Lots of projects lined up in the garage... it's been an odd Fall and start to winter for me as I never really got back in a rhythm after my accident back in August. So several projects languished for one reason or another. In any case here they are;
0. Get back to regular commuting and recreational riding. Winter be damned! My XO-3 is set w/ fenders and studded tires and the drop-bar'd Bomba is such a sweet riding machine, no excuses! 1. Re-build the Saluki. My new fork from Riv is in, it took longer and was 30% more expensive than was quoted but at least that part is done. Next step is the fun part... re-paint. I'm going w/ a powdercoat from Groody Bros after being blown away w/ the quality on a project I'm finishing up for my Mom. It's most likely going to be british racing green and cream very similar to it's original 'corvette green' but not quite so bright. The build itself will be interesting as many of the Saluki's old parts have migrated to the XO-3 and Bomba. At this point my aim is to set it up as my primary commuter, 1x8 w/ WI Eno crank, Paul stoplight canti brakes, Alba or noodle - noodle or alba...., hetre's w/ dyno front lighting... I'm looking forward to the 're-birth'! 2. Get rid of some random frames. I've now got three sweet steel frames hanging out that need either new homes or new purpose, so I may try building them up to move rather than my current/previous strategy of frame/fork only. The two vintage Trek's, a 64cm '82 and 61cm '81 are both 531c main triangles with great lines and then the unmarked but purportedly Bob Jackson frame is probably a 61-62. I've got the parts on hand to make either Trek a 700C stripped down fixed gear so I think i'll go that route soon, maybe in my time off for Xmas. The Jackson is the most intriguing as it's super light, i've already slid on some 650B wheels w/ Hetre's and they fit... 38's would be better. I'm contemplating a minimalist, Roadeo inspired build for that one. I've been stalking some 120mm OLD hub and wheelsets on the auction site, not that I'm set on a vintage-correct build but I like building up wheels. 3. Tweak the Tandem. The Burley Bossa Nova got some decent usage this year, never as much as I'd like but last years winter/spring project was a definite success. I've got some Paul Mini-Moto's that have been waiting to be mounted for several months now, no excuses... need to do that. Also need a rack solution especially up front. The real project here is 700C wheels for the beast, the hub's on there are in ok shape, not sexy of course but I could just buy some 700C rims, new spokes and build away. I think I could fit 35-38mm tires which would make this bike a legit C&O ride for my wife and I. Two wheel build's are unlikely due to time and budget though so between this and the Jackson it'll probably be based on which one I find a compelling part (or price) for first. 4. Try out the Bullmoose Bars. My amazing Bomba came from lister Tom w/ the truly large and unique bullmoose bars, I only road the frame once around the block in that configuration before switching to noodles which I in no way regret. I found that first ride pretty odd and uncomfortable to be honest but I definitely didn't give it an adequate test. So I want to make that happen, perhaps back on the Bomba or maybe on a random '80s MTB frame (a new one of those showed up same day as the Jackson). We'll see, should be fun and if I confirm my initial reaction you'll be seeing some Bullmoose Bar's available in the Spring! 5. Overhaul my wife's Townie. My very first bike build project is my wife's 1970ish Motobecane Mirage Mixte in pale yellow. Sweet looking bike, I 650B converted it gave it upright bars, a Brooks B67S, VO fenders and a basket. She loves the bike and it usually gets alot of attention out and about. I kept the original drive train for the most part and the long reach brake situation was never ideal. I want to replace the wheels/drivetrain/brakes with a front and rear, drum brake/dyno/3spd IGH setup... probably SA. That with some new more albatross-y bars and I think it goes from an 80% bike to a 99% bike. 6. General shop cleanout. It's a mess really, and it's not crowded with tons of really great stuff either. I need to consolidate, make some co-op donations and move on from a pile of stuff that is crowding my garage. With the Bomba, Saluki and XO-3 I'm not really eyeing a major acquisition any time soon. Anything new would either be wildly different (fatbike) or a direct replacement of one of those three with the ability to swap parts that are on the bike. Bottom line is that with 3-4 personal bikes, the tandem, and a couple bikes for my wife if a part isn't on one of those bikes it needs to be pretty special to hang out in a bin for another season. We'll see how I do w/ this one. Good exercise, I love making lists! :) Tony -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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