Death Trap

[Captain Awesome]

I’m officially angry because there have been snow showers all afternoon At least it’s not sticking. This is ignoxious. A real defacle. The wind is roaring. Every time a cloud goes buy and blocks the sun it snows. Bah! I’m going to Asheville soon for biking. It’s been in the 70s there, can’t wait. Looks like Death Trap will not be ridden in Hiawatha’s Revenge gravel grinder in early June as it probably won’t get done in time.

Sucks about the weather, but Asheville is very bueno

 

[us56456712]

I’m back from Asheville. The weather back home got nice while we were gone, same daytime temps as Asheville and about 10 degrees colder at night. This brought the black fly explosion to a peak. We thankfully missed it. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of black flies, but I’m not inhaling them into my nose or mouth now. It’s gotten cold again now that we are back. Frost advisories at night and 40s during the day, occasional 50s. I started working on Death Trap again. I got a different front fork. The original one I used was pieced together using a 24 inch one for a base. I welded cantilever bosses on the new 26 inch one yesterday. Today I worked on cutting off the fork tube as it is too long. I quit before it was done because 40s F and ten mph north winds discouraged me. I went for a three mile ride but couldn’t get into any distance. I plan to complete the fork work and restring the shifter cables tomorrow. The previous shifter cable stops I welded on came flying off due to shoddy workmanship. These are difficult to mount as there is no easy way to hold them in place and get them centered. I destroyed several sets trying to weld them up. I have a central tremor and my shaking makes delicate welding almost impossible. I used washers welded to the frame to guide the shifter housings into the cable stops. I think I vaporized 7 washers before it was good enough. This project is way more than I anticipated. Seemed like a simple and good idea when I started. Good idea flawed in the execution. I’m getting tired of this stupid project. When was building such an obvious fake such a brilliant idea? Never. My goal is to ride this bike in Hiawatha’s Revenge June 5th. It will still be in primer June 5th. If it doesn’t fly apart it will be proofed and will be disassembled for a ton of sanding and paint. That’s the best I can hope for.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Glad you're back, bud. I've discovered a second use for the covid mask, works pretty well as a bug filter. I've got fabric ones, and they can be worn fairly loose to allow a little more airflow. I used to used a bandana, these things are better. Not a problem here this week though, we're doing another winter, frost warnings all week, and they got snow south of us. We'll be in Baktospring (the third spring of the year, a word I invented) soon.

 

[us56456712]

Glad you're back, bud. I've discovered a second use for the covid mask, works pretty well as a bug filter. I've got fabric ones, and they can be worn fairly loose to allow a little more airflow. I used to used a bandana, these things are better. Not a problem here this week though, we're doing another winter, frost warnings all week, and they got snow south of us. We'll be in Baktospring (the third spring of the year, a word I invented) soon.

I started using masks while riding gravel last spring. It didn’t occur to me to use it for bugs as I was using it for a dust filter when a vehicle passed.

 

[us56456712]

The second shake down ride indicated some minor issue with the headset, the fork tube is a tad too long, might just use a spacer and call it good. I’m going to progressively beat it until it’s seems good enough for Hiawatha’s Revenge next weekend. I should be able to get it sorted in time. I’m off now for another progressive bike beat. It needs new cables as I goobered them up with the many rearrangements. They work but are frayed and kinked.

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[us56456712]

I rode it 14 miles yesterday. I’m disappointed at how hard hills are to climb, but it was only originally intended as a downhill bike. At the first shift the rear derailleur cable came loose. My old eyes couldn’t see to attach it right. I did a field repair but lost the clip that holds the cable to the derailleur. My old eyes couldn’t find that either but I was able to hold the cable in place with just the bolt head and continued on. At 14.05 miles I got a flat and ended pushing it 4 miles. I considered throwing it in the woods. Consider this a cautionary tail, don’t try this at home. No one cares about the origin of their sport or even has a clue what this bike represents. It’s a COVID project, but it wasn’t easy to build with my skill set. Still a or of work is required to finish it. it’s probably sorted out enough so that it can be disassembled for paint. It’s occasionally almost warm enough now for painting. I left it unlocked on my truck overnight hoping someone would pinch it.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Klunkers get all the glory, but those in the know, know. Maybe because of how few of the originals were made, with even less surviving after 4 decades. It is still a special bike. Sux that it isn't working for you.

 

[us56456712]

Klunkers get all the glory, but those in the know, know. Maybe because of how few of the originals were made, with even less surviving after 4 decades. It is still a special bike. Sux that it isn't working for you.

A project that outlasted the lockdown. I wonder how many are still around? it’s working for me, it just needs a little more sorting.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

A project that outlasted the lockdown. I wonder how many are still around? it’s working for me, it just needs a little more sorting.

