[Sandwich]

Well, I'm not sure where to dump this but I thought I'd start a thread on my new acquisition.

I found this thing on craigslist for $100 advertised as a 58. It looked to be haggard but that hasn't scared me in the past. I met up with the dude and stupidly forgot my tape measure, so I had to go on faith and a quote from Mickey that a 155mm headtube equated to a M/L frame or 57cm. That put it in the ballpark of "it fits" so I went for it. I didn't really need a new bike, but I realized I really like riding on the road, and my flat bar road bike isn't fitting the bill as a fast and enjoyable ride to work. It's not fast and while it's not "not" enjoyable, I like drop bars. This little guy could fit the bill- the Trek goes back on the trainer, the nice bike is saved for outdoor riding, and the pooky will take me to work every other day in low key but incredibly fun fashion.

This is when I got it. It's not in nice shape. It may have been used as a boat anchor:

Still, it was a spooky, and whether welded by Frank the or SAPA, it's a gorgeous, lightweight frame. If it fits and I can get it in shape, it'll be a fun winter project that might be an enjoyable ride.

 

[Sandwich]

Stripping is pretty easy (heh). You just hose the frame in this absolutely toxic gamish of fun, let it sit, then blast it with a hose. Repeat until all the paint drops off. Scrub at the very end, if you need to.

 

[Sandwich]

Here's where we are today, less than 24h later:

Nice and clean and 99% paint free. It desperately needs the corrosion cleaned off of it, but it appears to be crack free and clean. Previous owner actually rode it before parked, but I think it was parked next to the beach...outside.

 

[Sandwich]

Here's the first real problem:

The old bearing race is stuck in the headtube. No sign of the bearing nor headset, but there's the steel race. It is impossible to tap from the top because of the large machined component that the race sits against. I can pry from the bottom, but I have to be careful of the soft aluminum headtube. I am currently soaking it in PBlaster in hopes that it'll eat the corrosion away and drop right out (yeah right). Any tips? The alternative is to just use an open bearing and see if I can get another headset to fit to it.

 

[Sandwich]

This frame does appear to be a Havoc Staff. The original owner thought it was a "Halloween special" but it does seem to match up with other havoc staves out there.

Geo for all seven havoc staff owners out there:

 

[jstuhlman]

gorgeous welds...but you lost me at "i realized i really like riding on the road"

 

[Westy]

Here's where we are today, less than 24h later:

Nice and clean and 99% paint free. It desperately needs the corrosion cleaned off of it, but it appears to be crack free and clean. Previous owner actually rode it before parked, but I think it was parked next to the beach...outside.

Looks ready to accept a bunch of flame stickers

 

[jstuhlman]

Looks ready to accept a bunch of flame stickers

i think you have @Sandwich confused with @StiHacka

 

[Westy]

i think you have @Sandwich confused with @StiHacka

No confusion. But we also know this thing has to have something horrible on it. Perhaps a single crown Shivver or a Thudbuster.

 

[6thElement]

No confusion. But we also know this thing has to have something horrible on it. Perhaps a single crown Shivver or a Thudbuster.

Spinergy Rev-X's.

 

[Jm_]

I like the cable guide built into the head tube.

 

[jstuhlman]

No confusion. But we also know this thing has to have something horrible on it. Perhaps a single crown Shivver or a Thudbuster.

Y U NO TRUST???

 

[Jm_]

Y U NO TRUST???

55 ATA

 

[Sandwich]

Y U NO TRUST???

It’s going to get a $120 Chinese groupset

 

[kidwoo]

naval jelly paint stripper is a crime against humanity

Sandblast nxt tm plz mky thnks

 

[Sandwich]

naval jelly paint stripper is a crime against humanity

Sandblast nxt tm plz mky thnks

Y tho

 

[Sandwich]

naval jelly paint stripper is a crime against humanity

Sandblast nxt tm plz mky thnks

Actually this was citrus stripper followed by kleen strip. It worked great on my Sunday and yakuza

 

[HardtailHack]

No confusion. But we also know this thing has to have something horrible on it. Perhaps a single crown Shivver or a Thudbuster.

'murican flag paintjob.

 

[Sandwich]

'murican flag paintjob.

Tempting. I've had bad luck with rattle can paintjobs in the past, and this frame deserves better than a 1992 schwinn BMX.

I found a local powdercoater who will do it for $150. Now I have to pick a color.

 

[Jm_]

Tempting. I've had bad luck with rattle can paintjobs in the past, and this frame deserves better than a 1992 schwinn BMX.

I found a local powdercoater who will do it for $150. Now I have to pick a color.

Pick a color that will piss off people.

 

[Sandwich]

Pick a color that will piss off people.

So neon yellow?

 

[jebfour]

So neon yellow?

 

[Sandwich]

A bit more like this, but I dunno. Bassboat green with a black fork and black wheels would be tighttighttighttight

 

[jebfour]

It'd be a love it or hate it thing but I think I'd like it, if it's the color I'm thinking of.

 

[HardtailHack]

So neon yellow?

I almost went Malibu Barbie Pink until I saw that it needed a silver base coat, so I went hammer tone white.

 

[Sandwich]

Still thinking about colors while I wait for the right tools to arrive.

Was thinking about neon orange with black bits, like this:

That there is the huffy dirt water, and also the worst bike I've ever owned. Lo-ten steel, farmer johns, foam grips, friction shifters, and gearing ready to set land speed records. I'm pretty sure it came with a 50, 55, and 60t front rings.
Then again, maybe I shouldn't paint it in a throwback to the bike that prevented me from getting into serious cycling for several years...

