# So I made a bike out of bits I found in the garage.



## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

Built on a Carlton frame. It still needs a front brake, slightly lower gearing, a nicer seat post and the stickers removed from the rims. It's a sort of homage to old British bikes. 'Tracker' meets Cycle Speedway meets winter hack fixed. I shall ride it wearing a donkey jacket and monkey boots.


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## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

Gonna drill that chainring too.


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## classic33 (17 Feb 2020)

Sure I've seen those handlebars before.


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## midlife (17 Feb 2020)

Nice old Cobra frame . Is that the original copper looking headbadge?


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## Gunk (17 Feb 2020)

I like that, nice job 👍


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## roadrash (17 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> I shall ride it wearing a donkey jacket and monkey boots.



not seen monkey boots for years.


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## Electric_Andy (17 Feb 2020)

I like it. I also like the stickers on the rims, I'd keep them


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Feb 2020)

Really need chrome steel rims on a bike like that. Black anodised alloy looks too modern.


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## MarkF (17 Feb 2020)

Looks great.


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## Spiderweb (17 Feb 2020)

I would remove the branding stickers from the wheels, apart from that it looks really cool, I like it lots.


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## raleighnut (17 Feb 2020)

Nice


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## ianrauk (17 Feb 2020)

Loving the frame


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## glasgowcyclist (17 Feb 2020)

Love that, apart from the garish lettering on the wheels and tyres.


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## CanucksTraveller (17 Feb 2020)

I immediately thought "tracker" when I saw it! It's lovely, nicely done.


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## biggs682 (17 Feb 2020)

Just goes to show you don't have to spend to get a nice useable bike


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## Rusty Nails (17 Feb 2020)

Spiderweb said:


> I would remove the branding stickers from the wheels, apart from that it looks really cool, I like it lots.



I dislike this whole flash advertising thing on wheels. I have just bought a bike with Fulcrum wheels on and will try to get the stickers off them.

That bike is great for its simplicity. Doesn't need logos.


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Feb 2020)

biggs682 said:


> Just goes to show you don't have to spend to get a nice useable bike



Agree 100% with that statement, good bikes can be dirt cheap to acquire or put together if done the right way.


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## MontyVeda (17 Feb 2020)

Rusty Nails said:


> I dislike this whole flash advertising thing on wheels. I have just bought a bike with Fulcrum wheels on and* will try to get the stickers off them.*
> 
> That bike is great for its simplicity. Doesn't need logos.


What's the best way? 
Will a hair dryer soften the adhesive enough?


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## Rusty Nails (17 Feb 2020)

MontyVeda said:


> What's the best way?
> Will a hair dryer soften the adhesive enough?



I'm looking for tips on that myself as the stickers seem to be a mix of paper and plastic film.


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Feb 2020)

I'd have a go with paint thinners to see if the solvent will dissolve the adhesives. Big garish logos on bike wheels are one of my cycling pet hates as well. A small discreet maker's sticker is fair enough, but I don't like bikes to look like mobile advertising hoardings.


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## MontyVeda (17 Feb 2020)

solvent has to get through the plastic film before is reaches the adhesive... and would it also thin the paint on the rim itself??


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Feb 2020)

Whether solvent will have any effect on the rim depends what the surface coating of the rim is and what the chemistry of the solvent is. Even if the coating is paint, the solvent may have no effect on it. The way you get plastic films off is by getting solvent under the edge of the film, and allowing it to soak into the adhesive and weaken it.


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## Andy in Germany (17 Feb 2020)

Ooooo, lovely.

Can I come and poke around in your garage sometime?


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## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

That front lamp bracket tho! I need to think of something clever to do with it. I hate it. Maybe a racing # plate.


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## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

midlife said:


> Nice old Cobra frame . Is that the original copper looking headbadge?


Cobra! Nice one. Thanks.


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## dave r (17 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> That front lamp bracket tho! I need to think of something clever to do with it. I hate it. Maybe a racing # plate.



I'd use it for its intended purpose and hang a lamp bracket on it.


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## Spiderweb (17 Feb 2020)

I have the same wheels and had the same stickers on my Giant Bowery, they peeled off dead easily, no heat was required.


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## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

dave r said:


> I'd use it for its intended purpose and hang a lamp bracket on it.


I have a lamp which will go the job. But its not very 'racy' is it?


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## Spiderweb (17 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> That front lamp bracket tho! I need to think of something clever to do with it. I hate it. Maybe a racing # plate.


You could just cover the hole with a stainless penny washer and a stainless button head hex socket screw?


