Got a sweet road bike from craigslist

[ಠ_ಠ]

for $90:
[attachment=1047]
[attachment=1048]

my ice matched it.
[attachment=1049]
[attachment=1050]
[attachment=1051]

the seller was an old dude who hadn't ridden it 10 years, it was sitting in his basement. Needs a little clean up, but the brake pads are brand new, and I didn't even need to fill the tires or oil the chain. It's pretty much a brand new bike, save the fact that it's from the 70's (according to the ad, anyway)

and now I can drop off my other bike at the shop and have them take as much time as they need to fix it up, and pay for it when I can afford to.

[Joe_W]

Nice find!

The brake pads are "brand new" as in "just bought" or "look unsused"? If the latter: replace. 10 years is enpough time for the rubber to solidify.

[ಠ_ಠ]

I'm not sure, I"m into the shot for some tape today, I'll have them check it out.

[Billy]

That is one nice bike, lock that sucker up good!

[ಠ_ಠ]

got some powder blue handlebar tape and a bottle cage today.

My next bike purchase will be a good u-lock. I'm paranoid about having it at school, even though I always lock it, and the tires/seat don't come off without a wrench.

[Joe_W]

Yeah, they still come off in about 30 seconds... best: use two different kinds of locks, lock both wheels and the saddle (for the latter get a cheap dollar store lock, just so it doesn't walk away). Search the net for "Hal grades bike locking" or so, highly enjoyable...

[Bill]

Congratulations!!! I am so glad to hear you finally have a decent bike! I agree with everyone it is a really nice bike!!! Yes like Joe said you may want more then one lock for it. STAY AWAY from anything combination. Free Spirit I do believe uses Falcon Drive train (FD,RD, and Free wheel.) which is pretty good if kept clean. Sorry to mention this but atleast you have good brakes now . I personally like the color, unique. Again glad you have a reliable ride. The pads for those type of brakes are really inexpensive.

Cheers and good riding,
Bill

[KC-Steve]

Nice bike! Another place I have found Free Spirit bikes for sale are thrift stores, but they are usually in sad shape and need a lot of work.

Steve

[ಠ_ಠ]

the rear reflector is gone now. it was loose, and I couldn't fit wrench in to tighten it, so it may have fallen off, but my rear light was also on (it wasn't when I left work. from work, I stopped at 7-11 for a few minutes), so could have just as well been stolen. I'm going to backtrack and see if I find it. does anyone know of somewhere that I can buy a triangular reflector like that?

[Bill]

Erm ebay has alot of cooky stuff that gets listed in the search results not pertaining to what you want, just use the keyword "vintage" before reflector!

[ಠ_ಠ]

so I got a flat yesterday, and I pulled out the innertube to find that it was the original that the bike came with.

[attachment=1083]

The dude who sold me the bike said it was from the 70's (but he didn't know what year), so this tube had been in the tire for 30+ years. I thought that was pretty cool.

[Surly LHT]

Nice find for sure. I would take it apart and clean it real good and grease and lube every thing up good. And put new tires and tubes on check the cables out and brake pads as well then its off riding and having fun on it. The color is nice. Be sure to check out your bottom crank set clean and re grease it. check the chain and lube the snot out of it too. Then you will have very rare bike that's no one will have. Makes me want to go out and start looking for one bicycles are so cool to have.

[ಠ_ಠ]

update!

had to replace my handlebar tape as it was slipping, and I made sure to be a bit more careful of the placement on the bar this time, and it looks and feels pretty legit. Got a blue bottle cage! My roommate got me a water bottle with a built-in filter, so when I replaced the filter on it, I made sure it was a blue one as well. Got new pedals, but the blue ones that my shop had didn't fit my bike. Oh, well, I can paint them I suppose.

I don't remember if I mentioned, but I lost my rear reflector, and I'm looking into buying one of these:
http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.145528179.jpg


anyway, on with the showing off!

[Bikeshrink]

This takes me back. A Free Spirit was my first 10 speed. I saved up from my paper route. It was too big for me when I bought it in the 5th grade but I grew into it.

Sweet.

[hcjg1]

(07-12-2010, 05:01 PM)ಠ_ಠ Wrote:  update!

had to replace my handlebar tape as it was slipping, and I made sure to be a bit more careful of the placement on the bar this time, and it looks and feels pretty legit. Got a blue bottle cage! My roommate got me a water bottle with a built-in filter, so when I replaced the filter on it, I made sure it was a blue one as well. Got new pedals, but the blue ones that my shop had didn't fit my bike. Oh, well, I can paint them I suppose.

I don't remember if I mentioned, but I lost my rear reflector, and I'm looking into buying one of these:
http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.145528179.jpg


anyway, on with the showing off!

the kind of bike that makes you smile every time you think that you own it and giggle when you ride it.

[nameused]

Oh man that's a nice bike. I would love to be the owner of it.