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Thanks for the input guys. I've searched the 'bay and amazon. Plenty of good options. I was just going to do a more specific search if anyone happened to know exactly what saddle that is. It looks like a Brooks style wide carved seat on a long spring chassis. No idea. I'll keep looking.
 
I dug out an old ten speed crank set to see how it might work with this frame and it's pretty good. Looks like it will have 2 derailleurs after all!
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I wanted a rat trap fork for this build in the first place but didn't have one in the parts stash so I was using the modern Schwinn springer I do have. When I didn't have headset parts that worked with both the springer and the frame I decided to look around online to see what might work. I came across these:
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Perfect for this build! I should have a headset that will work with this fork. Hopefully I'll have time later today to mount them up to the frame. The fender is likely going to go on my Roadmaster. This started off as a low budget build but it has been drifting away from that arena a bit. 🤣
 
Pondo said:
I wanted a rat trap fork for this build in the first place but didn't have one in the parts stash so I was using the modern Schwinn springer I do have. When I didn't have headset parts that worked with both the springer and the frame I decided to look around online to see what might work. I came across these:
View attachment 213928

Perfect for this build! I should have a headset that will work with this fork. Hopefully I'll have time later today to mount them up to the frame. The fender is likely going to go on my Roadmaster. This started off as a low budget build but it has been drifting away from that arena a bit. 🤣
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Super cool build. The combo between the cassette, dork disc, knobbies and now that front chain rings looks just awesome. That rat trap front fork….. love it.
 
Jude Ephesus said:
Super cool build. The combo between the cassette, dork disc, knobbies and now that front chain rings looks just awesome. That rat trap front fork….. love it.
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Thanks! It's been really fun trying to figure out where this build wants to go and then figuring out how to get the parts to fit together. Hopefully it will be really fun to ride too!
 
I managed to get the forks attached to the frame today. I don't know what the headset is from but it has good patina and fits. I just had to shim the steer tube race a bit. This fork won't accept a rim brake so it's going to be a one brake bike. Sometime down the road if/when I find a vintage appropriate front drum brake I might do that.
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Bad pic but I think this fork fits with my vision for this build. Now I need to find a front wheel with a smaller axle diameter. The one I have is a 3/8" axle but this fork measures about 1/32 less so I think I need a 5/16 axle. The chromoly seat post I ordered got lost in the mail so I'm waiting on a replacement. I've got more vintage appropriate tires ready to install. I'll be looking into shimming the front derailleur to fit the seat post tube. Lot's of little stuff but it's starting to come together. Really having fun putting this one together!
 
It's coming together nicely. Can you file the dropouts a little to suit the bigger axle?
 
Perhaps we can awaken @kingfish254 from his off season slumber , and he can share in photos and tech tips on how he adapts 3/8 axles to 5/16 drop out slots in forks?
 
Pondo said:
That would be cool! I haven't done any searching on it yet. I'll be out of town next weekend with a lot of down time so research will ensue!
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MattiThundrrr said:
"First mark the center of the axle in four spots, left, right, fore and aft. Make sure your marks line up across from each other on both sides of the wheel. I used some tape and marked it with a sharpie so that it's easy to see.
View attachment 167470
The tape was placed away from the inside nut just enough to visually match the thickness of the fork. With the tape guide to go by, I then proceeded to take just a small amount of material off of each side (90 deg. apart) with a cut off wheel until it matched the fork width (keeping both sides equil). A vernier caliper comes in very handy here.
View attachment 167471
Done! As a bonus the axel doesn"t spin around in the nice unaltered X-53 fork!
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Post #8


https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/tips-n-trix.114104/#post-1186842
 
Made a little more progress today. I wasn't too crazy about the pedals that came with the old cottered 10 speed cranks. A little too chrome and the reflectors are riveted on so not too easy to remove.
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So I dug these other old pedals out which I like the look of better plus I should be able to snap the plastic reflectors out pretty easily.
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They should do just fine.

Next I filed some flats on the front axle to get the wheel to fit the smaller slots in the forks. I also had to grind the little 'safety' tabs off the bottom of the fork dropouts to get the bigger nuts to fit and allow some adjustment.
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You can also see the new vintage style knobby tire I got. They aren't vintage tires but the tread pattern is much closer to what was available back in the '70s.
 
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Next up I installed the Suntour GT rear derailleur.
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Installed the new tire on the rear rim and mounted it up. The rim is out of true so the tire rubs the chain stay a bit but I should be able to true that up a little. Got the chain from the old 10 speed on there and it's the perfect length if I just use the 42 tooth inner chain ring. I doubt I would use the 52t outer much anyways so I'll call it good and not bother with a front derailleur. 5 speeds it is!
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I cleaned and lubed the old chain, which is surprisingly still in spec and moved on to the derailleur adjustments. When I got the cable housing on there the cable wound up being a couple of inches too short so that will have to wait. I thought I had a new one but it was a brake cable. Ordered 5 more derailleur cables. The seat post was too long so I trimmed it a bit and also extended the groove on top of the seat tube so I can use a seat post clamp with this frame. Swapped on an old B72, tightened some things up and took it for a cruise up the driveway. It actually rides pretty good so far. I think the high bars are going to be a hand full off road but that's ok. I just won't be doing any technical terrain. Maybe. Ok, ok, I'll just try not to break myself when I get into the rough stuff. 🤣

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It's really starting to have that Crested Butte klunker look I was going for now. I'm pretty happy with the progress and I can't wait to get it done and head out to the forest service roads. :thumbsup:
 
I just came across this shot of 1978 Pearl Pass tour, the 3rd annual. Lot's of Crested Butte and Marin county riders including Murdoch, 2nd from the left. Cool.
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"Line-up in Pearl Pass (elevation 12,700 feet), during the “Third Annual (Second Actual) Crested Butte to Aspen Pearl Pass Klunker Tour,” September 1978. Left to right is (bike in parenthesis): Wende Cragg, Fairfax, CA (Breezer); Neil Murdoch, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Richard Nilsen, Hotchkiss, CO (’60s Schwinn); Charlie Kelly, San Anselmo, CA (Breezer); Joe Breeze, Mill Valley, CA (Breezer); Jim Cloud, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Bob Starr, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Richard Ullery, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Gary Fisher, San Anselmo, CA (’38 Schwinn); Archie Archiletta, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Chris Carroll, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Albert Maunz, Crested Butte, CO (’50s Schwinn); Michael Castelli, Point Reyes, CA (’30s Schwinn)."
 
How about these?
Fifth Annual Crested Butte Pearl Pass Klunker Tour, September 1980.jpg

"Line up of Breezers and owners (left to right): Wende Cragg, Denise Caramagno (CK’s #2), Tim Schuyler (Denver), Joe Breeze, Dave Sigman, Steve Potts, Erik Koski, above Crested Butte, Colorado at Cumberland Basin camp, Fifth Annual Crested Butte Pearl Pass Klunker Tour, September 1980."
 
I haven't met Joe Breeze yet but I hope to on a Marin county ride or at the museum someday.

Not much progress on the bike. I got the shift cable installed yesterday and it's shifting fine. Gearing is decent for around here. Started working on figuring out the rear brake mounting but had to go look at a cheap Varsity for sale nearby. Wound up being too big for me which is a bummer. I'm not going to have much time for bikes for a while as I'll be helping my dad add on to his house. I'll be enjoying all the rest of the builds though!!
 

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