Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
iviehoff
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Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by iviehoff »

Another thing to watch out for is 27" wheels. Anything pre about 1987/88-ish will have 27" wheels. You can get 27" tyres, but you have reduced choice, may pay extra, and probably have to get it mail order. Main problem arises when the wheel itself needs replacing, as sourcing 27" wheels that will fit at proportionate cost is more of a nuisance. The real problem is not so much the rim size but that they will have narrower spacings between the forks than modern bikes. Now you can pay a wheelbuilder to get 27" wheels build on slim hubs, probably your recovered hubs, but you'll pay more for the wheels than the bike. You can force somewhat wider hubs in - it's what I do - but it takes practice to achieve it without much swearing, and makes removing the wheel for whatever purpose, be it fixing a puncture or other maintenance requirements, very annoying for the difficulty of getting it back in. Sometimes you can put a 700C in instead, but you need to check the adjustment on the brakes. I've been able to put a 700C front wheel on my "gem" but the rear has to be 27" - probably the bike will be written off when the wheel fails. For these reasons, you will find that the price difference between 1990 and 1985 bikes on ebay is really quite substantial.
Vorpal
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by Vorpal »

Almost any bike will do, IMO. Older, reasonable quality bikes, that are not big brands are good because tea leaves often don't recognise them as easy to sell. The main thing is to have components on it that are reliable and not too flash. The mix n' match look is useful, if you can achieve that. If the bike itself looks too nice, this can easily be fixed with a bit of spray paint. Flat black or grey primer are nicely off-putting, although multi-colour is a nicer alternative. Put it on in spots, like you've cleaned up and repaired some rust (taking a bit of steel wool to the surface first will enhance this effect). Leaving some drips or runs, is nice, too. If you've got anything that still looks too good (e.g. 531 sticker) wrap some gaffer tape round it, prefereably in a colour that clashes with the rest of the bike.

If you're feeling creative, personalize it with drawings in permanent marker & varied colours, knitted or crocheted accessories, papier mache or something else to make it unusual.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Tonyf33
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by Tonyf33 »

iviehoff wrote:Another thing to watch out for is 27" wheels. Anything pre about 1987/88-ish will have 27" wheels. You can get 27" tyres, but you have reduced choice, may pay extra, and probably have to get it mail order. Main problem arises when the wheel itself needs replacing, as sourcing 27" wheels that will fit at proportionate cost is more of a nuisance. The real problem is not so much the rim size but that they will have narrower spacings between the forks than modern bikes. Now you can pay a wheelbuilder to get 27" wheels build on slim hubs, probably your recovered hubs, but you'll pay more for the wheels than the bike. You can force somewhat wider hubs in - it's what I do - but it takes practice to achieve it without much swearing, and makes removing the wheel for whatever purpose, be it fixing a puncture or other maintenance requirements, very annoying for the difficulty of getting it back in. Sometimes you can put a 700C in instead, but you need to check the adjustment on the brakes. I've been able to put a 700C front wheel on my "gem" but the rear has to be 27" - probably the bike will be written off when the wheel fails. For these reasons, you will find that the price difference between 1990 and 1985 bikes on ebay is really quite substantial.


I think you're massively overcomplicating matters, for starters NEW 27" wheels are widely available to be delivered to your door for around £20-25 (incl postage) and 27" tyres of decent quality can still be purchased readily (conti ultra sport are £13 each). However given the cost of replacement for a wheel you might as well just buy another whole bike and use it for spares or just replace it altogether.
iviehoff
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Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by iviehoff »

Tonyf33 wrote:NEW 27" wheels are widely available to be delivered to your door for around £20-25 (incl postage)

With suitable hubs to old-fashioned narrow fork spacings? Please tell me who is selling those.

Many 27" wheel sellers are very reluctant to disclose the hub width, and when they do all I can find are modern hub widths. As an example, this amazon listing refuses to disclose the hub width and says "all you have to do is cold set the fork" - I've never found a cycle repairer willing to do that, it's that easy, not. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilkinson-Alloy ... B00N3K2T7G I have foolishly bought 27" wheels off ebay that said "fits old bicycles" but they don't. I have had to throw them away because there are few old bicycles that take such wide hubs.
mrjemm
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by mrjemm »

Tangled Metal wrote:There also used to be a green cooperative somewhere near de vere street I think it's called that used to do up donated and recovered bikes to sell on. They also ran maintenance training courses and sold a few bits too. Can't remember the name now and I think they folded a few years back.


Freewheelers. Yes, they were good, and we went there several times for odd jobs, but you're right that they closed down about maybe 3 years ago, sadly.

Very few shops sell used bikes now, and I suspect that's as ebay and gumtree are so widespread now.

