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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Guest Blogger: Richard Nurse

Before photo from this blog post


THE RESTORATION BY RICHARD NURSE

The object of this project was to restore a 1950's steel frame bike with a coaster brake hub to a usable and ridable state.  The coaster hub was the main problem which in technical terms had ceased to exist.

 I bought a new coaster brake hub made in Czech republic by Velosteel with 36 holes and married it to an old mountain bike rim with the same number of holes.  I dismantled all of the components of the old bike and replaced what I felt was necessary including the headstem.  The chain did not need to be dismantled as the frame has a removable seatstay.

This type of bike is remarkably simple and requires very few specialist tools to dismantle and reassemble.  The replacement of the headstem bearing was done by a local bike shop, otherwise I did all the work myself with whaterver spanners I could find that were lying around.  The bottom bracket was left in the frame as this was in good condition.

First of all I brushed the whole frame with paint stripper, then removed all the old paint using a variety of tools.  The bare frame was inspected for flaws and then cleaned with white spitit.  I resprayed the frame using undercoat followed by a 2 pack epoxy top coat with all the appropriate components suitably masked.  Patience is required during respray.  It is best to apply several light coats rather than beng impatient and using the whole can all at once!  It is best to start working on the bike again after a nice hard finish is achieved.  Follow the instructions on the can!

The rebuild went smoothly enough although with the benefit of hindsight it would have been better to use a larger wheel size than 26" mountain bike.  Bear in mind that brake lugs etc. do not come in to play and so any wheel size can be used except that pedal to ground clearance may be reduced using smaller wheels.  The gearing can be adjusted be altering the single cog on the rear.  I have also found that using wide, flat handle bars helps when climbing as you can use the bars to pull on as well as just using your body weight. 

Airey's Inlet, 23/12/2012, by Richard Nurse

THE TEST RIDE






Airey's Inlet to Lorne and return.

Conditions- bright sunshine with a strong southerly wind.
I set off just ahead of Steve on his recumbent and pressed on hard. This was a race of sorts!! The southerly headwind proved troublesome although the gearing (gear) was about right. I had the choice of a low aero tuck position or to stand up and keep my body prone to the wind. Either way progress was reasonably slow but managable. I made it to Big Hill (99m elevation) and then on to Lorne ahead of Steve and waited 5 minutes or so till he came in.  Cold milk in Lorne - it contains protein apparently - and then we were on our way back to Airey's.  Steve passed me on the flat bit leading up to Cathedral rock but I was able to reel him in on the uphill, only to have him zoom past as soon as it was downhill again.  Didn't see him again all the way to Airey's Inlet.

If I had another go at the bike I would put on the proper size (700C or 28") wheels, the small wheels make the ground clearance to the ground clearance to the pedals a bit small.

SANTA GIVES IT A WHIRL (GUEST BLOGGER EWAN)



Today I have learnt that cycling in santa costumes is difficult at best. The pants afford minimal ventilation and where very baggy about the ankles, flirting dangerously with the freshly oiled chain of the single-speed. But it was painted in a very smart matching red.

When Steve and Richard went for their adventure yesterday, I went for a ride on a mystery mountain bike. The frame and wheels were probably a tad small for my comfort, but it was still easy to ride. The tire tread was very bald making riding on the Airey's Inlet unsealed roads very difficult. The bicycles that 'live' at this house are all in various states of disrepair, decades of cobwebs and sea air aren't the greatest conditions for storage, but they do meet of brief of getting one to the shops and back without to much trouble

Second lesson of the day. Santa suits are not made for open water swimming.



Sunday, December 9, 2012

Moving Bottom Bracket Recumbent

Front Wheel drive Moving Bottom Bracket Recumbent Bike....

which was made by adapting one of my fixed bottom bracket bikes.....

original layout was like this........

and a bottom bracket brazed to a headstem was the only part I had to make.
Hi

I have 2 of the fixed bottom bracket bike I usually ride and one of them is to muck around with as described here. Today I converted it to moving bottom bracket front wheel drive and did a few blockies on it.  Its ridable but I need to keep my knees about 30cm apart otherwise they will bang in to the steering bar.  I made a stem part to fix this: will post more later.

Regards

Steve Nurse
Monday December 10

This is the bike with the changed stem, it is now rideable without holding my knees apart but the stem and pedal bracket is a bit wobbly.  Nevertheless its much better to ride than yesterday, and quite a bit of fun.  I can turn fairly tight corners and still keep my shoes clicked in to the pedals.

Will post more as the design evolves.

2012 OzHpv Rally in Myrtleford Part 2

Friday Book Sale at Myrtleford

Graham Signiorini checks out Pete Heal's Velokraft

Some of the visors the Canberra mob use

Jesse (orange T-shirt) and his tandem at the Rail Trail Cafe

Boardgames at the Caravan Park

Simon Watt's chainring "retro but very low q factor"
Some of the shopping from Benella & Myrtleford.  The blue glass is called "Siestaware" and it cracks a mention in one of my recent posts.

OzHpv annual General meeting
Hi

Just posting photos, no blow by blow description this time.  Here is the video I took of Pete Heal on the way to Lake Buffalo.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

2012 OzHpv Rally in Myrtleford Part 1

Everton Bus Shelter: Nicely furnished....

Simon W. and Willem fixing a flat

Lloyd & Lloyd & Chris in The Idyl Bookshop and caf in Wangaratta

Simon W. and the Yellow Baron

Lloyd, Lloyd, Wes, Willem, Struan

Deb and Chris
Wangaratta Chronicle

Simon & Graham

Graham after a dip near Wangaratta
Hello,

Last Sunday my wife Christine & I got back from a bike trip to Myrtleford, "The OzHpv Annual General Meeting and End of Year / what goes on the bike trip stays on the bike trip bike trip" is the grandiose title of the event which I just made up.  Anyway, we had an agenda for the meeting and an agenda for the bike trip and we got on with it.

Wednesday: Drove up to Myrtleford from Melbourne, stopped in the op shop in Benella along the way.  Checked in to the Myrtleford Caravan Park.  Dinner with George Durbridge, Simon Watt, Willem Reid and Christine at the Happy Valley Hotel where George was staying. The host of the Hotel is Mick and we had a fine meal and heard Mick's bush band belt out a few numbers during dinner.

Thursday: Set out to ride from Myrtleford to Wangaratta (50k) quite early with me, Willem and Simon.  Willem bailed it back to Everton quite early, it was hot! There were hills! It was a long way!  Once Willem had turned back I pushed on and caught up with Simon at Everton.  We had a rest and drink, then rode on to Wangaratta at good pace. We met a friend, Deb at the Idyll Book Cafe and also bike riders Wes, Lloyd B.C, Lloyd, Graham who had velomobiled from Melbourne, George who had left Myrtleford early and gone at his own pace.  Struan and Christine had picked up Willem and trike on the way in with the car.  Nice Cafe & Bookshop, we stayed for a while, cooled down, chatted with Deb.  Graham and I went for a swim as we started off for Myrtleford and soon caught up  with Simon on the rail trail.  Hot going with lots of water and rest required.  Graham was knackered by the time we reached Everton, help was called for and he was collected and brought on to Myrtleford by car.  Did I mention it was hot?  Small gathering in our cabin in the evening, after that I settled down after a shower and was soon asleep.

Later on I asked Lloyd how they had gone on the way back to Everton in the afternoon.  He said he and Llloyd B.C. were fine but Wes was not and had slowed to 5kph or so on his trike.  So the Lloyds got out a tow rope and towed Wes back to Everton, two trikes towing a third.  All ok in the end.

Llloyd and his home made trike at Myrtleford