SIMPLE GREEN **UPDATED!!**

It has been a pretty busy Christmas season in the bike-converting business. This one started life as a Raleigh mountain touring bike circa the early nineties. It was a budget build for my buddy's sister, but I managed to keep the cost at about $100. The back tire needs to be replaced as its side wall exploded during the first ride.  I think I'll add some black Continentals. I will probably also switch out the SR pedals for black mountain-style ones in better condition (see updated pic below!). I'm pretty proud of this paint job, seeing as how I shot it on a rainy day at 48 degrees in the wind.  This is the last of the frames I got from Vic a while back.  Pics:

UPDATED PHOTO!

Before:

CAP'N SHAF'S BLACK DIAMOND

My buddy Cap'n Shaf has been riding an early nineties Diamond Back mountain bike for a long time.  Too long, if you ask me.  So he let me have my way with it, and I rebuilt it as a single speed commuter.  I shot a new paint job, and threw on some sick Geex 26" road tires, terry drops with Cinelli tape, and a new chain.  I overhauled the ailing rear hub, spaced out the freewheel and left only the 15 tooth cog, creating a 38:15 gear ratio.  When i finished I only had one ball bearing left over: not too shabby.  Behold the Black Diamond!

Spaced out 15t SS Freewheel

Before:

OURY, MESA, ZOOM

I thought I'd put up some pics of the newest additions to the Black Plague.  I ditched the 2 pound goose neck stem in favor of a zero-degree Zoom with a removable face plate.  Although I love my Soma pursuit bars, they keep me pretty low and streamlined for around-town riding, so I decided to take advantage of the quick change potential of my new stem and get myself a set of risers.  I went down to the swapmeet this morning and scored brand new black Mesa risers for 3 bucks.  Well, actually $3.22, but the nice old guy at the booth said he'd cut me a deal- lucky me!  I cut them down to 19 3/4" with my trusty Bosch grinder.  I put on some red Oury grips that I got at Art's, and I think the whole setup looks pretty sick.  Now all I need is a straight fork and better balance and i can do bar spins.   

INTRODUCING... THE BLACK PLAGUE

Well, here she is- my newest fixie, the Black Plague. Azuki frame (circa 1980) rattle-canned and built with various components that are a mash-up of craigslist and careful bargain searching on the intarweb. I probably spent too much money (around $350), but hell, it was worth it. I got my first real ride in today and I am completely stoked on the large size of the frame and the power of the 44:15 drive train. I put a 16 tooth freewheel on the other side of the flip/flop hub so I can coast around if I want. Highlights include Soma bullhorns, MKS clips, and a weird goose-neck stem that half of me thinks is awesome and the other half of me wants to replace. Here's the evidence:

Black Plague

Converted FSA Triple Crankset 

MKS Clips with Alle Leather Straps

Before: Azuki "Rust", $23

CRANKSET MOD

A couple of weeks ago I decided that it was time to build a new bike.  So I sold my blue Huffy SS (see Single Speed Conversion post below) for $200 and ordered some components with the money.  While those were shipping I painted the Azuki frame (see previous post) that was sitting in my yard and hunted up a flip/flop wheelset.  The idea is to build a completely black fixed/SS bike with subtle red accents.  When i got my components in the mail a couple of days ago and started to convert the FSA crankset from 3 ring to SS, I realized that the factory had failed to grease the chain ring bolts and thus they were essentially welded into the nuts.  After some fruitless wrenching that only led to stripping the weak alloy hardware, I grabbed my trusty Ryobi and drilled out the bolts.  If done carefully, this works great.  I used a 3/8" steel bit, which was just slightly bigger than the inside diameter of the nut.  Once the 32 and 22 tooth rings were removed, I reattached the 44 tooth ring to the spider with some sweet red anodized bolts.  Here's some before and after...

FSA Dyna Drive Crankset (Original):

Modified:

PAINT JOB

Here's a new project I just started a few days ago.  It's an old Azuki frame that I've had laying around for a couple of months now.  I have experimented with several painting methods on my past few builds, and I think I've finally got it figured out.  This frame, though not yet clear coated thanks to some long overdue rain, is coming out pretty nice.  

