The ultimate commutor bike

Pigeon Reaper · 18-11-2010 2:02pm #1

This is about how to build the ultimate commutor bike.

A while ago I got sick of wrecking my decent bike on the 45km round trip to work through the middle of the city centre and out to citywest. I decided I'd have to do something and so dug up the ancient townsend bike that had been languishing in the shed since my father had upgraded to something a bit more modern. For those that aren't familiar with the townsends they are a budget city bike from the 90's with the cheapest possible parts and a solid steel frame. It had mud guards, flat bars, and a rack but lacked a working drive train and was a dog of the first rate to cycle.

Step one was to replace the worn out clankingly bad bottom bracket with a new sealed unit. This meant that a person could actually cycle the thing again. At this stage I decided to try and cycle it around the locality. The flat bars and grip shifters were not conducive to cycling any distance or at any speed. These needed to go next but the budget was limited as quite simply the bike wasn't worth spending money on. Used parts where picked up from rothar for the princely sum of five euro. This allow me to put old drops on and replace the brake levers. I had to figure out how to get rid of grip shifters so I quick tied some old friction shifters to the down tube of the bike. This worked very well and didn't ruin the ascetics of the bike because it was already dog ugly and rusted. It ended up that repeated use in heavy rain caused the bar tape to start unwrapping so this is now double wrapped with duct tape which is amazing hard wearing.

The next stage was replacing the wheels to thinner ones and reaplcing the pedals with some spds I had. Some decrepit racing steel racing wheels where safed from destruction and these where fitted but after a few months of abuse they kept buckling and the rims had rusted up. They where recently replaced with cheap alex wheels bought second hand from this site. The bike can also fit bigger tyres if needed as it has cantilever brakes. These are working well with marathon plus tyres. A cassette was needed for the wheels and I also decided to take the opportunity to replaced the chain which was about fiftheen years old and had taken to acting like the teenager it was.The bike was also fitted with a new leather saddle. Unfortunately the seatpost also needed to be replaced as the old saddle was made onto the old seatpost as it was cheaper than having a decent saddle clamp.

The last refinement was the adding of a milk bottle to extend the front mud guard to protect against road spray. This final step made an ancient bike shaped object into a commuter which can easily be ladden down with panniers and lights. It keeps me dry from spray in the worst of the weather and can take dogs abuse due to the solid frame. It's also suprisingly comfortable with the new saddle and the tyres. It's possible to maintain about 30kmph on the bike with the modifications whereas before the changes the thing could barely reach 20kmph. The bike still weighs alot but it does make one appreciate a good road bike even more. It's also dog ugly but at least no one will spend too long trying to rob it since it looks like it's held together with quick ties and duct tape. This also means it's greater fun scalping people on faster machines when commuting.

Since the bike was originally free the overall cost is about €160 including all the parts and tyres. You could argue that there are better bikes for commuting on and of course you'd be correct but could you get one for this price and would they be so theft aversive?

picture.php?albumid=1465&pictureid=7851

Jawgap · 18-11-2010 2:11pm

Piccies?

Pigeon Reaper · 18-11-2010 2:24pm

maybe I should add it to images of beauty.

BostonB · 18-11-2010 2:31pm

If you enjoyed doing all that, then its worth it for that alone. The only slight flaw in your logic I see is that people steal stuff because they can, be it worthless or not. Also someone on the cycle to work scheme might be able to buy a better bike cheaper. But they wouldn't have the satisfaction of putting something together.

Really needs photos though.

My old 80's steel MTB cost me something similar by the time, I bought a rack, mudguards, saddle, new gear pods, and hand grips and puncture resistant slicks. Not including locks, clothes, lights, helmets, pump. etc. I think in hindsight I should just have brought a new hybrid, already set up for commuting.

Pigeon Reaper · 18-11-2010 2:55pm

The build is half the fun. I still lock the bike but I just have to make it as hard to steal as the one next to it which will be a shiny bike.

Jawgap · 18-11-2010 3:06pm

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

maybe I should add it to images of beauty.

You can't:) By your own admission it's "dog ugly"!

The use of the milk bottle was pretty inspired, but where did you managed to get one?

tomasrojo · 18-11-2010 3:42pm

Jawgap wrote: »

You can't:) By your own admission it's "dog ugly"!

The use of the milk bottle was pretty inspired, but where did you managed to get one?

Avonmore Easy Pour jugs are quite good for extending mudguards.