Posts Tagged ‘1980s’
Russ’ SR Semi Pro
April 28th, 2013
Over the past couple weeks, Russ and I used free time to overhaul his blue SR Semi Pro. It is now complete. Along with Branden, we took a Saturday afternoon shakedown ride to The Shack in Playa del Rey where we ate burgers, enjoyed a Ranger IPA and chatted with an interesting young man who claimed his office job was rating online porno films. Anyway, about the bike…
For casual use, I suggested ditching the gears. After a few tests, Russ settled on 40 x 17, or around 64 gear inches. I like the higher cadence of my Takara, which is set at a lower 55 gear inches. We maintained a similar pace on the ride.
To switch to single speed, we purchased a cog and spacers kit from Crow Cycle to convert the cassette hub (not original). Other improvements include:
-Panaracer Pasela 700Cx35 (replaced the heavier 28mm Vittoria tires)
-Standard Brooks B17 honey saddle
-Velo Orange Milan handlebar
–Velo Orange alloy chainguard (The 44t model fit the 40t chainring well.)
-Velo Orange brake cables and blue housing
-Velo Orange Kraton basket weave grips to match the saddle
-cheap alloy pedals (also from Crow – surprisingly nice quality)
-chrome single chainring bolts
-swapped the seat post with an SR rain catcher Laprade from my spares
-overhauled bottom bracket and headset
Edit: We will rotate the tires to align the label with the valves. Whoops.
Here’s the bike before the work.
Categories: Bicycle Projects, Bicycles
Tags: 1980s, bicycles, blue, brooks, japanese, panaracer, russ, sr semi pro, velo orange
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Bikes from my past – Ross Piranha, c.1985
April 28th, 2013
I had the silver/black one with gray grips, bear trap pedals, pads as shown here as 142-3325. I melted a hole through the hard plastic seat with a magnifying glass. This s why I can’t have nice things. I believe it was purchased at John Adams Schwinn on 12th Street in Erie, PA.
I loved it.
Image source: Velo Base
Categories: Bicycles, Bikes from my past
Tags: 1980s, bicycles, bmx, chrome, piranha, ross, youth
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RUSS BIKE – PART 1?
April 25th, 2013
Is this really the only photo I took of Russ’ bike overhaul project last Saturday?
More to come…
Categories: Bicycle Projects, Bicycles
Tags: 1980s, bicycle projects, bicycles, blue, hot dog, russ, russ bike, single speed, sr semi pro touring, velo orange
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Mixte is complete
August 15th, 2010
Here are a couple photos of the complete mixte. Frame is Fuji Absolute, color is Lightning. Additions: MKS Touring pedals, Velo-Orange porteur handlebar (very comfortable), Dia-Compe inverse levers, SR Custom stem (for longer reach), brown Cateye bar tape, cotton twine cord whipping, yellow cable housing, and new cables, and lots of new grease. The front derailleur and shifter were removed to simplify the design.
Still needs: brown leather saddle.
Categories: Bicycles
Tags: 1980s, bicycles, Fuji, inverse levers, japanese, kku, mixte, porteur, yellow
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New mixte project
August 7th, 2010
I found a new yellow circa 1987 Fuji Absolute mixte project bike on Craigslist. Thank you, Branden, for picking it up. This will be Kirsten’s city bike. The bike appears to have been stored indoors and hardly used. Porteur handlebar and MKS touring pedals have been ordered.
Photo from the Craigslist ad.
Catalog page from Classic Fuji.
Categories: Bicycles
Tags: 1980s, bicycles, japanese, kku, mixte, yellow
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