I R pimped my ride
More photos available HERE.
It all started when I noticed that the spare tube around my mid section a little while ago and started investigating some means of exercise (I’m not gonna give up beer OK). I visited the gym at work and almost threw up. I think running is crap. So just about the only option left was cycling. Which I actually used to enjoy in my mis-spent youth. It is certainly more attractive than lypo-suction, bleh!
So in my usual mentality, I investigated making a bicycle. My sister thinks that I have some sort of OCD, if I can’t make it, it must be broken. But it seems that not too many people make their own bikes and literature is a little thin on the ground.
I then remembered that I had an old 18 speed Peugeot mountain bike stuck away in the store room that the christmas-shoppers hadn’t acquired as of yet. Probably because it was stuffed.
The problem was that the Peugeot was bought in the early nineties, complete with pastel shaded metallic splashes that where as hip as David Hasselhof’s hair style in Night Rider.
I have also always longed for an antique bike, like one of those Humber “dik-wiels”. Problem is that they are difficult to come by in this yuppy fueled activity of cycling and they are normally single speed.
So I decided to make my own dik-wiel with modern kit and a retro look. Easy-peasy and cheap, well not quite.
Did you know that a bicycle has about 100 individual components, and needs every size spanner available, including spanners that don’t exist!
So I stripped the thing that my sister and I had pulled through our rings, twice. Gave it a new coat of limo-black and silver duco and then proceeded to replace almost every component, except the frame, two bearings and the derailers. Not my orginal plan. I have now spent R2500 on restoring this thing, which could have bought me a very respectable yuppy cruiser. Dammit!
So here is the end result. New Humber style saddle, new Shimano cluster, new pedals, new crank, new front cluster, new brake cantilevers, new brake pads, new handle bar, new Shimano grip shifters, new retro looking grips, new brake levers, new cables, new rims, new Continental tyres (I could not get retro tyres) etc etc etc.I also bought a retro looking light set with dynamo, you don’t see the front light in these photos, I’m waiting for the mounting bracket.
As a finishing touch, the red and white stripes are reflective tape.
I now need to get a nice helmet. I think those “Alien vs. Predator” things look kak. A word from the wise, just because everyone is wearing them, doesn’t mean it is cool, OK. Remember white guys with afros…
Pity I didn’t take before photos.
As a side note, I have discovered that my grand father still has a 1948-1950 Carlton racing bike. These where that ultimate hand made british lightweights of their day. Raleigh bought them in 1960 and killed the brand. I’m trying to get my grubby paws on it before the old people give it to the civilian blind (I don’t think that would be very feasible). Photos available HERE.