Well this has to be one of my favourite sites full of all kinds of inspiration and help. Every time I visit I see someone coming up with something cool and innovative! You guys rock!!
I hail from Canberra, it's a little town of about 400,000, but I do see some awesome bikes around. A couple of days ago I saw the most stretched bike I've ever seen 'live', obviously custom, very cool.
And there are choppers, tall bikes, and our very own Rat Patrol with a bunch of freaky freak bikes. Plus the hipster crew with their retro styled bikes you see on their Tweed rides.
Anyway I love bikes, and I have my very own small pile of junkers and parts that I occasionally tinker with. I've just finished this bike, got it for free years ago - an '83 Repco cromo mountain bike, original forks, araya rims, long diacompe levers, and whatever those handlebars are called. I collected the new parts for it over about 3 years to spread the cost - Fat Frank tyres, Sturmey Archer front dynamo drum and rear 8 speed drum.
My first IGH since I was a kid. I love the 8 speed, it's sooooo much quieter than a derailier geared bike, and 8 gears are just enough. And the drum brakes are awesome. Had to grind off all the brake mounts and cable guides before brazing on tabs for both of the brake arms, and adding new cable guides. Laced the wheels myself (1st time I'd done that too) with 13g stainless spokes from ebay. Messed with the sugino chainrings that were on the bike, dumping the large ring, grinding the teeth off the middle to act as a gaurd ring, leaving me with the 28 tooth to drive the hub - it's a perfect combo. It's a smooooth ride.
To finish it I've got a triple sprung 50's/60's leather saddle coming in the mail, and I've got 2 old chrome headlights to mount side-by-side under the bars. I've also got a center stand to put back on, and maybe add this front rack (I brazed on some threaded tube onto the front forks in case I wanted to do something like this. I'll eventually replace the old crappy pedals too.
Will post another pic when it's done.
Next project - I'm picking up an early 80's GT mtb frame from a friend, thinking of teaming it up with some original Monark springer forks I have and possibly a SA 5 speed hub. I have a standard SA front drum ready to lace up.
I also (eventually) want to try some version of a girls flipped frame with some schwinn style springer forks. I reckon that would be a good theme for a build-off! Here's how the parts look sofar.
But this one's really one for a later date coz the springer needs a little tlc
and some cutting/welding/remodelling will be done 8)
Cheers and thanks for listening to my ramblings!
Arty Dave
I hail from Canberra, it's a little town of about 400,000, but I do see some awesome bikes around. A couple of days ago I saw the most stretched bike I've ever seen 'live', obviously custom, very cool.
And there are choppers, tall bikes, and our very own Rat Patrol with a bunch of freaky freak bikes. Plus the hipster crew with their retro styled bikes you see on their Tweed rides.
Anyway I love bikes, and I have my very own small pile of junkers and parts that I occasionally tinker with. I've just finished this bike, got it for free years ago - an '83 Repco cromo mountain bike, original forks, araya rims, long diacompe levers, and whatever those handlebars are called. I collected the new parts for it over about 3 years to spread the cost - Fat Frank tyres, Sturmey Archer front dynamo drum and rear 8 speed drum.
My first IGH since I was a kid. I love the 8 speed, it's sooooo much quieter than a derailier geared bike, and 8 gears are just enough. And the drum brakes are awesome. Had to grind off all the brake mounts and cable guides before brazing on tabs for both of the brake arms, and adding new cable guides. Laced the wheels myself (1st time I'd done that too) with 13g stainless spokes from ebay. Messed with the sugino chainrings that were on the bike, dumping the large ring, grinding the teeth off the middle to act as a gaurd ring, leaving me with the 28 tooth to drive the hub - it's a perfect combo. It's a smooooth ride.
To finish it I've got a triple sprung 50's/60's leather saddle coming in the mail, and I've got 2 old chrome headlights to mount side-by-side under the bars. I've also got a center stand to put back on, and maybe add this front rack (I brazed on some threaded tube onto the front forks in case I wanted to do something like this. I'll eventually replace the old crappy pedals too.
Will post another pic when it's done.
Next project - I'm picking up an early 80's GT mtb frame from a friend, thinking of teaming it up with some original Monark springer forks I have and possibly a SA 5 speed hub. I have a standard SA front drum ready to lace up.
I also (eventually) want to try some version of a girls flipped frame with some schwinn style springer forks. I reckon that would be a good theme for a build-off! Here's how the parts look sofar.
But this one's really one for a later date coz the springer needs a little tlc
and some cutting/welding/remodelling will be done 8) Cheers and thanks for listening to my ramblings!
Arty Dave