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## dave r (17 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> I have a lamp which will go the job. But its not very 'racy' is it?



I thought it was a winter hack and didn't have to be racy.


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## glasgowcyclist (17 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> That front lamp bracket tho! I need to think of something clever to do with it. I hate it. Maybe a racing # plate.



What about a bottle opener for your beer? 
Maybe something like this but a little more ornate and fashioned from an old lamp holder.


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## Reynard (17 Feb 2020)

That's really rather nice. 

I'd use a finger nail to loosen a small corner of the sticker, then apply a dollop of alcohol hand gel underneath - that's good at loosening glue without being as harsh as solvents. Then, *slowly* and with an even tension, peel the sticker back, applying more hand gel as you go.


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## midlife (17 Feb 2020)

Wd40 is also good at dissolving glue.


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## mickle (17 Feb 2020)

glasgowcyclist said:


> What about a bottle opener for your beer?
> Maybe something like this but a little more ornate and fashioned from an old lamp holder.
> View attachment 504982


You, Sir, are a farking genius.


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## ColinJ (17 Feb 2020)

Nice bike!



SkipdiverJohn said:


> Really need chrome steel rims on a bike like that. Black anodised alloy looks too modern.


Yeah - who needs front brakes that work in the rain! 



ColinJ said:


> _" ... and then you will really know what poor wet weather braking is like!"_
> 
> I nearly met my maker when I was about 12 years due to wet steel rims. I was bombing down Barkers Butts Lane in Coventry in the rain towards the traffic lights at the bottom of the hill and braked when the lights changed to red as I approached them. The cross traffic started moving but I couldn't stop! I shot between 2 fast-moving cars and somehow emerged on the other side of the lights in one piece.
> 
> Decent brake blocks work pretty well on wet alloy rims, providing you use that early braking technique to wipe the rims before heavier braking. It is easy to get your front and/or rear wheels to lock up in the wet and you don't need more braking power than that!


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## mickle (18 Feb 2020)

midlife said:


> Nice old Cobra frame . Is that the original copper looking headbadge?


Yes, orig headbadge. Polished half to death.


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## mickle (18 Feb 2020)

Did anyone notice the 1980s Dia Compe BMX lever with parking brake button?


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## AndyRM (18 Feb 2020)

I'm a fan of that, very nice!


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## Milkfloat (18 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> Did anyone notice the 1980s Dia Compe BMX lever with parking brake button?


I was too busy being shocked by the mismatching grip/saddle combo.


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## mickle (18 Feb 2020)

glasgowcyclist said:


> What about a bottle opener for your beer?
> Maybe something like this but a little more ornate and fashioned from an old lamp holder.



Check this out wot I have bought:




Super Speed!!!


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## mickle (19 Feb 2020)




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## roadrash (19 Feb 2020)

you will spill your beer though if you use it that way up


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## FrankCrank (19 Feb 2020)

....a beer for forks sake....


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## dave r (19 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> View attachment 505292
> 
> 
> View attachment 505293



I would prefer a lamp bracket there.


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## Milkfloat (19 Feb 2020)

dave r said:


> I would prefer a lamp bracket there.


That's because you don't drink!


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## dave r (19 Feb 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> That's because you don't drink!



I rarely drink, a cider with a meal or when we are down the club and that's it.


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## mickle (19 Feb 2020)

roadrash said:


> you will spill your beer though if you use it that way up


Cider, but yes. It needs a bend innit.


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## Kempstonian (19 Feb 2020)

Lighter fluid is good for melting glue and it won't damage the paintwork or lacquer. Its good for getting Sellotape off as well, even if its stuck to paper. I buy second hand vinyl lps and they often have price labels or similar stuck to the cover. I use lighter fluid to remove them. Just pick a small corner up and run the fluid underneath - then lift carefully.


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## Kempstonian (19 Feb 2020)

I forgot to say you will probably have to use a cloth afterwards to remove melted glue residue. More fluid on the cloth helps no end.


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## SkipdiverJohn (19 Feb 2020)

So lighter fuel has three known uses then! I was under the impression it's primary use was for teenagers to sniff, and occasionally it was even used to fuel lighters.


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## Reynard (19 Feb 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> So lighter fuel has three known uses then! I was under the impression it's primary use was for teenagers to sniff, and occasionally it was even used to fuel lighters.



Also good at removing nail polish... 

But then that's a girl thing.


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## SkipdiverJohn (19 Feb 2020)

Reynard said:


> Also good at removing nail polish...
> 
> But then that's a girl thing.



Let's hope so, the idea of "men" using nail polish doesn't appeal one little bit.....


