Fuji Supreme

Bought a Fuji Supreme in terrible condition.
Right now, the entire bike is disassembled and is being cleaned and polished.
Will need a set of 27" tubes and tires. Wondering what will be a good color to go with the maroon frame, if I get colored tires. Not much choice is available for colors in 27" size.
Here is a "before" picture.

Sandy Hook

Went to Sandy Hook, NJ with a couple of friends to ride the trail there. It is about 6 miles long but may be 5.5. from the parking lot. Windy going North and backwind coming south. Riding the bike allows one to view the areas one may miss while visiting the beach on a summer day in a car.

Indian Bikes

Read the long post towards the end of the page.

More Willpower

Yesterday, I went to get a couple of bikes, which were advt. without much info. Not even a name. When i saw the pictures, emailed later, one was a Nishiki and the other was a Randor. Anyway, I wanted the Nishiki, assuming it was a Japanese bike. What I found out in person was that the Nishiki was a Korean made bike, with a strange crank set, riveted 2 speed chain rings, chromed steel stem and bars with a little rust, black plastic stem mounted shifters, etc. The Randor, I did not even look at. After, a few minutes of pondering, I thought it was better to not get any of those. Let us just stick to quality bikes. That was a big improvement in will power.

Correction

I posted the previous post on a bike forum and it was pointed out that the splits in the chain rings were intentional and were designed to aid shifting with indexed shifters. Nevertheless, I don't like the center driven, fused crank set design.

Lack of Qualty in LBS Bikes

I am working on a couple of (actually 3, now) salvaged/purchased bikes and would like to tell about what I found.
Bike #1 was a GT Windstream comfort bike. I assume it was a bike store bike.
Bike #2 was a Religh M20 ladies MTB. I assume it was a bike store bike.
Bike #3 was a Magna Glacier Point MTB. I assume it was a dept store bike.

Both the #1 and #2 had Shimano crankset with integrated 3 speed chain rings. By integrated I mean they were a single unit of spot welded chain rings, connected to the center of the right hand crank arm in a somewhat rivet rike fashion (multi toothed). The disadvantage of this system is that it does not have the 5 armed spider that one finds on brand name crank sets that affords interchangeability of chain rings. Also, in both cases (#1 and #2) the bikes did not appear to be used much, but the chainrings were missing several teeth. The material of the rings is apparently just plain stamped mild steel.

Now, bike #3 had a one piece American style crank arm and a 2 chain ring unit which is riveted together. Also, the one piece crank connects the chain ring unit in the usual place which is at one pint away from the center. I think this provides more leverage than the center driven mechanism in #1 and #2. The chain rings are also made of better material and are in much better shape, quite reusable. Other parts on this bike were of much inferior quality, e.g. the shifters were plastic and caliper brakes were stamped steel. But the bike probably cost 3 times less than #1 or #2.

So, my observation is that one needs be aware of the fact that LBS bikes also have low quality components, especially the crank set with non replaceable chain rings. When one ventures to buy a low end bike at a bike shop, one needs to make sure that the chain rings are attached to the crank arm by a spider and a set of bolts to insure that one gets good quality chain rings.

I also looked a magnified picture of a Trek 7.2FX bike, as it was advt on CL here, and found the same offending crank set on a bike that would cost $350+ in a LBS. I think Shimano should be asahmed of producing this crap. I would prefer a no name one piece crank to their so called SIS crank set, with a plastic chain guard ring hiding the poor quality chain rings.

Trash Find

Found this broken bike in the neighborhood. Will remove the wheels (can use on the Raleigh MTB) and chain and possibly the crank set, too. The fork, if not bent can be used to make a wheel truing stand. It is one of the worst brands, Magna, and has plastic brake levers, shift levers and steel caliper brakes, etc., all worthless.
There is a cheap combination lock on it. Let us see if we can unlock the thing with instructions fro a youtube video on the same topic.

Raleigh Rescued

A guy had a bike on CL. It had both wheels tacoed from an accident and rest was miraculously intact. Rescued the Raleigh, even with women's frame, for $5 for the parts I can salvage and possibly use the frame for some mod, e.g, a recumbent bike or cargo extension.
Started dismantling before taking a pic.

Governor's Island NY

NYC400 - Harbor Week

NYC400 celebration was going on around NYC and we went on Sun 9/13 for some biking fun.
Spotted a Brompton on the NY Water Taxi. Here is the picture.



There were Gazelle bikes on display and trial rides at Brooklyn Waterfront Park. These were big boned bikes. I rode one and it was very smooth with internal gears that shift while stationary, too. Pricey, starting at around $1400. Later i rode one of the orange bikes, seen in the background, around Governor Island.



There was a BMX Stunt show in Brooklyn Waterfront Park. Most impressive was jumping over 5 bodies lying on the ground, from a stand still.


Spotted a bike named Kinfolk, with a very unique stem with concealed clamping bolts.


On Governor Island, spotted a bike decorated with nothing but Metrocards.

Another very cool bike on Governor Island

Finale - Dutch Bike!

Will Power

Yesterday I went to take a look at a Panasonic Beach Cruiser bike. It was red, with white fork and had semi flat, cracked tires, no fenders and a frame that looked like MTB frame. It did not have the correct shape for a beach cruiser, i.e., a curved frame and looked a bit like a cross between a MTB and a beach cruiser. Rust on the hubs and crank centers, too. So, let it go. Not even for $20.

Philadelphia Naked bike Ride this Sunday

Wonder how much the attendance - Spectator and participant - will be at the Philadelphia naked Bike Ride. The latest I got is as follows.
PEOPLE OF NAKED BIKE RIDE:

PHILADELPHIA NAKED BIKE RIDE IS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY!

