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Cal, if there is no wear on the freewheel, why not ride it as is? What is the freewheel gear range right now? That new KMC X8 chain might not agree with that drivetrain or chainline or accushift, who knows. If you can get it adjusted, or even ride it friction, that freewheel can easily last for 15 years as long as the chains are lubed and changed once in a while before teeth start deforming. Seems like there is no reason to change it out.
Finding a NOS 7 speed Suntour freewheel of any type is going to be difficult, but finding a 5 or 6 speed is much cheaper then just have the 7 speed built accordingly.

Phil
 
Been concentrating on strength exercises. Seems like having a high strength to weight ratio is in my genes for speed. The gains are not modest, and it did not take long at all for definition, tone, and bulk to appear. The build of a boxer or UFC fighter is emerging, but I’m a 65 year old man.

The problem with age is that it takes a longer time to recover, and it is too easy to overtrain. No shortcuts, and what is key is to keep at it every day, except for the necessary rest day. A restless night of sleeping is a sign of overtraining.

Right now I’m dining on a grilled half chicken I roasted using herbs I got from my garden.

“Maggie” had a call with her editor, and some things had to get done. After lunch and after 2:00 will be our hike. I think we are at a point where Maggie will begin her Nordic Walking, and I will use a set of Heavy Hands. I have two pound weights and also three pounders. This revs up the heart rate. Two decades ago I use to go jogging with the three pound heavy hands. It is like doing double the mileage without killing your legs.

Also good training for fast hands and strengthens the core.

Today is day 17 of our fitness lifestyle. We have ambitions to bike good parts of the Empire State Trail. Been looking into buying a bike cargo trailer to hold camping gear.

Cal
 
Phil,

I intend to keep the Avion as is. I bought it because I loved the bike as is, but I have 4 decades to live still and I’m planning out say 15-20 years from now.

All I am saying is that I think long term, and I have XTR 9-speed on the shelf ready when needed. I have my Plan “B” in order. I bought this bike because it appeared to be fresh. Luckily it is kinda turnkey and only needs a bit of maintenance, oil the new chain, repack all the bearings.

I also found in my parts an aluminum breakaway rear derailleur screw in anodized purple from back in the day. The skipping I was able to tune out, and I tested the freewheel by repeated climbs up Renold’s Hills for good engagement.

The Newsboy is also a candidate for the 9-speed…

I had my eyes wide open about parts scarcity.

Cal
 
Tested the freewheel using stiff gears and standing climbing up and down Reynold’s Hills. Also tested the brakes because Renold’s Hills is steep and long enough to go over 40 MPH.

I also installed the IBIS Chro-Mo saddle. Really transformed the bike where the Ti seatpost thickness and oversized is like an exclamation point. The bike got really pretty and is kinda stunning looking. The old rims have an aged patina of a dull grey.

No skipping, and I kinda love the brakes. Them motorcycle style levers are cool and since this is a fast bike it needs great brakes.

What is so powerful is a retro-vibe of back in the day. Like I said before live cruising with a 55 Chevy: too cool.

“Maggie” now is crazed about getting a bike, and today we will be going to Brands out in Long Island to buy her a Trek road bike. The tricky part was finding one in her size in stock. I also set a reasonable price point for a bike so that it is not a throwaway. If she outgrows this bike, I’m cool with then going major-dollar on a serious bike, but we are not there yet, and this bike won’t go into a landfill like the beach bike.

Also the great news is Maggie dug into the Empire State Trail. The route from Battery Park to Buffalo is 85% a trail that is restricted to motor vehicles, and the real only major section that is on a road is from Kingston, the former capitol of New York State, to Hudson. Much of the trail is converted rails to trails meaning graded inclines and declines.

Unfortunately the route to Canada called the Champlain Valley Route north of Albany is roads. Oh-well.

There are 750 miles of trails in this network, we are not so interested going south, but north it would be a cool goal to ride all of them, even a section at a time. Gravel and pavement… I can see using the SS Avion and the Newsboy for this riding.

What a lifestyle. I can see us doing day trips to ride and some camping.

Cal
 
Have y’all thought about a gravel bike for her? Then you get a little more range and variety of surfaces on one bike.

