Show your bicycles, sans engines!

[Ulu]

First mockup begins.

[Ulu]

I heated up the frame and froze the adapters and press plates. It still took about a ton of forced to press them into the frame.

 

It still took about a ton of forced to press them into the frame.

 

 

The adapters are in and the bottom bracket sealed bearing kit is installed. That’s the Shimano 600 crank arm and sprocket Paul Flaming gave me after I worked on his Volkswagen.

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Ulu

[cheesy]

This followed me home today.

 

It's a barely used 1987 Raleigh Technium 440. Other than a new old saddle and new tires, I'm not going to molested this one. Even leaving those damn 'Turkey Leg' brake levers and 'Jewel Snagger' shifters on there.

 

These were a technological breakthrough when released in 1986. The three main tubes are heat treated aluminum bonded to internal steel lugs. Not brazed or welded. The seat and chain stays, along with the front fork, are cro-mo steel. Those parts are brazed.

 

There were four models. The 420, 440, 460, and the 480. All models used the same frame but the higher the number, the better the parts hung on the frame.

 

Back when I was doing ultra-distance racing in the late 80s, early 90s, we called these bikes 'screwed and glued together' because the main tubes and internal lugs are basically Loc-tited together. Must have been an okay way because it's still together after 35 years.

[Ulu]

The adhesive just keeps moisture out if the joints. The tubes are pressed on hot and then shrink to grab the steel. There have been a number of weird bicycles built like this over the ages, with aluminum and steel parts shrunk and pressed together.

I put some 140mm arms on the little rainbow bike. The pedals don’t drag anymore.

 

 

 

[Merle Coggins]

Here’s Ulu’s next bicycle project… ?

(stollen from Facebook)

[Veemoney]

A chebbie?

[Ulu]

 

Well Thanksgiving went off without a hitch and there was lots of bicycle riding.

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Ulu

[Ulu]

Pressing out the head cups.

 

 

This bicycle had odd size head bearings so I am replacing them with standard ones.

 

[Ulu]

Mostly assembled, but the chain rubs a little and the seat is too low. 

 

This is still not structurally sound, and only a mock up of the geometry. Right now the rear axle will pivot up and down.

[Ulu]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:17 AM, Merle Coggins said:

Here’s Ulu’s next bicycle project… ?

(stollen from Facebook)

Where’s the gas tank?

[Merle Coggins]

5 hours ago, Ulu said:

Where’s the gas tank?

Well, I did mention it was a ‘project’… ?

[pflaming]

My kids had these.

[Ulu]

Yeah, by the time those came out I was too old for them.

 

But not anymore!

 

 

[Ulu]

I’m doing these out of tempered 301 stainless steel. It’s not as easy to work with as mild steel but it’s definitely strong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Ulu

[Ulu]

I did not polish anything yet but I did sand all the edges neatly and I deburred all the holes.

 

Here’s my first test fit up, but I haven’t drilled all the holes yet.

 

[Merle Coggins]

Interesting frame extensions... ?

[Ulu]

I was afraid they would be Really flimsy, but they don’t appear to be at all. I took it for the first ride this morning and did circles and figure eights around the cul-de-sac, and it rides well.

Better than I expected actually & my main concern at this point is that I haven’t reinforced the seat. It is so flimsy at this point I did not dare try to wheelie the bike. I put 25 welds on the other one to make it sturdy.

[cheesy]

The short shakedown ride on the new to me Raleigh Technium was uneventful, which is a good thing. New tires and tubes, greasing the bearings, a replacement saddle and a wipe down was all it took to get this 36 year old bike bike back on the road. The last time I used stem shifters was on a Schwinn Varsity sometime in the mid sixties. I did not like them then and I do not like them now. I said I won't molest this bike but I do have a pair of bar end shifters looking for a home. We'll see.

 

As far as how it rides, very similar to my Miyata's and my bikes built with Reynolds 531 tubes, stiff but not harsh. Meaning your fillings stay in and the frame doesn't flex much when climbing or hammering. The handling is neutral, so it goes where you point it. I will need to retrain myself on using derailleurs, though. Too many years on fixed gears and 3 speeds.

 

I think I'll keep it in the herd for Old Phart rides.

[Ulu]

It seems I have reached the limit for photo hosting here. I’ve done a lot more work to the bike, and added more chrome and stainless. I have also made 4 new seat struts and working on a custom tail light.

 

The system says I can only add 103.13 kb, so not much for a photo. These are pretty lo-rez.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Ulu

[Ulu]

That was the heatsink from a bulb similar to this one.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Ulu

[Ulu]

I found chrome acorn nuts for the axle in 3/8-24 which is nuts since that is a Chinese made Hi-Stop coaster.

 

With 4 struts, chrome nuts, and lots of hardened stainless bolts, this is very sturdy. It It is stiffer than expected, and very light.

My first test rides were encouraging.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Ulu

[Ulu]

I’ve been working on a custom headlight and tail light. Solar powered. I created these from various junk and some solar powered yard lights.

 

This was a tail light lens from my dad’s old trailer. I cut it down into sort of a tombstone shape.

The headlight is basically the body of a burned out skil router. The rounded back was the base from a lamp. The grill came from a computer fan and the lens was part of a CD jewel case. The gasket was cut from a windshield wiper rubber.

It’s mounted on part of a skateboard truck that I cut down.

This is the first test circuitry, and it’s quite ugly but it proves that I could gang these LEDs together and create a stronger light.

I think the danger here is that if you get one battery that starts to go bad or one charging panel or one regulator circuit, the whole lamp will go haywire. Anyhow it’s all just for show.

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Ulu

[Ulu]

Test photo,Before the special circuitry, I just stuck a little flashlight inside the housing and turned it on.

This is the light assembled with the real LED circuits and Ni-mh battery pack.

 

 

[Ulu]

I want to post some pictures of the completed headlamp but it appears that I have reached the limit of my allowable data storage.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Ulu

[Ulu]