bug out bicycle?

[fungusmunkey]

Ouch! That sucks about the frame.

At least you weren't hurt, i'm assuming.

[jamoni]

Sprained my wrist, but nothing permanent. Will be wearing a helmet from now on, though.

[jamoni]

Finished building up my mountain bike as a tourer.



First step: I bought a wheelset off of craigslist. I want to have skinny tires available, but still keep my fat tires for casual riding. So I put some 1.4" tires on the new rims.
Then I bought some new fenders from the bike co-op. They're set up to run nice and close to the fat tires, but still work fine for the skinny ones.
THEN I got crazy. I hit up the co-op and got a new high rise stem, some wide drop bars, some friction shifters, and some new brake levers. The idea was to have drop bars that sit up high and close, so I can ride nice and upright or drop down and get a little more aero. Worked great! It looks a little funny, but rides super comfy. I'd like to get a set of brake interrupter levers, but can live without them.
Already had the racks and bags.
Oh, and the handlebar wrap is 550 cord under electrical tape, with a little foam under the flats. Works great, and if I need 550 cord I'm GTG.

[velojym]

Now *that's* what I call a hybrid!
I was going to give a GT the same treatment, but it was stolen. I think it would have been a great commuter and urban assault bike.

edit: I just watched the video. Sorry about the old bike. I know I tend to get pretty attached to mine.

[jamoni]

Now *that's* what I call a hybrid!
I was going to give a GT the same treatment, but it was stolen. I think it would have been a great commuter and urban assault bike.

edit: I just watched the video. Sorry about the old bike. I know I tend to get pretty attached to mine.

Thanks, man. Yeah, I was pretty attached to it. I've had tons of bikes in the 6 years or so since I got that one, but it was a favorite. It and the bike above were my two "never get rid ofs". Frankly, though, I rode the MTB about 80-90% of the time. So, since the single speed is out, and the Raleigh is toast, I'm down to one bike, and I think I'll stay there for a while. One thing I do need to do, probably this winter, is strip the MTB down, sandblast it, and paint it. There's so much metal showing it's a shame.

[fungusmunkey]

Nice setup! I like the front racks, need to get some for myself.

I need to take apart my commuter bike. Something is ticking on the front crank or bottom bracket. I'm not sure what it is though. It isn't completely regular with every rotation and it mostly just irritating...

[jamoni]

Nice setup! I like the front racks, need to get some for myself.

I need to take apart my commuter bike. Something is ticking on the front crank or bottom bracket. I'm not sure what it is though. It isn't completely regular with every rotation and it mostly just irritating...

Sounds like a worn BB axle or crank. Does it happen more often when you really crank on the pedal?

[velojym]

Is your BB square taper or one of the later types? Sometimes, a seemingly tight crank will still move just a smidge under hard pedaling.

[fungusmunkey]

Yeah it varies depending on how hard i'm cranking on the pedals.

If it is looking nasty out today i'll check the pedals and crank arms and make sure things are tight. I don't have any special tools for BBs or anything. But so far the weather is nice so i'm probably going to ignore it for another week like a lazy ass.

I have a backup bike (old schwinn racer 3 speed) if it gets really bad.

I'm not sure which kind of BB it is, it is a mid-90's mountain bike.

[mk_ultra]

Since the noise is irregular , it sounds like a BB to me . Funny thing is , I just replaced a worn BB on my bike about 2 weeks ago . Take a look at your chain ring too .

[jamoni]

So, my kid (9 years old) decided he wants to go on a couple of overnighters with me. He's cool like that. So I scored this bike off of Craigslist for $25.
Needed a lot of work. Replaced all cables, replaced broken twist shifter with indexed thumb shifter that just happens to work perfect, new brake pads, trued both wheels, wrapped handlebars, added fenders, and tried out a couple of configurations:



I think the rack is overkill, but it looks killer. I'll be going with the first option, just letting him carry snacks and his own parts. Still needs slicks, new pedals, and a new saddle. I also want to mount a water bottle. There are braze ons under the down tube, but it interferes with the fender, so I'll probably just mount one to the bars. Would LOVE to throw on some drop bars and some nicer fenders.
Fun afternoon project, and I think he'll be tickled at having a bike with gears.

