Category Archives: Bikes

Bike project: 1971 Schwinn Super Sport

Posted by Verne on May 7, 2013 None comments

Here’s my latest (and hopefully last for a while) bike project – a 1971 Schwinn Super Sport. These bikes were fillet-brazed by hand. This type of construction is fairly uncommon in modern bikes. You can read more about these bikes here: http://sheldonbrown.com/schwinn-braze.html

This bike received a thorough cleaning and greasing. I converted the heavy one-piece Ashtabula crank to a modern 3-piece crank using an insert and sealed bottom bracket. I also upgraded most of the heavy steel groupset with decent vintage suntour parts from a more modern Schwinn bike that was converted to single speed.

It weighs in at 29 pounds as pictured. I find the ride quick, maneuverable, and fairly comfortable. The smooth fillets and bright yellow paint are quite lickably pleasing!

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Project of the day: 3-speed hub refurbish

Posted by Verne on March 2, 2013 None comments

I’m recovering from the flu. My body is still wonky, but the brain is bored, bored, bored. I’ve been doing some work on my Raleigh Tourist seeing if I can get the antique rod brakes up to snuff (more in another post). As a result, I’ve ended up with a couple of vintage/antique 3-speed hubs. I’ve taken them completely apart, scraped off 50+ year-old gunk, greased, and totally refurbished them. The middle hub is a Sturmey Archer AW from the mid-70′s. The closest is a fairly rare Brampton from the 1950′s. It’s a better quality clone of the AW. The hub in the rear is a new dynamo hub – no need to rebuild.

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Great Wall of Bikes

Posted by Verne on December 11, 2012 None comments

Figured out a good way to store the English 3-speeds. I plan to post a page with pretty photos in the spring, but this will do for now.
In order from left to right:

  • 1976 Raleigh Space Rider kids’ bike
  • 1967-69 Hercules gent’s 23″

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  • 1979 Raleigh Sports lady’s 18.5″

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  • 1974 Raleigh Sports gents 23″

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  • 1977 Raleigh Tourist gents 24″

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  • 1970 Robin Hood lady’s 19.5″ (left)

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  • 1968 Raleigh Tourist lady’s 22″

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Past Projects: Center steer bike

Posted by Verne on September 10, 2012 None comments

This bike is my version of a center-steer, negative-trail “Python” recumbent bike that I built around 5 years ago. It was my first welding project and my first bike. This style of bike is supposed to be unrideable. This isn’t the case in reality; it’s just difficult and takes practice.

For me, it was more of a proof of concept, rather than something to ride seriously. The frame is in my garage attic and most of the components have found homes in other projects.


Bike project: 1978ish Huffy Sea Pines

Posted by Verne on September 7, 2012 2 comments

Here’s a 70′s vintage ladies Huffy “Sea Pines” 3-speed I picked up for cheap. It’s slated to be a birthday present for my mom (so don’t mention it to her until after the end of the month, please!). It needed refurbishment badly. After disassembly, cleaning, rust removal, polishing, and a few new parts, it looks very good and runs at least as good as new.

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More photos and stuff after the jump!

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Past Projects: Recumbent Long Racer

Posted by Verne on May 21, 2012 None comments

I built this bike about 4-5 years ago and won a few things from instructables.com for the effort. Also, I ended up with a pretty sweet ride! Here’s the link to build your own: http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-long-wheelbase-low-racer-recumbent-bicycle/. I still haven’t got around to painting it, but I have high hopes for next spring! This year has been full of other pressing bike projects (which I plan to post photos of soon).

Here’s a video of the bike during a test run:


Spring project: tandem fix-up

Posted by Verne on April 8, 2012 None comments

My mid-90′s Trek tandem was due for some alterations. It was getting to be unridable because of the handlebar and seat setup. I would get upper back and arm numbness. I picked up new riser bars, Cloud 9 seats, cork grips, and home built wooden fenders. I’m quite pleased with the results.

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Project of the day: a gentleman’s bike light

Posted by Verne on April 8, 2012 4 comments

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One should have a proper brass oil lamp for safe evening bicycling treks. Yes, it works quite well, throws off a nice amount of light, and stays lit at cruising speeds.


Spring project: single speed/fixie road bike

Posted by Verne on March 29, 2012 None comments

The first of my three bike projects this spring, this is an 80′s vintage Concord Freedom 12 that I’ve converted to single speed. I picked it up at the local thrift store for $15 a few years ago for the $40 saddle that was on it. I kept it around because on the nice large frame that fit me well. I completely disassembled, cleaned, washed, waxed, oiled, and greased everything. I also removed everything that I deemed unnecessary for a single speed. Many people go with one or no brakes and use the pedals to slow down with a fixed gear bike. I’m not overly thrilled with trading a very small amount of weight for safety. Also, being a flip-flop hub, I want two separate breaking mechanisms when using the freewheel side.

The saddle is from an 80′s Raliegh. It’s old, but it’s in good condition, fully sprung, and comfy. I’d like to replace it with a Brooks b135 next year. There’s a new moustache handlebar wrapped with cork tape. It looks racier flipped down, but my back isn’t up to that these days.

I took a chance on a Retrospec 700c flip-flop hub wheelset. It was pretty cheap on Amazon.com. They need some touch-up trueing, but I’m happy with them. There’s new single-speed chain and new pedals with toe cages and straps (I’m not a clipless fan).

It’s by far my lightest bike. I need to get mirrors, bags, and lights installed, but for well under $200, I’m very pleased with the outcome.

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Project of the day: bike wheel lacing

Posted by Verne on March 17, 2012 None comments

Cleaned, greased, and re-laced an 80′s vintage 27″ wheel for my recumbent today. It’s on the original bike while I wait for a replacement 700C wheelset to arrive.

I tried out a non-standard lacing pattern. I like the looks, but will likely only do the front wheel as it isn’t quite as strong (but plenty strong for this purpose).

I just need to finish trueing it and it’ll be ready for the trails!

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Update: I may do a rear wheel if I can dig around for spokes of the correct length amidst my pile of wheels. I have two decent vintage 27″ wheels with new tires now for my recumbent. I may re-lace one with this pattern for toodling around and keep one with standard lacing for long rides.

Update: It doesn’t look like I have the spokes I would need, so no rear wheel after all.