Loopy

[metalchewy]

Gotta love the view of that back tire between those flat stays !

Agree, It's really roomy out back.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

No progress today, spent day riding, had to cut my way through a tree

lucky I had my bike with a front basket and bag, I put a saw in it for this very purpose. This is a common problem were I ride in winter!

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

If you would of asked me a few years ago if I’d ever have a bike with a basket, I would have said “ are you crazy?” I built this bike for bike packing with front rack and added basket to it. I really like it and Velo Orange/ Roadrunner makes this really nice bag that fits really well. Ride in pouring rain for up to 3 hrs often and nothing ever gets wet inside. I’d have a basket on more bikes but they take up valuable space in my bike shed.

 

[Tallbikeman]

That is a beautiful frame. Colson got the curves and details right. This is ending up being a very nice klunker.

 

[Tallbikeman]

All my bikes carry bags, frame bags, handlebar bags, and saddle bags. Enough space to carry a couple of spare tubes, tire pump, patch kit, and room for a few thin layers for temperature control.

 

[GeePig]

The same with me for baskets in the past, but now I find myself adding them and even designing them...

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

That’s cool GeePig, really like to see some baskets you’ve designed. Admire your cardboard work and can only image how nice they must look.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Still waiting on parts but got most is the painted fork stripped to bar metal today. This paint was on there, I stripped a whole 26” canti frame yesterday in the amount of time it took me to get this far on just the fork.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Thought I might paint fork contrasting color to bare metal frame, but seeing fork bare it looks too good, just gonna clear coat it when I get stripped all the way.

 

[OddJob]

I like the 'prototype' look that a bare metal frame and fork give. Especially contrasting with the black rim and tire on there, gives it a real 'gnarly' look; to use a vintage off-road term.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Was like a kid in candy store today, got first snow of year to ride in

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

That would be cool, wish you could be here.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Got my rear coaster wheel today and got Maxxis hook worm tire mounted. Still waiting on bottom bracket adapter so I can install the 3 pc black

crankset. I’m also waiting on some different bars. The front fork looks ok, but I’d like it to be a little beefer looking. considering purchasing a Landing Gear fork. Want to get a laid back seatpost, but waiting to get bars to determine if I want black or chrome. Then I need to decide on a seat.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Spent time today stripping rest of paint off front fork. Was really thinking about buying Landing gear fork, but think a lot of that had to do with fact I just didn’t want to strip this fork a bare metal. Used a utility knife to scrap welds and crevasses. Used 60 grit to cut through paint to bare metal, then 320 grit wet dry to smooth out scratches and the light paint film that was left. Around welds there was some very small specks of paint even after scraping. So I sprayed some aluminum metallic silver paint in cap and touched up remaining paint specks with a very small brush, then I rubbed touch up paint with finger into welds to make less noticeable,once it had set a few minutes. After letting silver dry, I sanded touched up areas and fork with 600 grit. Cleaned fork and I sprayed a few coats of clear .

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Fork with a few coats of semi gloss clear applied. I also started cleaning up the trusses, I think I want to use ( not sure). They are really pitted, just started knockin

g rust off with coarse sandpaper, then 320 grit. Need to take bolts and bracket off and soak in some white vinegar. Once I get cleaned up gonna paint semi gloss black.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Got the trusses painted, there really heavy duty and pitted bad, but that just shows they’re age.Really like how the large acorn nuts cleaned up, they’re brass and kinda tie in with brazing on bare frame

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Took the temporary crank out and cleaned up bottom bracket shell with a brass brush, then I sprayed some rust preventative primer in there. Later today hope to get adapter and 3 pc crank set installed.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

I was pretty excited to get these yesterday, received some Velo Orange klunker bars. Mentioned earlier I like having sweep on upright bars, these have similar sweep to bars on my VenVetta build. Thing I really don’t like is they’re 25.2 diameter, so can’t use bmx stem. Using quil adapter with reducing mtn bike stem. Will be getting another stem, this is what I had onhand.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Uncertain at this point about color of grips/ seat. Will have Brooks saddle, it’s kinda drab, not necessarily bad thing for mtn bike. As OddJob mentioned had that” prototype “ look going on which I like, but wondering if some anodized bits, chainring, pedals, stem spacers might brighten in up a bit? Seems we’re gonna get snow this year, been riding in snow last week and I’d like to ride this in snow, so contemplating getting some beefier tires for the winter. For mud and snow. Hopefully I’ll have it rideable again later today.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Riding in snow yesterday I was riding my mountain bike in one gear most the time thinking “ I need a klunker/ bomber set up for snow” VenVetta works ok in light stuff, but the deeper stuff is coming.I have more clearance on loopy but 26” kinda limits tire options, toying with 27.5 wheeled klunker for future build.