BO15 The Bluebird of Happiness

[Chic Cycles]

Greetings from Hunterdon County New Jersey! This is my first Build Off. I rehab/restore bikes for women out of my home garage and organize a vintage bike ride called The Red Mill Retro Ride in Clinton NJ. I am also a curator at a local history museum. My Dad gifted me with a love of all things bicycle and the skills to get creative with them.

Although our museum remains closed to the public because of the COVID-19 situation the other curator and I have still been working. I needed to take some time off and, since there would be no traveling to visit Grandkids this year, I decided that would spend my Staycation on my entry into the 2020 Build Off.

I purchased this Dayton bike about a month ago. She spoke to me the moment I saw her. I love her lines, colors and patina. The plan is to clean her up without losing any of her story and character. I want to replace the wheelset with a 2 speed kickback set. I have two options. A modern alloy rim set with a Sturmey Archer 2S Hub or a vintage steel rim option with a Torpedo Duomatic hub. I'll probably try both then decide. I like to do a sort of Retro/Mod build combining old and new components. There are so many other ideas flying around my head but I will let time determine what I can accomplish.

This is a German Polar Bear frame with a Nexus 7 wheelset that I did last year. One of my all time favorite bikes for the build and the ride. I'm just posting it to show off a bit. I hope I'm as happy with The Bluebird of Happiness when she is done.

 

[Chic Cycles]

Here are some more close up photos of the Dayton Bike in the before condition.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

It's a beaut. A gentle clean up and wax of the frame will look great. I like step through frames, they deserve love!

 

[OddJob]

Great bike to start with! RaT oN~!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Glad to see you keep the history alive. Nice bike!

 

[Psychographic]

Howdy neighbor! I live a few minutes from the Rt. 22 bridge in Forks Pa.

 

[rrtbike]

This should be cool. I have the same frame badged as a Western Flyer.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Looks gorgeous the way it is now, which means it'll be that much more beautiful when you've cleaned it up!

 

[Chic Cycles]

This should be cool. I have the same frame badged as a Western Flyer.

Do you have any idea of the year on yours. I'm trying to figure that out on mine now.

 

[Chic Cycles]

I found the serial number. Based on that and the New Departure hub/coaster brake on the wheelset I'm calling it at 1947. That means it is officially the oldest bike I own right now.

 

[kingfish254]

That is one cool old lady!

 

[Chic Cycles]

Some before and after pics of the de-greasing / cleaning process. This was one serioulsy greasy bike. The cutting compound wasn't doing it so I had to resort to steelwool with purple power degreaser.

 

[Chic Cycles]

The torpedo light was quite the project to remove. it was rusted solid. In the end I was able to chip away the plastic plate between the light and the fender and get a hack saw in there to cut it off. I've wanted to do a bike with a fender mascot for quite some time. Rather than replace the light I think I'll make a mascot for this little bluebird.

 

[Chic Cycles]

The tires arrived in plenty of time! GT Heritage in Cyan. The turquoise is a bit brighter than the light blue on the bike but I think we can tie it together with pinstriping.

 

[Chic Cycles]

Fender Mascot prototypes

 

[Chic Cycles]

I still want a headlight. I shopped all the headlights on bikes in my garage. I also bought a battery operated LED incase I don't have time to make one of the vintage ones work.

 

[Chic Cycles]

I. worked on drive train today. It was alot of fiddling but I got the modern 2 speed wheel property installed only to figure out that the axle of the matcing front wheel was too big! Sigh.... Had to spend time in the storage garage trying to find a wheel the right size with a smaller axle. In the end I found a steel one with a cool front hub. I'm pretty sure that is staying but that may influence me to change the rear wheel to the vintage one with the Torpedo Duomatic. I failed to take pics today. I was trying to get her rolling so I could bring her over to my friend to be pinstriped tomorrow. Here is the pic I took when I dropped her off. Not too sure about that stem but I know I'm not using those handlebars!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The wire bending bird turned out nice and those tires look great on the bike!

 

[Chic Cycles]

The wire bending bird turned out nice and those tires look great on the bike!

Thank you!

 

[Brian macumber]

All that grease must have helped save the chrome cleaned up nice.