Elgin = Powerlite?

PhxBuckeye · Jan 25, 2018

I've had this F/F for about a year now just sitting in my garage. It's time to either build it or sell it. I've always wanted a 26" 3-bar Powerlite, but they don't come available very often and when they do they're at a price that would cause my wife to kick me out. To me this frame has a similar look and shape of a Powerlite. It's caked in old paint right now, but the frame is in minty condition without a single ding, dent or even rust. When I bought it I was told it's a 20s Elgin. It doesn't have a badge or even holes in the head tube for mounting a badge.

At one time I was thinking of going klunker with it, but now I'm thinking a vintage BMX build. I've got some nice 3 piece cranks laying around and some 7x-style old Femco rims on Joytech hubs (not the ones picture). Seems like that would be a good start for the build. I believe the bike was originally made for 28" rims so I wonder how it would look built up with 26" wheels.

It's time to build, trade or sell this thing.

Thoughts?

Dizzle Problems · Jan 25, 2018

What about build it with 700c wheels ? (29er)

I say build either way!

Robertk · Jan 27, 2018

Totally agree. Powerlite lifted those design elements. I was planning on a similar build with a Rollfast frame.

Good luck with whatever direction you go!

PhxBuckeye · Jan 29, 2018

So I think this will be the stem I'll use on the build. I believe it's off a 70s BMX bike. I've seen some picks that were in some old BMX magzines on Mongoose bikes and others. It's smaller than it looks in the pictures. To me the pictures look like an early mt. bike stem but it's not that big.

I'm gonna take my wheels apart and relace to a Bendix red band hub.