Oblio

[Couch tater]

This build has no point and that is the point. Named Oblio from the protagonist in the 1971 animation The Point, I will be building a 1933 Shapleigh Wonder badged Columbia.

A couple of years ago, I purchased the bike in NW Indiana where it had been exhumed from a long term storage in a farm equipment shed. The condition was rough but being a ratter I gladly brought it home. It was dismantled, given an OA bath, and placed in a bin for storage until I figured out what to do with it.

Bad photo of as found condition:

After disassembly and an OA bath

This past winter on a very cold and icy January evening I came across a Retrospec Harper for $30. The build plan began to take shape. I took the wheels off the Harper to make storage easier and proceeded to do nothing at all with it. Then along came the skinny tire build off and the time has come to hop off the pot and get to building. The general plan is to breed the pair and see if the offspring is ugly.

The Harper

 

[OddJob]

Internet dating for bikes? Of course, why not! I like your direction, Tator.

sKinNy oN~!

 

[Couch tater]

A hasty mock up. Instead of looking more modern with the newer wheelset and fork, to my eye it actually looks older. My plan to replace the flip-flop hub with a New Departure coaster was foiled when I counted spokes and holes, 32 vs 36. Drats! The flip-flop gets to come along for the ride. Therefore I need to weld in a brake bridge quick as a bunny so I can scrub off momentum when I ride this thing. I need to work fast and get it painted while the weather window allows.

 

[OddJob]

It's a good look. Fork have a hole on the crown for caliper / canti brake mounting?

 

[Couch tater]

It's a good look. Fork have a hole on the crown for caliper / canti brake mounting?

The fork has a hole for a caliper. I'm using as much of the parts of both bikes as possible and keeping the spending down.

 

[kingfish254]

With a name like Shapleigh Wonder, you should call it Jayne Mansfield.

 

[Couch tater]

With a name like Shapleigh Wonder, you should call it Jayne Mansfield.

It is a suggestive name.

 

[Slow-Rider]

should be one to watch.

 

[sdframe]

It looks like you and I are heading in the same direction! Have fun! BTW, $30 for that Retrospec was a steal!

 

[Couch tater]

It looks like you and I are heading in the same direction! Have fun! BTW, $30 for that Retrospec was a steal!

I like your frame better than mine. The story behind the Retrospec was a man locally needed to move and his son had left it with him. After several requests, his son didn't come and get it and the father posted it for sale cheap just to get it gone. The front wheel has a wobble but it also has some pretty loose spokes so a truing should make it right.

 

[dropstep]

I thought I got a deal on my 700c wheels in the summer build off! Dang 30 bucks is a buy

 

[Couch tater]

I thought I got a deal on my 700c wheels in the summer build off! Dang 30 bucks is a buy

When I saw the ad, I went during my lunch break from work to go get it before someone else snatched it up.

 

[Couch tater]

Yesterday was my first full day of retirement so naturally a water line under my house sprung a leak. After doing the 4 hour penalty of fixing that, I made a brake bridge. Then it was a 2 hour round trip to go weld it. The welder I used was just fine but the battery in the auto hood was dead meaning I welded the bridge in without looking at it. That in turn incurred a 1 hour penalty of spiffying up the welds with a die grinder. The brakes won't allow the use of fenders and that is probably a good thing as they are both pummelled and I won't have to make them more better. I like the look of the original fender bridge with the new brake bridge so that won't get removed. Next up is sanding & priming.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Very cool, me n' my arrow...

 

[Couch tater]

Very cool, me n' my arrow...

I was starting to wonder if I was the only one here that has seen The Point.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Yesterday was my first full day of retirement so naturally a water line under my house sprung a leak. After doing the 4 hour penalty of fixing that, I made a brake bridge. Then it was a 2 hour round trip to go weld it. The welder I used was just fine but the battery in the auto hood was dead meaning I welded the bridge in without looking at it. That in turn incurred a 1 hour penalty of spiffying up the welds with a die grinder. The brakes won't allow the use of fenders and that is probably a good thing as they are both pummelled and I won't have to make them more better. I like the look of the original fender bridge with the new brake bridge so that won't get removed. Next up is sanding & priming.



View attachment 211464

Any updates?