 

[dump]

Still thinking about colors while I wait for the right tools to arrive.

Was thinking about neon orange with black bits, like this:

That there is the huffy dirt water, and also the worst bike I've ever owned. Lo-ten steel, farmer johns, foam grips, friction shifters, and gearing ready to set land speed records. I'm pretty sure it came with a 50, 55, and 60t front rings.
Then again, maybe I shouldn't paint it in a throwback to the bike that prevented me from getting into serious cycling for several years...

I remember this bike. These were early 90s department store specials iirc. Even when properly adjusted they were really rough. I can feel the sponge grips and those spongey brakes now.

 

[Sandwich]

I remember this bike. These were early 90s department store specials iirc. Even when properly adjusted they were really rough. I can feel the sponge grips and those spongey brakes now.

It was horrible. I hated everything about it except for the fork, which I tore off and put on another terrible huffy.

 

[Sandwich]

So this is kind of the look that I'm going for. The OG spooky darkside was a dreambike for me. Highly customized, optimal for east coast riding, and filled with gucci shit that you can only get from a custom build. Riser bars back in 1996 or 97. This was it.

the color that I picked is "Disco Emerald" and I suspect it will be closer to the schwinn homegrown when it's finished. Either way, these are both dope frames, and I still hope to hit that darkside look even if it's sparkly rather than flat. I will never find boone twist cranks though.

 

[Sandwich]

Need to get it out in the sun. The color is just about perfect, and it was pretty cheap-175 complete. Very spooky.

 

[gonefirefightin]

Gold or Orange ano parts would look sick

 

[Sandwich]

 

[Sandwich]

Should probably have been working…

 

[6thElement]

Should probably have been working…

Work is overrated.

 

[Sandwich]

So on to the next issue, as parts start to roll in from weird places...

The cable routing on this is wacky. The head tube cable stops are cool but they also kind of suck. I have heard of people epoxying cable ends in place, or having to drill rivets elsewhere to get cable stops. I am still waiting on a lot of my parts, but my options are:

A) just put the cable ends in as normal and see what happens
2) as above but add some sort of clear epoxy when I do
iii) try and find a bottom bracket mounted cable stop like so: https://problemsolversbike.com/products/drivetrain/bottom_bracket_cable_guide_-_j1160 and route full housing using stick on guides to the BB

I don't want to fuck up the new paint using some ugly ass epoxy first try, but I also don't want to fuck up the guides and the interface there by jamming shit in there over and over again. Buying the problem solvers bits is a gamble as well. Right now the rear derailleur stop appears fine, but the front is kind of loose. I may be able to get away with one and not the other.

 

[jonKranked]

So on to the next issue, as parts start to roll in from weird places...

The cable routing on this is wacky. The head tube cable stops are cool but they also kind of suck. I have heard of people epoxying cable ends in place, or having to drill rivets elsewhere to get cable stops. I am still waiting on a lot of my parts, but my options are:

A) just put the cable ends in as normal and see what happens
2) as above but add some sort of clear epoxy when I do
iii) try and find a bottom bracket mounted cable stop like so: https://problemsolversbike.com/products/drivetrain/bottom_bracket_cable_guide_-_j1160 and route full housing using stick on guides to the BB

I don't want to fuck up the new paint using some ugly ass epoxy first try, but I also don't want to fuck up the guides and the interface there by jamming shit in there over and over again. Buying the problem solvers bits is a gamble as well. Right now the rear derailleur stop appears fine, but the front is kind of loose. I may be able to get away with one and not the other.

Housing Guides | Jagwire

Cable grips allow for the use of continuous housing runs with tradition housing stops.

jagwire.com

 

[6thElement]

Not sure how running full external down to the BB would work to then get it exiting into the cable guide under the shell. There would need to a solidly fixed cable stop down under the downtube to terminate the housing at.

I vote for older 11 speed SRAM Etap with rim brakes.

 

[Sandwich]

Not sure how running full external down to the BB would work to then get it exiting into the cable guide under the shell. There would need to a solidly fixed cable stop down under the downtube to terminate the housing at.

I vote for older 11 speed SRAM Etap with rim brakes.

So the problem solvers part has a built in housing stop in it. It should route the cable around the BB then stop the housing, all while bolting into the BB. The problem is what to do with the rear derailleur, which seems to have a functioning headtube derailleur stop and uses the other side of the BB mounted cable piece.

Basically I have this:

I need half of it to run to the rear, and replace the other half with the funky problem solvers bit. I could run two of them but skip the housing stop as they would bolt independently to the BB, or use both with both stops and skip the HT altogether.

OR, it looks like I may be able to run a problem solvers clamp-on stop on the seat tube, then run housing from the shifters back to the seat tube through that stop.

Weird problem. At least I have a path- try the stops normally, if they can't hold the cable, try either of the problem solvers solutions.

 

[Sandwich]

Housing Guides | Jagwire

Cable grips allow for the use of continuous housing runs with tradition housing stops.

jagwire.com

View attachment 183484

Unfortunately, that's not going to help. I don't have any housing stops, so I can't even attach that to my frame.

 

[Sandwich]

This is the way the housing guides work.

This is what's under my BB:

I have two holes (heh) so I may be able to mount two cable guides, one with the stop for the front, and one with the stop for the rear.