[velojym]

If I see a kid riding down the road with panniers on the bike, I figure his folks are doing something right.

[velojym]

Yeah it varies depending on how hard i'm cranking on the pedals.

If it is looking nasty out today i'll check the pedals and crank arms and make sure things are tight. I don't have any special tools for BBs or anything. But so far the weather is nice so i'm probably going to ignore it for another week like a lazy ass.

I have a backup bike (old schwinn racer 3 speed) if it gets really bad.

I'm not sure which kind of BB it is, it is a mid-90's mountain bike.

Mid '90s will be a square taper, if it hasn't been changed. Sometimes they just click and ya live with it, but I can't just leave well enough alone. Pull the cranks, and if you're feeling real froggy and either know what you're doing or at least have a manual handy, disassemble and clean the BB. Short of that, though... just clean up the axle ends and re-torque the crank bolts, see if that takes care of it. It's been a little while since I was a mech, but I always checked the simple stuff first, before digging in deeper.
Now, if you either know it's been a while since the BB was serviced, or don't know, this would be a fine time to either do it or have it done.
Maybe even upgrade to a stronger unit. I swapped the cheapie BB out of my Paratrooper and replaced it and the crankset with a downhiller's Hussefelt.

[jamoni]

Did a quick shakedown ride on the mountain/touring thing.
Works great! Very comfortable position, very stable. I can sit comfortably and steer with fingertips, which will be great for long tours.
Handlebars are set up pretty good. My only complaint is that because of how high and close the bars are, I can't really use the hoods. If I move them up, then I can't get to the levers quick.
Shifts great. I forgot how smooth friction shifters can be.
The new tires kick ass. So much faster! In fact, my top gear is now too low. There were plenty of descents where I coasted because I couldn't spin fast enough. My chainrings are some funky proprietary deal, so if I want a higher gear I'd need to put on new cranks. Not gonna happen.
Let's see, saddle needs to go. I'll put on my old one, even though it's tattered.
Brakes work good, but there's a little nick in the rear rim that needs to be sanded out.
Racks and fenders were rock solid.
Ready to tour!

[velojym]

Is that an adjustable stem? If so, you can lower it a bit, and it'll move out as well. Otherwise, stems aren't real expensive. Many better bike shops will let you try a couple before you lay any money down.
What's your rear cogset like? I swapped the one on my Kona for an 11-32, because I didn't want to bother with a 3-ring crank just yet. It had an 11-21, IIRC, and I just wanted some lower gearing for the bigger hills. It worked great for thousands of miles, but 11 is about as small as they get back there. A square taper crankset oughta be pretty inexpensive, so if you're already running a triple, could be a cheap and easy fix.

Not so cheap, but will last for freakin' *ever* if taken care of... a Brooks leather saddle. Great for touring and longer event rides. I think there are a couple other companies making similar models, but mine is a Brooks B17 and I love it.

x2 on taking out any irregularities on the rim. That'll eat up brakes like crazy, and you want to remove the stress riser it represents. It'd suck to hit a bump and have the rim break.

[jamoni]

Stem is fixed and bars are where I want them. No big deal, though. I can ride on the hoods standing up, which is really the only time I need them.
Don't have numbers for rear cogs, but they are nothing crazy. I've got all the crap I need to switch to a new crankset, I just don't want to. The top gear is gives me a nice fast pace on flat ground or slight declines. So basically, I coast on downhills, and I take a break.
As for Brooks saddles, I'm a "Wipe of the mud and throw it in the corner till next time" kind of guy. I don't have the discipline to care for a leather saddle. It's one of the reasons I don't ride supah fancy bikes. I beat my gear to hell, so I have to have gear that
A. Can take it
B. I won't cry if it breaks

[velojym]

Well, the Brooks can take some serious use, but it'll fail #2 every time. I'd dig through the bike shop's storage-room saddle box to meet that particular need. I've scored some surprisingly nice wedgies from there, too.

