Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!! 8/24 Update

[Danimal]

So yeah, my camera is DOA at the moment. Luckily Glenn snapped this photo today. Can you see what it is?

I bought this bike from the widow of the great Sheldon Brown. She was at the Larz show selling off some of his old bikes. The bike was labeled "Columbia Springer Proto MTB Frame". It is a 50'-60's Columbia frame with a springer front end. Sheldon added a Schwinn 10 speed crank set-up along with an add on caliper brake in the back, and toe straps. Some other misc parts are still attached as well. This a cool piece of history that I am torn about.

I could take all of Sheldon's parts off and make a nice old Rat Rod from it, or I could finish his job by adding wheels and a few misc items.

It might be up for sale though. I just bought an Elgin too and now I am strapped and need some cash. :shock:

Dan

 

[Rat Rod]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Very cool find in deed...I say finish the bike Klunker style. :wink:

 

[Wildcat]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

I'm surprised you were able to get anything that belonged to Sheldon. I would finish it as he had planned, it'll be worth a lot because it was his.

 

[user 135]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Pretty cool find. Finish it .

She has sold some of his other bikes too. I saw a road/touring bike on ebay once. What other bikes was she selling?

 

[30thtbird]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Cool find. I do recognize a small part. The metal strip going across the back of the frame that the caliper is attached to is off of a Murray Eliminator 3 or 5 speed bike. It's a brace used to stiffen the frame because of the brake caliper like Sheldon used it for. Kenny.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

She had a van full of stuff, but to be honest I didn't see much of it. There was a pile of road bike and British stuff but I wasn't even aware who she was until the Columbia caught my eye. Once I put it all together, I had to have it!!!

Of course by that time, they had sold a bunch. They did still have a skiptoot tandom bike project that weighed about 300 pounds. :lol:

The man was ahead of his time, that's for sure. Building Klunkers long before we knew what they were.

R.I.P. Sheldon.
Dan

 

[Unchained]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Very, very cool! (Thoguh I really want to see the Elgin... :wink

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Dan you need to finish it as a klunker. That's a piece of cycling history right there. That was a nice speech the guy made about Sheldon at the show.

 

[KZ1000]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

She had a van full of stuff, but to be honest I didn't see much of it. There was a pile of road bike and British stuff but I wasn't even aware who she was until the Columbia caught my eye. Once I put it all together, I had to have it!!!

Of course by that time, they had sold a bunch. They did still have a skiptoot tandom bike project that weighed about 300 pounds. :lol:

The man was ahead of his time, that's for sure. Building Klunkers long before we knew what they were.

R.I.P. Sheldon.
Dan

Dan I think they sold it all in the time you were trying to decide if you wanted to pay her asking price

 

[roadmaster]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

wow, to have something from the late, great Sheldon Brown is somewhat of an honor. do it up as he woulda done it, my friend and enjoy it for the both of ya.

 

[schwinnmesa]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

That's a piece of history. I love it.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Thanks for the compliments guys. Yes, it is a cool piece of history and it will be a great homage to the man once it is complete. That makes it much harder for me to say this, but I think I am going to put it up for sale.

I will try to get some better pics in a few days and then I will post it in the Classified section here. If any of you guys are interested, feel free to contact me via PM.

Thanks
Dan

 

[SimpleMan]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Nice find Dan.....you should really reconsider selling it. What a great piece!

 

[SimpleMan]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Here you go........a picture of it in it's prime from Sheldon's site. This is what you need to do with it!

 

[jaydub]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Dan ..you could have my super goose for it..???

 

[user 135]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Looks like it had a 3speed drum brake hub in the rear originally. http://sheldonbrown.org/bicycle.html#columbia

Sheldon must of stole the wheels for one of his other builds, kinda like we all have done before.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Dan ..you could have my super goose for it..???

Sorry man, I finally got my Supergoose and built it. I have 1 BMX and I'm done.


Now thanks to Jeff and Clancy for that info. I can't believe I didn't look there myself. Maybe I willl keep it for a while now.

Wow...just wow
Dan

On an unrelated note, does anybody have a 3 speed S/A drum brake hub laced to a chrome wheel?

 

[jaydub]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Dan ..you could have my super goose for it..???

Sorry man, I finally got my Supergoose and built it. I have 1 BMX and I'm done.


Now thanks to Jeff and Clancy for that info. I can't believe I didn't look there myself. Maybe I willl keep it for a while now.

Wow...just wow
Dan

On an unrelated note, does anybody have a 3 speed S/A drum brake hub laced to a chrome wheel?

If I figured out how to PM I would have before back when it was for sale ..So I guess you got my PM today..Now if I can remember what I did to do it. Good lock with the bike..

 

[user 135]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Look like it needs some black rims. Probably Annodized but nothing expensive like araya 7x's.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Rat-Clunker-MTB-Sheldon Brown Find!!!

Here you go........a picture of it in it's prime from Sheldon's site. This is what you need to do with it!

So let's see...wheels gone, along with the original sprocket, stem, bars, and Brooks seat.

On the plus side, still has the cables in the same places, same jacked up high seatpost (although it looks slightly bent now, same pedals and toe clips, and the same water bottle holder!!! He obviously made it a 10 speed at one point, so I may try and bring it back like that. You should see the brake pads...they are finned aluminum. Crazy stuff.

Dan