Author Topic: Crusty old commuters/hack bikes (Read 12231 times)

bobajobrob · « **on:** 19 April, 2008, 12:46:56 pm »

This thread is for the appreciation of working bikes - hacks, commuters - whatever you want to call them. It's a celebration of function over form, of utility over aesthetics.

I'll start us off with my commuter. It's a lightweight steel frameset, fixed gear 70". The chain is a bit slack

Chris S · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 April, 2008, 01:02:28 pm »

So heavy it has it's own gravitational field.

clarion · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 April, 2008, 01:04:16 pm »

Carlton?

Adrian · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 April, 2008, 01:09:02 pm »

OK, here is my Cotic Roadrat fixie

and in the background my inbred duospeed

border-rider · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 April, 2008, 03:42:56 pm »

Pompino with a hub brake/dynohub, Solidlights. One brake cable, no gearie stuff. Ultimately reliable.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 April, 2008, 03:46:14 pm »

Quote from: Mal Volio on 20 April, 2008, 03:42:56 pm

Pompino with a hub brake/dynohub, Solidlights. One brake cable, no gearie stuff. Ultimately reliable.

Bzzzt, thank you for playing. Too clean.

border-rider · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 April, 2008, 03:47:59 pm »

Not now

That was when it was first put together

Martin · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 April, 2008, 04:02:10 pm »

I hate to see perfectly good components sitting in a box in the garage so put them all together thus; it was supposed to be my winter hack but apart from a brief lending back to Manotea for an aborted 200 before Xmas has been languishing in my friend's garage not being ridden in training for France since January

I think the bar tape was new. The wheels have since been e-bayed and replaced by some real Golden Wonders

Tom M · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 April, 2008, 03:55:24 pm »

Some of these do look far too new and shiny for this thread I think. Here's Uglatron:

An old cross frame with welds that would best be described as 'functional'. Singlespeed conversion kit and anything else from the shed makes up the rest.

Currently used for the 15 min ride into work. I wouldn't fancy much further frankly...

Crumbling Nick · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 April, 2008, 11:34:00 pm »

This

is the one-gear-fits-nearly-all bike.

A cheapish (under £200) 1980 531 tourer, still with several original components. It's comfortable & light enough for (y)acf rides, has enough lights for the Netherton tunnel and is robust enough for occasional off-road bits to "base camps" on nature reserves. If it's lucky, there might be a tree for shelter on rainy days (though there is a plastic bag to protect the saddle

).

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 May, 2008, 07:50:04 pm »

What about a crusty old bloke instead?

My dad emailed me this today. That's him, and I have no idea who the bike belongs to - he only has mountain bikes - or where he is. Or what he's doing. Or why he hasn't sorted out that white rectangle at the right of the pic.

Maybe he's about to ride it into a giant freezer.

bikenerd · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:10:21 pm »

Winter commuter:

Tom M · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:28:00 pm »

What size is the front ring? Maybe it's the angle, but it looks only marinally bigger than the rear.

bobajobrob · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:31:33 pm »

I need a gear like that for the hills round here. I only ride mine on the flat when I can help it.

The sprocket looks quite small anyway.

bikenerd · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:33:10 pm »

Quote from: Tom M on 13 May, 2008, 08:28:00 pm

What size is the front ring? Maybe it's the angle, but it looks only marinally bigger than the rear.

It's 38/15 for about a 67" gear. Small, small. Just a logical progression (regression) from Suntour microdrive!

bobajobrob · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:34:30 pm »

Not that small then. I was thinking about 60"

andrew w · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 May, 2008, 08:43:06 pm »

My commuting bike (1995 Raleigh Randonneur):

Not cleaned in the last three years, I estimate, though I do lube the chain and maintain the brakes, tyres and drivetrain.

Andrew

Deano · « **Reply #17 on:** 04 June, 2008, 07:47:20 pm »

My (then) commuting bike, now an offroad tourer

Paul D · « **Reply #18 on:** 05 June, 2008, 05:33:28 pm »

The bike that started it all here had a respray last summer, and has had a fettle this week - some new old tyres and a clean mostly. It had been mothballed, but I'm losing so many commutes to the rain I thought I needed my trusty winter hack to hand.

BTW, Dorset's hilly, and on wet, windy, miserable days I became sick of the fixed gear both up and down the 3/4 mile of 7% on my commute, hence the return of gears.

Roll on the ~~torrential rain~~ summer.

GruB · « **Reply #19 on:** 05 June, 2008, 08:01:11 pm »

Seen here in BCM mode. Monsta Thorn. Just about to get some nice new Hollowtec II cranks.

Deano · « **Reply #20 on:** 10 October, 2008, 07:22:31 pm »

I thought I'd resurrect this thread and show off my current commuter, cobbled together out of spare bits. That chainset is as heavy as it looks. In fact, it's so heavy, I took off the left crank and fitted a lighter silver one.

alanp · « **Reply #21 on:** 10 October, 2008, 09:23:32 pm »

Bought this Falcon Grand Prix for £5 from a Scouts jumble sale. Improved it somewhat from spare bits.

Alan

LEE · « **Reply #22 on:** 11 October, 2008, 12:10:00 pm »

Quote from: alanp on 10 October, 2008, 09:23:32 pm

Bought this Falcon Grand Prix for £5 from a Scouts jumble sale. Improved it somewhat from spare bits.

Alan

Is it hilly where you live?

David Martin · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 October, 2008, 01:37:41 am »

All those other bikes are far too clean.

Do I win?

Tom M · « **Reply #24 on:** 16 October, 2008, 01:31:06 pm »

What in God's name is that crap?? You bad, bad man.

Author Topic: Crusty old commuters/hack bikes (Read 12231 times)

bobajobrob

Chris S

border-rider

border-rider

Martin

bikenerd

bobajobrob

bikenerd

bobajobrob

alanp

LEE