The anything goes bike thread, parts or rides its all good.

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Just a catch all thread for bicycles.  Got a question or just want to show off?

Put it here, we'll cheer you on and try to give good answers.

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Two local bike shops let me raid their junk piles.  I buy a lot of new parts too so it must work out.

I rebuild coaster brakes and make my wheels on them.  Other bling parts occasionally get tossed off too anf I am first to find a lot of them.  Disc brakes and alloy are piling up for my next build.

Clean them up and replace bad bearings, it like dirt cheap new parts.

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A front disc brake project in the works.  All the individual parts came from different other parts down to the spokes and hub.  I have to decide which of three calipers go on it and make the bracket to hold it.

On this only the tire is new.  Even the tube is reused and patched.

After its made if I find a frame I like there will be a front fork and disc brake assembly ready for it.

[hickory n Steel]

I went ahead and ordered the white wall tires for my folding bike.
The originals are serviceable but on their last legs and don't think they'll last much longer.

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Probably quite smart if you plan on putting miles on it.  I don't run crap tires on my work transport.  Bheind the front brake they are the 2nd biggest price parts.
( its a really low budget build )

The kids tandem got the best possible rear handlebars finally and a paint retouch on some crappy looking parts.  Its a solid reliable ride, if it looks a bit odd. 
The kids enjoy it.

[hickory n Steel]

Gotta have some tunes while I'm crusin'   

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Maybe it was time to check the noisy bottom bracket?

The bearings are slightly damaged.

[oldnslo]

Those should buff out....

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They went in used, mixing and matching the best parts I had at the time.  This time around I have a sealed unit from a box lot of used parts from a bike shop.  So the tandem has sealed in front and standard for the stoker, which there never seems to be one.  Those still run quiet and smooth. 

[hickory n Steel]

Put a better seat on the Dahon.

Says Schwinn on it, but I don't really care.

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So many worry about tire size or if a 11 speed cassette will make it better than an 8 speed.

What matters is a comfortable seat.  If it hurts to ride  you won't enjoy it.

No matter carbon fiber frame or an old Huffy.  Get a comfortable butt pad and fix the rest later.

All mine have big, wide sprung cruiser seats.  Heavy units compared to racing saddles but comfortable. 

[hickory n Steel]

So many worry about tire size or if a 11 speed cassette will make it better than an 8 speed.

What matters is a comfortable seat.  If it hurts to ride  you won't enjoy it.

No matter carbon fiber frame or an old Huffy.  Get a comfortable butt pad and fix the rest later.

All mine have big, wide sprung cruiser seats.  Heavy units compared to racing saddles but comfortable.

Years ago I saw this huge one in a magazine that was basically a seperate seat for each cheek and I just knew that no matter how dumb it looked it would have been so damn comfortable, I think it was made for older folks or something.

I have a big extra wide seat on my cruiser that I quite like.

[oldnslo]

Hickory, you'll want to rotate that upper seat clamp around 180d. The split in the seat tubing should line up with the split in the clamp for more effective clamping power.

[bonneyman]

Yeah, lots of folks think the lightest frame and the most expensive parts make a great bike. In truth, the best wheelset you can afford and a silicone pad seat are the most important.

Also - with the demise of so many local bike shops - getting some good bike tools would be worth the money. For me, I grab all the freewheel remover tools I can get my hands on. NOS, used, whatever. Most new steeds are cassette driven, but you'd be surprised how many older freewheel bikes you'll come across. When things get tough, being able to remove freewheels for service or replacement is worth it's weight in gold!

Here's an older pic of what I had. It's prolly about double this now.

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I have the Chinese version of the Shimano spline freewheel socket.  One welded to a bar as a wrench and one as socket.
Its the only type I have found here, and one low end Shimano cassette hub, which I built a wheel on and sold.

I made my own chain whips to do cassette hubs and sold them years later for zero use.  Dude loves them but closed one small shop to work in a big shop now.

He had all the older Park tools already but missed on chain whips.