STBO Mixte Feelings

[SwissGuy]

Since about three weeks now I tried to pick up this frame. Today I finally made the two hours roundtrip on bike to get it home...

I went there with to spare wheels...

When I came back home, it was dark already...

It's a nice Motobecane mixte frame, that's in need of some love (and grease). As there is a pretty close deadline (30th of September), I hope to get this one done quick. The bones seem to be good (ok the BB needs serious attention, as it barely moves). So I mostly need to clean it up, get some spare parts over from the campground stash, like handlebar, break levers, chainguard, but that's about all this bike probably needs. But the pick up at the campground might be the biggest problem, as the car is beyond repair, so I have to do everything by bike for the next few weeks. We will see...
Good thing is, that last week I scored a nice donor bike. The frame is heavy as heck, so it most probably will get tossed, but the wheelset and maybe some other parts will move over to the Motobecane frame.

 

[Wayne]

As there is a pretty close deadline (30th of September), I hope to get this one done quick.

You have more time, build off ends Nov. 30.

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/mbbo-stbo-2024-rules.120123/

 

[SwissGuy]

You have more time, build off ends Nov. 30.

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/mbbo-stbo-2024-rules.120123/

Yeah, the BO deadline maybe, but MY deadline is Sept. 30th, as by then my wife needs this ride... 🤘

 

[Wildcat]

The mixte looks like it was cannibalized for another bike, as it doesn't show any signs of abuse, the seat isn't scuffed and the fenders aren't dinged up. The BB might be good as is, just needs lube and adjustment, making it an easy task to cannibalize the donor bike.

 

[SwissGuy]

Just visited my campground stash.

I think this, together with the donor bike should give me some nice options...

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

You have more time, build off ends Nov. 30.

What a way to wake up on Sunday morning!

Just visited my campground stash.
View attachment 280594

Goals!

 

[SwissGuy]

What a way to wake up on Sunday morning!

Roll Out this morning was at 5a.m. 9 hours and 98 km later I'm back home. Need a shower now and then get at wrenching...

 

[SwissGuy]

Not the slightest chance to make my personal deadline. My wife will have to use her old bike then tomorrow...
But I at least started to dismantle the donor bike and got some good parts out of it.
The wheels will move over to the Mixte (but with smaller tires)

Fender, carrier,and saddle go into the stash (or will be sold), as well as amost of the small parts.

Once the frame has let go of the fork, it will go to the PoP of the blue frame with the deep fenders I acquired a few weeks ago.

The frame itself will go to the scrapyard. It's waaaay to heavy to build something nice and fast out of it...
Sorry for the bad basement pictures...🤷

 

[metalchewy]

Sorry you didn't make tour deadline.

Loving that saddle. 😍 it's sweet!

 

[SwissGuy]

Sorry you didn't make tour deadline.

Loving that saddle. 😍 it's sweet!

That saddle will hopefully make a good price to finance this project, once I cleaned it up a bit. At the moment it's a bit filthy...

 

[SwissGuy]

Today I got some time to spend in the basement with Mixte Feelings.
I put on the new wheels and tires, a new stem and handlebar, new brake pads, cables and brake levers.
I also could save the bottom bracket. All it needed was a bit of cleaning, some new grease and a counter nut on the non drive side. Luckily I had a fitting spare in one of the boxes...
Now she needs chain wheel, chain, pedals and also the shifter needs to be mounted and grips....
But I must say, she looks nice so far and is fairly light compared to my other rides...

 

[SwissGuy]

After I had picked up my score of today, I went at it as soon as I had time.
I had to fit this nice crank set to the bike:

When I wanted to install the shifter, I realized that that handelbar I had put on yesterday was to thick so I had to swap to the one from the donor bike. I liked the other style more but I have to use what's on hand here, as I'm on a clock to get this one ridable!
So different handlebar, another comfier saddle, grips and chain and we have a rider...

It has a completely different attitude than yesterday, and I must say, that the black saddle doesn't look as bad on it as I thought...
When testing it out back, I realized that I hit the front wheel with my toes. So I'll probably need shorter cranks. But besides that, it rides very smooth!

 

[us56456712]

Just visited my campground stash.
View attachment 280594
I think this, together with the donor bike should give me some nice options...
View attachment 280593

The BB grease just might be dried out, or missing. Try penetrating oil. That should do it, put the evaporated volatiles back in the grease. You can repack it later and the grease will be easier to remove. I was given two Raleigh bikes and neither one of them had grease anywhere, including the hubs. It wasn’t uncommon for bike boom bikes to be so quickly assembled that the grease step was eliminated. Peugeot was notorious for selling misaligned frames and greaseless bikes back then.