Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on February 24, 2010 at 10:41am

This had been in a garage or basement somewhere for a long time before I happened upon it at a favorite thrift. I know nothing about it except that it was manufactured in St. Etienne, France. Judging by the original components, 1960's or early 70's at the latest. It's not a great French bike of the period, but very much one-of-a-kind. All the original components have been carefully stored and everything on the bike remains completely reversible, so I can rebuild this some day as a geared bike.
I know nothing about Robust, and neither does the internet; nothing on Google.fr either. It may have been manufactured by Manufrance, considering they produced a shotgun called the Robust. If anyone has any information at all, I would be grateful.

Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on March 1, 2010 at 3:17am

Could the brand be "St. Etienne"? See this forum post:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-130700.html

Moc Artsy said:

This had been in a garage or basement somewhere for a long time before I happened upon it at a favorite thrift. I know nothing about it except that it was manufactured in St. Etienne, France. Judging by the original components, 1960's or early 70's at the latest. It's not a great French bike of the period, but very much one-of-a-kind. All the original components have been carefully stored and everything on the bike remains completely reversible, so I can rebuild this some day as a geared bike.
I know nothing about Robust, and neither does the internet; nothing on Google.fr either. It may have been manufactured by Manufrance, considering they produced a shotgun called the Robust. If anyone has any information at all, I would be grateful.

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 5, 2010 at 8:06am

From the colour scheme, i think it looks a lot like a Jaunet, they were built in St. Etienne, IIRC. i believe that several brands were built in St. Etienne and private-labelled. i had a LaPierre from that era and i think it came from there as well. The French were great ones for building bikes in shadow factories and putting foil labels over their horrendous paint jobs. Gitane comes to mind, although they were built (or headquartered perhaps,) in Nantes.

HTH

Permalink Reply by Primitive Don on March 15, 2010 at 9:56am

Here's my submission to the 2010 Velo Cheapo Bicycle Build-Off contest being held on the Bikeforums.net Classic and Vintage Forum. The theme on this bike is 'A Girly Rebuild of a Huffy 3-Speed,' using a more modern Shimano 3-speed wheelset and shifter from a 90s Specialized Globe 3-speed. The contest emphasizes thrift, so you get a higher score in the cost category for spending less on your build. That being said, we were not able to afford powercoating, so I did my best with a rattlecan job.

And here's a SS/FG build I completed last year, with powdercoating from UV Metal Arts and Powercoating. The color scheme is that of my high school colors, so I have it hanging in my shop and ride it during the parade at our town's summer festival. It's a lowly 80s Schwinn Traveler with 4130 CRMO main tubes only, and someone had already started hacking the cable guides, so I felt it was a good candidate for a SS/FG build with a 'clean' look.

Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on March 16, 2010 at 5:03am

Very nice. I like the idea of a budget build and getting points for not spending dough!

What and where is your shop?

Primitive Don said:

Here's my submission to the 2010 Velo Cheapo Bicycle Build-Off contest being held on the Bikeforums.net Classic and Vintage Forum. The theme on this bike is 'A Girly Rebuild of a Huffy 3-Speed,' using a more modern Shimano 3-speed wheelset and shifter from a 90s Specialized Globe 3-speed. The contest emphasizes thrift, so you get a higher score in the cost category for spending less on your build. That being said, we were not able to afford powercoating, so I did my best with a rattlecan job.

And here's a SS/FG build I completed last year, with powdercoating from UV Metal Arts and Powercoating. The color scheme is that of my high school colors, so I have it hanging in my shop and ride it during the parade at our town's summer festival. It's a lowly 80s Schwinn Traveler with 4130 CRMO main tubes only, and someone had already started hacking the cable guides, so I felt it was a good candidate for a SS/FG build with a 'clean' look.

Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on March 30, 2010 at 4:20pm

Here are the bikes of the Big Shoulders Recyclery...both Library bikes (free loaners) and Curator bikes (given to members of the bike community or in barter for services). Several of these were built or worked on during bike building Mondays. Thanks to all who lent a hand in the efforts

Algren

Bertha

Bucky

Dwight

H.H. Holmes

Jane

Lorado

Queen Bess

Root

Sandburg

Studs

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 29, 2011 at 6:12am

This build started out as a cheap mis-matched 27" wheelset I picked up at a garage sale.

 

I've always wanted a Mixte and after helping Ash with her 2-speed automatic build I became fascinated with the idea of building something similar for myself.  I sourced the mixte frameset cheap from CL but unfortunately the fork was a bit fuxored so I had to buy a replacement fork from Amazon and while I was at it I purchased a new headset and Italian-threaded BB too.  The rear kickback hub I picked up from a Schwinn guy down in Gary.   The crankset I was going to use didn't work out (darn Q-factor equations!) so Kevin's guys at Blvd bikes dug out a used one from their junk bin.    Just about everything else I had laying around in my own junk bin.

 

 

 

She is still pretty rough.  Other than the frame an the wheelset I've not put any elbow grease into the parts.  I wait until after I get it running before I detail clean & polish everything to look like new again.

 

I haven't put the white cork bar tape on yet as I'm thinking of swapping out the steel mustache-oriented Northroad bar for an alloy version to save a bit of weight.  I'm also probably going to add nicer pedals.  These are cheap take-offs that came off of an abandoned alley find hulk. 

 

I named the build "Fallen Angel" as the bike has an ethereal feel to it and with the single areo brake lever is has that one-winged bird look.  I already was asked if I was going to sell it when I was taking these pictures. Not yet -I haven't got a change to ride it much.  The rear hub needs to be worked on as it is a bit crunchy and not quite right inside. Also, the coaster is ultra-grabby so with the 27x1 tires is a real skid-machine. I'll probably put 27x1-1/4's on it eventually.  The 1" tires were something I had laying around. 

Permalink Reply by UV Metal Arts - Powder Coating on October 22, 2011 at 4:15pm

This is my latest powder coating job as well as a bike build. Jamis Aurora

• Custom copper with gold green and copper flake, frame, fork and stem (origin 8)
• Hand built wheels by me (36 hole XT/Rhyno Lites, DT spokes)
• XT 9sp drive-train with Shimano bar end shifters and Deore crank
• Hand drilled and tapped front brake housing hanger, (to accommodate a barrel adjustment bolt)
• Bumped chain stays for wider tire clearance.
• SKS fenders 
• Adamo seat
• Salsa Bell Lap handle bars, 46cm with Rav X stitched bar tape.
• Panaracer Ridmo 700x28 tiers
• Cane Creek S-1 sealed cartridge bearings
• Origin 8 pedals?
• Tektro CR720 cantilever brakes

Permalink Reply by SlyRed on December 5, 2011 at 12:16pm

Ace of Clubs Bike for Working Bikes Cooperative Chicago benefit. The bike will be raffled off at The Manor & Meadow Tour in Oak Brook, June 10, 2012.

Frame - 1974 Raleigh Super Course Reynolds 531 Main Tubes 54cm
Frame Mods - Owen Lloyd Cycles
Powdercoating - UV Metal Arts
Wheels - Homebuilt (Sturmey Archer Hubs, Sun CR-18 Rims)
Tires - Schwalbe Delta Cruisers 700x35
Handlebars - SOMA Lauterwasser
Brake Handles - Origin8 Pro Pulsion
Grips - Brooks Slender Leather Grips
Stem - Nitto Technomic 50mm
Crank - IRD Defiant Track Crank 46T
Bottom Bracket - Shimano
Pedals - MKS Sylvan Stream
Chain - Wipperman Connex 1R8
Saddle - Brooks Team Pro Alpe D'Huez
Seatpost - Kalloy 26.2mm

Optional Parts
Frame Pump - Silca 42 cm
Brooks Challenge Tool Bag

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on December 6, 2011 at 5:57am

Tell us more 'bout the S-A hubs!

Looks like a sweet ride.

That 29-er Shwalbes on Sun CR18's look like a tight fit in the front forks and the rear Triangle.  Fenders are probably not an option?

Permalink Reply by SlyRed on December 6, 2011 at 9:33am

The wheelset is built on Sun CR18 Black rims (36h).  They are 22.5mm wide, so the Schwalbe Delta Cruisers are only 32mm wide inflated.  They are advertised as 35mm.  The front hub is the Sturmey Archer X-FD (70mm drum brake), the rear is the X-RD3, three speed with 70mm drum brake.  They are both laced cross 3 with Sapim Race Double Butted spokes with DT Swiss brass washers.  I doubt that a typical compound curve fender would work, however some of the flat metal or wooden fenders would probably fit the bike.  The tire clearance on the front is about 8mm on each side, but the rear is only about 5mm on each side.

Permalink Reply by Clark Lasswell on September 12, 2012 at 8:36am

Hi Builders,

This is my second bike build. It was just for fun. The first was out of necessity to replace my fast one I broke a frame on. I'll post it another time.

Almost done with this project. Single speed, fixed gear, no brakes...matchy-matchy 1976 Raleigh Super Course with lots of spare parts I had around, repop stuff and some cool cheap new parts.  According to Sheldon I will have to add a front brake. Made some mistakes, shoulda' gone for shorter crank arms. For how nice it's coming out, it was relatively cheap. Wheels were what got me over $200 TKO. Thinking of making custom head badge.

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