Combo Challenge and Shogun update

 

We are on the cusp of Coffeeneuring 2020 and the clunker challenge is still in effect until the first week of November so I figured why not do both on the Shogun?

Before I get into what I have been doing to the Shogun to prepare for the Combo Challenge I will update other developments in the fleet;

Univega

Sold last month for $200, I did something I never do which was I delivered the bike.  I felt in late September as summer was waning that the crazy COVID bike market was drying up so I figured delivering it in order to get $200 was a fair trade.  Doubled my investment on this bike.

Giant

The part out route was not my first choice for this bike but I did eventually get $200 out of it and ended up covering my costs and even making a small amount.

Trek 420 (II)

The 420 did end up being too small for my friend and although I toyed with using it as a trainer bike myself I decided instead to just clean it up a bit, make it a functional project and sell it cheap.  I ended up making $10 and the guy buying it seemed pleased with the purchase so it all worked out..

Shogun

Since  I am doing two challenges in one I figured that servicing the bearings was necessary on the Shogun.  In addition the 10 days of horrible  air quality did a number on my lungs to the point where just walking around the block required multiple stops to catch my breath.  Fortunately things are improving but since I wasn't going to be riding this week it made sense to deal with the bearings.

First however I had to deal with a filthy bike, its not exactly clean now but its better and I don't get dirty just looking at it.

There was also splotchy rust one one fork blade so it got the naval jelly, brass wire brush and then nail polish treatment.  

With dirt and rust dealt with I could tackle the headset bearings, I had to do this with the cabling still in place but it was doable, the grease was present but old so it was nice to clean it all up and get fresh grease applied.

Since I had to do the headset with the cabling in place I found yet another use for a toe strap, it held the bull moose bars suspended from the top tube while I dealt with the headset and allowed me to keep all the cables in place.

I also replaced the absent front reflector with one from my stash of parts.

Finally I dealt with front wheel, the bearings were way too tight although the grease wasn't bad but it got cleaned up, new grease, trued up and finally a new Schwable Jet city tire.  I thought about using the original tires but because I am doing two challenges and the new tires still keep me (barely) under the clunker challenge $100 budget and my experience with old knobby 26" tires is they aren't really comfortable.

Once the combo challenge is done I have some toys for the Shogun; VO leather saddle, barely used chain and 6 speed wide range FW, Ergon grips, new cables and housing, sneaker pedals and tires.   Tires?  but Ryan you just bought new tires??!  well I really wanted some gum walls and after searching around I came across these Maxxis DTH 26 x 2.25 tires, not cheap but on bike forums these tires get lots of favorable comments and I have seen them on builds an really like how they look.  My thought on the Schwables I am currently using on the Shogun is that they may go on a bargain MTB I am yet to find for a quick clean up and flip.

Ride. Buy too many tires. Smile. Repeat.

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.  

State of the Fleet during a crazy bike market

 I currently have six bikes, which for one guy seems like too many and since we are at the vortex of a crazy bike market and about 5 weeks left of summer if I was going to sell something now would be the time.  Does any arrow in my quiver really need to get sold???

1989 Specialized Allez.

For many reasons the Allez isn't going anywhere.   I just got the shifting sorted so I can ride it.  I have been wanting one for years and the guy who gave me such a great deal on the bike in the first place hasn't had a chance to ride it yet due to the Pandemic.  I am guessing I could get some nice $$ for it but have no desire to sell it.

1978 Motobecane Grand Touring.

On the one hand this bike really only gets ridden to the French bakery, as it was above.  On the other hand I looked for years for a Grand Touring in my size and spent allot of time and effort refurbishing the bike and it is my most stock vintage bike.   Cold logic says I should sell it but I am sure I would regret it immediately so it is staying for now.  

1987 Nishiki Cresta GT

I spent so much $$ and time on this bike I see no way I could get my $$ back even in this crazy market and I like it and want to ride it more.  In addition with the replacement fork I could never advertise it as stock.  I just need to ride this one as its not going anywhere.   And I have a set of fenders to put on it.

2009 Handsome Devil

This is the workhorse, you can't sell the workhorse can you?  I mean there is allot of overlap with the HD and other bikes but I am just not sure I could get enough for it to feel good about selling it.  And I have some ideas that with a set of new tires, bar tape, a wolfs tooth for the derailleur hanger and a 11-40t 9 speed cassette this bike would have a new lease on life.

1987 Trek 520 Cirrus

Ok, this bike I did actually try to sell at the I don't really want to sell it price of $400.  No one came up with that but I did have interest in the $300 to $350 range.  Also with its current 28t cog FW its not a great climber.  I do have a scheme where I could put on a Shimano LX RD I have in the stash and I think that would work with the mega range 34t FW it came with.  That would make it a great climber again and it is so smooth and fits so well.  When will I ever find another 520 for $75 in my size?  On the other hand it duplicates the Nishiki so I am on the fence about the 520.

1993 Univega Via Montega

I have been enjoying riding this bike on the clunker challenge as I did this morning for 20 km.  I do find it gives me hand numbness on the long rides and while it would be fun to make a gravel grinder out of it I do not really need a hybrid.  Also I have a barista friend who expressed interest in having a bike and I think at my current costs of about $100, minus the Ergon grips which I will keep, it would be in his budget.  So plan A is to pass this one along at cost.

I do still look at ads with the idea of finding something inexpensive and in need of a bit of TLC to turn around in the market for a bit of cash but I have been thinking of getting down to maybe 4 bikes.  If, god forbid, I have to move in the next 6 months what am I going to do with 4 bikes let alone 6! lol.

Oh well first world problems.  For now I shall....

Ride. Smile. Repeat.

Clunker Challenge 2020: Univega Via Montega

 

A few weeks after I acquired the Univega I saw that Bike Forums was having a clunker challenge again this year.  Since I had purchased it for $40 the Univega was the obvious choice but if I had known ahead of time there would be a challenge I might have done things differently.  First off I paid the LBS to take care of the missing spoke for a cost of $23 that I may have tackled myself if I had known this would be a challenge bike.  

I also ditched the stock Ritchey grips after the first ride due to hand numbness and replaced them with the new Ergon's out of the parts bin that I had paid $25 for about a year ago. Really like the Ergon's btw but now I am at about $90 of my $100 budget.

After a 10 mile ride with my siblings, pre-challenge, I decided I was not a fan of the original saddle and so I gave myself a $5 charge for a parts bin Marin saddle.   That pretty much takes care of my $100 Budget.

What that means is that the new chain and cassette I ordered for this bike will remain in their boxes until after the challenge.  Dealing with the narrow range  11-19 corncob cassette is the biggest challenge with this bike in that any hill over about 3 or 4% is a no go despite a triple chainring.

This is my 3rd consecutive Clunker Challenge and while I haven't done any long rides yet I have been riding each morning this week and am over 40 km so far with about 12 weeks left to get to 100 km.  Hope to get in a longer ride on the weekend.

Ride a clunker. Smile. Repeat.