I'd be wary of leaving a bike anywhere overnight, though I think the train station is locked at night. Bikes that get left out are quickly vandalised, whatever quality they exude, so I doubt a rat bike would be immune to this.
iviehoff
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by iviehoff »

mrjemm wrote:I'd be wary of leaving a bike anywhere overnight, though I think the train station is locked at night. Bikes that get left out are quickly vandalised, whatever quality they exude, so I doubt a rat bike would be immune to this.

Clearly you have to be careful where you leave it. Mine mainly stays at the railway station overnight along with hundreds of other overnight bikes - that's what the racks are provided for. Sometimes I need to make a different journey and can't take my bike back to the station. I used to work in a busy part of the West End with busy nightlife, where any inadequately locked bike of sufficient quality would quickly be stolen. I was very reluctant to leave a bike there in the street overnight. But I've since worked in some quieter commercial areas of central London and there are some quite decent bikes left out for months on the racks there that do not get interfered with. Though even in nightlife central, there were some abandoned bikes that were there for years before the council removed them, if they were sufficiently uninteresting to thieves.
kwackers
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by kwackers »

mrjemm wrote:I'd be wary of leaving a bike anywhere overnight, though I think the train station is locked at night. Bikes that get left out are quickly vandalised, whatever quality they exude, so I doubt a rat bike would be immune to this.

I've frequently left bikes overnight, in fact currently I have 2 bikes at the station, one which has been there since Wed morning and will stay there until tomorrow.
These are a Dahon folder and a Ridgeback Panorama, both very tidy and most definitely not rat bikes.
Never had any issues other than other cyclists expressing amazement that I leave lights, cycle computer, pump, seat etc on them and in a number of years nothing has gone missing and the only damage has been scratches and one dented top tube due to other careless cyclists rather than vandalism.

Probably depends on the station so ymmv...
Vorpal
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by Vorpal »

Tangled Metal wrote:Recently I've been taking the train into work whilst being b unable to ride. This led me to realise one of the regular cyclists taking their bike on the train is now only doing it Monday morning. That meant he's chaining it up in town to take the last bit of his commute. Then I spotted others that looked to be doing the same.

For me I'd rather skip the 8 minute train journey and ride the whole way by bike. It only takes the same time as going by train any way. My partner has a longer ride from the station so this commute method would work for her. Leads me to questions.

Where is a good source of a reliable rat bike? We're not confident in bike maintenance so could easily end up with a real dodgy bike going down the fleabay or gumtree route.

Also does anyone know how to rent or get one of those bike box lock ups at stations? If they're hard to get will it be a big risk to chain up a tatty old looking bike overnight?

Any advice in general?

what station? or do you want to give us an area/county in case someone knows a shop that sells secondhand bikes? There are shops in some towns and cities...
http://www.stationbicycles.co.uk/used-b ... nfo_8.html is a place that likely to have a suitable sort of thing.
There are community interest groups that do up used bikes here and there, like the Bike Hub Harlow. Re-cycle is a charity in Colchester that does up bikes to ship to Africa, and they sometimes sell off a few bikes in Colchester or on ebay to finance their charity work. Cambridge has some places to buy used bikes....

http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/recycling/ has information about bike hubs and bike-recycling oriented community groups.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Tangled Metal
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by Tangled Metal »

I've not ridden a shopper for a couple of years now. In fact it was my partner's shopper. Was not nice to ride coming from even my ancient 9.5kg road bike. The upright position for me was new and took some getting used to.

Previous to that I'd ridden a Dutch bike in the Netherlands and that was also only bearable for short journeys. We did about 10 miles there and 10 back on them and it was very uncomfortable in the end.

I would say MTB rigid bike is my preference with semi-slick tyres. Not sure a really heavy,step.through shopper could be a nice ride for about 3 or above miles. Mind you this shopper was once ridden for the full 15 miles commute from home to her work. Not just once but 1 or 2 times a week.
AJ101
Posts: 83
Joined: 30 Oct 2015, 3:45pm

Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by AJ101 »

Every time - go down to the local council dump and see if the lads there will recycle something for you. Cost should be minimal. Alternatively car boot fairs early in the morning, although probably not at this time of the year.

Also, CashConverter type places always let you haggle them down a bit, however your gut will probably be telling you that the bike looks nicked in the first place so you might want to check it's provenance with the local police station stolen bike register first.
Hants47
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Joined: 29 May 2012, 2:46pm

Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by Hants47 »

Good advice I saw on a London news program to save bike from being nicked. Buy a girls bike, preferably pink. You might look a bit silly riding it but it will be there when you get back!
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RickH
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Re: Finding and using a "rat bike" for commuting

Post by RickH »

Hants47 wrote:Good advice I saw on a London news program to save bike from being nicked. Buy a girls bike, preferably pink. You might look a bit silly riding it but it will be there when you get back!

Although it may cause you to get puled up by the police

Drug dealer caught by police after being seen riding a ‘suspicious’ pink bike (Cycling Weekly)

:?

Rick.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
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