One Last project III (Finale)

 I have actually been done with my Daughters campus bike for about a month.  I just moved to Spokane and was pretty busy on both sides of the move but I am finally getting caught up so back to the project.

Added bottle cage and pump.

I bought a new rack with lots of adjustment since this is a pretty small frame and I needed the adjustments to keep it level.

Added tailpack with tire repair stuff; tube, tire irons, multi-tool etc.  Rear and Front light and bell.

New rear brakes that I talked about in the last post.

The finished product before I delivered it.  

My ex was nice enough to send me some pictures of the girl on campus with the bike, I did some editing as my daughter doesn't like to have her picture on social media.

I hope the bike is useful and reliable for her while she's in college and yes I did give her  a lock which you can see in the shot of the bike on the hanging bike rack. 

In moving I did keep my big box of bike  tools but gave up my bike work stand and wheel truing stand and few other items but once I have a bigger place down the road, those things may come back.  

Ride. Smile. Repeat.

One Last Project Part II

 Now that the bike is in the stand we can address a few things, like the brakes which are mush right now.

I got the old brake cables and housing out and replaced them with new cables and housing from my Bell kit.  And I replaced the brake pads while I was at it.  For the rears I couldn't get them adjusted correctly because the cheap V brakes only adjusted from one side.  So I spent a whooping 12  bucks on a new V brake set for the rear with adjustments on both sides and that took care of the issue.  Sorry no pictures of that.

I took off the wheels so I could tackle all the bearings.

Bottom bracket first and then on to the headset and wheels/

And I added both a bottle cage and pump.

Unfortunately after I got the new chain on the front shifting started acting up.  I am no expert on index shitting or grip shifters and due to time and for my sanity I took it to the bike shop so they could sort it.  I hope to have in back in the next few days when I can add the rack and a few other goodies and call it done. 

Stay tuned.

One last Project...

 At this apartment anyway.  Next month I am moving to Spokane after 30 years of living in Seattle, 20 here in West Seattle and 9 at this apartment which is where this blog was born.   A number of factors are contributing to the move, I have been thinking of Spokane for a while as I have family there and its a lower cost of living than Seattle.  My landlords here in West Seattle are also incenting us to move so they can update and charge more rent and I figure if they are paying for the move I was going to do anyway then why not?  Finally I have remained in West Seattle in part to be close to my daughter but she is heading off the college in Ellensburg in September which brings me to the build...

My ex had a free mountain bike under her porch,  an Iron Horse Sonic XS it fits my Daughter and she likes it and did I mention it was free?  

So a great campus bike candidate.

Its got some rusty bolts and a rusty chain and the brakes are mushy,  but the rear shifting is fine and the front just needs some minor tweaking.

I would not have chosen a suspension fork or grip shifters BUT its free and that is a good place to start.

I have most of what I need in the parts bin, cable chain etc.  My daughter likes the knobby tires so they will stay and I can probably get most of what else I need for less than a C note.  She will be off to school with a lock, pump, rack and panniers, spare tube and multi tool tire irons etc.  enough to mend most minor issues.  

I am trying to tread the line between making it very nice for my daughter and just keeping it functional and safe since as a bike used on a college campus the odds of it being stolen are pretty high, which is why I am not worried about it not being exactly what I would have chosen and instead I am focused on making it mechanically sound.

More to come.

So Long MotoGT

 

It finally got sunny and warm enough for me to list this bike on Craigslist and it went fairly quickly.   

I did love this bike, I loved the fit and the ride and the quirky Frenchness, and I did do a complete tear down and rebuild in 2018.  I only rode it about 2 or 3 times a year on short rides and so I figured I should find it a home where it could get some more love.

With a 5 speed freewheel, friction shifting and center pull brakes this was my most old school vintage ride but when it only gets ridden a few blocks to the French bakery once in a blue moon its tough to justify keeping it.

