[BALOG]

Hi guys,

My Grandpa gave me his old 1973 10 speed road bike and I wanna rebuild it as a tribute.

My grandpa was a framebuilder in Jugoslavia before the 2nd war, so bikes have a real meaning for him, specially seing his grandchild working and dreaming with them 24 hour a day.

What do you think of my project? The words on the frame are his nickname "Laci" (from his name Ladislav) and Balog, our surname.

Hope you like and please leave coments.

 

[DRB]

If it was a 10 speed, why build it up as some hipster fad bike?

 

[reflux]

If it was a 10 speed, why build it up as some hipster fad bike?

Agreed on that point. Also, why not use a broken-in Brooks saddle? A worn leather saddle would fit perfectly on a 1970s era roadie.

 

[-dustin]

wow...i'd drop way too much money into fixing that up. i'd hunt down some almost-period correct Campy.

 

[ire]

I like it! I might go with wood rims and a brooks saddle

 

[BALOG]

Hi guys... thanks for the opinions.

I´m thinking of single speed (probably not fixie) because I want a very clean looking bike.

The original bike have frame shifters, too many cables and I really do not like the way it looks.

I´m trying to make something like this, what do you think?

Here goes a picture of an original one (the same as mine, but from 1978), take a look:

The other point is the budget, I do not have much money to do it, as I´m still finishing my Banshee Wildcard. I´ll probably keep the original stem, bar, rims (if possible), hubs and crankset, I´ll just respray or chrome them.

About the saddle... have you ever seen a white leather vintage one?

 

[Stray_cat]

wow...i'd drop way too much money into fixing that up. i'd hunt down some almost-period correct Campy.

Agreed! Campy stuff back then was art. I think that'd look really slick.

 

[SquadraCorse]

I love the Funn camo saddle on your first picture. I have one on my FR rig. It would suck for a road bike, but something about a vintage bike with some modern bits completely contrasting it would be pretty rad.

I think the frame shifters would be the way to go, they scream vintage. But drill some holes and run the cables internally to keep it super clean looking.

A lot of people have done vintage bikes. If it were me, I'd do it vintage with some modern bits on it to come up with something innovative. Carbon frame shifters, internal cables, urban camo seat, steel bars with a really light layer of surface rust, connected with a sexy carbon weave stem.... etc. etc.

I think the bike in your P-shop looks rad. Great project Idea. +Rep

 

[BALOG]

I do not know why, but every time I look at the original bike I see a total mess.. too busy looking...

I have to say I love the way the road curved bars look without the road brake-levers and those cables going up and down... the rear end without all that mechanical stuff...

Everytime I see a SS or a fixie I fall in love again and again... I´m really confused guys!

 

[reflux]

I do not know why, but every time I look at the original bike I see a total mess.. too busy looking...

I have to say I love the way the road curved bars look without the road brake-levers and those cables going up and down... the rear end without all that mechanical stuff...

Everytime I see a SS or a fixie I fall in love again and again... I´m really confused guys!

Are you going to ride it? Will you ride a SS or fixie road bike?

 

[BALOG]

I´m gonna ride it sometimes.... not so much... I really want more style than function.

 

[reflux]

I´m gonna ride it sometimes.... not so much... I really want more style than function.

Okay, how old are you? I ask because I am in my late 20s, and my appreciation for vintage bikes has only come on within the past 3 or 4 years. But then again, the fact that you're into an old skool steel frame says plenty.

Just do us a favor, don't drill the frame, make any permanent changes to the frame, keep the old parts in a box because you never know, AND POST PHOTOS OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

 

[BALOG]

Haha... I´m only 21yo... just completed.

To be honest I started thinking on bikes like that little while ago, but when my grandpa said he wanted to gimme the bike I was stocked... he´s been through very hard situations for the last months and I´m sure he´ll be very happy if I do something cool with the bike.

Relax about the frame, I´m gonna keep it original, just wash and respray and for sure keep the old parts.

Everything said... what do you think of my project? hehe

 

[OGRipper]

I hate the fact that anyone who builds a fixie these days is immediately labled a hipster. There are some people who actually ride fixies and couldn't care less about whether it's trendy.

But riding a freewheeled single speed without a rear brake is stupid IMO. And yeah given the history personally I would keep the bike as close to original as possible and hang onto it. Build something else if you want a different bike.

 

[BALOG]

Is it too hard to lock the freewheel and make a fixie?
Will I damage the hub if I do it?
What are the advantages of a fixie in fact?
And why do people ride fixies with no brakes or a front brake only?!?!

Sorry but I have these doubts, hehe!

 

[Stray_cat]

Is it too hard to lock the freewheel and make a fixie?
Will I damage the hub if I do it?
What are the advantages of a fixie in fact?
And why do people ride fixies with no brakes or a front brake only?!?!

Sorry but I have these doubts, hehe!

I've seen it done with old Sturmy Archer 3spd hubs...which would make it a 3spd fixie! Either way it tend not to be the easiest thing, and 'the fix' isn't all that durable. I like fixies for two reasons: a. no dead points. Aka you pedal it goes. No pawl mechanism to deal with or any of that. .b) I ride in city streets alot, doing track-stands on fixie is super ezay! So no unclipping at traffic lights and the like.

No breaks is pretty much an aestetic thing. Super clean, just use your own power to stop you. Rear break I find is over kill, as you can use your legs to slow the rear wheel anyways.

If your really worried about the bike looking clean, maybe try and find an old internal hub?

As a brief side note: Every fixie bike you've pictured is pretty much a track frame, which your bike is not. If you really want form over funtion, don't make it something it's not. Pull the chainguard off, do the paint, clean up the cable routing, re-do the handlebar tape, etc etc. But as a fixie I just have visions of a football-bat.