I joked with a mountain biker friend of mine the other day regarding the Raleigh Mtn Trials bike: “If I ever get the fork threaded, I can finally test ride the bike around the block then put it away for the rest of the year until winter when the temperature drops below 80.”

This is one of the most oppressive summers (and spring ) I’ve felt here in Philly, and thus, one of the most oppressive summers I’ve felt in my life. Been here since 2006 and I’ve tried to move away or have actually moved a total of four times. The job market here is good enough that this town has pulled me back every time. In spite of that, I really dislike Philadelphia, deep down. The heat is like a town on the Euphrates and the crime is worse.
I think I’ve ridden a bicycle twice in two months, maybe three times. I’m glad I didn’t plan any time off for July or August because it would have been wasted indoors due to heat and air quality. I work, come home to clean, eat, sleep, wash, rinse, repeat… This week I get to work six days in a row. Good times.

Phil
 
Phil,

We just came from Brands in Lawn-Guy-Land and bought a Trek Domane AL3. The frame size is a good fit for her and we had a hard time finding a shop that had one in her size in stock. Pretty much we were there when Brands first opened. The bike was assembled and on display, she got to test ride it, and we are mucho happy and excited.

This is a road bike style but perhaps built and designed for endurance riding rather than speed like a race bike. It comes with 700x32mm tires and is a 2x9 drivetrain.

The AL5 version would be the bike with a 105 drivetrain and a 10-speed for $500.00 more.

The heat does not bother me, but basically I become mucho swampy. My Kriptonite is the cold just the opposite of you.

Brands is a pretty big bike shop, and they are where I bought my IBIS Mountain Trials. I was able to buy it as a display demo model for $500.00, about half price as a clearance sale. Best $500.00 I ever spent.

The IBIS SS Avion is in my living room. To me it is a trophy bike because it is so good looking. Not bad for a 33 year old antique bike that is all period correct except for the IBIS saddle. The Ti seat post extends about 7 1/2 inches and my stand over is about a 4 inch space below my crotch. Not really too small for me.

I love the ride, and something about the solid feel of a 7-speed shift. BTW this bike is fun to ride and is mucho fast.

It seems both Maggie and I have new bikes, and it is very likely I will ride the SS Avion with Maggie. I’m going to buy another Natches Pass Rene Herse tire so I can interchange 1.25 width- 25 inch diameter or use wider 1.8 25 1/2 inch diameter tires depending on terrain. The Avion will kinda be somewhat of a ”cross-bike.”

At Brands we got some free maps of carriage roads in Arcadia National Park, and some other rail-to-trail in Pennsylvania.

I bought a flashing light that is made for my Giro helmet that will annoy people I’m sure. LOL.

Because of the 48/38/24 chainrings I discovered how to best exploit the 11-34T 9-speed XTR kit I have to have the best and widest gearing to make my Newsboy into a somewhat gravel bike. Right now the Newsboy is a 2x11 XTR, but it does not really have high enough gearing for asphalt. I may try a 48/32 or 46/32 for a higher top gear. Right now a 42/32 is on the bike and I spin-out on downhills.

If my experiment works out I’ll keep the 2x11 XTR and the 9-speed XTR will remain a kit for when and if I need it. Perhaps another bike. “Don’t tell Maggie.”

Cal
 
There is Down Cycles. My friend A.J. was a pro NORBA downhill racer back in the day. His shop is small though.

Oddly there is a big IBIS dealer, but pretty much at that level it is by appointment. Say I wanted to build out an IBIS VC, a 23 pound carbon fiber cross country racing bike for $13K built, that shop is nearby. Nice thing about this IBIS dealer is he has in stock all the trick parts and carbon wheels. He explained to me why the IBIS carbon fiber wheels are the best and the way to go.

BTW I’m not a racer and pretty much a bike like that would be like wearing a penis extension. I’m cooler for riding retro bikes and new/old bikes.

There is a Danny’s which is a chain, but it is a small store when compared to the Danny’s in NYC.

Yorktown Cycles is kinda big and pretty much its location is next to the Empire State Trailway.

For a serious Pro Shop I would go to that one on 9W by the George Washington Bridge for road bikes that are penis extensions.

Did you ever hear the expression by Za-Za Gabor, “No rich man is ugly?”