And then there were two.  A few years ago I would have never dreamed the stable would fit on one bike rack lol.  I reserve the right for more bikes to filter in but I think I will try to "survive" with just the Handsome devil and the Nishiki.  If I do end up moving in 2022 it will be much easier to do with 2 bikes than with 6.

Ride.Smile.Repeat.

Back in the Saddle

 Well I finally did something I have not done since October, I rode my bike!  We have been having lovely 70 degree weather in Seattle lately and I got to stop wearing the defibrillator vest in February so I thought it was about time to pedal again.

I did not go far, just up to my local bakery and back so about a 2 km round trip, but it was nice to be in the sun pedaling again.

And it was rewarding to; support my local business,  get out and enjoy the sunshine and have some delicious treats when I got back home.

Due to a number of factors, health, unemployment, potential move etc. I have been reducing the bike fleet and am down to just 3 bikes; the handsome devil, Crest GT and the Motobecane but I have the MotoGT on CL as I just don't ride it enough.  I do have it at a good price so if someone does buy it I won't be giving it away.  Now that the sun is shining again we'll see if I get any takers.

I did recently line up a job so I don't have that hanging over my head currently but I do think I may move in the next year or so and obviously not having to lug multiple bikes along will make that easier.  Passing along the mountain bikes wasn't so bad but I was sorry to see the Specialized Allez go, although the kid who bought it seemed very pleased and I am glad it will get ridden and enjoyed.

One of my goals for this year to is to wipe out my debts, which will be easier now that I am employed lol.   To that end I will probably stay away from bike projects for now as they seem to soak up money more that return it.  I do hope, however, that I may ride more this year as I rebuild my health.  

Happy Spring.  

Be still my beating heart

 A trip to the doctors in late October to figure out why I had been dealing with a shortness of breath for 3 weeks revealed my heart had been slacking.  It was only beating about about 50% of the rate it should have been resulting in a build up of fluid which was why I was having shortness of breath.

My first reaction was "C'mon!"  I spent this year fasting and losing 40 lbs and walking and riding my bike and my reward is heart issues! not fair (you can hear the whine in that complaint).  And then after  awhile I thought that maybe all that work meant things turned out less bad than they could have....and as long as I am still breathing I can start over with weight loss and fitness etc.

My cardiologist thinks I have a good chance to get my heart beating again like it should, a new range of meds have helped and all the water weight I gained has gone, I have been squeezed like sponge lol and am back to where I was after the weight loss.  The biggest thing besides not feeling short of breath is sleep, I could not lie down to sleep in October without the need after a few minutes to sit up to breathe so I slept sitting up and only got about 2 hours of disjointed rest, but now I am sleeping 7 to 8 hours again - lying down.  Bliss.

For now I am neither drinking alcohol or riding my bike per doctors orders so I will not complete this years Coffeeneuring challenge - sad trombone, but I am doing some easy walking and hope to be back on the bike,  and drinking the occasional adult beverage again in 2021.  And when I am feeling up to it I have a few Mountain bikes to tinker with and numerous small projects on the rest of the fleet.

Until then I hope YOU will ride. Smile. and Repeat.

Combo Challenge ride #2

 

I almost didn't ride today but decided to buck up and get ride #2 in today.

Like last week this is a place I have not been to on previous coffeeneuring rides.  I had a small Mocha.

It was a misty day but I was fortunate not to get rained on.  I still feel like I am riding with one lung tied behind my back so doing any sort of distance is still difficult but I am hoping I will feel better as time goes on and can add distance to complete the clunker part of the challenge.

I also got to see some leaves turning adding some nice color my short ride.

The data:

1. Where: West Bay Coffee
2. Date: October 18th at 3:30 pm.
3. Consumed:  8 oz Mocha
4. Details:  Misty fall day, it was a drive through so I kept the bike with me
5. Mileage: 3 miles
6. Bike Used: 1986 Shogun Prairie Breaker I

Ride a clunker to coffee, smile, repeat.