Ain't She Pretty? !

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Mick F
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Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Ain't She Pretty? !

Post by Mick F »

Well, Barbarella, my Bright Red Powder Coated Mixte, is finished. Just been out for a quick road test.

Roller Brakes - Not as "keen" as I'd hoped. They stop well enough with my 13 odd stone behind them, but feel very different to rim brakes. No doubt I'll get used to them. The frame didn't have any brazings, so I had to make the reaction arm brackets and clamp them on the stays. They work well. The brake cables were a problem, but sorted by buying from a LBS.

8sp Inter Hub - Great! I anguished over ratios and which size sprocket to get and settled on a 23t. The overall ratios were sorted by using my stock of Stronglight 99 rings and crank-set. By using suitably fashioned washers to pack out the ring bolts, I could use a double crank with only one ring! Finally settled on a 38t ring. I could go up to a 42, or further down to a 36, if required.
For the technically minded, the final gear inches for the 8 speeds are:
23.5, 28.7, 33.4, 37.9, 44.6, 54.6, 63.3, 72.1

My wheels work! It's quite an achievement building your own. They stayed true during the test ride, but I'm sure they'll need tickling in a few miles. I re-used the rims I had, measured up, and bought the SS spokes and used a good spoke key. Tyres and tubes were re-used too.

Barbarella has cost me £311. I already had the frame, of course. The powder coating cost me £30. I suppose I may get a rear rack and bag for the shopping. I'll probably utilise my Carry Freeddom trailer too.

But, Ain't She Pretty?

Image

The keen-eyed amongst you will notice the QR seat post clamp. This will allow both Mrs Mick F and me to ride Barbarella. Also, the cables are held on by nylon tie-wraps. (Sorry). Anybody know where I can get nice clips of different sizes? (SS preferable)

Mick F. Cornwall
reohn2

Post by reohn2 »

"she" :roll: looks very nice Mick, she wouldn't be after the Jane Fonda film of the same name?If so and my memory serves me correct Barbarella had an orgasmatron to "occupy" her time :shock:
Anyway moving swiftly on,the new shed/workshop looks nice too.But get a bit of fasciaboard nailed onto the floor of that porch to finish it of would you :) (joiners notice other things)
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hubgearfreak
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm

Post by hubgearfreak »

perfect. i'll bet your delighted. are the wheels 3x, 36 spoke?

it's a great shame that the masses can't buy bikes like that :D

they'd get much more enjoyment and usefullness than this sort of pooh

(tesco, £130)

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Mick F
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Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Post by Mick F »

The workshop isn't a workshop, its the summer house! A workshop with net curtains? Sorry about the facia, the kit didn't come with it!

The wheels are 36 3x. The rear feels really strong with little or no dish, but it's the front that is dished! The roller brake takes up quite a bit of space.

Tesco poo for £130 or Barbarella for £300? No contest!

The bike was originally called Barbie. It had pink mudguards to match the Elswick pink frame. It was a lovely bike when new, I should think. Chromed front forks, Simplex 5sp, dropped bars, Weinman centrepulls. We bought it some years ago for £25, rusty and gears siezed. I fixed the gears and gave it some TLC, and Mrs Mick F rode it to work for a while. She hated the steel wheels not braking in the damp, so I invested in alu ones. Problem cured. But it was difficult to find 27 inch alu wheels! 700c wouldn't be right, there would be far too much clearance.

Anyway, Barbie is re-born as Barbarella. Sadly, no connection with the film! Just a nice name. Mind you, it is "exciting" riding her ....... it makes my hair curl ...... Maybe it's just the wind .....

Mick F. Cornwall
Fallowman

Post by Fallowman »

Very elegant indeed. It's the old engineer's saying: if it looks right, it is right.
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hubgearfreak
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm

Post by hubgearfreak »

Mick F wrote:Barbarella for £300? l


bargain.

it really is a bugbear of mine that no manufacturer can make such a thing. i'd imagine that if giant/halfords/whoever bought enough steel pipes and hubgears, then a similar high quality machine could be bought for £180, or less. and it would give enjoyment to new / returning cyclists, unlike the tescos thing that would need constant new parts, soon exceeding the original cost...perhaps tesco, argos & the like are either trying to put people off cycling, or think that there are too many empty landfill sites.
cjenn

Post by cjenn »

still perplexed by bike jargon; but does this mean that i can replace a Sturmey Archer with a hub with more gears ? there's a lovely old bike on e-bay, but the hubs limiting !

caroline
reohn2

Post by reohn2 »

cjenn wrote:still perplexed by bike jargon; but does this mean that i can replace a Sturmey Archer with a hub with more gears ? there's a lovely old bike on e-bay, but the hubs limiting !

caroline

Caroline
You can do even better than that,Halfords are currently selling an 8speed Shimano equiped bike for around £300(I think)It also has hub brakes if my memory serves me correct.
reohn2

Post by reohn2 »

Caroline
Its called a Carrera subway 8 and its £399
cjenn

ain't she pretty !

Post by cjenn »

Halfords is a no go area consider myself a proper tourer ! did Mike replace his hub ? some of the older steel bikes are remarkable liteweight. and they actually come in my size.
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