Amazing amazing freecycle bikes...

[Jonny69]

Freecycle strikes again!

I wanted to shorten my commute a bit by keeping a bicycle at each end. I already have a freecycle bike that owes me next to nothing but it's a smart bit of kit: ultra-lightweight Reynolds 531 frame, alloy sprint wheels, super skinny tyres, classic Flite saddle and I can't risk leaving it chained up at a station because there's no way I'll be able to replace it. So I put the word out for a junk bike that I can do up, or a frame for me to make a bike up out of my stash of parts.

I've ended up with two more bikes but I'm sort of back where I started :D

Bike number one is a small-wheeled Raleigh RSW 16 from 1966. It's in fab original condition, rack on the back, dynamo front and back lights and 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub, in dark green. Info here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/rsw.html

So that's quite collectable and they fetch a reasonable amount on eBay.

Bike number two the lady said it was ancient and had skinny wheels and probably too far gone for me to use. Worse case scenario all I needed was the frame and it would have to be pretty dead to not be able to use. I picked it up earlier, it's quite a pretty bike with curvy old-style bars and my first thought was blimey this is light! Had a look online, it's a Viscount which was an aerospace company that used chrome moly tubes in their bikes and alloy forks. Mine doesn't have alloy forks, they are chrome which apparently was due to a recall in 1978. Info here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lambert.html

Amazing!

So two sets of tyres and tubes later and I'm the owner of another couple of cracking bikes. Better invest in more locks :D

I'll get some pics soon but here's a pic of the Reynolds one I got a while back:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/racer/IMG_3000.JPG

[Jonny69]

Here's the Viscount.

Back home a quick inspection showed it all to be fine. Set of new tyres, new saddle and a bit of spannering and it'll be great. I looked up the brand online and it turns out to be a chrome moly frame and would have had dropped bars and alloy wheels originally. That's all gone but the frame, forks and stem remain.

This is what it looks like after some tyres and a thorough clean:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5451.JPG

I've flipped the road bars over, re-wrapped them, taken the front derailleur off so it's just got the 5 gears at the back, deleted the back brake and mudguard and pulled the saddle right out. Detail pics...

Stem:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5454.JPG

Front mudguard remains:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5455.JPG

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5456.JPG

Flipped bars:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5457.JPG

Chrome fork, as per 1978 recall (see link above):

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5460.JPG

Oh and last but not least this is the pile of stuff I didn't need :D:

http://www.jonny69.co.uk/uploads/bikes/Viscount/IMG_5461.JPG

[Jonny69]

So I did a whole day commute on it yesterday, which is two 20 minute sprints. It rides ok in the dry, bit of a warp in the front wheel, but the brakes aren't great and make an annoying whizzing noise when applied. I put the pads off my racer on to see if it would improve them but it didn't. The wheels have a chrome sort of dimpled finish which appears to cause the poor braking. When they get wet they don't work at all and don't seem to want to clear the water away either which is annoying. Pedals are a bit irritating and poke through my shoe soles so they need changing.

I think this is going to be a fair weather bike based on the brakes. I know that goes against my hotrodding roots but they literally don't work when they are wet.

I could get new rims but I'm not going to pursue it unless something very cheap comes up. Otherwise the free bike will suddenly become a money pit, so I'll just use it when it's dry. This was supposed to be a cheap bit of fun after all and I'm keen not to break the 'money in' vs 'resale value' barrier. At the moment it owes me £19 if I don't put the new saddle on and a new set of light wheels will set me back about £45. It's not expensive this stuff but it mounts up quite quickly.

I need to remember the lock is worth more than the bike. I should get annoyed when the lock is stolen, not the bike...

[Jonny69]

I used the racer today in light of the damp weather and bad brakes. In comparison it's a true road weapon. It eats hills and on the flat it goes like a bullet. I think I know what my daily transport is from now on...

[Feek]

You've done amazingly well on freecycle, I tried for a while with our local group but it's crap.

[Jonny69]

I think it's a matter of asking for the right things in the right way. My local one is baby stuff and breast pumps most of the time.

[IainB]

Sweet haul there J69 :evil:
If you ever need to shift some on, I would be more than happy to take them off your hands....the Luton one...well is a bit carp actually :'(
I could do with a ratter to get me to the gym now its getting lighter!