BO15 Nouveau Style (previously Shop-rod)

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I know you are class 1ing it this year , but how cool would that frame look flipped .
Ha ha you have a point there!
Don't worry, there will be plenty of "hotrod" touches. In fact I know this build will escalate...... But I won't be touching the frame or forks, so I'll stay in class 1.
 
The frame strip down is done. I hate cotter pin cranks! Seems so wrong to be using a big hammer on a bicycle!
Still, they came off OK in the end (I use a little heat too).
Then onto the bearing caps. Non drive side came off lovely. The drive side did not! I'm used to British bikes, but when I have built a French bike (actually I've only done one) I ran into trouble with thread sizes. So it shouldn't have been a surprise that the drive side thread is normal, not reversed.
I have never had anything to do with US bikes, so maybe english bikes are the odd one to have a reverse thread.
Anyway, it's off now (clamp frame in a vise and turn frame...... No the other way lol)
So I have got rid of the cotter crank and fitted a square shaft from "stock"

Yep, American bikes, whether built here or not have the left hand thread on the drive side of the crank and the pedal on that side too.
No personal experience, but have read about it, Chrysler did same with the right side lug nuts back in the day.
 
The project has stalled for a short while.
I am having wheel issues. Because this is a French bike the original wheels are an odd metric size. They are also totally shot, so definitely need replacing.
I ordered some new ones in what I thought was the equivalent imperial size, 20".
DSC_1876.JPG

Nope. Way too small. The next size up (that's available in England - 26") is way too big.
So, at great expense, I've had to order some narrow (19mm) 24" wheels and tyres from Germany!
Of course, if I lived in USA, I'd have no problem. But, sadly, I don't!
So before I continue with this, I'm waiting for the wheels to arrive.
Doesn't stop me from designing the next stage though....
Here's a little sketch I did for the next stage
DSC_1875.JPG

........
 
the wheels looked like “the other 20inch” wheels.... 451. The raleigh twenty used them (sometimes) as well. A lot of obscure recumbents use them too. 451 is way bigger than 406.
 
the wheels looked like “the other 20inch” wheels.... 451. The raleigh twenty used them (sometimes) as well. A lot of obscure recumbents use them too. 451 is way bigger than 406.
The original wheels were something like 490
DSC_1877.JPG


I admit I miss understood how bicycle wheels are measured.
I assumed the measurement quoted was for the wheel rim, not the rolling diameter including the tyre.
Live and learn!
 
The original wheels were something like 490
View attachment 120821

I admit I miss understood how bicycle wheels are measured.
I assumed the measurement quoted was for the wheel rim, not the rolling diameter including the tyre.
Live and learn!
They love a metric rim the French . Once upon a time pre internet I pulled this odd french Gitanes bike from a hedge with the idea of rebuilding it . It was pretty crusty and when I asked about tyres at all the local bike shops it was a Non all round . No parts I had fitted , no parts in the bike shop fitted . I Binned it in the end , shame really but it was a rusty bike with zero value .
 
And you thing French wheels are weird....
Obraz 1144.jpg


A USSR made ГАЗ Школьник that I once had. Wheels were of the 445 size, and I never saw a bicycle that had that kind of wheels. Tires were unoptainable, also everything on it was in different size than on any normal bicycle :21:
 
Funny enough coming from Eastern Europe I had the same experience with a Skolnik. My parents got me this partly disassembled Skolnik (22" wheels?) with missing wheel parts and it could not be rebuilt. I took the rear wheel every few weeks to the shop, but there were never parts. And in the end I never had a bike as a kid :D
 
I admit I miss understood how bicycle wheels are measured.
I assumed the measurement quoted was for the wheel rim, not the rolling diameter including the tyre.
Live and learn!
I find this the most asinine way to measure a wheel. The person who came up with this was an ..... in my opinion. Using this method there should be a different size rim for every size tire. You can't tell me a 1" tire on a 406 rim has the same outside diameter as a 3" tire on a 406 rim.

I have three 451 tires because even the tire companies and bike shops are unable to get it right. I'm looking at you Vee Tire Co.
 
Is that a dump truck cargo space you are sketching up?
 
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