Commuter bike from hell, part I. With pics!

Chris wrote in message
thlink.net...
Since I've slithered out from under irresponsibility and will be going to
a
real school full-time this fall (U of MD - College Park baby) I needed a
commuter bike. I wasn't buying anything new, and the only frame I had
around was my X-Caliber, so I slapped it together.

snipped struggles

I know I am an idiot for turning a decent bike into a really weird
half-homemade pile of crap...but what the hell else are you gonna do with
a
Tuesday night?

Chris

Couple of points Chris:

1) Shorter cap nuts for crank rings are available, or you could carefully
cut/grind shorter the ones you have (watch for trashing the threads inside -
you might have to thread a bolt trough from the uncut side to clean them out
afterwards). This would negate the need for the washers *(which I still
think is the chain throwing problem).

2) You could grind the teeth off the big ring and use it as a bash guard
(done this myself - works perfectly, and if done with any care at all, looks
fine too). Again, no need for washers then.

3) If you want/could take higher gearing (I'm running 42 front and 14-34
back, and I still don't need my lowest gear on the 2 1/2 mile long steep
climb on my work commute, but spin out in 14/42), a big ring will fit on
where your middle ring goes (you'll keep a good chain line by doing this) -
you can use the shorter/modified cap nuts again, but you could also use the
washers you made, as they'll not come near the teeth/chain ('*' again).

Right, now for the '*' - I think that the chain line when you are in the top
2 rings at the back may well be pulling the chain inboard enough to catch on
those washers, and that this is lifting the chain and throwing it off onto
the BB shell - it might only need to just touch to do this, check it out
maybe.

Hey, you should see my FrankenBeater if you think yours is cobbled together!
(mine works fine!).

Hope this helps you some Chris.



Shaun aRe

"Chris" wrote in message rthlink.net...
Since I've slithered out from under irresponsibility and will be going to a
real school full-time this fall (U of MD - College Park baby) I needed a
commuter bike. I wasn't buying anything new, and the only frame I had
around was my X-Caliber, so I slapped it together.

Now, I wanted something that was fun, light, moderately unattractive to
thieves, and, to be honest, interesting. To that end, I decided to build it
up with only rear shifting, and just one 32-tooth ring up front. I don't
need grannies or 42-toothers to haul my ass up Route 1, and that extra 400
grams I'd save in shifter/cable/front mech/2 rings weight will obviously
make me the rider I've always wanted to be. Right.

snip crank spacer woes

I know I am an idiot for turning a decent bike into a really weird
half-homemade pile of crap...but what the hell else are you gonna do with a
Tuesday night?

Chris

You don't get it, do you? I predict that bike will last all of two
weeks at Maryland. You think a bike thief's going to care that you've
got one chainring in the front? Buy yourself a $60 beater, leave the
Fisher locked in your dorm room, and try not to drink yourself
damaged.
/s
ps: I was accepted at UMD, went to pre-orientation, woke up face down
in a parking lot with one shoe, switched for Rutgers. It didn't help.