Of course the best way to get the paint job you want is to get have the frame powder coated, but that can cost $100 or more.  So here's what I do, step by step:

1) First, I strip the frame of any components, including the bottom bracket, and thoroughly clean off any dirt and grease with a clean rag soaked in Rubbing Alcohol. 

2) Sand the frame with 180 or higher grit sandpaper (wear a dust mask since some old paint dust contains lead)  Sand enough to smooth out any dings and/or rusted spots.  Use GooGone to remove sticky residue from stickers or decals. Finish this step by cleaning dust and any remaining grime off the frame with Rubbing Alcohol. Remember: nothing ruins a new paint job faster than leaving grease on the frame.

3) Use painter's tape to mask off the headbadge. A good way to do this is to over-tape and then use a razor blade to trim the edges of the tape to conform to exact shape of the headbadge.

4) Find a well ventilated spot to paint in. Preferably this will be somewhere that you can hang the frame by the head tube or dropouts at a hight that makes it easy to spray all parts without having to re-position it.  I hang my frames from a bungee cord suspended between two nails about 6 1/2' high on either side of a wide door frame.

5) Start with a Primer coat.  I use Rustoleum Automobile Grade Primer.  Shoot a couple thin coats to start out with, about 3 minutes apart.  Don't lay it on thick... just get even coverage, making sure that you hit all parts of the frame.  Let the primer dry for around 24 hours.

6) Lightly sand your primer coat with 280 or higher grit sandpaper.  Clean the frame with Rubbing Alcohol and apply another coat of primer.  Let it dry for 24 hours.

7) Lightly sand with 280 grit sandpaper, clean, and apply your first color coat.  I use Rustoleum Enamel.  Enamel is dries harder and glossier than Acrylic spray paint, and is easier to apply. Start with a couple of thin coats, 3 or 4 minutes apart.  Recoat either within 1 hour or after 48 hours.  Remember, shoot your final coat top to bottom so that you avoid over-spraying onto areas of fresh paint (this causes 'orange peel' or dullness of color in affected areas.) 

8) Once your frame has a few good coats of color on it, give it a couple of light coats of Rustoleum Clear Coat Enamel to protect your color coat and to really gloss it out.  Let the clear coat dry for 24 hours before putting any components back on the frame.  This method won't stand up to a crash or systematic abuse, but if you're careful and protective of your bike (like you should be anyway) it will provide adequate rust protection, resist chipping and look bitchin' for quite a while. 

THAT WAS CLOSE!

The other day I was riding home from school on my fixed gear when I hit a rather large bump, which caused my right foot to twist in toward the frame.  All I felt was a quick tug, and when I looked down, the side of my shoe was cut clean in half, sliced between my chain and the chain ring. I guess I'm pretty lucky that it didn't get my skin; I've heard (and seen pictures) of guys who have lost fingers to the notoriously hungry fixie chain line.  Ouch.

MIDAS TOUCH TAKARA

Not too long ago my good friend Moog asked if I would build her a Single Speed with some attitude.  So I took this old Takara that I got on Craigslist and turned it into a Golden Goddess. 25 lbs and a 40:16 ratio for the slopes of Flagstaff where she's headed.   Total Cost: $125.  The second pic is what she looked like before.

AFTER: TOTAL COST $ 100

FRESH MEAT

I love Craigslist. Seriously. Here are my newest finds, soon to be overhauled and given a new lease on life. There is a lot to work with here, and my plans as of right now are to create a new SS commuter, a sick old school cyclocross machine, and perhaps the previously threatened 'Fixed Gore' halloween special. All this stuff cost me $75.  Thanks Vic.

Azuki Road Frame, Raleigh MTB Frame, Good Rims, Seguino Crankset, Brooks Seat

Takara Road Bike, 50cm

SLO FIXED

I have been moving for the last week, which is why the other projects are on hold...  But in the meantime, check out slofixed, an intarweb forum for the newest fixed gear gang in SLO.  Wrench something together and come ride with us!

FINISHED TREK 800

Well, here it finally is.  The old Trek 800 from the dumpster now lives a second life as a 28:17 (soon to be 28:14) single speed with a new custom paint job.  I rode it to work today, and no hill even came close to making me stand up in the saddle. I really like the way this bike came out, but unfortunately it must be sold to finance the next project (halloween fixie?). The total cost came out to $50.00- not too bad. I had a great time building this bike; please enjoy the pics!

