- Joined
- May 20, 2012
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 90
Rat Fink Racer
A couple of things have come together to make me build this bike :
-Instead of sitting in 25 miles of peak hour city traffic getting to and from work 5 dayz a week, when the weather is nice I have started riding / catching the train - 4 miles from home to the train station and 2 miles to work from the station at the other end. I have been riding my 3 speed folder, but it's too slow, my 6 speed mtn bike, but it's too normal, my vintage euro road bike but that's too chic, so I need an ol' skool kool commuter with gears.
-Want to ride something kool to the 2014 SaintSide Block party, haven't got a lowrider to take but I think the Fink would be acceptable.
Since I have always liked the style of the Mixte frames (even though 90% for the world seems to thinks it's a "girls bike") and I got this in a lot of 5 bikes for $30, this National Sport 1000 12 speed will become my Rat Fink Racer.
The pic below from the eBay listing shows the starting point - bits missing, rust on frame and chrome, oxidized alloy.
DAY 1
Pulled the bike to bits and de-greased everything with Kerosene.
Stripped paint from frame, fork and chainwheels
Derailleurs pulled apart and lots of bits got de-rusted : if it's an assembly of alloy and chrome, it goes in the CLR, if its all chrome it goes in the Oxalic Acid, if it's zinc or nickel plated it goes in the lemon juice, if it's steel it goes in the white vinegar.
That was it for day 1.... hope I can get those Derailleurs back together.
A couple of things have come together to make me build this bike :
-Instead of sitting in 25 miles of peak hour city traffic getting to and from work 5 dayz a week, when the weather is nice I have started riding / catching the train - 4 miles from home to the train station and 2 miles to work from the station at the other end. I have been riding my 3 speed folder, but it's too slow, my 6 speed mtn bike, but it's too normal, my vintage euro road bike but that's too chic, so I need an ol' skool kool commuter with gears.
-Want to ride something kool to the 2014 SaintSide Block party, haven't got a lowrider to take but I think the Fink would be acceptable.
Since I have always liked the style of the Mixte frames (even though 90% for the world seems to thinks it's a "girls bike") and I got this in a lot of 5 bikes for $30, this National Sport 1000 12 speed will become my Rat Fink Racer.
The pic below from the eBay listing shows the starting point - bits missing, rust on frame and chrome, oxidized alloy.
DAY 1
Pulled the bike to bits and de-greased everything with Kerosene.
Stripped paint from frame, fork and chainwheels
Derailleurs pulled apart and lots of bits got de-rusted : if it's an assembly of alloy and chrome, it goes in the CLR, if its all chrome it goes in the Oxalic Acid, if it's zinc or nickel plated it goes in the lemon juice, if it's steel it goes in the white vinegar.
That was it for day 1.... hope I can get those Derailleurs back together.
Guess I wont be making it this year either... 