Cal
 
I always loved riding my late 80s Titan or Vitus 979 with downtube shifters and passing riders on carbon fiber whiz bang machines. That Vitus was just under 18lbs when I sold it after my big crash in 2009.
Phil
 
I changed out the steel OEM handle bar and replaced it with a Titanium Bontrager straight bar from my stockpile. This bar is period correct and weighs about half of the steel bar.

At Brands yesterday I bought an updated Increda-Bell that has a compass. I figured the bell is a way to alert pedestrians of your presence without getting in their space, and I figured the compas could come in handy.

It seemed the steel handlebars effected the compass. BTW there was no disclaimer on the packaging. I mounted it on a Ti bike, but it seems to point to the steel in the basement like the electrical panels and steel shelving. Oh-well. Maybe in the outdoors it might be useful…

The Rene Herse 1.25 wide tires promote a conversion from mountain bike to perhaps a crossover, and the 25 inch diameter improves the gearing for lower which works for me. The tire size is a bit smaller than say an English 3-speed, but because these tires only weigh 178 grams the bike accelerates like a MoFo and the bike is mucho lively and fast. Definately has a bit of road bike vibe and feel.

I love it. I found in my stores a purple anodized derailleur hanger bolt for a Suntour. The idea is the bolt is designed as a breakaway to save the rear derailleur from getting totally trashed. I also have this AVID roller that eliminates friction and binding on rear derailleurs that is kinda retro and I don’t think is available anymore.

After these few upgrades and the maintenance the bike is good-to-go. I would not want to change anything more, except upgrade to my spare Chris King headset when I kill the Ritchey headset which has much life left in it. I love the bike, and it is fun to ride.

An old man and an old bike.

Cal
 
I may change to a thin-walled Tru-Temper handlebar for off-road use due to the nature of steel failure being more "gentle" while the other metals tend to break catastrophically. Granted, this hasn't happened to me while riding but I've seen a lot of it in my years as a mechanic. One of our racers back in Albuquerque had a sponsorship from an early carbon fiber company and he was riding both their seatpost and handlebar. The post "blossomed" and kind of exploded carbon fiber all over the place, including his legs a bit. He yanked the post out and rode the rest of the race without a saddle. When he got back, his sponsor offered him a new post, of course, but he dropped all notions of using carbon fiber as well as the sponsor. Went to an Answer Hyperlite and I think a Thompson post. I still like the idea of titanium, it's just so expensive for me at this point.

I just stopped by my local shop where they were going to let me use their die to thread my NOS fork for the Raleigh, but after I got there, my friend couldn't find the tool. he said it was probably at their other location. So, probably another week just dreaming about getting the Raleigh Mtn Trials together.
I rode my 1956 Rudge there and was surprised at how lightweight the bike felt. This is a bike that led me to getting the Univega, as the frame angles are really close. The Univega is quite bloated as a hardcore touring bike, so it feels a bit heavier. The Rudge felt so light and nimble. Then again, I haven't been on any bicycle in so long, probably any bike might feel nimble.

Phil
 
Phil,

It’s nice to have a stockpile of retro parts. I fussed around a bit and moved the seat a little more forward, and I rotated the new/old Ti bars to take advantage of the sweep to raise the bars ever so slightly. Might have to raise the stem next.

Next bike tweak will be on the Newsboy. I have a Middleburn spyderless “Duo” on the bike presently: a 32/42. I add a spyder and go 32/46 and if that’s not enough 32/46. This bike is 11-speed XTR. The idea is to kinda convert it into somewhat of a gravel bike. To do that I need wide gearing

Presently the Newsboy weighs 21 pounds with a heavy leather saddle and these custom made titanium mustache bars that are made with a heavy gauge tubing. These bars were made by a frame builder and were not very costly. Watson Cycles seems not to be around anymore. Too bad.

The very thin wall Bontrager Ti bars I have bent. The thin wall tubing deformed from even a lightweight like me, but I guess the load exceed a few factors of my weight.

Cal
 
“Maggie” had to fly to Pittsburg for some 4 hour academic meeting for some grant. Why use two days of travel to have a 4 hour meeting? A zoom call would waste less time and be less costly. Oh-well government money at work here…

No hiking or biking for Calvin, instead he resorted to his prison work for exercise. I uncluttered the flat section in between my garden shed (4x8) and Maggie’s She-Shack (8x8). Then I started digging and removing packed clay that was under a tarp for a few years to smother all plant life. This was to irradiate any possible Knotweed.

