BO15 American Boy aka. Twisted Sister

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New name for your build after seeing those wheels: Twisted Sister.
That is the name of one of my favorite hiking and mt biking trails in AZ. And it fits your 'blingy' golden girl build, with a touch of sass!

Agreed!

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Meanwhile Babushka Cat be working all day!

Cleaned and put on the pedals yesterday.
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And mocked up the rear wheel.
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That thing is tight! Not a lot of space around it, and sadly I think I may have to change the axle from a quick release to a normal one with nut tighteninig. My quick realese lever is just too short to hold everything in place.

Also started to think about the repair. Piece of 25mm railing:
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And, there is a small problem...
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Nail? Seriously? It's held by nails?

20 minutes of bending the frame with one hand and trying to cut it with a wire from a wire saw...
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And in you go.
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What kinda joint is that? It doesn't even look like one tube could slide into the other.
 
Nailing frames together was a common building method for mass production. They would put the tubes and lugs in a jig, nail them, then take the frame out of the jig and pass it on to a brass brazing station. An alternative to TACK welding before electric welding was used on bicycles. Most bikes were built using pretty thin mild steel and stamped sheet metal lugs so it didn't take much to drive a nail through the layers of material. As you can see in the following film, Raleigh pre-drilled the holes for the nails.

Here is a vid on youtube filmed at the Raleigh factory.
 
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They make rear axle quick release skewers in different lengths. The more gears back there, the wider the rear end, longer axle and a longer skewer. Typically 126mm spacing for old school 5 speed bikes, 130mm for 7 speed, 135mm for modern bikes with 9 or more cogs. And some crazy wide tandems and fat bikes. Your old single speed was probably 110mm wide. When you bend the stays out for the wider wheel, the dropouts aren't parallel anymore. They need to be so bend them too so the axles don't break under the strain.
 
They make rear axle quick release skewers in different lengths. The more gears back there, the wider the rear end, longer axle and a longer skewer. Typically 126mm spacing for old school 5 speed bikes, 130mm for 7 speed, 135mm for modern bikes with 9 or more cogs. And some crazy wide tandems and fat bikes. Your old single speed was probably 110mm wide. When you bend the stays out for the wider wheel, the dropouts aren't parallel anymore. They need to be so bend them too so the axles don't break under the strain.

I know :wink1: It originally had a 110mm coaster brake, and this is a 135mm wide 9spd casette hub. I Already bent them as I always do - by hand :showingbiceps:. Not quite parallel, but not that bad.

Had a one week break from this one since I had a quick side project...

Long story short - a friend asked me to help her friend value a bike that he wanted to sell. After an exchange of messages it turned out that he build this bike from parts in the early 2000's, and since his girlfriend is almost 6' high he wants to sell it and buy something for her to ride, since he already but a new one for himself. And it just happens that I had an almost new 21" frame bike in my basement... we did a small trade.

His girlfriend got this:
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And my girlfriend got this:
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Changed the shifters from Sachs grip-shifters to matching Deore ones, new seet of a Mongoose, new silicone grips, Truvativ Firex 2 piece Giga X Pipe crankset (previously it had a 3 piece Firex crankset), shorter stem, new CS-HG300 9spd casette & matching HG53 chain, new lines, and more period-matching Jagwire outer casings. Plus a full rebuild, of EVERYTHING including pedals & fork. I can't even imagine how much money he spent those 15-20 years ago to make this beast of a bike (the frame alone must have been very expensive), with almost full Deore group, Remerex Grand Rock rims, Manitou SX Ti Oil-Spring fork, Truvativ Firex crankset & those brakes... (rear one is Avid Arch Rival 4.0, and front is Sram 5.0. Both levers are a match for the rear one).

If life could always be that easy... two girls satisfied with only one bike exchange :21:

But from the next week It's back in the game :cool2:
 
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Na zwdrowie! :thumbsup:

I really like your build! I can see you are a rzemieślnik (craftsman, before translate made a mistake and put a dirty word there) :bigsmile:

I saw a similar tube repair in a bike shop. They hit so hard that the tube was seated too low, so they had to drill out and fix the thread of the bottom bracket.

looking forward to more updates!
when its done, you come cycling to the Netherlands for a photoshoot? :banana:
 
Na zwdrowie! :thumbsup:

I really like your build! I can see you are a rzemieślnik (craftsman, before translate made a mistake and put a dirty word there) :bigsmile:

I saw a similar tube repair in a bike shop. They hit so hard that the tube was seated too low, so they had to drill out and fix the thread of the bottom bracket.

looking forward to more updates!
when its done, you come cycling to the Netherlands for a photoshoot? :banana:

Dziękuję! :D

When this whole thing with the pandemic ends I was considering to visit some of my family in NL, and a friend in Switzerland. The only problem is limited vacation time :21:

Wow, that GT is a heck of a bike. I'd bet it's quite a rider too, I'd love to give it a spin!

Don't tell her, but I couldn't resist taking it for a hard ride through some bushes, gravel & staircases :21: I just love how it smoothly shifts, and the breaking power. This is the third bike I made for her, and I realised the difference between those 3, and 15+ of my bikes. Mine are in 90% a hackjob with a mockup of mismatched parts, and in 90% made of used, not even super high-end parts. For her I mostly use top-of-the line parts in pristine condition or totally new...
 
As long as you can keep em clean, a well set up v brake has stopping power for days! That bike is perfect for the ride you took it on, I love the urban jungle rides, sometimes more fun than the trails
 
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The true кошка loves his винтовка :21:

Had very limited time this week since a lot of bikes come for service right now.

First of all dug out the casette.
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- But Spike, it's an 8 speed casette, it's not going to run on a 5 speed indexed derailleur...
- NOT ANYMORE!

