It's been a long time, baby
Last night I went over to the bike co-op and had some help getting the drive side bottom bracket cup pulled out. It involved a nasty chemical spray, an adjustable wrench, a blow torch, and then the bench vice; after all that it came out relatively easily. And so, I spent last night finally putting on all the parts I've been accumulating for this bike for two years. I think the bars look spectacular.
Here's the run-down, not that you care:
- Old French frame, a Mercier Tour de France. I bought it already set up as a single speed.
- The wheels are old Weinmann's back when they were made in Belgium. The rims are unusual because they're concave instead of convex and have an interesting spoke pattern.
- No name 18 tooth freewheel.
- Original leather Agda saddle.
- Sturmy-Archer stem.
- Nitto Promenade B-601 handle bars.
- Paul Components Love Levers.
- Cork grips; sanded and shellacked.
- Dia-Compe center pull brakes (They just started remaking these. Also I had to rebuild the front one because the bolt was too short for the fork.).
- Stainless steel braided brake cable from Velo-Orange.
- 107mm French threaded bottom bracket from Velo-Orange (they just started remaking these as well).
- What I think is a Solida crank I bought off of craigslist. I like it because it has "Made in France" stamped on it.
- MKS track pedals, but I might switch these back to the original touring pedals that came with the bike.
- Continental Ultra tires.
- Bontrager tubes.
posted by Ellen at 10:15 AM
4 Comments:
I wanna see the finished product, since I've encountered its parts so many times.
Those handlebars are awesome.
It sounds superfancy. I am awed and a bit intimidated by your bike fixing prowess. It's a good thing I have a relatively cool bike, even if I don't know how to fix it, so that you don't forget to know me.
i like the fact that the grips are cork. that was the only part i really got, besides liking something because it had "made in ___" stamped on it, which is a deciding factor for me in more purchases than i'd like to admit.
exper!
they're just the kind of handlebars I.ve been trying to find for ages! thought of making some, now after seeing your bike frame maybe I can track some down in France its only 25 mile across the water from England, great for day trips!!
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