[fungusmunkey]

Mid '90s will be a square taper, if it hasn't been changed. Sometimes they just click and ya live with it, but I can't just leave well enough alone. Pull the cranks, and if you're feeling real froggy and either know what you're doing or at least have a manual handy, disassemble and clean the BB. Short of that, though... just clean up the axle ends and re-torque the crank bolts, see if that takes care of it. It's been a little while since I was a mech, but I always checked the simple stuff first, before digging in deeper.
Now, if you either know it's been a while since the BB was serviced, or don't know, this would be a fine time to either do it or have it done.
Maybe even upgrade to a stronger unit. I swapped the cheapie BB out of my Paratrooper and replaced it and the crankset with a downhiller's Hussefelt.

Sweet thanks for the tip.

What tools would I need for that work? I have two bicycle mechanic books (worked at libraries for years...) but I haven't ever delved that deep. I'll dig out the books in a bit and read through them.

The BB is original to the bike (i purchased it new in 95) so it has had a good run and seen a LOT of use and is probably due for a replacement.

I figure I might as well replace the BB, and the front crank set. I want higher gearing on the top end. Looks like I might be hitting up nashbar.com soon.

[catalyst]

Nice rig. I was in the same mindset as a backup BOB. Initially, I was also looking at one of those Montague paratrooper bikes, but I wanted something a bit more durable (in case I needed to launch off something stupid) and ended up going with a Specialized Rockhopper FSR full suspension mountain bike.

I grabbed that, and then picked up an "instep" kid's trailer on CL to tow gear in.

[jamoni]

Very nice!
I've never bothered with suspension because if I launch off of something, there is about a 0.001% chance that I'll land right side up.

[Polie]

Nice rig. I was in the same mindset as a backup BOB. Initially, I was also looking at one of those Montague paratrooper bikes, but I wanted something a bit more durable (in case I needed to launch off something stupid) and ended up going with a Specialized Rockhopper FSR full suspension mountain bike.

I grabbed that, and then picked up an "instep" kid's trailer on CL to tow gear in.

I had that same bike and LOVED IT! (until someone else decided they loved it more and stole it off my 3rd floor balcony)

EDIT: I was wondering if anyone had experience with those cheap(ish) recumbent bikes.

[catalyst]

Nice rig. I was in the same mindset as a backup BOB. Initially, I was also looking at one of those Montague paratrooper bikes, but I wanted something a bit more durable (in case I needed to launch off something stupid) and ended up going with a Specialized Rockhopper FSR full suspension mountain bike.

I grabbed that, and then picked up an "instep" kid's trailer on CL to tow gear in.

I had that same bike and LOVED IT! (until someone else decided they loved it more and stole it off my 3rd floor balcony)

EDIT: I was wondering if anyone had experience with those cheap(ish) recumbent bikes.

As pissed as I'd be about that, I'd also be rather impressed. I mean the 3rd floor!

[FastasEF]

Here is my bike:



Haro Flightline Comp Hardtail. I can't carry anything on it, (except what would be on my back), but I know how to ride it pretty good off the beaten path. I like the hardtail over full suspension because there is more control when going off jumps/ledges and landing. Has disc brakes, adjustable front suspension and a few other aftermarket goodies on it too.

Trying to get into an Xterra and thinking that this will look good on top of it

[jamoni]

Here is my bike:



Haro Flightline Comp Hardtail. I can't carry anything on it, (except what would be on my back), but I know how to ride it pretty good off the beaten path. I like the hardtail over full suspension because there is more control when going off jumps/ledges and landing. Has disc brakes, adjustable front suspension and a few other aftermarket goodies on it too.

Trying to get into an Xterra and thinking that this will look good on top of it

Nice setup!