Okay, I've been getting by the last few years with found/discarded
bikes and parts.
Earlier this year I got to upgrade from my old 80s-ish Norco Bigfoot
with a found/discarded Norco Mountaineer with GripShifters and v-brakes.
But the frame was kind of small for me; I had the seatpost extended up
pretty high, and eventually the seat tube cracked just below the
binder bolt. I'd also previously worn out the stock, cheap-o Shimano
crankset, and had to swap in the nice Sugino one from the Bigfoot.
So with the Mountaineer f'd up by dint of the cracked seat tube, I
migrated all the good components to the Bigfoot (which I've dubbed
"Ol' Pig Iron".) Including the Sugino crankset and BB which
originally came off the Bigfoot.
The 7-spd freewheel that was originally on the Mountaineer was a
world of frustration -- it just wouldn't freewheel freely enough,
despite days of soaking in solvent, and subsequent rinsing, drying &
lubing.
But over the last several months I also acquired a couple of discarded
road bikes, one of which had the exact same 6-spd freewheel as originally
on the Bigfoot - but it's in near-mint condition; likewise the chain. I'm
sure they must have been just recently installed on the foundling road
bike. Which is weird, because the wheels are steel-rimmed, and the tires
look like they've taken a ride through the garbeurator.
But getting an almost new freewheel & chain for free is bee-yoo-tee-ful.
And they're so pristine!
Back to square one is better than square zero, anyways. And I've come
to prefer the old style canti's w/ non-threaded-post brake pads over
threaded-pad V-brakes.
cheers,
Tom
--
-- Nothing was safe from me.
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