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## Reynard (19 Feb 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Let's hope so, the idea of "men" using nail polish doesn't appeal one little bit.....



Well, I *am* female. 

And yes, I do, very occasionally, wear nail polish. But it never stays on for very long.


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## ColinJ (19 Feb 2020)

I have been toying with the idea of wearing false nails, but only on my right hand...


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## Kempstonian (19 Feb 2020)

No... I'm not going to ask...


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## All uphill (19 Feb 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Let's hope so, the idea of "men" using nail polish doesn't appeal one little bit.....


Don't fight it John.

One day you'll be on here showing off your new Bianchi with Di2, wearing nail varnish and draped in a blue flag with golden stars!

Or maybe not 😁


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## raleighnut (19 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I have been toying with the idea of wearing false nails, but only on my right hand...





Many Guitarists do


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## 12boy (19 Feb 2020)

I rise in support of Milkfloat's point about the mismatching grips and saddle. I'd love a honey saddle with coper rivets. And it would look extra bitchin if the bars were flipped for that extra iota of devil may care jauntiness. Nonetheless, what a beauty!


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## SkipdiverJohn (20 Feb 2020)

All uphill said:


> One day you'll be on here showing off your new Bianchi with Di2, wearing nail varnish and draped in a blue flag with golden stars!



My worst nightmare, especially the blue flag and the nail varnish.  The prospect of a Bianchi and Di2 is not so bad in comparison with the others. So long as it was a steel one that is.


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## ColinJ (20 Feb 2020)

raleighnut said:


> Many Guitarists do


Yes - my nails have got really fragile so after a few hours of picking/strumming they split.

I was just looking at some clip-on picks which only require a shortish extra length of natural nail and do most of the work. I might give those a try.


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## mickle (29 Feb 2020)




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## Kempstonian (29 Feb 2020)

mickle said:


> View attachment 506478


Its those little extras that make a bike special, innit?


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## raleighnut (1 Mar 2020)

You could use one of these for extra 'supplies'


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## Toshiba Boy (1 Mar 2020)

Mickle, only just seen this, nice, very nice


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## Fab Foodie (1 Mar 2020)

roadrash said:


> not seen monkey boots for years.


My lad wears ‘em....


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## winjim (1 Mar 2020)

I mean you say 'bits' but to be fair it's bits _of bikes_ so it's not that much of an accomplishment....


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## mickle (4 Mar 2020)

The finished article.










Well nearly. Black toe straps required.


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## mickle (8 Mar 2020)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124110235165


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## rogerzilla (11 Mar 2020)

Front brakes aren't used in cycle speedway with a _freewheel_. It's a good job the speeds are low!

Having said that, the local brakeless BMXers are adept at stopping with a foot jammed between the rear tyre and seat tube.


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## mickle (26 Mar 2020)




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## 12boy (26 Mar 2020)

Sweet as butter brickle, Mr Mickle!


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## woodbutcher (27 Mar 2020)

rogerzilla said:


> Front brakes aren't used in cycle speedway with a _freewheel_. It's a good job the speeds are low!
> 
> Having said that, the local brakeless BMXers are adept at stopping with a foot jammed between the rear tyre and seat tube.


There's nothing new under the sun, 60 years ago my friends and l built our own fix wheel bikes with "cow horns" and no rear brake . We jammed our foot onto the rear tyre up against the seat stays ( not the seat tube...that would really hurt). Timing was everything


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## Chris S (29 Mar 2020)

roadrash said:


> not seen monkey boots for years.


Anybody know why they were called 'monkey' boots?


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## Kempstonian (29 Mar 2020)

Nice... but didn't you say you were going to drill the chainring?


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## mickle (29 Mar 2020)

Kempstonian said:


> Nice... but didn't you say you were going to drill the chainring?


That was my intention. Changed my mind when i decided i wasn't going to keep it for myself.


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## Kempstonian (29 Mar 2020)

mickle said:


> That was my intention. Changed my mind when i decided i wasn't going to keep it for myself.


Ah! Fair enough. Looks great as it is anyway


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## mickle (2 Apr 2020)

Swapped the bars out. Fitted a new sprocket.


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## 12boy (2 Apr 2020)

That looks very nice.


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## Kempstonian (3 Apr 2020)

I'm thinking a 6" red panel on the seat tube with the Carlton badge in it would provide a sight line linking the sprocket to the bars...


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## carpenter (3 Apr 2020)

Something about being able to climb like a "monkey" in them I think - ref' why are they called monkey boots (I mucked up the multi quote )


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