The first part of my bike has been purchased. This weekend while obsessing over over the craigslist bike page, I found an old Schwinn Voyageur frame for $25. In getting started with the build, I wasn't sure if I wanted to begin with an intact bike that would get chopped up (maybe even my current bike), or use random parts.
Almost immediately I dismissed chopping up my current road bike (his name is Innamoto). Seriously, he's got a name. I know some people say how converting your bike makes you closer to it, but he's just fine the way that he is. Even worse, what if I got bogged down and never finished him. I could't to that to my old friend.
Innamoto is just fine the way he is
I also dissmissed the idea of chopping up a random, perfectly functioning, geared bike for the sake of my coolness, unless it was destined for the junk yard. This left the only option to be getting parts from difference places which will probably be more expensive, frustrating and time consuming, but in the end it may make me more knowledgeable about the bike. So we'll see...
On a sidenote this was a really refreshing craigslist experience. I've emailed the guy a few times and neither of us seemed to be in too much of a rush. I hate it when you've gotta pay/pickup right away or the person will give it to the someone else. Way to go Bryan Lyin (no kidding, that's his real name!)
Hey! It's Jolene. I linked over from Facebook. And I always feel like I have to read back for like pages and pages when I start a new blog.
ReplyDeleteI just want to say... I'm not sure if the Voyager has a derailleur hanger, and i can't tell from that photo. But if it does, please do not hack it off. I know people think it looks cleaner and all that but what you really do is make it so that it can never be a geared bike again. You just don't want to limit yourself like that!
Hey Jolene! I had no idea you were a bike person :). The Voyageur does have the hanger on it. No worries though I'm not gonna hack it off. I don't like the idea of changing the bike from what it was. That why I'm starting off with just a frame.
ReplyDeleteHave you converted a bike before? We should talk.