just thought Id share.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: How the berk do you know its CF?

Look at the 4th pic. I knew that seemed too good to be true for $50.

I can see it now, I was looking on my tablet last night and could read the writing.

Bummer, I was getting read to call and buy it to pick up on Monday until GlueGate (tm) ensude :)

OK, there seem to be a number of Trek bikes in the $100-200 range, I guess I'll snag one of those in the next few weeks. In the mean time I'm still going to chuck the derailleurs in the bin on the ubber-crap Columbia and create a temporary ghetto single speed. Does this create an ironic bike and make me a reluctant hipster?

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: How the berk do you know its CF?

Look at the 4th pic. I knew that seemed too good to be true for $50.

I can see it now, I was looking on my tablet last night and could read the writing. Bummer, I was getting read to call and buy it to pick up on Monday until GlueGate (tm) ensude :) OK, there seem to be a number of Trek bikes in the $100-200 range, I guess I'll snag one of those in the next few weeks. In the mean time I'm still going to chuck the derailleurs in the bin on the ubber-crap Columbia and create a temporary ghetto single speed. Does this create an ironic bike and make me a reluctant hipster?

No, a hipster wouldn't be caught dead on that Columbia You're just a GRMer.

clutchsmoke wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: How the berk do you know its CF?

Look at the 4th pic. I knew that seemed too good to be true for $50.

I can see it now, I was looking on my tablet last night and could read the writing. Bummer, I was getting read to call and buy it to pick up on Monday until GlueGate (tm) ensude :) OK, there seem to be a number of Trek bikes in the $100-200 range, I guess I'll snag one of those in the next few weeks. In the mean time I'm still going to chuck the derailleurs in the bin on the ubber-crap Columbia and create a temporary ghetto single speed. Does this create an ironic bike and make me a reluctant hipster?

No, a hipster wouldn't be caught dead on that Columbia You're just a GRMer.

Troof.

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but stick to a mountain bike frame even if you put slick tires on it. I think you'll be much happier for the riding you'll be doing.

Gratuitous picture of my 2003 or 4 Trek MTB kitted out with skinny tires and racks for commuting:

ultraclyde wrote: Gratuitous picture of my 2003 or 4 Trek MTB kitted out with skinny tires and racks for commuting:

Now that's what I'm talking about.

I rode a ghetto single speed through a winter in college - it works quite well. Just ditch front and rear derailers, and shorten chain to appropriate length. Voila, single speed.

Thanks! not long after that shot I swapped it over to road bike style bars because I find them more comfortable for longer paved rides. I found a set of road bike style levers that pull enough cable to operate the MTB linear pull brakes ($25) and I cut the clamps off the thumb shifters and mounted them with pipe strapping. Raising the handlebars and shortening the stem a little gives it nearly identical fit geometry to my carbon road bike that was professionally fit to my ergonomics. Basically, that means it is really comfy for me and keeps my motion very efficient. Compared to mr carbon it's pig heavy but it is a great riding bike. I'd like to go from the 1.5" wide slicks up to a 2" but they refuse to wear out.

ultraclyde wrote: I'd like to go from the 1.5" wide slicks up to a 2" but they refuse to wear out.

What are the merits, pro's, cons of each.

I'm fast turning this into a 'learn me bike' thread aren't I?

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: I'd like to go from the 1.5" wide slicks up to a 2" but they refuse to wear out.

What are the merits, pro's, cons of each. I'm fast turning this into a 'learn me bike' thread aren't I?

The 1.5in should be faster while the 2in will have a comfier ride and still be speedy. I could join the fun and post a pic of my single speed Kona. Hmm.

ultraclyde wrote: Gratuitous picture of my 2003 or 4 Trek MTB kitted out with skinny tires and racks for commuting:

In reply to ultraclyde:

Nice to see a Warner Robins guy with a Thompson seatpost. I am a Mercer alum, and I have a Thompson on my Trek too (road setback on a carbon 5500). Gotta support American craftsmen while they are still around to support. Plus their stuff is beautifully made and reasonably priced.

