19/06/2022 - Cell Single Speed Commuter Bike
So it has been a very long time since I did any kind of project on a bike. I have a couple of boxes of parts that I will gather for this bike and install them. I do want to keep the head tub badge for the bike and put it back on after I repaint it. Cell went out of business a few years ago but they were a good Aussie brand with decent bikes. So I want to keep them alive in my own way. The only parts I have bought for this bike are the wheels which will be arriving any day now, and they are not even new. They are well used. This bike is going to be a minimalist, hassle free, low maintenance commuter bike. My work is only about a 5-8 minute drive from home so cycling there should be no problem. Also I want to be able to lock this up at the station if needed. The price of fuel has hit the roof so no point in wasting money. The only other bike I have is my Brompton which I do ride however not sure that I want to beat that up too much. This one should be good for whatever. I actually bought this frame from a guy for $55. It came with brake calipers, levers and cables but I have removed those because I will have no use for them. There is some surface rust on the parts like the chainring (which is hardly used) and also on the front forks which I may have to fix up or re-paint, but not sure. I will change the saddle to my own but I am really looking forward to not having brake cables etc. I also already have a rear rack with a milk crate cable tied to it but not sure if I am going to use that yet. We'll see. Perhaps only in summer then that way there is no backpack on my back making me all sweaty. At the moment it is freezing winter here, one of the coldest Oz has ever experienced. So riding with a bag shouldn't be a prob. The other thing about this bike is that I won't have to baby it and keep it clean and indoors etc. It can just sit out the back of the house. Prolly won't even lock it up. Will only lock up at the station.
Wheelset - Campagnolo / Schwalbe Durano / Coaster Brake Hub
Wheels were sourced from Brisbane and are Campagnolo Lambda Strada rims. I was specifically looking for a 700c coaster wheel rear rim. They already came with tyres which are Schwalbe Durano, so that's a bonus. Front hub is a Campag Record hub, rear is coaster hub. Tyres have 80% tread on them. The good thing about these wheels is I will not be using rim brakes on them. So they will last a long time. First time for me using Campag parts too.
25/6/2022 - Frame Stripped of Parts (except for an annoying top headset cup!)
So as you can see the frame has been completely stripped of all its parts. I saved what I was going to use and got rid of what I wasn't going to use. I have a box of parts which I shall raid to see what I can take. Then will get rid of the rest. I'll only keep a few spares. Got too much bike stuff. This is probably the last bike I will ever build. I'll be maintaining from now on!
26/06/2022 - Stripped!
Every part of the frame removed (including
annoying cup!)
Ready for sanding and priming.
When? I have no idea!!
annoying cup!)
Ready for sanding and priming.
When? I have no idea!!
Parts that will go back on as well as others from parts box
So I've gone through everything that came off the bike and I have tossed the pedals, handlebar, brakes, cables, saddle, headset is garbage so need a new one, chainring is good but is a 44 and I want a 46T. Chain was rusted too so got rid of that. Removing the headset and cups was a real bitch, especially the cups. The parts that I will keep using will be the seat post (the bolt needs some rust treatment, seat post clamp, bottle cage bolts, crank arms and the Neco bottom bracket with bolts. The rest comes from my parts bin. I forgot to add the new KMC chain to this picture that is still in the box but I forgot to put it in the pic. Was bought for a project but never used.
New Headset! - First Components
So I took the old headset into the bike shop (99 Bikes Castle Hill) and got them to measure it and order a new one for me. I am more used to working with 1" threaded headsets and have never installed a sealed threadless unit before. So the nice guys in the workshop measured it up and ordered one. Took about a week but the headset came in. I would have liked a gold one to match my handlebars but really it is not that big of a deal. I've used First headsets before, when I built my very first single speed.
21/7/2022 - Bike Has Been Powder Coated in Pale Eucalypt
I ended up taking it to the powder coaters and got it blasted and coated in the closest colour to it's original. Saved me stripping the paint and doing rust repairs etc. Don't really have an adequate working space now since we renovated the house and I lost my garage. So it made sense to do it this way. I won't be babying it though and will be riding it and locking it up wherever. It it gets dinged or scratched then it won't matter. Its gonna be a workhorse and a commuter. I'm starting a new job in a month and am planning to cycle to work. Commute should be about 15 mins each way. It's got a 46tooth in the front and a 18 in the back so we'll see. Might need to change the rear cog at some stage.
