Project Mania 2

Here's a quick progress report. I've been concentrating on the Lotus while I wait on the construction of a set of 700c wheels:

I replaced the narrow handlebars and brake levers that were originally mounted on the Lotus. The old Shimano 600 levers showed some battle scars.

I was going to remove the brake levers and throw them in my parts pile until I noticed that they were attached to the bars with a nut. There just wasn't enough space to get a socket in there. I threw them aside and moved on.

My package from Velo Orange arrived this afternoon with a pair of MKS Touring Pedals, a brass bell and a very nice replacement set of brake levers. I like the look of the non-aero brake levers.

Since I'll be switching from 27" wheels to 700c, I decided to replace the original Shimano 600 brakes with a pair of long reach Tektros.

I rode over to Half Priced Books this weekend and bought a few maintenance books. I was looking for old books because all I work on are old bikes. I struck gold with this 1986 book from Bicycling Magazine, the repair guide in the center was published in 1972. The Park Tool repair guide is practically brand new, it was printed in 2008.

It's Been a Long Week

It's been a long week! Work and an undetermined stomach ailment yesterday kept me off the bike. Me and my younger son Isaac took a short ride together this afternoon. He rode my touring bike, which he is too big for, and I rode my other son's Lotus. It still needs some TLC but it's riding pretty smooth. I like the way the drop bars look on this old bike but I have a hard time adjusting to them. After having ridden upright for past several years, drop bars just feel unnatural now.

I'm in the process of getting my body used to riding longer distances, which for me is anything over thirty miles. Cooler weather is just around the corner and overnight bike camping trips to exotic locales are in the works. By exotic I mean anywhere outside of the Metroplex. I'll do at least thirty six miles tomorrow and slowly increase my distance till I feel comfortable doing rides of sixty to seventy miles.

Some Progress on the Lotus

I came home early from work today so I set about making some minor changes to my son's Lotus. I removed the toe clips and straps. I also removed the painfully inadequate original saddle and replaced it with the well broken in saddle from the Raleigh Folder. As funds allow I'll be replacing the brake hoods, bar tape, and all cables. I also need to find a way to add water bottle cages. So far I've replaced the chain and wheelset, these items were cannibalized from my wife's bike, she's not using it at the moment. These changes made a huge improvement in the way the bike rides and sounds, it's smooth and quiet. With the minor changes done, I'm now just sitting in my house with curtains drawn and fans blowing, hiding from the oppressive heat. It's 105 degrees today (that 40.6 Celsius for you folks from outside the U.S.)! If everything works out I may go for a ride after sunset.

This is the first time that I've come across this type of seatpost where the nuts unscrew towards each other. It's not my favorite setup. It's an old SR.

I plan to replace Wrights with a new Brooks.

Velo-Orange sells clamps that can be used to attach water bottle cages in the manner pictured below. I also found this one site that details practically every possible manner of mounting a water bottle to your bike.

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You guys know how much I like discovering new blogs. Especially new blogs by locals. Check out Musings of a Wannabe Wanderer and find out what the picture below is all about. Be sure to welcome him to the wonderful world of blogging.

The Newest Old Bike

A short time ago I mentioned that my oldest son had left home for the Air Force, well, about fourteen days into basic training he came down with a serious case of the flu. To make a long story short, it was explained to him that the Air Force needed to trim off six thousand new recruits for budgetary reasons. He was given a medical discharge and told to try again in six months. The problem is that while he was gone I sold his bike. To correct matters I sold my Trek 420 since it was too small for him. I had been watching a Lotus Eclair for sale on Craigslist for the past two weeks but I couldn't buy it until payday (today). Day after day I watched the price drop but luckily nobody bought it. It now has a new home.

Early eighties Lotus Eclair with a full Shimano 600 group. The one thing that I didn't notice till I got home was that there are no water bottle mounts. Next payday, if I can swing it, I'll be dropping by Trinity Bicycles to pick up that black Brooks B-17 Special that I've been eyeing. It should go nicely on this bike.

The pie plate will be gone very soon.