Warehouse sale

 

I figured I would try the warehouse sale this weekend.  When I went in the spring I was far enough back in line that by the time I got to the sale it was picked over.  This time I was fortunate to be there early enough to get in with the first group so I had choices.

At the top of my list was a finding a Specialized Rock Hopper. And I actually found two and a Stump Jumper, unfortunately they were all either too small, had a suspension fork or both.

I had seen a Trek 420 on the way in but was in Rock Hopper mode so I left it, when I realized the MTB wasn't going to happen I want back to where the 420 was, but now it was in the hands of a young lady.   Her friend then found a mountain bike she liked better so she handed off the 420 to me.

The first time I looked at the price I saw $45 for some reason, but I decided $75 was still a decent deal and I am happy to put $$ in the pockets of bike works.  Ironically it's the same price I paid for the 520 I just sold.  

It has a few issues, flat tires, out of level handle bars, a horrible comfort saddle and the worst offender a ding in the top tube.   No deal breakers however and although I haven't done any close looking I am about 90% sure this a 1985 exactly the same size and color of the one I sold last fall.

Not exactly sure what I am going to do with this bike, I have a friend looking for a dedicated trainer bike but I think this is a hair small for him.   I am leaning towards some basic maintenance and clean up and then seeing if I can sell it for a profit and if I get no takers it will be my fall/winter tear down project.

Ride.Smile.Repeat

Know when to fold'em...

I think that as important as it is to be persistent and think outside the box it is equally important to know when to walk away.  

I took the front wheel for the Giant to my LBS for a spoke replacement after I discovered a broken spoke while trying to true the wheel, what they found was that the rim was cracked.  That in itself wasn't a deal breaker but with the mounting issues for this bike I resolved that unless I could first solve the shifting I would not spend any more $$ on this bike including no replacement front wheel without the shifting working first.

 Well I did the WD-40 treatment to the shifters and I did get them to sorta kinda shift up to 5 of 8 gears but it wasn't great so I decided for this bike it was on to plan B - a part out.

Without too much fuss I got the bike mostly apart and doing some back of the napkin calculations I think I can just about break-even as Campy parts tend to be desirable.  I have already sold the rear wheel with 8 speed campy cassette.  The thing about Campy brifters is that unlike Shimano they can be rebuilt, you just need a watchmakers skill and patience, that is not me lol.  The LBS said it was about a $70 job and they could get most of the parts still for 8 speed.  I will let someone else do that.

A little more work got the cranks off, fortunately campy uses the same crank puller as I have in the tool box.

And for the BB I got to pull out a rarely used campy square taper tool I used to build up a frame with Campy 10 speed back in about 2010, that bike went to my friend Karen who still rides it.

So now I have some cleaning to do on the frame-set and parts so I can list and hopefully sell them and put this chapter behind me.

In other news the AQI was finally decent enough this morning that I could take the morning ride I have been delaying all week.  It was nice to get out on the Cresta GT something I hope to do more of if the wildfires get under control so the air quality can improve.

Ride. Know when to walk away. Smile. Repeat

Return of an old friend - Nishiki Cascade

 

Back in June of 2017 I was aimless browsing the CL bike ads, as I all too often do, and came across this 1984 Nishiki Cascade in the parts section for $11 because it was missing some parts and had a stuck seat post.   The seller thought someone might want it for the wheels but I was attracted to the bullmoose bars not knowing at the time that the metal Thumb shifters where just as cool if not cooler.   The seller was an old guy who fixed bikes in his garage and smoked cigars,  I was jealous!

About a month later I got access to a garage while house sitting and during the great bike blitz of 2017  I got the bike stripped down so I could try to address the stuck seat post.

Even if I failed on the seatpost I had a treasure trove of vintage MTB parts including the bull moose bars and thumbies.

Time, patience and lots of liquid wrench finally did the trick and freed the seat post so I had a bike I could actually build up.

