BUFFAL0B1LL BIKESITE
last updated 06-05-05
by buffalÆ[email protected]
See http://buffal0b1ll.com/bikes for the newest edition.
*This website uses 100% recycled electrons. No new matter was created as a result of its publication.
The Bikes - In No Particular Order
1980 Soma Cosmopolitan Fixed Gear Conversion - The new commuter??? This Japanese steel beauty was rusting under a back porch for years. A wire wheel, a grinder for cable guide removal, and metallic blue Rustoleum have given it a new look. Most parts are original except bar, brake lever, seat, pedals, chain, and tires. Steel rimmed rear wheel was re-dished for fixed gear. JB-Weld is holding the cog on tight in lieu of a lock-ring. Forget about changing cogs on this wheel. 52X18 is the gear. For climbs I sawed off and polished the bar ends from the Trek 7000. Now that I have a road fixie, I guess it's time to put some knobbies on the red GT.
1992? Trek 7000 - The commuter. Gets me from point A to point B (sometimes even C & D). Good reliable winter transportation...when I'm not too lazy to ride to work. Another Ebay find. Came with Shimano push-push DX Shifter/Lever combos. Cheapo V brakes have replaced the original stoppers. Lights and fenders complete the package. Great for passing cars in traffic on the left or the right. Snow tires have not yet been mounted.
Late 80's GT Outland Fixed Gear Conversion - Frame, fork, stem, titanium handlebar $1 + S&H on Ebay! All the other parts were collecting dust in the shed except for the seatpost. I was fully prepared to cut off dropouts and braze on rear track forks, but got a super lucky tight chain with 51 total teeth (front + rear). 1.5" slick tires roll nicely. As a 5yr MTB freewheel single speeder, I built up this rig with off road in mind but the fixie in me has found a new love for road riding. Perhaps I'll have to fix my road bike now too. This bike is featured as #992 in Dennis Bean-Larson's Fixed Gear Bicycle Gallery
Here's the story on the rear wheel...When the wife's ATB cassette freewheel started clicking last spring I thought, "I'll FIX that." J-B Weld has taken the freedom from the freehub and its holding up well. Fingers remain crossed. Here's how I fixed it--I disassembled the entire cassette and liberally applied J-B Weld to every surface but the bearing cup and spline to hub. When I first disassembled, I was a bit worried as 30+ bearings rolled out, but was later pleased when the J-B Weld held them in place nicely for reassembly. It was really similar to a grease rebuild but a lot stickier. Every pawl groove in rotor...every bearing...each pawl and spring clip...and the groove between stator and rotor got buttered with J-B Weld. I believe I'll threadlock the cassette bolt to the hub with blue Locktite the next time I mess around with the cogs for added protection against lash.
I'm currently running three speeds. I've got 38, 36, 34 chainrings on the crank and 13, 15, 17 cogs on the rear. The shifting invoves removing the rear wheel and keeping the total teeth at 51 (38/13 road, 36/15 road hills & flats with kid trailer, or 34/17 offroad & hills with kid trailer). I didn't have a 17 tooth single cog so I used a dremel to machine the largest four gears from an 8sp XT cassette.
My insurance policy is an XT front V-Brake. Evil clown bell is
available when brakes and legs fail.
94 S Works - This is the default bike. Who knows how many 1,000's of miles? Its 1" steerer is still sporting the stock Specialized Ti stem. From the original 96 XTR group only the hubs, front derailleur, and V brakes are still trucking. Left shifter/brake lever is still intact XTR, but right side has given way to an 8 speed XT/XTR frankenlever. Cranks are compact with bash-ring. 99 Bomber Z2 80mm with firm springs and synthetic 7.5 wt motorcycle shock oil eats up roots and rocks. RockShox post takes off the edge since the hemi-laminectomy/discectomy in Jan 03. See it in action.
Check out the cicada metamorphism after a dawn ride.
98 Bianchi B@SS - Prodeal from my brief stint working at Bikes USA. Single speed bliss. The fastest offroad bike of the lot. 97 Bomber Z5 Air is set to 40psi to keep it rigid. XT V brakes and levers, RockShox post, Fire XC 2.1s, and 20 tooth freewheel. 180mm 96 XTR crank and BB (with Shimano DH spider and 36 tooth Avitar Werx mounted backwards & shifting ramps grinded down) sets the B@SS in motion. Paul Word hubs were OEM; if only they were flip-flop. Wish I had more purple ano parts. The Ringle bottle cage and frame colors look like the Joker from Batman comics. The Bianchi box that it shipped in said Kawalski Green on the side (too funny, I guess Bianchi didn't want Kawasaki to sue them).
