SS roadie project

[Aaroneous]

Allrighty - Ever since I ran across www.fixedgeargallery.com (http://www.fixedgeargallery.com) a month or two ago, I've been lusting after a beat-up steel road bike to free from the encumberances of such things as derailers and safety... Well, this weekend I got my wish. Enter the Schwinn Traveler (thanks, Beau!):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/beau_layman/DCP02630.jpg

Who ever thought something could be so ugly, yet so full of promise?

Anyway, I'm full bore on this project after spending the entire weekend in the garage, and I realized I'm probably going to have a lot of stupid questions as well as things to be excited about that my girlfriend is not really interested in, so I'm starting this thread for that purpose...

Project update so far:
>Saturday I got the bike and spent the evening yanking off all the old parts & deciding what to keep.
>Yesterday I spent all day in the garage stripping off that god-awful teal paint - got her totally naked. Sexy, sexy lugged steel...
>Cut off the derailer hanger and filed it down smooth - no going back!

Questions so far:
>Braze-ons. I want them brazed-off. I assume I can heat them up with a torch and they'll just pop off, right? Anyone ever done this? There's only one on the chainstay, and that seems easy, but I'm worried about doing the downtube shifter mounts. I don't wanna weaken the head tube joint - do I need some kinda heat sink? Am I way out of my league?
>If the rims say 622x15, do I put 700c tires on it? Why doesn't that make sense?
>What gear? I've got a 40t & 52t for the front, a 15t track cog for the back - but I think I'm gonna use a freewheel at first. I'm strong and wanna go fast on flat ground, but am not quite ready to give up brakes...

My (tenative) plan for the bike:
>Gloss black powdercoat
>Profile TT bars & Cane Creek TT levers
>Black bar tape & tires
>Black, black, and more black. Scary. Grrr.

Sorry for being so long-winded. Answers, suggestions, questions, and SS/steel/road/fixed/free discussions are all greatly appreciated. Let's out-post the freeriders! ;)

[SickBoy]

Aaron - removing the brazeons is more effort than is worth it. They aren't necessary, but like you mentioned, it's not worth risking weakening the frame for things that can't easily be cut off.

Gearing wise, something in the 44-48 tooth range for a front chainring should let you go plenty fast with a 15t rear. I'd say 52 would be too big, unless you are he!! bent on going really fast, and don't live near any hills at all.

[Aaroneous]

Well, the shifter bosses are coming off one way or the other - they're just too ugly to put up with for the amount of time I'm going to put into this bike... I just have to figure out if I can do it myself, or if I have to take it to Bob Brown or someone...

[noise_is_life]

Cool project. I love the Fixed Gear Gallery, it kind of got me amped in the same direction, but as usual my delusions of granduer haven't panned out yet.

[mtnbykr]

Well, the shifter bosses are coming off one way or the other - ....

are these really brazed-on?? is there brass/gold colored material holding them on?? if so, get access to a oxy/acteleyne torch[cutting torch], put on the smallest tip and warm them up. not too hot tho. the brass should turn liquid and the braze-on will fall off. really easy. my opinion is you weaken a frame much more by grinding these things off. one slip and the frame is f*****. :?) use a dremel type tool if you gotta grind. more control.

cool bike build. show pics when it's done. good luck.

kl

[Aaroneous]

Thanks Kurt! That was the answer I was looking for...

Yep, they're definitely brazed-on - I can see the brass.... The cable guides on the top tube are spot-welded, so I'm gonna leave those - I'm running a rear brake anyhow.

Do I really need oxy-acetelene? Is a propane torch not hot enough?

Gotta get this done this weekend so I can get her down to Kent at Powdercoating Technologies next Monday...

Here torchy, torchy... Muahahaha! :evil:

[TML]

Aaron, Yeah you'll probably need an acetylene torch. Propane by itself, I don't think will get it hot enough or concentrate the heat enough. Using Mapp gas in your torch may work but your still heating a much larger area than with a good oxy-acetylene torch set-up. I'm no pro at this by any means, but in my limited experience with torch use, this seems to be the case.