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@Grant will enjoy this, since it's almost a corncob :21: 11-13-15-18-21, with A LOT of plastic spacers from leftover cassetes.

As you can see on the pictures, I also changed the axle from a quick-realease to a normal one, and mounted a chain (HG71 - this baby deserves the best things there are!), and the adapter for the disc brake setup. The last one caused a lot of trouble since it needed to be alligned perfectly with the disc. Not a thing that can't be handled with some pilers, and Raw Slavic Muscle Power :showingbiceps:.
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You may also remember that spoke protction plate from my last year Build-Off chopper from Class 2.
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Well I didn't rob one of my bikes for parts, what are you thinking! :acute:They were used in so many Romet bicycles, that they're super cheap to come by. The one I used here, had only minor surface rust, and it cost me only 2$.

Buuuuuuut.... when it comes to buying stuff... I finally got the seat & seatpost.
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Eyup! Brooks B66. For only 25$! It's almost nothing!. Only a little bit of cleaning, and polishing the leather is needed.

Dug up the brakes, that came out of that HASA MTB I tore down for parts, and also installed a cage around the taillight. It's already broken enough, don't need to brake it even more.:21:
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By the way - maybe someone knows anything about those brakes? The only thing written on them is IX NINE... :39:

Aaaaaand since I already got this months salary, it's time for more shopping! This time - fork & steering bar, so she can at least be a roller!
 
Soviet-Cat-Soldier-Illustration-Classic-Wall-Sticker-Canvas-Paintings-Decorative-Vintage-Poster-Home-Bar-Decor-Gift.jpg_640x640q70.jpg

The true кошка loves his винтовка :21:

Had very limited time this week since a lot of bikes come for service right now.

First of all dug out the casette.
View attachment 121596

- But Spike, it's an 8 speed casette, it's not going to run on a 5 speed indexed derailleur...
- NOT ANYMORE!

View attachment 121597
View attachment 121599
@Grant will enjoy this, since it's almost a corncob :21: 11-13-15-18-21, with A LOT of plastic spacers from leftover cassetes.

As you can see on the pictures, I also changed the axle from a quick-realease to a normal one, and mounted a chain (HG71 - this baby deserves the best things there are!), and the adapter for the disc brake setup. The last one caused a lot of trouble since it needed to be alligned perfectly with the disc. Not a thing that can't be handled with some pilers, and Raw Slavic Muscle Power :showingbiceps:.
View attachment 121605View attachment 121606
You may also remember that spoke protction plate from my last year Build-Off chopper from Class 2.
View attachment 121607View attachment 121608View attachment 121609

Well I didn't rob one of my bikes for parts, what are you thinking! :acute:They were used in so many Romet bicycles, that they're super cheap to come by. The one I used here, had only minor surface rust, and it cost me only 2$.

Buuuuuuut.... when it comes to buying stuff... I finally got the seat & seatpost.
View attachment 121610View attachment 121611
Eyup! Brooks B66. For only 25$! It's almost nothing!. Only a little bit of cleaning, and polishing the leather is needed.

Dug up the brakes, that came out of that HASA MTB I tore down for parts, and also installed a cage around the taillight. It's already broken enough, don't need to brake it even more.:21:
View attachment 121612View attachment 121613

By the way - maybe someone knows anything about those brakes? The only thing written on them is IX NINE... :39:

Aaaaaand since I already got this months salary, it's time for more shopping! This time - fork & steering bar, so she can at least be a roller!
That freewheel makes me think you want the bike to be the bicycle version of a sleeper car.
 
That freewheel makes me think you want the bike to be the bicycle version of a sleeper car.
You're kinda right on that! When I was riding my Karlik (46T front, 16T rear, Nexus 3 speed) as a daily it gave me tons of fun passing people on much more expensive bikes, and seeing their faces, when I was going over 28mph :21:
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Hello there Comrades! :21:
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It was in the cold of winter, when I was sitting in my flat, listening to the humble sounds of my neighbour drilling holes in walls, and banging heavy objects on the floors...
I was eating my cемечки, scrolling through the forum, and listening to the the old Russian disco group - Комбинация.


And then... the idea struck me! I started collecting parts, for a crazy idea - "How would a communist lady look like if she found her Foreign Prince and if she would shower in riches...

Well... let's find out!

Starring - the girl!
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Bought her (the blue frame in the back) with the other one last winter for 5$ each. It's a probably 1961 (don't know how to exactly decipher frame numbers from the early ZZR periods), and the model is ZZR/Universal Korlis. Korlis were the only produced full-size cantilever cruiser bikes made in Poland. Early models had 590 wheels, and later ones the 559 sized wheels.

As some of you may know I did a full resto on an almost same bicycle for my friend Check it out here :
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So how I will turn an old, beaten lady into something more soothing to the eye?

You'll see :wink1: As last year - I have a later start since right now we have the long May holidays in Poland, that we call Majówka (1st is National Workers Day, and the day that PL joined the EU - celebrated on the 2nd that is also the National Flag Day, and 3rd is Constitution Day).

So more will be to see on 4th when I get back to my shop.

I really like the white bike in the front.
 
@Grant that frame is a Romet Kobuz, an older brother of the Wagant, but with a standard BSA threaded BB instead of pressed cups. Originally with 630 wheels, drop bars and single speed/3/4 freewheel. I have some plans for it in the future.

@MattiThundrrr - I think that nine might be a model of Promax brakes. The bike that was the donor was from 2006
 
That disc goes so well with with spoke protector.
Looking cool
 
Time for this build to come out of Page 3 Quarantine!! What is new with this build?
 

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