|
if it was complete you could swap out the death stem and have a cool old bike. but if it's already been SS converted with unremarkable modern parts and the paint isn't like-new i wouldn't pay more than $100, and i'd be gunning for $60
|
#
?
Jun 6, 2022 23:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 00:18 |
|
|
Re: '70s French bike chat I don't think it's worth it if you want something easy to maintain. The first thing I see in that pic are the original steel rims, which are heavy, don't have hooks to keep the tire seated, kinda suck for braking and are 27" which you can still find tires for, but options are limited. The other thing that I just struggled to fix on my old French bike was the seat post slipping because they metal around that thing got all bent out of shape and the post was also warped. It comes with a shim and then the seat post is some weird size that they don't make anymore and mine even had a bit reamed out where the shim goes and so lower in the tube it was tighter. This means that using a larger seatpost without the shim is impossible. Luckily for me there's a volunteer run shop that specializes in old bikes and has a ton of parts on hand. Moral of the story is that they're a pain. Hadlock posted:Update on friend? I heard he's learning how to walk again, so thank god he's alive. It's definitely made me even more hyper vigilant looking both ways when the light turns green before going because people run red lights all the time where I live. Mauser fucked around with this message at 15:23 on Jun 7, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 15:19
|
|
|
yeah I'm going to check out the Masi Riser, the 58 is not available, but they do have a 56. 60 might be too big but I'll give it a test anyway.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 18:38
|
|
|
I feel like I must be missing something about this bike geometry calculator. I put in the values for the size 60 riser from here https://www.shredshop.com/masi-2022-riser-single-speed-road-bike-pr3e25517/p but it shows the stack as being only 542 mm? https://tinyurl.com/3dbvts9p
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 18:50
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:I feel like I must be missing something about this bike geometry calculator. I put in the values for the size 60 riser from here You’re probably missing other measurements needed to actually calculate the stack. https://99spokes.com/bikes/masi/2019/uno-riser The frame looks the same and has the 60 with a stack of 598mm.
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 19:12
|
|
|
Literally Lewis Hamilton posted:You’re probably missing other measurements needed to actually calculate the stack. thanks! yeah I guess the other info wasn't provided. my ideal reach is 391, and stack 584. 58 has better stack for me, but 56 better reach!
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 19:36
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:are there sites that show specs for old french bikes? I assembled so many of those when I worked at Brands Bicycles (NY). We called them "Embryo Cycles" because they came in opaque heat shrink plastic. When I was 15 I got one of these after destroying a Raleigh 10 speed by slipping a rear wheel and bending the frame. My mom gave the dealer grief and they exchanged it for a Peugeot PX10e. 
|
|
#
?
Jun 7, 2022 20:45
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:thanks! yeah I guess the other info wasn't provided. my ideal reach is 391, and stack 584. 58 has better stack for me, but 56 better reach! Run a 56 with spacers
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 01:37
|
|
|
Late to chat but I have the nicest commute I’ve ever had 3 miles each way with 95% on a dedicated bike path through a park. I’m 6’3” and ride a XL/61cm.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 17:47
|
|
|
does this bike also have the stem that will kill me? https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/bik/d/minneapolis-bottecchia-26in-single-speed/7486503645.html
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 21:41
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:does this bike also have the stem that will kill me? Not french so almost certainly not. Also not-French stems are much easier to swap.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 22:09
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:does this bike also have the stem that will kill me? 26 inches is equivalent to 66cm and I think you said 57 is your ideal size Unless you're 9 feet tall, that bike is going to be unrideable, or at least castrate you the first time you need to do an emergency stop Stem is fine, single piece
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 22:23
|
|
|
Hadlock posted:26 inches is equivalent to 66cm and I think you said 57 is your ideal size Given that the seller listed the frame material as aluminium, I'm not sure the measurement was done that carefully.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 22:33
|
|
|
Hadlock posted:26 inches is equivalent to 66cm and I think you said 57 is your ideal size I was going to say, I did the conversion but I've never heard of anything >60 cm, so I thought it was a typo this one also claims to be a 26" frame https://neworleans.craigslist.org/bik/d/kenner-bottecchia-rare-50-yrs-old-needs/7478217020.html
