Just improved my commute bike

[palinurus]

My commuter is a road bike built up around a cheap Tange training frame. It gets the parts that are left over when I upgrade other bikes. It's got downtube shifters for extra cheapness etc.

I just fitted some wheels I had built, Ultegra dynohub in the front, 105 hub at the back, Mavic open sport rims. No more charging batteries for me.

I'm amazed. The bike has been transformed. Even with the light on the bike rolls better than on the previous wheels (Shimano factory jobs- R500s I think). It corners better, it feels better.

Went out for an unplanned three hour ride in the dark yesterday, just because I could.

 

[fossyant]

Even better that you built them yourself ! Wheels do transform a bike, and good tyres !

 

[downfader]

We need pictures...

 

[palinurus]

That was a bit ambiguous- I had them built at the bike shop.

I might post a picture but the bike doesn't look good- it just goes better.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

picture,picture,pictures, commuter bikes always look more interesting to me as they always seem to be personalised to the persons commuting needs rather than off the shelf bikes , anyone can throw money at something but a commuter bike takes more thought ! I'm thinking of building up a wheel myself (my first) using a hub dyno type hub for the commuter/hack bike!

 

[palinurus]

Alright then, here it is:

No front mech.

Dinotte on the back, fancy new brake pads. No rack, use courier bag.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Very nice tidy bike !

 

[fossyant]

Nice work horse there - great.

 

[c2c]

thats a great looking bike, i love bikes like that, reminds me of a columbus slx frame i had.. i built it into a bike from the parts of a halfords carrera 531, commuted for years on it. same colour and brakes... memories...

 

[J4CKO]

Like it, though I dont think I could go back to downtube shifters, my first few months of commuting were on an old Claud Butler steel racer with them, I love my Sram thumbshifter, tiptronic for bikes !

I was on a ride yesterday and dropped in to my uncles for a brew, he was in, he didnt recognise me at first dressed as big Bird, he showed me his bike, bear in mind he is about 62 and its the one he got for his 134th birthday, a "Sun", he sent it in to the LBS, had it repainted (looks like Audi Nogaro blue) and bought a decent road bike, then had the LBS transfer everything over to his old frame, it looks great !

 

[hackbike 666]

Nice and nice lamp.What is that bottle thingy?

 

[palinurus]

The black thing on the bottle carrier? That's the battery pack for the rear light (Dinotte)

 

[hackbike 666]

Ahhh battery pack IC.Thanks!