A neighbour of ours in the village has spent most of the winter sending us adverts for brand new bikes he was 'considering' buying, but somehow the amount of money involved in buying a new bike just seemed more like a dream.
Finally, though, one of his relatives gave him a well used bike. Well used enough that it had tape over the gear change rubbers, tape covering the seat and a replacement rear wheel. The front forks were also solid. The bike was a Kross, a Polish made bike that is very popular these days, I even have one, a much better one, in one of my barns for when I want to ride longer distances. This one, though, had done most of the things it was bought for, and just wanted to be left forgotten in a shed.
I kind of did a temporary fix to the punctured front tube, made sure the brakes worked and gave it a trial run to make sure that the frame was not bent or something. Everything was fine until I tweaked the rear gear changer, which sent the derailleur into the spokes - and broke its aluminium mount.
I was not too bothered about it, but I put it on my work bench, fiddled around with it once or twice over the weekend. The BB was toast, the mudguards we held on with plastic straps, but the front forks did start to move up and down.
Then I remembered a Btwin frame I had, made for that massive French sporting goods shop, Decathlon, and the few bits that had come with it. It has quite a nice front suspension fork, but it is only a 7 speed derailleur instead of the 9 speed on the Kross.
This one had lived in a nice part of a city instead of the back end of a village, so most of the things still on it are still in quite good condition. They both take 26" wheels and the same types of brake, and I am sure I can find a BB to fit.
So that is my latest project.
Finally, though, one of his relatives gave him a well used bike. Well used enough that it had tape over the gear change rubbers, tape covering the seat and a replacement rear wheel. The front forks were also solid. The bike was a Kross, a Polish made bike that is very popular these days, I even have one, a much better one, in one of my barns for when I want to ride longer distances. This one, though, had done most of the things it was bought for, and just wanted to be left forgotten in a shed.
I kind of did a temporary fix to the punctured front tube, made sure the brakes worked and gave it a trial run to make sure that the frame was not bent or something. Everything was fine until I tweaked the rear gear changer, which sent the derailleur into the spokes - and broke its aluminium mount.
I was not too bothered about it, but I put it on my work bench, fiddled around with it once or twice over the weekend. The BB was toast, the mudguards we held on with plastic straps, but the front forks did start to move up and down.
Then I remembered a Btwin frame I had, made for that massive French sporting goods shop, Decathlon, and the few bits that had come with it. It has quite a nice front suspension fork, but it is only a 7 speed derailleur instead of the 9 speed on the Kross.
This one had lived in a nice part of a city instead of the back end of a village, so most of the things still on it are still in quite good condition. They both take 26" wheels and the same types of brake, and I am sure I can find a BB to fit.
So that is my latest project.