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 22:33
|
|
|
SimonSays posted:Given that the seller listed the frame material as aluminium, I'm not sure the measurement was done that carefully. If that skinny tube frame was actually aluminum it should be in a museum so no one ever has to risk death by riding it.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2022 22:57
|
|
|
oXDemosthenesXo posted:If that skinny tube frame was actually aluminum it should be in a museum so no one ever has to risk death by riding it. Maybe the wall thickness is 2mm, pal.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 00:37
|
|
|
Just looking at the proportion of head tube to wheel diameter, looks like a Really Tall bike for anyone not at least 6'3"
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 00:43
|
|
|
TobinHatesYou posted:Maybe the wall thickness is 2mm, pal. The diameter of the tube is at least if not more important than the wall thickness for increasing stiffness. Early aluminum bikes were reportedly super soft and terrifying to ride because of this.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 00:49
|
|
|
oXDemosthenesXo posted:Early aluminum bikes were reportedly super soft and terrifying to ride because of this. I had a 70s Schwinn 754 with steel-diametered tubes. It rode very comfortably, but in a way that was surely fatiguing to the frame. I sold it to a goon and a couple years later the DT snapped clean.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 06:00
|
|
|
oXDemosthenesXo posted:The diameter of the tube is at least if not more important than the wall thickness for increasing stiffness. I was talking about strength, not stiffness. You mentioned risking death, which to means a broken bike, not necessarily a flexy/compliant one.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 06:08
|
|
|
Because aluminum can take very little deformation before it fails, so flexy often means likely to break. Add the fatigue from riding like kimbo mentioned, and tubes in that geometry aren't going to be very durable. Modern aluminum frames are designed to be very stiff to avoid deforming the metal to help avoid this problem.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 07:36
|
|
|
here's my old French bike I've been complaining about. Posted this before but now with all the housing the same color, replaced the seat post and clamp thing for the saddle because those were ruined. The volunteer bike shop guy recommended grinding out some of the metal around the seat tube where it clamps the post and he got it working again so that the seat doesn't slide downwards, replaced the rear brake cable hanger thing since the old one was broken, also replaced the garbage brake pads and now I can brake. I also got rid of the suicide brake levers and replaced them with normal ones and added the little hood covers. I think I need to adjust their position though because they're a little uncomfortable. All of this was recently. Before that I had the wheels replaced with some cheap ones from the bike shop after both of them had issues and I had to put the bar end shifters in when the original shifter lever bracket snapped off. I got around to adding some nice bar tape too just for fun.  so it's been a lot of fun and the bike shop i mentioned specializes in old bikes and has tons of old second-hand parts on hand. They sell them all for a few dollars each and will help you with repairs and let you use their shop tools for a $10 fee. I donated quite a bit over that for all the help they've given me. I found a much better front derailleur there for like $2 so I'll replace that eventually. edit: I think that the rear tire is sitting on some poison ivy that I need to take care of Mauser fucked around with this message at 15:27 on Jun 9, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 15:19
|
|
|
all those issues aside, that is a beautiful bike!
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 17:20
|
|
|
oXDemosthenesXo posted:Because aluminum can take very little deformation before it fails, so flexy often means likely to break. Add the fatigue from riding like kimbo mentioned, and tubes in that geometry aren't going to be very durable. You ever tried to flex a 2mm wall thickness 1.25" alloy tube? The extra wall thickness inherently adds stiffness. The reason why it's not done is because it would be TOO stiff while also making the entire bike heavier (and more expensive.)
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 18:03
|
|
|
That Tubus worth more than the rest of the bike.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 18:15
|
|
|
kimbo305 posted:That Tubus worth more than the rest of the bike. I could go either way on the leather saddle.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 18:21
|
|
|
CopperHound posted:I cannot stand for this bar end shifter hate. A Swift is much more expensive than a pair of Dia-Compe ENE bar-ends. The Swift and the Tubus for sure are worth more than the Motobécane ever was new tho. E: I really like the handsome Motobécane! It's got very sensible upgrades.
|
|
#
?