24/7/2022 - Mostly Put Together
I started to put it all together with the parts that I had. The only bits missing that I still need which are on order is a clip for the coaster brake arm and one more spacer for the headset. The pictures will explain themselves. The chain is also too long so I will take out another link to shorten it to allow for adjustment when the time comes. Chain will stretch a bit after awhile. I also put in a quick disconnect link on the chain. Rear wheel coaster brake assembly still needs a decent clean and re-grease so will be getting onto that. Also installed the security skewer for the front wheel. Pumped up the Schwalbe Durano's and they work great. Added the bottle cage and also more bolts for the rear rack. Those ones have philips head screws. Saddle and post are on and the stem has been changed out for a more upright (but grubby looking) profile design unit. Handlebars will remain bare as I will use gloves for grip. Addred the old Raleigh Twenty bell I had which is the loudest bell I have ever heard! Plastic pedals are on. 46T chainring on the existing crank arms. All threads on bolts, headset bearing, crank BB, crank arm bolts have had a very thorough going over with lithium grease. What I love the most is that there are no brake cables, calipers or pads! Will take better photos once the bike is fully ready.
Headset Spacers and Coaster Brake Arm Install
So from the previous pictures you can see the headset was not fully complete. The parts arrived int he mail last week so I have installed them. So much better.
3/8/2022 - The bike is finished!
So I finished it today! The pictures here show what is it like with and without the rack. Also has a milk crate so chucked that on too. I have relocated the bell to the top tube and also added an attachment for the kryptonite lock that I had which can be stored behind the seatpost out of the way. Either that or I will just put it in the crate when not being used. I added a Plestcher stand which was spare which didn't fit a previous bike but it fit this one fine. Not sure yet about putting my quad lock mount on there as this is just a commuter bike for work and I want the handlebars to remain clean. If anything I think with the crate on it it is more like a ute! I have inspected the tyres again and they appear to be cracking abit but are still holding air and seem to be working fine. Lastly I will need some lights. Might fix a permanent one on the back and possibly work out how to get one onto the front somewhere. Might try utilise the brake caliper mount on the head tube. I still need to put the CELL badge back on but will do that when I get some good adhesive or 3m double sided tape for it. In the meantime though, enjoy the pics.
13/8/2022 - Setup change
So I decided to swap over the handlebars for something more realistic for my needs. Originally I wanted the clean lines of the plain gold drop bars, however I soon realised that when I am climbing, on a road bike I am used to using the brake hoods on the bike for grip, of which there are none! So I used the existing handlebar that came with the frame and I have cut it down a bit with the pipe cutter so that it is narrower and also had some old magnesium bar end grips which were a bit beat up that came with a previous bike. The ODI lock on grips on the bar are a bit old and are starting to crack but they will do for now. Not in a hurry to change those. The biggest change though was an adjustable stem that I bought for $20 from an old Indonesian man that I had bought a Surly fork from about 12 years ago! He showed me his bike collection which includes a bunch of touring bike like a Bike Friday, Surly Long Haul Trucker, Koga Miyata full carbon bike and a couple of others. Was good to have a catch up. The stem came with the angle already pre-set and that worked for me. I did have to change one spacer to a thicker size but that was all. I also removed the milk crate as well. Although it was practical it did look a bit weird and I only have about a 12 minute ride to work each way. So I opted for a bungee strap instead. The rack is still way too wide for this bike because it has clearance for a disc brake setup however I'll keep it there because I it acts as a rear fended also to stop my butt from getting dirty! Oh, and I also ditched the Kryptonite lock, was hitting the back of my thighs. I'll work out another way to carry the lock.
21/8/2022 - New Schwalbe Marathon Tyres - Cracked Durano's.
I recently discovered that the existing Schwalbe Durano's that came with the bike were cracked. Would have been ok to use I guess but not sure how puncture proof they would have been. So I shelled out $70 and put on some new Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 700x25c front and rear tyres. I've been using this brand for years and they are bullet proof. I also discuvered that my front tube had a very slow leak so got the patch kit out to fix that as well.