Girls 3 Speed Free Spirit

 
For Elie, whose bike was vandalized in Brooklyn.

Bicycle Rule #1: Walk that Dog!

Before you get on that bike, walk that dog!

Featuring Zoé.

3D Printed Lugs

VRZ 1. a tack bike frame with 3d printed lugs from Ralf Holleis on Vimeo.

Made in Italy

Check out this Italian bicycle manufacturer: Bella Ciao

Garage Find: Schwinn Continental and Raleigh Sovereign

Vicky brought me these two old bikes that were in her garage. They have the looks I always look for: horizontal top bar, old fashion forward thrusting fork, great original colors, cool little details, not too much rust... but they are not in working condition. Let's see what I can do to give them a second life.
1973 Schwinn Continental:

1980s Raleigh Sovereign:

I'm going to try to fix them and make them look good using as many recycled parts as possible.

My brother caught the single speed bug

Here is the bike my brother decided to convert to a single speed bike, equipped with a 120mm Velosteel coaster hub I sent him:


That thing has some sweet chiseled lugs:


Here is the final result: sleek, efficient and cool.


He's turning some heads over in Bourges, France, because nobody's got one like this (coaster brakes are extremely rare in France). Steph, you got style!

Wheelbuilding

Wheelbuilding is a very useful skill when customizing bicycles. I have a Raleigh Sport from 1970, normally equipped with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub and a set of cantilever breaks, which I want to convert to a single speed bike equiped with a Bendix coaster brake:


First I gather a 36 H coaster hub, a rim, 36 spokes and nipples, a tire and a tube (all of which are recycled materials). I'll use a small flat head screwdriver and a spoke wrench to loosen and tighten the spokes:


I take apart the hub so that I have access to the lips on its edges, through which the spokes will go.


Install the key spoke, from the right of the hub to the right of the valve hole, and which runs inside the lip of the hub, and therefore is introduced from the outside. Grease its thread before screwing the nipple on it. The hub here presents its cog side (or freewheel):


Repeat the procedure leaving a hole between each spoke at the hub, and three holes between each spoke at the rim:


This is what the wheel looks like after the first set of 9 trailing spokes have been installed:



Flip the wheel. Now the key spoke is at the left of the valve hole. At the hub, find the hole that is slightly to the left of the one through which the key spoke runs on the other side. Run a spoke through it, all the way to the hole on the rim that is to the left of the one through which the key spoke is affixed:


That's after the two sets of trailing spokes have been installed:


Flip the wheel back. Now to the leading spokes, which run outside the lip of the hub, cross three trailing spokes: two over and the last one under. The first set of leading spokes will reach the holes to the right of the trailing spokes already attached.


Here is the view from the top after the first set of 9 leading spokes are attached:


Second set of leading spokes on the other side:


Notice that the valve hole is easily accessible with spokes running parallel on each side:


Tighten the nipples with a screwdriver...


... and a spoke wrench:


Rebuild the coaster hub:


True the wheel either with a truing stand, or like me, on the frame using your eyes:


Remount the tube and tire, et voilà:


Now I just need to find a chain...
For more info on how to build a wheel check out Sheldon Brown's wheel building tutorial. That's where I learned how to do it.

Coaster Hub Clean-up

I love coaster brakes. They allow for a completely silent ride, and for a beautiful streamlined look. Also, they last forever with virtually zero maintenance. Read the post"coaster brakes rule".

Here is a single speed Bendix coaster hub I bought on Ebay. It's really grimy, and not very pretty to look at. I'd better clean it up and tune it before I mount it on a wheel:


Take is apart, keeping the parts in order for easy reassembly, and clean with a small wire brush, steel wool and a rag. Remove all the old grease. Polish those parts until they look as new as possible:


Grease it back up. I like to use high temperature truck grease; it allows for a smooth silent functioning of the hub:


Put it back together, adjusting the pressure on the bearings so that it runs smoothly, but doesn't jiggle. Make sure the axle is centered:


Here is where this one's going:

Next: a little lesson on wheel building...

Ain't complete without a bell...

A bicycle bell is a cool, useful piece of equipment, and it's required by NY state law. I always try to find good looking old ones with a nice sound.

Garage Find: 1950s Bauer Girls Bicycle