Cars R Coffins decal came stock on toptube.
99 Schwinn 4 Banger - $200 Ebay frame only deal. Total cost=$650 after some new part purchases, parts swapping and, hand-me-downs. Used front Bomber Z3 100mm and rear SID Dual Air makes the stupidest lines smart. An experiment in disc braking with front Avid mechanical and rear Hayes Hydraulic. Braking is top notch and mismatched levers are wily. Floats over anything I ask it to (I wouldn't feel comfortable asking for more travel without body armor anyway). The super slack seat tube angle bends seat posts quickly, but LBS parts bin is full of junk 26.8 posts so who cares? Now that Schwinn is owned by Pacific(?) or whoever I worry more about the linkage failing. It says Lawill on the chainstay so if anything happens I guess I'll email [email protected]
The EYE is always watching!
The EYE is dead. It was poked out by a rock in a wreck.
80's Giant Single Speed Conversion - Found in the trash. Hey, those horizontal dropouts would make a great SS for the wife. This climber is set up with a 36/22 gear ratio. Maxxis Helter front tire is a scream...why don't they make them anymore? Dirty Girls stickers look great on the cheeseball black spray paintjob.
98 Giant Kronos - Road bike with just enough mountain to keep me happy. Check out the 7 speed LX shifter/brake lever combos on a Scott LFX thermoplastic bar. 29mm tires were too big until I filed a groove down the back of the front derailleur clamp. Internal cable routing is a nice touch for a $600 bike. Yup, those are 1992 737 SPD pedals.
Redline 500b "POLICE" BMX Old School - I found the chassis and fuselage in the trash. I added hand-me-down and parts bin landing gear (wheels-as true as I could bang them-and brakes). The CW bars hold Diacompe V-brake levers. Police stickers came mail order from a little ad in the back of 1992 Mountain Bike Action magazine...I doubt they're still available. Mismatched crank arms and 1983 Shimano SX pedals add flavor. Wraparound cable routing on rear brake yields lousy performance but has appeal.
95 Supergo Access ALU - Wife's default bike. She can get it over 3 foot log jams with just a little dab at the top. Made the $ go far back in 1996. XT/LX 8 speed mix. Manitou EFC was their first to combine elastomer and cartridge damping. Sawed off cable hanger from fork brace shaves dozens of grams. Handbuilt laced-over Mavic Crossland hub with Sun SubIV rim. Selle Italia Bassano Terry saddle is so cushy-sweet. I wish it was on my fixed gear.
Jen's Trek 1000 - This vintage bonded aluminum frame has seen 100's of indoor miles on Jen's rollers. This bike came originally outfitted with a Sakae Blaze group. Blaze brakes, cranks, and front derailleur are still going. But the shifting has been converted to Shimano index. A Dura-Ace 13-26 spin on freewheel was a notable upgrade from the relics bin.
Elisabeth's TREK Mountain Cub - Two year old birthday present. I can't wait to take the training wheels off. 16" single speed with coaster and cantilever brakes. Maybe I'll slap a freewheel and an XT V-brake on there when the time comes.
Elisabeth's TREK Mountain Lion - $8 flea market find!! It's the 20 inch version of her other bike. Came with a blue V-brake...sweet!
Benny's TREK Mountain Cub - 12" bike with a rattling front fender. This is Benny's bike of choice.
Benny's Buster MX - When Benny outgrows the Cub he can hop on the Magna. A hand-me-down from the neighbor, the Buster MX will lay in waiting 'til Benny's ready to, as the decal says, "Bust a Move."
Benny's Fixed Gear Direct Drive Fisher Price - I'm still not hardcore enough to try direct drive, but Benny had it down. Unfortunately we left it in a Myrtle Beach parking garage overnight. Lost but not forgotten. Look at those sweet curved stays...reminds me of my old Race Inc. BMX. Wish I was cool enough to slap NO BRAKES decals on my fixed gear.