SEADave wrote: .......Warner Robins guy with a Thompson seatpost. I am a Mercer alum, and I have a Thompson on my Trek too (road setback on a carbon 5500). ......................

I love this thread, but I really have to get myself a bike speak translation devise.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

ultraclyde wrote:

Now that's what I'm talking about.

Where are these magical places with sidewalks?

So, progress of sorts. I met with Erich (Bastomatic) last night and bought some cool bits off him. I’ve got some black Mavic M517 rims with Shimano Deore m510 cassette hubs and Wheel smith spokes. Sounds fancy doesn’t it? Yup sure is I think. All I know is they are light as heck. I can’t wait to get them on the crap bike, let alone a good frame. He also threw in some slicks that have only been used for one ride, he then floored me by saying that one ride was 500 miles. Humbled! Thanks Erich.

Before I can put them on anything I need one front spindle that I’ll pick up this weekend, but then I need to choose a single speed gear to add. Thought? I assume one of the kits that uses spacers instead of clamps is a better bet?

i.e. this with stackable shims:

Vs something like this with clamps.

I’m leaning towards shims not clamps that can slip.

Next. Are all cogs created relatively equal or are cheap ones made of cheap Chinese plastic grade ‘steel’ and are you putting enough torque through them to make a difference. Then I have to decide on gearing. I’ve done my ghetto single speed conversion by pulling off the front and rear derailleur and shortened the chain. With horizontal drop outs I can tension the wheel without a separate tensioner. Right now I’m on the biggest front cog and the third smallest rear for a ratio of 52:17 or 3.06 which so far is great, but I’ve only gone about 5 miles on pretty much flat streets. No idea if that will prove too tall for my fat lazy ass once I hit the slightest hill. Maybe I can try 10 miles tonight to see how it goes. Rear single speed sprockets seem common in 14-15-16-17-18 teeth so I’ll be able to pick what I want. Now, more of my ignorance. Rear sprockets have distinct designs for single speed Vs cassettes with the SS ones being thicker. With chainrings I see ads for ‘single speed or 9 and 10 speed’ chainrings. Are they different or the same? I know you can get single speed chains which are beefier and less able to withstand misalignment as they don’t have to cope with the cassette.

Next, let’s talk what kind of frame to source. I started this planning to use the crappy Columbia frame, but you guys have comprehensively dissuaded me from that path. So what frame should I look for. I’m set on single speed and no suspension for road use and light compacted grave trails. I’m also committed to 26” wheels and reading I’m convinced I want a chromoly as opposed to alloy for a better ride. I was thinking of a 90’s mountain bike frame, but what about road frames? Thoughts? Having just bought a bike for youngest daughter and a house for the eldest, even a used frame will need to wait until next month, but any thoughts or sightings would be appreciated.

So, this is what it looks like now having shed the derailleur, basket, shorter chain and sundry other parts. I think I’ve lost about 4 lbs. Already having tightened the crank and got rid of the derailleur it rides much much better. No more clanking and clicking down the road or slipping when I try to change gear. I did want to remove the crank so I could clean and re-grease it, but the peddles are so tight I couldn’t get them off to remove the one piece crank.

Maye this should turn into a build thread?

Oh and there was some inspiration at today's Design center employee car show.

its...its...BEAUTIFUL!

Put a little rise in the stem, and this is my dream bike

4cylndrfury wrote: its...its...BEAUTIFUL!

Yours starting at $3,200 before options! Gulp http://detroitbicyclecompany.com/

Don't consider the road bike frames, as they're either 27" or 700c wheels, and so your brakes would be way too high to reach the rim of a 26" wheel.

Stick with a steel mountain bike from the eighties or 90s. DON'T get a Schwinn Mirada - they have 650b wheels.

Something like this. Lugged steel frame. Bullmoose handlebars. Sweet vintage rear U-brake. Made in Japan. It's a bargain if the frame is straight. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure it's too small for you, and if it is, then it's no bargain.

Easy way on these kind of bikes to tell if it's a bigger model (which you'll need) is the height of the head tube. If it's a bigger frame, the head tube is markedly taller. Compare the bike linked above to this one, which is larger. This one should be good, and it's a good price.