The idea here is to remove the top 4 inches of what is now clay, and replace it with crushed bluestone gravel laying in my driveway. I’ll install a fresh tarp under the gravel to further smother any future plant life. Basically I’m building a gravel patio in the back-backyard. The bed of gravel also is to slow down any sheeting water that could cause erosion on the next section of the back-backyard that slopes down to the marsh.

Basically I removed about 2 cubic yards and perhaps I need to remove one more cubic yard of clay before grading.

The dump cart holds a lot more than a wheel barrel, and to empty it I do a deadlift. Likely about 200 pounds of force is needed but it is like a compound bow with a break point. I surely used unused muscles.

My biker friend Eric I admired because every summer he go totally ripped. He made a living building pools. This involved digging and mixing bags of cement.

Out in the Hamptons I used Eric as my “Tease-Horse” because he was married and not available. In horse breeding the stallion is not involved in foreplay to a rouse a receptive female.

BTW Eric was a very strong rider and very fast.

Cal
 
We are at a point in history where retro is becoming a luxury and is no longer a cost effective way to save money.

The Pandemic really dried up the supply of not only houses. Finding retro NOS rim brake rims to build wheels is difficult.

Been looking into buying an XC Pro grease-guard cassette hub and 7-speed 12-28T to future proof the IBIS SS Avion. Ideally I would like to secure a Mavic 261 32-hole rim to be period correct, but this would be a matter of luck. The cassettes float around $100.00-$125 and still are available NOS. Two versions exist: the second version has an improved ramp for shifting.

NOS Freewheel supply has entered scarcity, otherwise I would secure a few and be happy.

I can still find NOS and used XC Pro grease-guard cassette hubs, so really the only problem is getting a period correct rim. I have a used Mavic 231 I salvaged from a front wheel. The Ringle hub cracked at a spoke hole. The problem with using this rim is that it is narrower than the Mavic 261’s on the bike now.

Mavic 231 would be period correct and lighter though, so a plan “B” would be to secure a NOS 32-hole 231 rim to build out a new set of wheels: one freewheel; the other cassette. I could live with that.

A plan “C” is kinda making another old/new bike by going Micro-Drive. Instead of 12-28T I go 11-28 and gain a higher high gear. The higher high gear would be welcomed, but pretty much it would no longer be period correct. The shifters and rear derailleur will work, but then I would be locked into the Micro-drive rear hub that is readily available even though it is obsolete. The cost benefit is that the Micro-Drive cassettes are still abundant for prices around $75.00. I could load up the boat/truck.

I would use/keep the 48/38/24 crankset.

As you can tell I really bonded with this bike already.

A bit sore from yesterday’s digging. More today, and Friday’s expected rain works to settle the clay if I hopefully get to grade the space I’m excavating.

Cal
 
Cal, sticking with the freewheel system is probably more reliable in the long run since there were 30 years of Suntour freewheel production and less than 10 of cassette hub/cassettes produced. There is absolutely nothing wrong with refurbishing a clean but used freewheel body, swapping in new cogs and riding off into the sunset. The only reason to use a NOS Suntour freewheel is for the mental edification, but an overhauled and properly lubed used New Winner freewheel body will outlive you.
I approached the drivetrain of the Breezer to give me the maximum amount of forward compatibility while keeping the rear triangle spaced at 130mm. I considered going with the Suntour cassette hubs but production began in the late 80s and stopped in the first half of the 90s. There is no forward compatibility in that system and it should be treated as such. Build the wheels then hang up the bike as a trophy, only to be ridden on nice Sundays. I wanted Suntour but I chose Shimano because HG cassettes that fit my freehub are still being made. Choosing the Suntour cassette hub is like limiting yourself to only being able to ride Regina Extra Oro 5 speed freewheels (and I bet more Regina EO freewheels were made).
As for rims, those from the 80s and 90s are great for a collector restoration bike but not nearly as good as what is available today. There hasn’t been much advancement in welding or brazing steel frames in 30 years, but rim technology and production techniques have become so much better than what we had back then. Again, this separates the bike to be ridden a lot from one that is a Sunday driver. Maybe 8 years ago I got a set of NOS wheels for my 94 stumpjumper and last year one of the rim braking surfaces on the front wheel nearly blew out in 2 places for who knows what reason. I took the risk on old parts and luckily didn’t have a major accident. I GAVE AWAY a set of nearly new Mavic 217s, rims I could have used for my Breezer wheels, because they were about 30 years old.
There are two paths: the first is a full restoration with the knowledge that what you have is the end; the second is the working build that respects the period in gearing, spacing, and in looks, but has the ability to be ridden every day if you want and also replace wearing parts as needed.
All my latest hoops are Rhyno Lites or Ryde Andras, laced with Sapim spokes to old hubs that are all NOS (except one). I insist on durable new rims because that is a place where the accident begins happening and has played out before my brain has a time to even know.

