My latest bicycle find

[jtbo]

Thought I start this kind of topic as there can be more finds in future...

I found recently bicycle from my warehouse upstairs, it was from some previous settler and has set there more than 10 years for sure.

Bicycle itself is probably from 60's.

It had no wheels, so I put only ones I had:


Paint was bad and there was bit of surface rust too, so I did sand it to bare metal and put several paint layers, first zink, then rost primer and lastly several top coat layers, not all bits are done yet, but I already put bits together, then thought that it looks bit like early racing bikes, so as I had drop bars, put those on, looks quite interesting, front fork is not yet done as I'm not sure if I put it to original shape or if I put some other fork to front and keep it as a early racing bicycle kind of bicycle:


I did remove every part from frame, it has Fauber cranks and stuff, I had never opened such before, but serviced everything, put it back together and seem to be working perfectly, steering bearings had no grease at all, so with greased bearings it seems to be pretty good.

Saddle is leather, with many small springs underneath, it is super comfy, I keep gel cover on top of it to protect it from weather as it is in light car tent where can be some UV rays etc. You really can't buy so comfy saddle from store today, any bump on road is smoothed with that saddle so that it is like sitting on air cushion.

46T at front and 22T at rear, made full service to it meaning everything that was possible to take apart I took apart and put new grease in etc. Lot of things that I had never done before.

Tires are 38-622 28" from my memory, Camel brand, those were OEM in my Renault bicycle, not very well rolling tires I must say, but they have not worn too much from 2006 and no punctures either, good for gravel roads and maybe that might be good use for this bicycle as my Renault bicycle is converted now to tarmac only machine.

[euromodder]

That kind of single speed retro race bike is quite popular in Europe.
People pay silly amounts for a fancy new one.

[bdesj]

Neat bike with an interresting frame. I thought the rear rack was integrated into the frame, but I guess not. 622 wheels must have been popular in Europe for a lot longer than in the US. They didn`t really become common here until the late 1980s, and even then, they were only on high end bikes.

[jtbo]

Originally Posted by bdesj

Neat bike with an interresting frame. I thought the rear rack was integrated into the frame, but I guess not. 622 wheels must have been popular in Europe for a lot longer than in the US. They didn`t really become common here until the late 1980s, and even then, they were only on high end bikes.

I think that here at northern europe we always have had 28" for adult's bicycles, but can't recall if it has been 622.

Rear wheel is from 80's and tire from 2006, front wheel and tire are from 2006 as found bicycle but not the wheels it has had originally.


@euromodder, I have seen people going to single speed and fixed bicycles and some making them look like those old racing bicycles, finally some sense is applied to fashion
However my studies have found that new such bicycles are not any way compatible with these true old bicycles, so I guess marketing is at it once again, creating new product that resembles old one but so that they can sell all incompatible bits once again for everyone.
I think that in a way, this old recycled junk of mine is more genuine as bicycle is truly old. I must try to refurbish those old wheels I found earlier, that belong to different bicycle but are more correct era, then it would be true old fashion racer

If just this pollen allergy would let go, it is really bad this year and hour outside means next night and day are wasted indoors feeling very sick.

[jtbo]

I made some changes, installed 3spd rear hub and put straight handle bars, also put new tire to rear as one there earlier was quite worn, but now I don't know if it is bike for bad terrain or bike for tarmac, maybe I need to buy new tire that is more suitable for rough roads

I did took 3spd hub to many small parts, cleaned to very shiny and then put new grease in bearings and brake, also used gear oil for transmission part.
It works now as if it would be new, really good brakes and gears shift really well, even when pedaling, quite amazed how well it did go as I have no experience from such jobs.

Also moved saddle bit forward and it made big difference, on gravel road that is now really good, when I get new tire to rear that is more suited for use I'm planning for this bicycle, then it should really be something that I can use as my other bicycle is for tarmac only.

In this condition it weights 15kg, does not look like that, but it is what I weighted:

[renault_megane_dci]

One brake only ?

[jtbo]

Originally Posted by renault_megane_dci

One brake only ?

It has only rear brake operated by foot, like bicycles only had at 1960's where this bicycle is from.

Ok, it has now more modern 3spd rear hub, but brake is so good after servicing it that there is no need for more brakes.

I might swap another front fork which has front brake too if I get 36 tooth front chain ring as then I could use it more offroad and there front brake could come handy.

I clocked 49kph with that today to downhill that was not very steep, thing runs really quick, for offroad gearing is too tall even with that 3spd, also rear tire should be better as it was bit slippery on wet mud :P



I did run out of juice from legs really quick on that muddy and soft wet forest path, but it was more fun than I did remembered it being, now I just need to find more paths and preferrably more dry, rear tire is 32-622 it is not really floating on top of anything else than tarmac

[Grant-53]

I used my Huffy 3sp as an off road bike in the early 1970s with 26" x 1-3/8" tires. I found a tricross style tire for the front and a block tread for the rear. I had the stock 48/19T gearing then. Later I found that I could modify the inner lugs of the narrow gears from a 5 speed cluster to fit on the Strumey-Archer hub. With 25 and 28T gears on the hub, and 36 /40T crank gears to make a derailleur system, you would have some decent off road ratios. The coaster brake would have to be replaced by rim brakes.
The paint looks great!

[jtbo]

I have seen here 36T front chain ring for that fauber crank that bicycle has, there is also sometimes clock/bell fauber (direct translation) that would allow square type cranks to be put in, which would make rather nice selection of chainrings to front.

Mostly I like however this bicycle because of it's simplicity and brakes being used by foot, also strong thick chain that does not need replacing very often is good, chainrings are thick and strong, when I get around to get lower gearing I might put single speed rear wheel back, I don't need much of speed, just enough low gearing to keep it going at gravel roads and forest paths as I have that another bicycle to use on pavement.

I can get to 50kph speed with 2nd gear as that is now, with 3rd gear speed is not much faster, air resistance is putting the limit, but with more rpm I get to keep speed longer or alternatively travel further. I mostly use 1st gear even at pavement as with good spinning I can keep enough speed and can again travel further.

[Grant-53]

The largest rear gear made for the wider chain is 22T.
Time to get fitted with a fairing.