Saturday, October 9, 2010

Quantum vs100 Modified Dirt Road Racer

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Above: Looks like junior might have borrowed dads bike for some curb jumping. That was my first thought when I spotted this bike at a local Thrift Store.But other than the damaged wheel and some dried-out original tires, The bike actually appeared to me in excellent condition. And for what they were asking, I`ll take a chance that I have a matching wheel somewhere in the shop/garage. Turns out I did not. I ended up purchasing a Woman`s Raleigh M20 for the wheels and tires. It was not much of a bike, badly chipped paint and some rust, damaged grips ripped saddle, broken pedals. Well you get the picture. But somehow the wheels looked pretty good. And the Maxis off-road tires look Great! So for 10 bucks I took it home and promptly stripped it.

Above: Add a chain, two tires a spacer ( from the head-set) and a back wheel to this pile and you have pretty much all the things I replaced on the Quantum. Here`s why. A while back I spotted a "Ratty" looking rigid mountain bike sitting out side a thrift store. It had drop bars like a road bike. While it did look really rough, I could see what the builder was "going for". I thought to myself, I would like to build a "Road-Warrior" or "Street Fighter" type bike sometime. So that is what I decided to do with the Quantum. I figured, If it does not sell I`ll just keep it for my self. God knows we have plenty of crappy roads around here that I avoid on my road bike. This bike might be "just the ticket" for me.


Above: Another problem I encountered was the mounting bracket for the rear derailleur was bent inward. When I removed the derailleur for cleaning I laid the bracket part flat on the (anvil part) of my shop vise. Then a few good hits with the Ball Pien Hammer and it was fine. I got lucky, it was fine the first time I mounted it back on the bike. Sometimes it`s better to be lucky than smart (:


Above: One of my take-off stems was a perfect fit. I borrowed the cable-guide/adjuster off a parts bike. The old Dia Compe levers are also take-offs from an old project. It was no problem making the road-levers work with the cantilever brakes.I had to switch to road cables of course. I do however need to re-adjust the front brake. I opened-up the straddle cable a bit too much. I need to loosen the shoes, then tighten (or shorten-up) the straddle cable. Then re-set the shoes. It just does not look right, although it works fine. The Cinelli bar tape is new, as are the Jag-Wire cables and housings. I`m starting to "get comfortable" with this modern way of taping the bars.


Above: I found this Specialized Saddle at Cycle-Therapy in Waterford Mi. It was a take-off from a brand-new bike, so they gave me a good deal on it. Thanks James !
The seat-post was painted black. Instead of re-painting, I decided to sand it down.
Why re-paint? It`s just gonna get all scratched-up again from adjusting post height.
I really don`t see the point.


Above: I think these pedals are from the Fuji s10s project. I just cleaned them up and added new traps and straps. The other side is missing the dust cap, maybe they have one laying around the shop at Cycle Therapy? The rear mount kick-stand came with the bike. I did cut all the mounting screws down to a reasonable length. I think it fits this bike "kind of different" just like this bike.


Above: I found this really cool looking water-bottle cage at Meijer`s for about seven dollars. I`m thinking now I should have gotten a few more. Meijer`s is also the best place to buy Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. They also have the "Armor-All
Cleaning Wipes" way cheaper than any I have found at any of the local Auto-Parts Stores. Same goes for the Turtle-Wax Chrome-Cleaner-Polish / Rust Remover.


Above: The finished project! I haven`t really ridden it yet. ( my back has been bothering me ) I`m might ride it into town in the morning I`ll let you know how it goes. I did also install Sun-Tour stem-mounted shifters. This worked-out great as the braze ons (cable-guides) were already in the right position on the down-tube.
Well that`s about all there is for now. I will be missing the "Tour De Livingston" due to my back. Maybe I`ll just show-up for breakfast and to take some photographs. Always good to hang-out with my fellow cycle enthusiasts. Till Next Time, Ride Safe Remember to Always RESCUE,RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh

2 comments:

  1. Looks great, man. I've built a few bikes up, in this style, and they are always a hit.

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  2. Hey Jon,
    Thanks, I had been thinking about doing one of these for a while. I tried it out this morning on a dirt road. It handled great. And on the paved road I did not have to avoid the gravel or sand covered areas. I was able to hold my line through the rough stuff. I think in an urban environment for short commutes it would be awesome. Well suited for older paved surfaces with pot holes and loose debris.

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