I know of perhaps 4 of the original ten. One in the Smithsonian, one in Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and I think another Repack legend is holding one. Joe still has one too, but that might be the one in the Hall of Fame, he's the curator. Shimano has one in their museum, and according to an old MOMBAT article, there was one in an undisclosed Oakland museum

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Shoot, I might be double or triple counting. Seems like the one in the Smith might be the one that used to live at the Hall, so that's probably the prototype, Joe's bike. I guess people don't really want to disclose where their treasures are hidden.

Yup, Joe's is at the Smith, he provided the pads for this one
http://www.vintagemtbworkshop.com/1978-breezer-series-i.html

 

[us56456712]

Shoot, I might be double or triple counting. Seems like the one in the Smith might be the one that used to live at the Hall, so that's probably the prototype, Joe's bike. I guess people don't really want to disclose where their treasures are hidden.

Yup, Joe's is at the Smith, he provided the pads for this one
http://www.vintagemtbworkshop.com/1978-breezer-series-i.html

One might be in the UK. I saw a thread where it was being restored. It looked a little suspicious, but not as suspicious as my bogus hack bike. It had a Brooks B 68 instead of a B 72. But, each one I’ve seen in photos had different components, whatever was available. I think Wendy Craig still has hers. one was sold by a brewery owner in the 2000s. So one in Japan, one in the Smithsonian, one in the MB Hall, one in the UK, the brewery one, the Repack legend one (I think this is number two, I forgot his name), Wendy Craig’s and perhaps her husband has one also. So 5, 6, 7 or possibly 8. A lot of if.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I was referring to this legend, guess his is in the Marin Museum of Biking
https://fattireflyer.com/charlie/I'm kinda surprised that there isn't a registry, or something to track them all. Are we the only ones who care?

 

[Captain Awesome]

I'm pretty positive there used to be one on display at MOMBAT. I haven't been in there for a few years, and it could have been on loan, but I frequented that place quite a bit back in the day when I lived there

 

[us56456712]

My flat was from a white wall separation on the Duro tire. I ordered a blackwall set with the same tread pattern. They won’t be here in time for Hiawatha’s Revenge so I’ll have to use a mountain bike tire. The separation is about a 1/4 inch. I put Shoo Goo in the rip, then placed Gorilla Tape over it, then a thin layer of Shoo Goo over that and then after the Goo dried a larger piece of Gorilla tape. I haven’t tried a tube in it. Has anyone tried this? Success, failure? I think it will work though for a bike path.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

I've used Shoe Goo on tires a bunch, but never for a sidewall separation. I normally have a few cuts of sidewall with high thread counts to use as glue/Goo-in for sidewall slashes.

 

[us56456712]

I've used Shoe Goo on tires a bunch, but never for a sidewall separation. I normally have a few cuts of sidewall with high thread counts to use as glue/Goo-in for sidewall slashes.

Sounds like I will be able to use this new tire. I’ll try it for street use. I forced Sho Goo into the separation, so perhaps?

 

[Couch tater]

Good to see you finally getting the opportunity to get Breezer tribute out for a ride, seems like it has been a long time coming. I agree about people not caring about the history of bikes. I get compliments on some of my prewar bikes almost every time I take a ride but as soon as I offer up any history on them you can watch their eyes glaze over. Oh well, I enjoy the process from find to finish including digging up the history so that is all that really matters in the long run.

I would not recommend running a tire with sidewall damage. They flex in the sidewall every revolution when they make contact with the ground and patches almost always fail due to that. For a temporary get it home repair you can put a boot (large leaves, dollar bills, whatever is handy) inside the rupture between the tube and sidewall but it is temporary at best. 'If you absolutely must use a tire with sidewall damage I would recommend using properly applied rubber cement for the adhesive and a patch made from an old inner tube that is far larger than the damaged spot in conjunction with a boot.

 

[us56456712]

Ready for Hiawatha’s Revenge this weekend. Every ride I find a problem. Any bets on how far it or I can go? The vintage leather ammo pouches hold an extra inner tube and tools. The kayakers chest pack is for nutrition and electrolyte. Since my back fusion I can’t tolerate much on my back. I’ll have more hydration in my riding jersey, which I’ll consume first to take weight off my back.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Give em 4377 boss! I bet you make it farther than I would. The bike? Who knows

 

[us56456712]

Give em 4377 boss! I bet you make it farther than I would. The bike? Who knows

This event should be rough enough to proof the welds. I’m a little worried about catastrophic weld failure, especially in the seat and brake blocks. Other weld failures will end my ride but should not suddenly stop the bike or pinch my backside. I have been riding it to test the welds and so far it’s good. Even factory frames can fail with enough use. There is a lot of loose uphill sand for about a mile near the start. I am not capable of riding this anymore. Last year I had to push. Last year it was run with an all morning start whenever you wanted, honor system.