Before:

After:

Bars chopped to 15.5"

Custom 28:17

CHAINRING CHOPSHOP

As I wrote in my previous post, the TREK is almost finished... all but the crankset.  Last week I decided not to use the triple that came on the bike originally, since the 48 and the 38 tooth rings are both significantly damaged, and since the rings are welded together instead of held together by bolts (and thus they are non-removable.) After spending a great deal of time on the internet and after consulting my LBS, I determined that there was not a decent crankset to be had anywhere for under $40. The problem is that, since I found the TREK in a dumpster to begin with, I would like to keep the re-building cost as low as possible, and I am already approaching the $50 mark due to some unavoidable expenses such as paint, freewheel, bar tape, chain, etc. So today, after nearly a week of frustration, the time came to take matters into my own hands.  I decided to use the original crankset, but to modify it by cutting off the 48 and 38 tooth rings, leaving only the 28.  This is a little bit crazy, especially as it leaves a gearing ratio of 28:17 which is pretty high, but I figured I'd try it and see how it goes (worst case scenario I buy a new 14 tooth freewheel or something.)  So I grabbed my grinder and started cutting. When the smoke cleared, I was left with a custom crankset that only needed a bit of careful filing and a couple coats of matte black Rustoleum to reach full badassness.  I won't be able to finish the build until monday due to a wedding and an open bar, but as of right now I'm pretty optimistic that my little chopshop crank job will work great.  Here are the pics: 

Before:

After:

All you need: Grindalero, Roland Pliers, Roland File

SCORE!

So I've been working on converting the TREK mountain bike I found in a dumpster (see post "Dumpster Diving" below) to a single speed, and, with the exception of the cranks, everything is pretty much done. Yesterday, I drove down to GoodWill to see if I could score a cheap bike to pirate the final necessary parts from, and I came across a near mint condition Schwinn Sprint, circa 1975, which I bought for $70.  The bike must have come from some sort of estate sale or something, because it had an auction tag on it.  My trusted colleague TaTas reckons some old guy owned it, never rode it, and then kicked the bucket, causing it to be sold to someone else who never rode it and who eventually donated it.  So here's why it turned out to be such a sweet score:

  

First, I took off the bitchin' vintage Christophe toe clips (made in France, worth about 20-30 bucks) and put them on my fixie. They are shallower than my old clips, so my toes don't rub the front wheel on sharp turns, which is a definite plus.  I also took off the near perfect wheels (27 1/4 Arayas) and traded them out with the older, crappier set on my wife's World Sport, thus making amends for arriving home with yet another random bike. Then I tuned up the brakes and front derailleur and re-sold it within 24 hours for $150.00- an $80.00 profit. Not too shabby. Here are some pics:

Schwinn Sprint (as it was when I bought it)

Christophe clips

FRESH INK

I took a break from building bikes today to get a new tattoo. "Like the sixgun loves the street" is a line from a song that I wrote for my wife when we first got married. The original line is "I love you like my heart loves to beat / like the sixgun loves the street." I like the image of love as something both dangerous and protecting, peaceful and tumultuous.  Thanks to Jake at Tiger Rose Tattoo in Pismo beach for the design and beautiful execution, and to my wife for the great early birthday present. Check it out!

CREATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE YEAR

I finally got my front brake lever in the mail yesterday, but when I went to put it on I realized that the curvature of the clip (middle piece in the first pic) was not wide enough to fit around my bars.  The pictures that follow show how I was able to modify a few things to make this awesome vintage lever work for me. 

1. The first picture shows how the brake lever and its components (lever, clip, and bolt) looked originally.  The clip hooks into the slot in the brake lever and wraps around the back of the bars, connected underneath by the bolt.  Everything is made of steel, which, luckily for me, can be reshaped pretty easily with the right tools.

