Another free bike - Oh, joy!

On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 19:57:51 -0700, Tom Keats wrote:

there's only so much of this Araya and Alex
crap one can put up with.

I've had great luck with Alex rims, my last set needed truing something
like every 5.000 miles, and that was with rough city commuting. I'm sure
the 36 well tensioned DT spokes and 32c wide tires had something to do
with it...

John Thompson wrote:
On 2004-10-04, Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" wrote:


"Frobnicator"? is that a word???

Define, please. :-3)


Derived from "frob" and "frobnicate"


"Jargon File (4.3.0, 30 APR 2001)"
frobnicate /frob'ni-kayt/ vt. Poss. derived from frobnitz, and
usually abbreviated to frob, but `frobnicate' is recognized as the
official full form. To manipulate or adjust, to tweak. One frequently
frobs bits or other 2-state devices. Thus: "Please frob the light
switch" (that is, flip it), but also "Stop frobbing that clasp; you'll
break it". One also sees the construction `to frob a frob'. See tweak
and twiddle.

Usage: frob, twiddle, and tweak sometimes connote points along a
continuum. `Frob' connotes aimless manipulation; `twiddle' connotes
gross manipulation, often a coarse search for a proper setting; `tweak'
connotes fine-tuning. If someone is turning a knob on an oscilloscope,
then if he's carefully adjusting it, he is probably tweaking it; if he
is just turning it but looking at the screen, he is probably twiddling
it; but if he's just doing it because turning a knob is fun, he's
frobbing it. The variant `frobnosticate' has been recently reported.

Frobozz Electric, makers of the Frobozz Electric Totemizer: We bring bad
things to light.

*smirk*

-km

Sat, 2 Oct 2004 17:05:13 -0700, ,
(Tom Keats) wrote:

With all these small but cumulatively incapacitating malfunctions
the bike was left out in previous owner's back lane next to the
garbage cans for whomever would take it. I would dare to presume
the previous owner became frustrated at his inability to restore
the bike to operational condition, and just wanted to get the damn
thing out of his sight. I was happy to oblige.

A neighbour's bike recently went gone but he's got 3 or four 27" wheel
bikes in his basement. I suggested he spend his efforts on an orange
Appolo and scavenge parts from the Free Spirit and BRC. I showed him
how to swap out the busted pedal. After two weeks he'd still done zip
but bought another bike in really good condition for $2.50 at a
garage sale. When I saw him Sunday night his "new" bike still needed
air and all the cables were seized. We brought it, the Appolo and a
BRC to my bunke. I got his new bike functioning, replaced the broken
reflector and sent him home with a working bike.

The Appolo had character in that it had evolved and been adapted to
its rider. Big wide swept-back riser bars. The brake levers were for
drop bars so reversed and pointing forward. Suntour ratcheting stem
shifters, kick stand, chromed steel fenders.

The bike bore evidence of having been ridden regularly and frequently
oiled. The cables all worked smoothly though the housings were cracked
and kinked. The Suntour Honor functioned flawlessly under the
mysterious coating.The chain is relatively new and none of the bolts,
seat post nor stem were seized. The wheels were true and the hubs
rolled smoothly. Tires are shiney bald with flaking sidewalls but they
were still holding air.

A molded plastic skirt guard was lashed to the front fender. That was
confusing until I realised it would keep shopping bags draped over the
handle bars from interfering with the spokes.

The cottered crank was loose and the spindle worn out though the
bearings and cups were in good shape.

I replaced the crank with a Silstar cotterless one and added some
molded bear-paw pedals. The Suntour freewheel was worn. I took the
much better Shimano 6 spd off the BRC, cold set the frame to 125mm,
shifted the axle and added a spacer. Replaced the old reversed action
front derailleur with a really nice Suntour off the BRC. The old Honor
rear handled the 6 spd freewheel after it was cleaned.

The titanium coloured chromo-plast fenders came off the BRC and look
good with the faded orange frame. I replaced the brake levers with a
proper pair off a MTB and gave it a wider, flatter saddle.

What a sweet riding bike! Those handle bars make it great for
cruising. I'd put on thumb shifters if it was for myself

Anyway, I gave it to him last night so now there's another free bike
on the road and I was glad to off load some of my junk.

Cost me two bucks for one new cable though.
--
zk