Here’s the update:

VOLUNTEER! Check the list below to see how you can participate. You don’t have to be a rider to volunteer!

THIS JUST IN:

Help us create pedestrian support on ride day! We need enthusiastic non-riders to work up a crowd at the rides popular check points! Email info@phillynakedbikeride.org if you can help.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

1. There’s still plenty of time to spread the word! Email info@phillynakedbikeride.org if you want to pick up a packet of fliers. If you have a stack in your pocket, you can raise awareness about the ride, increase ridership and increase community support for PNBR everywhere you go!

2. We are looking for non-riding volunteers to staff the meeting location! This is one of the best ways to get involved if you want to participate, but can’t ride!

3. If you can think of any other way you’d like to help, send us an email!

4. If you know you can provide additional support for fellow riders (carrying water, first aid, sunscreen, emergency covering, let us know!

5. If you have creative ideas about promoting the ride or our message before or during the ride, contact and tell us what you need to get it done!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The ride is on SEPTEMBER 6th.

1. PNBR after-party begins immediately following the ride . The party will have a “legal minimum” dress code.

2. Be PREPARED! Bring water and sunscreen. Check the WNBR wiki for more riding tips! http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org

3. The meeting time, meeting place, and departure time will be released only via this list.

4. The route will be revealed to riders with bicycles at the meeting location.

5. We ride rain or shine!

6. For non-riders, a list of viewing locations will be revealed on the website on the day of the ride.



PEOPLE POWER!

PNBR

Single Speed Conversion Completed

Here is the bike I was working on these days. Ended up knowing a lot more about tire sizes, crank types, etc.

This is a similar bike, not the same, before the work started.




This is what it looks now.

Faster Than Amazon Prime

I sold some software on Amazon and the buyer happened to be 7 miles away.
Just came back from dropping it off on my bike. That must be the fastest delivery the buyer must have experienced so far from Amazon, on the same day, faster than Amazon Prime.

My Pic from India Day Parade in Edison NJ 2009

Would have been nicer if it showed the rest of the parade! That is the MGX - Orange bike and Schwinn - in maroon

NYC Saturdays Car Free Bike Path - Summer Streets

Just caught it on the on the news yesterday. Here is the URL
http://www.nycbikemaps.com/spokes/2009-car-free-summer-streets/

I guess I will try to be there on 8/22, which is the last one, too.

Huffy Regatta

My first bike purchase in the US was a new Huffy Regatta back in 1984. I was low on cash, having just bought a house with all the savings ($5K) used as down payment for a fixer house. I was starting a relatively well paid job and had the option of buying a house in the same town where my job was and commute by bicycle, if the car I had eventually failed, (It was a rusty AMC Hornet '74 wagon) or buy a new car and postpone the house. Well, we bought the house and also bought the Huffy Regatta, ladies model, so that my wife can ride it, too.

I rode it to work about 3 miles away, as many days as I could, unless it was raining or snowing. Eventually bought a new car in 86. Later, the bike was also used to transport my son to a nursery school and to a YMCA for swimming lessons, as we were a 1 car family. We had installed a plastic child carrier in the back. I still remember taking him on evening rides around the neighborhood and he will doze off dangerously tipping his head and torso on the right side. I would have to hurry home then.

Yes, that Regatta had served us well. I think we sold it when we sold that house and had to move into a smaller apartment.

The picture above is not the same bike, but very close. Mine did not have the rack.

Let's try again

I have been unemployed and re-employed since my last post. I think I am more into bicycling now than I was before, though the riding part is shorter than the thinking about bikes part.

Recently, I purchased a Randor Triathlon, almost new bike, found out it was a low end brand, was heavy for a road bike, had cottered cranks and steel rims. Sold it to a guy who happily rode off on it to the train station.

Before that, I could not walk away from a Columbia Men's road bike. It was in bad shape. The guy selling it cleverly arranged the meeting at 9pm. Front tire rotten, and I would have walked away from it had I noticed that it had 26" wheels, steel rims, one piece crank, etc. But I have made it a project bike. I was even advised on a forum to abandon the project but now stripped completely, repained a flat black, from metallic blue, it looks much better and promising. New tires and tubes are on the way, due to arrive next week. I have cut the curved parts of the drop handle bars and reversed it make to look cooler, like one of the fastboy bikes. Don't know fastboy? Well search for it. It will be worth your while.

Here is a picture of what the Columbia looked like.


I forgot to take pics of the Columbia before and during the transformation. The pic above is of a bike very similar to mine. Mine even had blue plastic tubular grip and bar covering - or whatever that is called. It also has a blue seat which I need to recover.

Went on a ride last evening. Had to get the lottery tickets to see if I can get a piece of the $146 million. I rode the MGX, now equipped with a harvested rear wheel from an already vandalized and abandoned bike I spotted in the area and got the wheels off. The reason for the rear wheel transplant was that I went crazy with my spoke wrench and badly mangled the rear wheel out of the tru, while trying to tighten the creaking loose spokes. I was successful on the front wheel, but the rear wheel just did not cooperate. Now I will need to spend an hour or two some day to fix it.

BTW, the Huffy is sold last week. My wife is comfortable on the Schwinn MTB now and we no longer need the Huffy with its 6 speeds. That was the Huffy Main Street we got for my wife from Amazon. It was a dog of a bike. Uncomfortable and tiresome. Something wrong with the frame geometry, as you felt very uncomfortable riding it.

I saw an ad on CL by a guy who wanted his bike fixed cheaply. Responded and offered but the guy did not care to describe the issues and the cause and did not provide contact info. Typical Asian. He thought he was obliging me by letting me work on his bike. Good bye to him!