Phil
 
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Phil,

Good advice. I love the bike as is. In function It is like my Newsboy: a repurposed old school mountain bike that remains a rigid for time in the saddle.

If I had to I have that 9-speed XTR kit on the shelf. Like you said that is way further down the road.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
We are at a point in history where retro is becoming a luxury and is no longer a cost effective way to save money.
Click to expand...
Even as a late millenial, I am beginning to have shifted time perception and 2010 is my basis. It's rather crazy that I was in college 10 years ago and moved "upstate" 5 years ago. Got reminded of my NYC visit in 2015, 8 years ago!! The point is, now 2000s are retro.
Camera wise retro is not generally that good. I am having summer downtime and got back into darkroom printing, and even relatively large. I am lucky that our photo club darkroom has gotten sizeable masses of old paper that liths very well but is fogged for normal processes. I became friends with this alt process during the pandemic; and what better than a process that has infectious development! Well, former communist country paper is the retro that I am currently working on.

I also watch funnily from the sidelines the ridiculous prices of Mamiya 7, which the social media algorithm and "filmfluencers" praise highly. Do like medium format film as aesthetic but for brutal pixel displacement, some $3K difference one can get Fuji medium format digital or decent FF.


Bike wise I am quite disconnected and just use a box store 27.5" MTB as a commuter, locked up in my community's garage. I live central and we have some quite creative crooks in town. Back in January I left my 26" in the street of our apartments, this bike is a Frankenstein of 96-03 components, and someone just took my rear QR axle! I suspect they were not good mechanics and did not know how to loose a V-brake to take the rear wheel which has a XT hub and decent rims. Basically can't have a nice bike here and not prioritising it as an activity.

The most I know is that, according to the bike store my dad frequents, there was an oversupply of 2019-2021 bikes after people got back into normal from corona sports.
 
Jorde,

My friend A.J. says the market has dropped out for cars from the 30’s and 40’s as early baby boomers are dying off. It seems now Milenials are pushing up the prices of 80’s vehicle that IMHO are junk with very crude pollution controls that killed power. These cars and trucks were real dogs.

I think some things though never go out of style like pony tails, 60’s muscle cars and perhaps early historical mountain bikes that Phil and I enjoy.

I think that in the future I will attend a Jon Cone workshop in Vermont to learn Alternative Process. The new Piezography Pro is a turnkey system for digital negatives.

As far as large format resolution goes I get accused of shooting large format mistakenly because my B&W Piezography printing looks like a wet print.

Just know that your experience in the darkroom is great training. Our friend John says, “Nothing like a trained eye.”

Cal
 
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I can see a difference today from all the prison work, not that I’m Eric the Tease-Horse. LOL. Perhaps I move one cubic yard out of the 6 cubic yards that lay in my driveway. I’m of the opinion that the gravel weighs more that wet/moist clay.

Drove to LaGuardia to pickup “Maggie.” So much congestion. Lots of idiot drivers.

Tomorrow for me will be a nice rest day. I’m heading out to Lawn-GUY-Land to go Fluke fishing on a charter boat out of Captree. Been over 25 years since I fished. Moved to NYC and that was that. Last month at the Jersey Shore was not really fishing even though I had a rod and reel at the beach. Tomorrow I expect to catch something even if just a Sea Robin.

I put together my new Fenwick rod an newer Accurate reel. Will be using the cooler I bought last week. Let’s see if this old “sharpie” will win the pool.

Cal
 
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