Jun 9, 2022 20:52
|
|
|
Oh yeah, the shifters were something like $50, the brooks saddle I had previously, but was over $100, and the tubus rack was also over $100. I don't mind those expenses because they'll go on a new bike if this one ever kicks the bucket. I paid $70 for the bicycle, which is about how much the leather bar tape costs. Not a cheap commuter option, but that's not really why I got it. It's been a project that I bought off my brother who found it somewhere and I knew it was going to be a bit of work. I really love it and it's been pretty fun working on it despite the downtime when I haven't been able to ride it for various reasons or when it's stranded me places and made me replace something. Now that I discovered that volunteer place all the future replacement parts are going to be very cheap and one of the guys there already mentioned that the BB might need replacing and they have French threaded ones on hand when that happens.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 01:54
|
|
|
I'm going to check out this one, it already has the fenders and chain guard which is nice. obviously some rust but that can be dealt with, as I would definitely take it to a shop right away anyway. 27" is probably a bit narrow for city biking but we'll see. it looks like it's a 42/18 which should be good to achieve grandma speeds https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/bik/d/saint-paul-specialized-globe-daily/7475677005.html actionjackson fucked around with this message at 16:52 on Jun 10, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 16:50
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:I'm going to check out this one, it already has the fenders and chain guard which is nice. obviously some rust but that can be dealt with, as I would definitely take it to a shop right away anyway. 27" is probably a bit narrow for city biking but we'll see. it looks like it's a 42/18 which should be good to achieve grandma speeds Probably gonna be small for you, just eyeballing the frame and assuming it's 700c and 27". I just... have trouble believing Spec ever had a bike built around 630C. And also 27" is referring to the wheel diameter, not the tire width. Surface rust doesn't matter that much outside of on the chain, where it might force you to get a new one. Other places, you can try to scrub it off with balled up aluminum foil. I don't think the shop would offer de-rusting cleanup as a service, but they might. But def check it out.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 17:01
|
|
|
I'm close to pulling the trigger on a new commuter bike for light chores/recreational riding, and I've got my eye on this: https://www.purecycles.com/collections/pure-city-classic-bikes/products/pure-city-classic-bike?variant=36735691402 Thoughts? I know I'm not providing anything in the way of specifics, but I'm just kind of curious about the brand, as Pure Cycles seems like a lesser known manufacturer? Anything in particular to watch out for?
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 17:04
|
|
|
kimbo305 posted:Probably gonna be small for you, just eyeballing the frame and assuming it's 700c and 27". I just... have trouble believing Spec ever had a bike built around 630C. oh that's right, 27" wide tires would be pretty funny. they are 700x28c specialized has the specs on their website. I calculated this would give a reach of 420 (which is a lot) but a stack of only 543 https://tinyurl.com/4x35byzz
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 17:31
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:oh that's right, 27" wide tires would be pretty funny. they are 700x28c Crazy that the geo chart on the manufacturer website doesn't give reach. 420 is a lot... for drop bars. It's not as bad for flat bars. Definitely not bad with those swept back handles.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 17:36
|
|
|
kimbo305 posted:Crazy that the geo chart on the manufacturer website doesn't give reach. 420 is a lot... for drop bars. It's not as bad for flat bars. Definitely not bad with those swept back handles. I've noticed several geometry pages that mention everything BUT stack and reach for whatever reason
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 18:53
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:I've noticed several geometry pages that mention everything BUT stack and reach for whatever reason Cause you don't usually design for a given stack or reach, they're derived measurements and are mainly helpful for people who buy bikes online. They should of course publish it, it's trivial to do, but those numbers aren't considered much if at all in the internal design drawings.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 19:11
|
|
|
SimonSays posted:They should of course publish it, it's trivial to do, but those numbers aren't considered much if at all in the internal design drawings.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 20:24
|
|
|
SimonSays posted:Cause you don't usually design for a given stack or reach,
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2022 23:52
|
|
|
CopperHound posted:I guess that would explain why so many XS bikes have longer reach than S. That one is because you can't import a bike into the US that has toe overlap, but manufacturers don't want to spook customers with an appropriate wheel size for their frame size.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2022 02:31
|
|
|
Heavens forfend one should have a road bike with anything but 700C
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2022 02:32
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 00:18 |
|
|
I've been Citi Biking around NYC for the past three weeks - first time on a bike in, idk, 15 years? - and really enjoying it. Now I'm out of my free trial and debating between coughing up $185 for a year of Citi Bike or just going ahead and buying a bike. NYC has a plethora of local bike shops, but it seems like none of them have, like, accurate online inventory, and it's really hard to tell which stores actually carry the brands I'm interested in. I thought about buying used on Craigslist or whatever, but being a novice, I feel like it'd be pretty easy for me to get scammed, plus a lot of bikes are going for basically the same cost they were new, and without a transferable warranty that seems like a bad deal! I was looking at a Brilliant Cooper (https://www.brilliant.co/collections/bicycles/products/cooper?variant=28827810562125), which ships fast and seems easy to self-assemble. Now, all of these things say "after assembling this, take it to a bike shop to get it checked out before riding." Is this... one of those things they put up for legal reasons but most people probably don't do? Seems weird to walk into a bike shop and be like "hey can you tell me if I hosed this up?" Like what do you even pay for that? I don't mind the idea of paying for someone to assemble it just to make sure I don't kill myself forgetting to tighten some nuts or whatever, just kind of miffed about the lead times (ordering through Brilliant gives a bunch of local assembly options but they all are like two or so weeks away). Also if there's anything else in this like $500-1000 range that I should be looking for, especially something that I can get in NYC, happily taking alternative suggestions.
|
|
#
?
Jun 16, 2022 19:17
|
|
