Quick Update June 25, 2014

Hi,

Have some very interesting projects started.  The first is Shelly's Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 chrome.  As readers know the Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 is one of my all time favorite bicycles.  Shelly's is going to be restored and with some very interesting upgrades and additions.  Click Here for the Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 Restoration or the photo below.

Click the Photo for the Schwinn Voyageur 11.8  Chrome Restoration

At the same time as Shelly's Schwinn 11.8 Voyageur I have been working on Ben S's Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 Chrome.  Ben's Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 has been fighting me hard however.  The stem and seat post are frozen or rusted into place.  After about two weeks of soaking and heating I got the stem removed this morning.  I soaked it in everything I could think of from PB Blaster to Coca Cola.  The seat post is still stuck and we will see when or if I get the seat post removed.  Click Here for Ben S's Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 Restoration or click the photo below.

Click the Photo for Ben S's Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 Chrome Restoration

Finally for this Quick Update is my 1980 Trek 412 "Resto Mod".  I recently built up the Trek XO1 Cyclocross frame that was given to me.  I built it up with a nice Shimano 105 group set and road it about a 100 miles.  I will say it is extremely fast but in the end the ride is horrible, every bump is bone jarring, after only twenty miles I would get off the bike and my legs would feel great but my elbows and shoulders would ache from feeling every bump.  I can never imagine using this during Cyclocross season.

So now I have this nice group, actually I have two nice modern group sets.  The first is the Shimano 105 that was on the Trek XO1 and the second is a very nice condition Shimano Tiagra 9 speed group I got for an amazing price that I just had to fix one thing on.

For a long time I wanted a classic steel frame with a modern group set but never really had the chance to afford a modern group set.  Now I need a frame, I have been searching for a little while but new what I wanted a trek from the late 1970's or early 1980's.  I happen to find a 1980 Trek 412 with Ishiwata .022 steel at a good price and in 24 inch / 60 cm.  I think the Trek 412 was a good price because it had a real mix match set of components like miss match brake calipers and even a Schwinn Le  Tour crank.  

Only time I get to work on my own bikes so I have completed it over a couple of weeks.  Click here for the Trek 412 Resto Mod or the photo below.

Oh, I also found a nice Gitane frame with Columbus Genius tubing for the other group set.

Click the Photo for My 1980 Trek 412 "Resto Mod"

thanks for the interest and work!

John Z.