The Transporter - 700c Cruiser - mix of old and new

[shirk]

Getting started on a bike to ride to work daily here in North Vancouver BC.

I picked up a frame from Chaingang Lowrider in Calgary, it's a generic 26" Cantilever reproduction. The frame is raw unpainted. I have a vintage mountain bike that I have striped to use some of the parts. Specifically the bars.

Frame awaiting parts and some light paint work.

These are the bull horn bars that came off an old mid 80's Norco mountain bike.

Have a long list of parts I need to get on order, but the main build theme hinges on a couple things.

Build Theme:
700c wheels
Disc brakes front and rear
3spd Shimano internal gear hub.
WTB Allterainasaurus 700 x 32c tires

I need to spread the rear drop-outs from their current 112mm ish width to 135mm in order to fit the 3spd disc compatible hub. The drop-outs a not straight as it is so I don't think this will be a big issue. Has anyone spread drop-out to 135mm on a frame similar to this? Any advice would be appreciated. I am thinking of using a threaded rod with some nuts and washers to slowly evenly spread it out.

The colour theme is going to be all black components, black forks and bars. The bars are currently chrome, can I paint over the chrome, or do I need to strip it? I need to ensure that the end thickness after paint does not end up too thick or thinks like brake levers and shifter won't fit on with-out issues. The frame is going to remain raw steel, maybe paint the drop-outs and head tube. After the frame gets a week bit of an aged rusted look I'll do a clear coat over top.

 

[Walker]

There are any number of ways to spread the triangle. You will want to make an alignment tool though.

Cheap and easy frame alignment tool:
Parts needed:
kite string or similar.
rubber band.
dial caliper or some kind of accurate measuring device.

Measure out a piece of string that will reach from one rear drop out all the way around the front of the headtube and back to the other drop out. Tie a +/- 2" loop in each end of the string. tie a rubber band to one of the loops. You want enough tension so that the string will not be droopy.

By taking a measurement from the string to the seattube you will be able to determine if the rear triangle is our of alignment.

making sure the dropouts are parallel after you change the width of the stays is another story..

 

[shirk]

Bit of an update as parts arrived.

Decided against the Shimano disk 3sp hub and going with a Sturmey 3sp with Drum brake. No more need to spread the rear drop out or weld on a disc tab.

I had misread the original spec and it's a 1 1/8th headtube, so my bars and fork I had would not work without getting an headset insert. Have tracked down a fork from a friend.

Dropped the 700c infavour of 26's. Front hub is also going to be a Sturmey drum brake hub.

So the whole project has gone from 700c rocket bike to more of a Klunker style. Funny how things change once you start tracking down the parts.

Building starts tonight

 

[user 135]

Sounds like cool build. Bullmoose bars not Bullhorn.