The Red Bike....She Is Done!!!

[KarenG]

Finally. After having this bike since last November, courtesy of a friend on another cycling forum, I have pretty much got it in a ride-able condition. Granted, I'm still having a bit of trouble with the brakes, probably going to get new ones, but I'm not the patient type and wanted to go ahead and post about the bike.

A few minor things left to do...get the brakes a-working & trim cables is about it. The brakes are stuck, meaning when I mash them closed, they will not open up. I have loosened the cables and tried this also, but they're still not working. I'll take them off this weekend and see if I can get them workable.

My friend, Glenn, donated this bike to me last year when I said I wish I had a beater to ride. He said that it was too big for his wife and too small for him. Fits me well. :)

When I received the bike, it was a beater bike for sure! Dirty, greasy, nasty, paint chips/peeling...my personality just doesn't sit well with that...I knew I was going to have to fix this bike up. Here's what she looked like to begin with:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC01327800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC01467800x600.jpg

So, I searched around and found someone in Cary that did powdercoating and took the frame there for a nice red paint job.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC01558800x600.jpg

Then, I needed a new groupo. I looked around on ebay and saw this Shimano Arabesque stuff. Me, not knowing anything about the groupo, did know this - I liked the look of that stuff and proceeded to purchase a group. Damn, that stuff is nice looking. :)
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Arabesque%20Group/DSC01358800x600.jpg

Once I got everything, it had to be cleaned because it was really dirty/greasy. Cleaned everything up and started the install, which, obviously, has taken quite a bit of time. Well, not really. If I would have just got busy and worked on it, I could have had the bike together and ride-able months ago....

She's slowly coming together:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/IMG_0083800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/IMG_0090800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/SSMRegalBlacknWhite800x600.jpg

A couple of months pass by...my SU keeps asking me what I'm gonna do with the bike? Ummm, I'm gonna keep it, why? He thought it was pointless, that I'd never finish it. Well, you know what...he was wrong as hell.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02306800x600.jpg

*edit* yes, i know the cable housings are too long...and the cable themselves....i'm not quite done with the brakes, so they will stay long-ish until i'm done with the brakes.

[KarenG]

A few more pics from tonight. I hope to get some of her outside tomorrow evening and will post those soon...

I think I'm going to see about getting a local airbrush guy (does motorcycle gas tanks) to put either "wolfpack" on her or "wulfpakk kitteh". I also want to see about some kind of headbadge...the one that came on it, cleaned up well, on the backside, but the frontside would not come clean.

Anyways....

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02295800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02299800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02298800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02302800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02303800x600.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02301800x600.jpg

*edit* yes, i know the cable housings are too long...and the cable themselves....i'm not quite done with the brakes, so they will stay long-ish until i'm done with the brakes.

[williamtash]

Awesome bike you did a great job with it

[KarenG]

thanks!

Tim - I unscrewed that limit screw that was touching the inside of the rear dr - she now shifts through all the gears in the back. :) Thanks for the suggestion! K.

[Pugslyyy]

Really nice Karen - looks good.

[KarenG]

thanks Jon. now, i just need to get working brakes! fred flintstone stoppage is kinda hard - found out last night while riding up & down my street!

[TracyW]

Great looking bike Karen........

Haha, I thought I was the only one with jerseys in the living room ;).

[KarenG]

lol

unfortunately, those are gonna be going up for sale soon. all the ones i have from last year (RC Cola, KOM, Jelly Belly, etc) are too big for me now.

[TracyW]

Well I'm sorry they are too big for you now ;). (Not really.....very happy!)

So when you need smaller jerseys, are you growing out of one size or are you growing into a smaller?

[KarenG]

ummm, lets say growing into smaller ones. :D

[RoverDave]

very nice K!!!

[paul]

Great Karen. I'd like to get a fixer upper one day

[gary smith]

Some suggestions for the brakes. Make sure you have brake housing with a liner in it. Secondly --- change cable to a Shimano cable (not all brake cables are the same thickness). Lastly put more tension on the brakes by pulling on the spring. Unhook spring and bend it outward on both sides and then put back into brake. You make the brake more spingy.

[KarenG]

well, i have the brakes working. seems like i was just really frustrated and lost any patience i had that evening...worked on the brakes the next evening and they work fine now.

i did purchase shimano cables/housings.

[gary smith]

On the close up picture of the rear derailleur -- it appears that the adjusting barrel is upside down. The cable housing seems to be directly on the derailleur and not going into the adjusting barrel.

[REI Staff]

very cool looking bike... actually i have one that is very close in color (but yours is prettier with the white seat and tape)
-paul

[KarenG]

oh yea!!!! maiden voyage last night!!! that bike rocks!!!!! something like 28mi/17.5avg. i owe Tim a huge hug for getting her all fine tuned and rideable. shifting was smooth - still learning which way to move the shifters for easier/harder gearing, but it will come. i /love/ my bike!! :)

no other pics, but maybe i'll get one later today...she's going riding again i think. :) oh yea, and her name is Tina. ;)

[JayC]

and her name is Tina. ;)

Cue obscure movie reference

Tina, come get some ham.

[ChrisA]

Nice looking Tina! You did a good job on her and it is nice to see a vintage bike well taken care of.

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

Cue obscure movie reference

Tina, come get some ham.

Nice!

On a more serious note, the bike looks/sounds amazing. Glad your work paid off.

[KarenG]

thanks guys!! i just need a name for the other bike now....

[JayC]

thanks guys!! i just need a name for the other bike now....

Kip? Napolean? Uncle Rico? PEDRO!!!!!

SLEDGEHAMMER!

Napoleon Dynamite (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1417647/): What kind of bike do you have?
Pedro (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0708293/): It's a sledgehammer.
Napoleon Dynamite (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1417647/): Dang! You got shocks, pegs... lucky! You ever take it off any sweet jumps?
Napoleon Dynamite (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1417647/): [Cut to Pedro jumping] You got like three feet of air that time. Gotta keep the theme going ;)

Glad you got it done :D

[KarenG]

yea, i understand the theme...but i want a girl's name....:D

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

yea, i understand the theme...but i want a girl's name....:D

How about Reba or Ruby?

[soarallover]

Cleo

[KarenG]

hmmmm. Ruby & Tina. Cleo & Tina. Reba & Tina.

eeny, meeny, minee, moe
catch a tiger by the toe
if he hollars, let him go
eeny, meeny, minee, moe......:D

[KarenG]

ok, here ya go...Tina likes for her pics to be taken. :)

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02857800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/Red%20Bike/DSC02858800x600.jpg