The Lounge of Terrestrial Wheelmen

[George]

I visited one of two local bike co-ops today at lunch and $cored a pair of older but nice-looking Suntour 3x7 twist-grip shifters and brake levers. The shifters and brakes are in together in one assembly for each side. Don't know how well Suntour shifters will index with Shimano Tourney derailleurs, but I guess I'll find out this weekend. Certainly it will be better than not shifting at all, which is the current situation.

I also found a Blackburn MTN Rack with all the mounting hardware, including padded P-clamps also, which might let it fit the Allez. I have another intended use for it if not.

I also looked at the used bikes for sale there, to see if there was something appropriate for my 14-year-old neighbor (owner of the bike pictured above). They had a couple nice used bikes of that description, but too small for a growing 14-year-old, I thought, and then I spied a gorgeous '90s Specialized Stumpjumper with its original rigid fork in HOT PINK with electric blue decals! I think it would be a close enough fit for my neighbor, but I imagine 14-year-old boys don't want to be seen riding a pink bike. I'm reminded of the old joke about mopeds and fat chicks. They have it priced at $324.00, which isn't outrageous, in my opinion as a regular craigslist stalker.

Still, I plan to mention the co-ops to my neighbors, and may even preach the gospel of older rigid mountain bikes with smooth tires as good all-purpose bikes if given the chance.

Seems to me the co-ops offer a more limited selection than craigslist (obviously), and with higher prices on average, but you know you're getting an overhauled bike with new tires, brake pads, cables, etc. for a fraction of what new bikes cost.

www.bikestogether.org

[Cam]

Looks like no one is interested in picking up my buddy's Cinelli for $19,800.

[George]

1. Donate to co-op.

2. Take $19,800.00 tax deduction.

Next!

[SportWagon]

A bicycle that old and that expensive, nobody is going to buy to ride. I've no idea how bicycle collectors assess value. I knew this shop owner with a small collection of far more interesting old bicycles. A few hanging on the wall lent authenticity to his shop. So there might be some value in that. He never really started a museum, as far as I know. Of course mostly he collected those bikes just because, as his Tour de France riding son said, "He loved bicycles".

Someone buying the Cinelli to not ride might think they could make money exhibiting it (seems very unlikely, though), or they'd hope to sell a few years later to someone else who didn't really know why they wanted to spend that much on a bicycle. Or they literally have enough money to throw around that they'd buy at that price just because they thought it was neat.

[Cam]

A couple who own one of the local bike shops claimed to know Curt Harnett and own one of his bikes. I believe it, because they both used to race. I assume it is a bike that Harnett used during his racing career. If I had more money that brains, I would certainly like a trophy like that.

[George]

Here are the Suntour shifters and brake levers from the co-op, thoughtfully tied together from the donor (I assume) with an Avocet toe clip strap. These seem like nice quality - mostly metal instead of all plastic and the front shifter appears to have half-step shifting to trim the front derailleur.



I ended up not needing them for my neighbor's bike. Once I removed the old shifter and brake cables, pulled the shifter assembly from the handlebar, and blew out all the cobwebs and dust inside, it started shifting as it should. It still feels flimsy, but it gets the job done. The cable had been jamming up inside the housing as well - one end of one of the lengths of housing was squashed as if someone had crimped it nearly closed with pliers. I cut off the half-inch or so that was crushed, installed a new (used) cable end/cover and that seemed to solve the sticking cable/shifter problem.

Below is the finished bike. I installed a new chain, replaced both rear cables, adjusted the RD so it shifts to all gears (previously the stops were set so it only moved between the center five gears of seven), adjusted the FD so the chain didn't get thrown "over the top" of the largest chainring when shifting up in front, and pulled a little more cable through to the front disc brake to give it a shorter pull and a tighter feel to match the rear brake with new rear brake pads. I didn't change the front cables because of the old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!". I would have changed them on a nicer bike but I couldn't see unnecessarily replacing parts on this thing.

I didn't attempt to adjust the seat height or angle partly for the same reason, and also because it has the older two-nut seat clamp setup that I find annoying to deal with after seeing the beautiful simplicity of the single allen bolt setup on newer seatposts.



Our 14-year-old neighbor and his family seemed very happy with the bike when I returned it on Saturday afternoon, and bicycle racing quickly broke out on the street in front of our houses. My son was disappointed to learn that 14-year-olds are generally more powerful than 10-year-olds, and my son said he now wants drop bars on his bike so he can ride faster. I promise I am not making this up.

Next project: moving "Lunch Bike" on to my friend and colleague at work, who has gotten married and now has a larger apartment with a balcony that has a locking storage closet.

[SportWagon]

A couple who own one of the local bike shops claimed to know Curt Harnett and own one of his bikes. I believe it, because they both used to race. I assume it is a bike that Harnett used during his racing career. If I had more money that brains, I would certainly like a trophy like that.

During one of my last summers living in Thunder Bay, I hung out with and cycled a bit with Roger Curtis, the younger and less athletic brother of Harry Curtis. Curt Harnett does appear (according to web searches) to credit Harry Curtis (a high-school teacher and coach) with coaching his early cycling interest and success.

(Plonk!)


But really, the Cinelli in question does not have the pedigree of a Curt Harnett bicycle (and of relevance would be how much the couple paid for it and/or could sell it for).

[Freude am Fahren]

Finally got to take a ride on the new setup. Not a very long one, but at least something in the double digits miles. Needs some slight tweaks, but it feels pretty good.

Hardest part is getting the bars dead on aligned. Every time I try to, it's a little left, a little right...

Any tips?

[FaultyMario]

Ease off on the OCD?

[George]

Hardest part is getting the bars dead on aligned. Every time I try to, it's a little left, a little right...

Any tips?

Tighten the handlebar in the stem so it is almost tight and almost where you want it to be.

Tap the handlebar gently with a rubber mallet until it's just right. If it's a left-right problem, tap at the bend at the end of the main length of the upper part of the handlebar. When it's where you want it, tighten the stem bolts so they're tighter than Kelsey's nuts.

TL;DR: Hit it with a hammer!