By February of 2018, short of cash and with an apartment bursting with bikes and bike parts I sold the Nishiki Cascade as a project with new tires and most of the parts.   According to CL I asked for $50, I don't recall if I got that but I do recall the guy who bought it, looked very carefully through the box of parts noting what was there and not there.  I was happy to pass it along, pocket some $$ and I thought I had seen the last of that lovely biplane fork......

Recently the guy who I sold box of bits too commented on the blog that he had finished rebuilding the Cascade!  I asked if he wouldn't mind sending me pictures, which he kindly did and then was nice enough to allow me to post them.  I never see bikes or projects after they leave me so this was a real treat.

In addition to all the parts getting taken apart cleaned and reassembled the frame and fork got de rusted and repainted with new decals applied!  Per the builder; 

Rides real well...15 speed...Suntour Perfect 5:14-32, with 26-36-46 Tourney XT crank up front. Had to assemble all sorts of little missing parts (mostly for brakes), put in an enclosed BB, wheels are Araya with high flange hub in front, Pro Class with the holes in back. Both power shifters were completely taken apart, cleaned, lightly lubed, reassembled. Long seat post for wide range of riders. Forewent the bullmoose (honeymoon is over!), for stem and bars for wider range of adjust-ability while still retaining period aesthetics.

Frame was sanded and repainted, frame-savered inside.

So cool to see an old frame on the verge of going to the dump, get new life.  Awesome job by Stefan.

Ride.  Give old things new life. Smile. Repeat.

PS the bull moose bars went on a different build by the buyer.

Fleet Update fall 2020

 

I decided to list the Trek again before I could talk myself out of it.  I put it on CL at $375 and got the full price within a few days.   The buyer plans to commute on it and really liked the bike and as much as I debated letting it go I am glad its going to a good home where it will get ridden and not spend most of its life in a spare bedroom -lol.   I kept the leather saddle and MKS sneaker pedals that I had on it as they will both get used again.  Interestingly the buyer had looked at a Nishiki Cresta in his search but noted it was not in good shape and was barely safe to ride so I think the Trek was a breath of fresh air.

With the clunker challenge over I got the Univega ready to hand off to my barista friend.  I put the original saddle back on, not sure the one I used for the clunker challenge was much better and this saddle is fine for rides under about 6 miles.

I put a decent range cassette and new chain on the bike and some new grips since I am keeping the nice Ergons for that someday Mountain bike.  All up including purchase price I am still a shade under $100 for this bike so if my friend doesn't like it I can list it on CL but I hope it fits and he likes it.

And then there is the problem child Giant..... I should be very clear these problems are entirely self inflicted, I brought this on myself.

I did know going in the hoods had tape and were suspect but they were even worse than I thought.  I was able to find the right replacements in the UK and fortunately I had a refund at PayPal so the hoods were only about $10 out of pocket but the real cost was not cheap.  

Speaking of hoods the rear shifter is going to need some attention, down shifts are ok but up shifts are a chore at best and not all them work.  I am hopeful that a WD 40 flush and some gentle brushing to remove the gunk and then a lube, will solve that issue.

I had an inkling the tires would need replacing and I was right the ones on the bike were old and a bit brittle.  I was lucky the left over Continental tire I had that wouldn't fit on the Allez fits fine on the Giant and this bike is red too, so I only had to order one new tire.

As I think I mentioned in the last post there is a fair bit of sticker residue so I will have to spend some time with Goof Off and a plastic scrapper to remove it and get the bike a bit cleaner and more presentable.

Here is a learn from my dumb mistakes lesson.  When I unloaded the bike at home and was walking it to the apartment I noticed a hesitation in the rolling and that was because the front wheel was out of true and would scrape on the brake at one point in the rotation.  Why was that you ask?  Um broken spoke that I found when I set about trying to true the wheel.  I really should have caught that and got myself a discount.... oh well no stuck stem or seat post.  Although I could try and order a single spoke to replace the broken one I think I will bite the bullet and just go to the LBS as I did for the Univega and have them replace it.  

With any luck I can get most of the issues sorted over the long weekend and spend the rest of the month blissfully riding the now 4 bike fleet, or find a new bike mess to get myself into....

Ride. Caveat Emptor. Smile. Repeat.