Death Trap

[us56456712]

My Son-in-Law took one look at my frame build and he said “that looks like a death trap”. I was trying to braze the frame today. It’s below zero Fahrenheit and I could only do small sections of the smaller joints. Too much heat gets sucked away from the joint by the rest of the frame. That will have to wait.

The wheels need some TLC, some loose spokes and a new cassette. Araya rims and Suzui hubs but not quick release like the original Breezer. It’s what I got.

This is close to the original UniRoyal tire tread pattern. They were all out of the black wall version. I decided to get the white walls because you never know with COVID when stuff will be available or if it runs out will replacements be available.

Suntour derailleurs and MAFAC cantilever brakes. I still have to weld on the cantilever pivots and the seat post clamp. You can’t see them but the cable guides are already welded on.

 

[horsefarmer]

Pretty cold here as well... Good time to hang close to the stove US!

 

[us56456712]

Pretty cold here as well... Good time to hang close to the stove US!

 

[us56456712]

Brooks B72 was not a durable design. They don’t make it anymore and even ones that look nice self destruct at the nose. I’m making a clone for the clone.

B 72are notorious for squeaking, here’s why.

Rivets later, after all the filing, bending, pounding, cutting and welding, just a start here making two into one.

 

[us56456712]

All of February has been below zero Fahrenheit but today is the exception. Zero today. I’m not able to work in the shop and it’s driving me nuts. I have a five hole crank, with a 110 BCD, 34 tooth small chainring. The original Breezer had a 32 teeth and I can’t find any 32 tooth ones to fit my crank. I want it to ride close to original so a rough gear inch calculation indicates that if I substitute the original 26 inch cog for a 28 tooth cog I’ll be real close. I think my Suntour short cage friction shift rear derailleur will probably work with 28 teeth but just?

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I got attention span problems. I am super into the Breezer build, I love the concept, want one for myself. But I also keep checking out the FSR Epic too. It's kinda like looking at two ends of an era

 

[us56456712]

It’s 33F today so I worked in my shop for a few minutes on the faux Brooks B72
saddle. It’s way harder to do this than it looks.
.

 

[us56456712]

I couldn’t find any Joe Breeze seat sandwiches for Brooks B72 saddles. The sandwich allows you to use a modern seat post with the twin rail B72, which also eliminates the chronic slipping when using a regular seat post and the junk Brooks clamp. They have seat sandwiches in England but they are way, way too expensive for a CNC machined aluminum block. I made one from steel. The sandwich has pieces of tubing welded to both sides and the top and bottom of the plate which allows it to adjust back and forth. It’s far from done. It needs filing and buffing. The faux B72 is getting pretty close to done. I think that it was an odd choice for Joe to use the B72 because it was primarily used on English 3 speeds and touring bikes. It’s not an all weather saddle but California is mostly dry. It squeaked, slipped and the nose leather tore out. Typical of Brooks, overrated, fragile and expensive.

 

[us56456712]

Rene Herse had the same idea 40 years before Joe Breeze.

 

[horsefarmer]

There's a mixte in there somewhere!

 

[us56456712]

I made a box and welded it over my ugly bridge welds where I shortened the seat springs to fit the new leather. It looks a lot better.

 

[us56456712]

Rig-a-ma-jig. Cantilever bosses are tacked in place. I’ve done this twice before and didn learn anything. I’m sure I’ll have to do my usual and cut them off and remount them until they are right. I didn’t test them on a wheel to see how it lines up because I got too cold. If they are off a tiny bit it’s no good.

 

[Couch tater]

Looking good! This is going to be a sweet looking bike. I don't know what your local weather is but here we've gone from frigid dry cold to humid just above freezing cold. I'm not sure which is more uncomfortable.

 

[jamesdart]

This is cool. I always like the stuff you build And I’ve wanted to build a breezes look alike for a while.

 

[us56456712]

Looking good! This is going to be a sweet looking bike. I don't know what your local weather is but here we've gone from frigid dry cold to humid just above freezing cold. I'm not sure which is more uncomfortable.

It’s been vey cold for most of February. Down to -20 once and below zero most mornings with a high finally in the twenties starting about five days ago. Yesterday and today it was sunny and a high of 36. We have almost no snow. The banks on our nearest highway only come to midway up on my truck tires. Usually this time of year the banks are way over the top of the cab. I hope to be able to work on it tomorrow. If it’s 30 and no wind I bring it outside, if it’s 30s and windy, like today, I work in the garage with the overhead door open. Next I’ll make another rig-a-ma-jig for the front again as I’ll probably have to relocate the brake bosses, then another jig for the rear brake mounts. Then a few small brazing jobs on the cable guides, derailleur hanger and cross braces. I think I’ll assemble it without paint to make sure it’s all ok, then if I’m lucky enough to finish it, paint it this summer.

Rig-a-ma-jig. Cantilever bosses are tacked in place. I’ve done this twice before and didn learn anything. I’m sure I’ll have to do my usual and cut them off and remount them until they are right. I didn’t test them on a wheel to see how it lines up because I got too cold. If they are off a tiny bit it’s no good.View attachment 151828View attachment 151829

what a nice surprise, these are mounted perfectly. I tried them today. Everything is nice and square. Now I have to figure out how to make a jig for the rear
cantilevers. I don’t care for Sheldon Brown’s solution for a jig, it doesn't hold the bosses tight enough for me.

 

[us56456712]

I got the rear canti mount rig-a-ma- jig almost done. I hope to finish it tomorrow.

 

[us56456712]

 

[us56456712]

The cantilever rear mounts also came out perfect. All I have to mount now is the seat post clamp, water bottle nuts, and pump attachment nubs. Then a lot of file work, Dremel work and a little braze filling. Of course paint and decals, that’s for later, when it gets warm.

 

[us56456712]

Yesterday’s warm weather is gone. Today it’s 12 F with a steady 22 mph NNW wind so that’s -7 wind chill. I’m working on the seat post clamp but it’s in stages as my feet and hands can’t take more than 15 minutes at a time. It’s outdoor death cold. A blizzard. I really just about froze my hands doing this. The ice on my shop floor makes maneuvering around treacherous. It’s too cold to work so my weld is jumpy and will need a lot of cleaning. Next the pump mounts.

 

[us56456712]

Oh, nuts, my rear Araya rim has a hop. It’s round. I never noticed it before. It will work for now, but it’s a bummer.