2.  In this picture you can see how the curvature of the clip has been flattened (and thus the length increased) so that it conforms to the diameter of the bars.  I used a padded bench vise to do this.  I also used a rattail file to lengthen the hole for the bolt so that I could get some extra clearance on the bottom.  I then selected a longer, thinner sex bolt (courtesy of Sun Valley Bronze passage hardware) from my box-o-random parts, which just barely snuck under the bars.  The unique aspect of a sex bolt is that it has a threaded tube-like nut (designed to connect two escutcheon plates on either side of a door.)  I like how the nut gives the whole thing a very weird industrial look.

3. This is another view of the sex bolt, complete with random washers, from the underside. Basically what this whole operation proves is that:  a) steel is no match for a flexible mind, and b) you should never throw away old door hardware just in case you ever need it for your bike.

FINISHED FIXED

So here she is, all finished.  All told, the cost was right around $320.  I am still planning on installing a front brake, although I've been riding it brakeless while I wait for my vintage steel lever to arrive.  I am stoked on this bike; riding a fixed gear is a completely different experience, and I'm addicted.  I can't wait to build another one. 

DUMPSTER DIVING

I got up this morning and checked Craigslist (as usual) and found a posting for a free bike in a dumpster behind a housing development out towards Los Osos.  I drove around for a while until I found the place, and then wandered around for a while longer until I found the right dumpster. Sure enough, this little beauty was waiting for me, right next to some questionable potato salad. Behold, my new Trek, soon to be a single-speed of a new color.

A SCHWINN RESURRECTED

This bike was an old Schwinn World Sport that I bought for my wife at a thrift store a couple of years ago.  For Christmas '07 I took it apart, painted the frame, buffed out all the rust from the components, and put the whole thing back together.  This was the first bike project that I undertook on a large scale, and I think it came out pretty nice.  I still want to apply new decals and put new rims on it at some point, as well as some chrome fenders and whitewall tires (both hard to come by for 27" wheels.)  As always, thanks to my dad for his advice and assistance.  I definitely caught the rebuilding bug on this one.

BURBANK BACKYARD BEAUTIFICATION

Last summer my buddy Jim decided that he wanted to fix up his backyard, so I went down to Burbank and helped him design and build a custom patio trellis.  It was 110 degrees that weekend, but we built the whole thing in two days (while our wives drank Coors Light and watched us from shaded lawn chairs.)  Recently, Jim's kitchen was remodeled by the folks at HG TV, and their lead carpenter complimented our work highly.  Here's a few pics:

ME AND JIMBO

RYOBI RULES

WIVES

END OF DAY ONE

HERMANOS FUERTOS

PAINTED, ONE YEAR OLD

MY FIRST FIXED GEAR

This year I have built a couple of single speed bikes (with a freewheel, capable of coasting) but in the last couple of weeks I have been working on my first fixed gear, also known as a track bike.  A "fixie" can't coast, as the back cog has no freewheel.  The rider must pedal at all times, and if he/she pedals backwards, the bike goes backwards.  The bike can be stopped by using leg strength to slow down the speed at which the pedals turn.  Some riders don't use brakes at all. I have a front brake on mine just in case, but I am getting the hang of stopping without it.  

I am not completely done with this bike yet, as I want to add yellow bar tape and a yellow chain.  I will also most likely add an old-school bmx style brake lever.  For right now, however, I am happy with how it looks and rides-- and I have no more money.  At this point, the cost is right around $280.00- not bad when you consider how much it costs to buy a similar bike new.  A large chunk of the cost was taken care of by the sale of another bike i built (see post below "Another Single Speed.")  The bike weighs right around 21 lbs.  I used a Peugeot Record DuMonde frame which I stripped and clear coated.  I bought the wheels on Ebay, and all other parts are stock or scavenged from my shop or my dad's.  The bars are Franco Italia drops that I chopped and flopped to make pursuit bars.  Thanks to my LBS Art's Cyclery for putting up with all my questions, and to my dad for all his help.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

THE BEST SPOKE CARD EVER

Stella Rose

Here's my newest guitar, a 1957 Stella flattop.  I picked her up for $65.00 on Craigslist a month ago. She sounds like a gutshot locomotive running heavy down a tin track- just perfect.

We played our first gig together last night at the Clubhouse Bar in SLO. Come see us again on July 15, Woody Guthrie's birthday.