Commuter Bike Update

[brentville]

Been wanting to build touring bike that pays tribute to those old 50's and 60's light weights like Hercules and Raleigh. Starting out with this Sears 10 speed that I got for free. Its better than a Free Spirit as it is a lugged steel frame, Huret derailluers, and Nevar cottered crank. It's made in Austria!

I like the old school quick release wheels too.

I plan on adding these parts, a nice aluminum rear rack that I've got and a leather saddle of some sort.

Hope to have a classy looking practical around towner for a low cost.

 

[patrick c]

Re: Commuter Bike

Sharp lightweight,those parts will give it that 50's look. Sears actually had some well made stuff in the 70's, like your bike,but I think it was little known. I remember thinking everything they sold was a Murray.

Pat

 

[Pinche]

Re: Commuter Bike

I've got a Sears lugged three speed. Nice frames. I was amazed that they were Austrian built after closer look. Nice selection of parts you've got so far. I was also surprised that my BSA frame weighed less then the Hercules being they look the exact same and both 21" frames and both Raleigh built. My BSA fixie gets the most road action as I ride it twenty miles round trip to work every other day. My Hercules will soon be finished once I hear back from Surly about my Fixxer issue.

 

[brentville]

Re: Commuter Bike

Thanks NOS chrome fenders just waiting for something like this.

And yeah it's not a real heavy bike. Seems like a good candidate to get around town on. I'm going with gears though. I think the shifters on the downtube and simple chainring look good enough for a commuter. I'd like to get some lighter weight wheels though as those steelies are heavy and don't stop well in the rain

 

[brentville]

Re: Commuter Bike

More stuff...

Aluminum rack I got somewhere along the line and a Persons seat.

I planned on reshaping the pan a bit and recovering the seat but when I got the cover off it, I saw it was really rusty and close to falling apart.

The springs and such were in good shape so I found another discarded seat of mine that was more the shape I was looking for and put the spring undercarriage on this pan.

Now this pan is plastic and I am hoping it will hold together. The gloppy stuff is epoxy I used to try to reinforce around the carriage bolts.
They already look like they will hurt my butt. Oh well...foam and a stiff leather cover either laced or riveted to the pan ought to take care of it.

 

[brentville]

Re: Commuter Bike

Got the bike pretty well apart...I hate loose bearings in the bottom bracket.

Did a little work on the seat, trying for a classic springer seat look without the cost of a Brooks seat.

Here is what I started out with... I think it's got a good shape to it and I don't much mind the faux stitching

I hit it with a coat of Rustoleum's finest almond gloss paint.

After that it was a garden variety brown. I the almond seemed to lighten up the brown and gave it some variance in the color such as you'd get with a leather seat. Almost a honey brown, but a bit too dark still.

If it ever dries in this humidity I'll put it on the seat pan and try riveting it to the pan to add to the effect.

 

[brentville]

Got it in primer and sussed out the seat and bars.

The bars were from an old exercycle that had no stem but were "Y" shaped. I had to grind of the leg of the "Y" to get them into the stem. Only down side I see is that there is but one hand position when riding. Have to consider the angle and whether I wan to be stretched out over those bars all the time.

Will wet sand this morning and get her in paint today. Still need to get the dang frozen kickstand off of her.

 

[brentville]

Really liking the look of the paint and the black trim on this one with the the chrome NOS fenders. The trim around the lug was a pain and still needs cleaning up but it sets off the metallic sage and chrome nicely. Need the brake levers, rear rack, grips and other goodies on before I tackle the driveline and the loose bearings in the BB. Keeping it a ten speed with friction shifters on the downtube!

Not sure why I can't get a bump with new posts so I can get some views and feedback?

 

[Graylock]

I like 8) this bike build you have got going here. The seat scares me :shock: to small for me. Keep at it.

GL

 

[Markm]

silently diggin it!!

 

[brentville]

Arrrrgghhh! Well, 26" fenders do not work work on a bike with 27" wheels. And my eye isn't discerning enough to tell the difference between these two sizes of fenders! Ok, so no fenders on this bike. I guess that puts me just that much closer to being finished.
And in comparing the fenders to the ones on my '69 Raleigh 3 speed I discovered that the Raleigh wears 26" shoes. So when I can get the seat stay welded on that bike it can get those shiney chrome fenders.

 

[deorman]

Some black plastic Planet Bike fenders could work on there, they're fairly cheap, easy on-off, and they weigh almost nothing.

I probably would have gone with this bar, but perhaps the ride will decide.