lovely stuff above - now to lower the tone to a more pragmatic level....
May I introduce you to:
FrankenErnBought as an 1980's(?) unidentified e-stay from a chap in the next village for £20. Was his son's and had been left in his garage when son emigrated 10 years previously.
The e-stray are a pair of fork blades. The tubing appears to be butted if my 'ping' testing is to be believed.
Wheel base as long as the QE2 and angles to suit.
set up as 1 x7 with a Deore external bb chainset/bb donated by my LBS.
pimpy velosolo chainring to match the brake levers
mks pedals
rear brake Suntour SE canti bought rom Polar Bar for 60p at long itch, and front brake is a tektro donated by PB
DX brake levers and Easton bars from Mr bunbury at a more than fair price!
pimpy red canti hangers from ebay
SQR block and SKS guards from the bits box
Inspired by Slope
the
tiller stem is an old 531 mtb stem I had in the bits box.
grips and saddle from the recently bought geneisis fortitude
cables and seat post ebay bargains
vittoria tyes on sale from on-one.
FrankenErn will be left at the London station I commute into.
to get to the station - at home end of the journey - I'll be using
FrankenBert F'Bert was built up about 2 years ago.
Bought from the local tip (when they used to ell you bikes) initally just to get the Deore thumbies - for £10, I realised it was to good to waste...
Sachs new success hubbed and ambrosio rimmed wheels for £1.50 also from the tip.
3 x 6 gears
stove enameled by a local firm
Vittoria tyres on sale from on-one
other bits from the bits box including a Terry saddle and SQR block
Shimano cantis with XTR cartridge brake pads!
SKS guards