I'm in the middle of stripping one of my steel bikes down. Boy that stripper is some crazy stuff. Hopefully the ol' single will have a fancy new paint job before it really gets nice out.

[bigwheel]

Can't you just use a flat file to take them off? Or, maybe take a bunch off with an angle grinder, then switch to a file when you get most of it off. A cutting torch on the frame sounds a little hairy, and might do bad things to the metal.

[mtnbykr]

A cutting torch on the frame sounds a little hairy, and might do bad things to the metal.

not a cutting torch, a torch w/ the smallest gas welding tip. this is how braze-ons are put on and is the easiest/safest [for the frame] to take them off.

apply the majority of the heat to the fitting, not the frame. when the brass starts to turn molten, grab the fitting w/ pliers/gloves/lips/your buddy's hand and pull off. the remaining brass will be easy to sand off w/ 80 grit paper or a hand file.

this way you aren't grinding on the frame tube and putting tons of heat into one small spot. if you knick the tube w/ the grinder... :?(

kl

[Aaroneous]

Well, none of my buddies had an oxy/acetelene torch I could borrow, so I looked into buying one. Ow. Not cheap. I did a little research, and according to the Bernzomatic website, a MAPP/Oxy torch is just the ticket for brass brazing steel. I stopped by Menards on the way home and picked up a kit for $40 - well within the budget.

After dinking around with it to get a good flame (not as easy as I thought), I set to practicing on another old Schwinn frame I had laying around. I torched the crap out of a cable guide until it started to melt, but the braze didn't - hmmm, not right... Re-read the instructions, and realize I had to juice the MAPP a little more to get a brazing flame. Did that, and all of a sudden green flames lick out, the steel gets red underneath, and plunk! off falls the guide. Sweet!

I let it cool a bit and checked the frame - even though the torch was about 4in down the chainstay from the dropout, the chainstay/dropout joint was hot but touchable - not even close to hot enough to loosen anything up. I hit it up with a file and some steel wool, and it was beautiful!

Tonite I'm gonna do the 'real' frame, so I'll let you know how it turns out... Thanks again for all the suggestions!

[bigwheel]

all of a sudden green flames lick out, the steel gets red underneath, and plunk! off falls the guide. Sweet!

Sorry to repeat myself, but this still sounds scary to me.

[JBergland]

Sorry to repeat myself, but this still sounds scary to me.


Yup... me too!! I’d definitely give the ol’ Schwinn a VERY good ‘look through’ before swinging a leg over her.

JB

[Trevize1138]

Ooh ... Aaron, you're a man after my own heart. My next project is converting my Scwhinn LeTour lugged steel road bike to SS. It's not going to be quite so involved as it already has 700c wheels on it and is currently very ridable as a 12 speed. And, I think that answers your question about putting 700c wheels in that frame. It looks *very* similar to my LeTour. Probably either the same year or just one year above/below.

Here's all I need to do:
* Take off front and rear ders, downtube shifters, cables and housing.
* Replace 6sp rear freewheel with 16 tooth 1sp freewheel
* Replace eliptical chainrings with perfectly round one (thanks for the 44-48 tooth recommendation, Andy!
* Replace QR axle with bolt-on

And that should do me! :banana: I might do 17 tooth in the back instead of 16 strictly because I've already got a 17 tooth I'm not using. I'm curious to find out what gear ratio I really like riding for a roadie when I don't have the shifting option. I'd also like to get different bars 'cause I currently have the flat MTB bar from my StumpJumper with Trek bar ends (you heard!).

[Aaroneous]

So I busted out the torch again last night and had at it... I took another practice swing at the junk frame and got the flame dialed in perfectly - I think that's the entire trick to it. Once I got the brazing flame, it only took about 20sec of heat before the brass melted - quick enough that it didn't heat up the tubing much at all. I took off both shifter bosses and two cable stops within a minute...

As far as damaging/weakening the frame... I checked the head lug inside and out before and after, and the brass was solid - the bits around the outside of the joint didn't get shiny or move at all, and there's no warping of the tube or anything that looks funky - I think I'm good... :banana:

To JB & bigwheel - Yes, it was scary.

