It’s that time again folks – BIKE OF THE WEEK

D.VanLaarhoven discribes the project:

“It’s a 1988 Schwinn Traveler.(Mississippi-made). 

I, the AMATEUR, saved money by grinding off anything I could find: cable guides, cable stop, rear hanger, shifter-mount rods, etc.

I sanded the rest just enough to paint, and sanded paint from stem and chainring, (like going from the 80′s to the 70′s), in an attempt to simplify the overall colors/style of all hardware. I sanded seatpost to prep for paint. Used a marine-grade white grease to repack stem and Bottom Bracket and removed two smaller chainrings and wheelset.

I preserved the head badge and taped over the ‘Truetemper’ sticker on the seat tube to keep for some nostalgia.  I cheeply sprayed on a bunch of layers of some obnoxious textured paint that belongs on patio furniture or something. I really like it. It is rough to the touch and gives it a little visual ‘weight’ I think. I then clear-coated it to death-cheap out of a can. Also painted inside the recesses of the seatpost to match.

I bought Scwalbe’s 35mm Chreme Delta cruisers, and a Brooks ‘Honey’ Team Pro saddle to begin the  attempt at a quality ride. No brakes and naked handle bars-

just needs some “old’ simply-styled wheels to finish the deal.”

He does a real good job explaining what it takes to restore one of these old 10 speed bikes and make it your own!

YEP!

We finally got another shipment of these fine Sun doublewalled aluminum hoops.

Unlocked the site so Y’all can order CR18 wheel sets again.

And, sadly,

PRICES ARE GOING UP!

It’s a tricky business to balance quality and price when you hand build wheels.

Lot of different factors are at play over here;

• We raised the per-wheel rate for our local builders so they can survive better.
• We are a medium/low volume business that buys our parts in the states. We like it that way, but it costs more.
• Our cost for shipping wheels has continued to increase and now we subsidize shipping on every order. $25 flat fee just begins to cover it ;(

Bottom line is…your dollars – we need more of them in order to be profitable and keep this enterprise rolling.

$20 per set cost across the board.

Video #6 -Single speed crank set

• Crankset overview
• Single speed Chain ring bolts
• How to remove stuck chain ring bolts
• Cottered crank vs. Square taper  vs. mountain bike
• How to Convert your 10 speed crankset to a single speed crankset

Video #7 -Replacing your worn-out saddle

• Bike Anatomy lesson. Seat vs. saddle
• Minimum safe hight for a seatpost
• Once piece seatpost vs. seatpost and seperate seatpost clamp
• Tricks for workin’ on stuff

Wait… is that Arquimedes in the background!?!

We don’t know when they will be back in stock, as we are looking for a new supplier for these hoops.

Meanwhile everything else is getting built but these.

Another option -

Tried and true Doublewall Cr18 box rims laced up front to a 36h bolt on forged hub and out back to a Sturmey Archer S2C two speed Coaster Brake.

Set comes complete with all hardware you’ll need to mount them on yer bike, including cog (mostly 22t)  and misc nuts and bolts.

Classy handbuilt wheels, completely ready for your commuter or your touring bike!

Tried and true Cr18 Sun box rim set.

Laced up  front to a forged 36h bolt on and rear Velosteel Coaster brake hub.

Velosteel is a nicer looking, heavier, and completely different mechanically than our standard cone clutch hubs.

If you want to try something exotic in the Coaster brake world, try this hub and let us know what you think of it.

Set comes complete with both wheels, 18t cog, and all the hardware you need to get coasting

Here they are -

Our 42mm super deep double wall hoops built with a new (old) piece of Coaster technology: the two speed hub!

We laced up to a front bolt-on and a rear S2C two speed Sturmey Archer hub.

Available in three color combinations, these wheels get you up that hill yer single speed just doesn’t want to go.

We’re celebrating the holidays at Coasties with crazy bike stilt pictures

and

Free shipping on all domestic Coasties orders from today until monday 12/12/11.

Order that new wheel set, hub or goodie you have been waiting for in this window of time and receive them before Christmas!

All the way from Belguim we have the Tim and Tom!

A Second hand bike bought for 90$ by Tim.V that had been in an accident.  Tom.S, a bike mechanic that has a sister who dates Tim,  turned it over in a retro-coastie inspired by the livery of old British racing cars.”

A list of the new parts used:

British racing green paintjob
Dia Compe Dirt Harry brake lever
Charge U-bend bartape
Charge Bucket saddle
All-City Standard track pedals
Halo Aerotrack rims
Curana C-Lite fenders
And the Coastie of course

And….drumroll please – the Voor and Na!

Tom says

Haha,  he also just said that when he uses another bike to go to class, 
people ask him why he didn’t come with his ‘cool bike’ 

Thank you two for sending in all the cool photos!