ChrisD - Sounds like a sweet project! One problem I forsee (cuz it confused me for a while) is chainline. If you just take the 6sp off and thread on a bmx freewheel, it's gonna be way inside. You'll have to respace the hub (hopefully you can just move a spacer from one side to the other) and then re-dish the wheel. If you've got an old school unsealed BB like mine, you may be able to get a couple mm adjustment up there too... Good luck!

ARGGHHHH!!! This project is consuming my every waking thought!!! Must... complete... by... April... Better go make a shopping list for the SPBRC swap meet...
:etard:

[Aaroneous]

Dropped the frame & fork off at Powder Coating Technologies (www.powdercoatingtech.com (http://www.powdercoatingtech.com)) in Plymouth for a coat of Kelly green - I decided black was boring...

I talked to Joe at PCT, and he said he's been doing 3-4 bike frames a month. When I mentioned that I'd heard about them from this site, he said I was the third person in a week that said that! I haven't seen the finished product yet, but based on how friendly and helpful Joe was (he knew exactly where to mask, etc) I have to give 'em a couple dancin' naners:

:banana: :banana:

I cruised down to One on One after that and talked to Reed about getting some wheels built (yes, I decided to blow the budget :D ). Mavic Open Pro's, DT 14/15 SS spokes, IRO track hubs - sweet!

I have a feeling I'm not gonna ride my MTB so much this year...

[funky-funky-chicken]

Aaron... did you fully strip your frame before bringing in for powder? What'd they get you for on the new color? Do they offer sandblasting too? I work close enough, I should just head over and talk. I have a couple of frames I wouldn't mind sprucing up sometime.

[Aaroneous]

Yep, I stripped it down to bare steel myself. There were a couple little chips I couldn't get at around the seat lug, but dude said they wouldn't be any problem...

They do offer sandblasting, but I don't know how much it is. They charge $80 for a frame & fork in any of the 300-odd stock colors they have... Pretty good deal, I think. And mine should be done on Friday...

[TML]

Yep, I stripped it down to bare steel myself. There were a couple little chips I couldn't get at around the seat lug, but dude said they wouldn't be any problem...

They do offer sandblasting, but I don't know how much it is. They charge $80 for a frame & fork in any of the 300-odd stock colors they have... Pretty good deal, I think. And mine should be done on Friday...

I'm in the process of stripping my singlespeed ('93 univega alpina pro) and am debating about doing the homeboy paint job or having the powdercoat done. Seems like the pwd. coat deal is pretty tough to pass up.

How do they deal with bb threads, brake bosses and all the areas you don't want powder coated? Would I have to plan on cleaning that stuff out afterward?

[SickBoy]

I would hope that if the powdercoater is experienced with bike frames that he'd know to mask those areas...

[Magic]

Even if the powdercoater mask's everything off, it is still a good idea to chase all your threads when you get the frame back. Powdercoating seems to find it's way into everything. Also you could put allen screws in all the holes and when you get the frame back, is all you do then is take a razor blade and circle around the threaded hole and take the screw out. As for the bottom bracket, just put a lite coat of grease on the threads and tape off.

[Aaroneous]

How do they deal with bb threads, brake bosses and all the areas you don't want powder coated? Would I have to plan on cleaning that stuff out afterward?

Joe said he masks the BB, head tube & seat tube... of course, he said "that hole, and that hole there", but he pointed at the right places, so... You might have to specify (aka point at) brake bosses...

I'll give y'all a full report (with pics) on the finish once I get it...

[el gueche]

it's $80 for the sandblasting - they farm it out - white and black are even less expensive - at least they were in early winter - nice and thick powdercoat

[Aaroneous]

Got the frame back last night - very nice!:crazy2: So glossy smooth I wanted to lick it... And a top-notch masking job to boot - the BB threads, head, seat, & steerer tube are totally clean... There was more factory paint on them originally...

I'll post some pics soon... Time to start building tonite! :banana: