Anybody remember a Huffy Bay Pointe Racer?

[KD5NRH]

$5 at the "recycle shop."  (AKA, junkyard for non-car stuff)




Looks like all the metal is in pretty good shape except for surface rust.  Even the bearings I've gotten to so far were clean except for hardened grease.  Wheels appear straight, though the tires were pretty well bonded to them.  No idea of the tire size, since my initial measurements of the wheels are almost exactly halfway between two equally odd sizes.  Google comes up with a lot of Bay Pointe cruisers, and even one somewhat similar racer, but not this style.

[lee n. field]

No idea of the tire size, since my initial measurements of the wheels are almost exactly halfway between two equally odd sizes.

Probably 27"x1.25"

[KD5NRH]

Probably 27"x1.25"

Forgot to update; turned out to be 26x1-3/8. 

All cleaned up, with new tires and saddle.  Since the photo, I swapped the bars for a slightly bigger set and did a cloth/shellac wrap on them, and I'm testing it out with a triple crankset I had laying around.


Current junker project is a Sheffield Free Spirit bought for $10 at the same junkyard.  Got another unidentifiable bike with the same wheel size, usable tires and a working 333 hub that I'll be using on it.  Waiting for the clearcoat to dry so I can start reassembling.  After that, there's a Murray 10-speed with 24" wheels that I'll be fixing up (basically just removing some rust and putting new rubber on it) for my wife until Libby's big enough for 24" wheels.

[lee n. field]

a working 333 hub that I'll be using on it.

A 3 speed hub?  I've been keeping an eye out for one for years, for a project.  The only one I've seen is the Raleigh Sport 3-speed in our garage, which I'm not going to part out.

[mtnbkr]

Lee, you can get modern multi-speed hubs from Sram, Shimano, and other companies.  You can get 3, 7, 8, and even 10 speed hubs.

Chris

[KD5NRH]

A 3 speed hub?  I've been keeping an eye out for one for years, for a project.  The only one I've seen is the Raleigh Sport 3-speed in our garage, which I'm not going to part out.

Lots of them on eBay.  I just couldn't pass up even an old 333 when it's only $10.

[lee n. field]

Lee, you can get modern multi-speed hubs from Sram, Shimano, and other companies.  You can get 3, 7, 8, and even 10 speed hubs.

Chris

I know that.  For multiple hundreds of dollars.  Not worth it when my aim is to resurrect and reconfigure an older Schwinn fat tire  as a 3 speed winter bike.  Especially when the bike cost me $40 to begin with.

It used to be I'd see old 3 speed bikes on sale a lot.  Not so much anymore.

[Tallpine]

I know that.  For multiple hundreds of dollars.  Not worth it when my aim is to resurrect and reconfigure an older Schwinn fat tire  as a 3 speed winter bike.  Especially when the bike cost me $40 to begin with.

It used to be I'd see old 3 speed bikes on sale a lot.  Not so much anymore.

How hard/ugly would it be to put a 2-speed derailler on the pedals?

Just a high and low range would help a lot.

(not that I ride bicycles anymore - these gravel roads are just too rough :( )

[KD5NRH]

I know that.  For multiple hundreds of dollars.  Not worth it when my aim is to resurrect and reconfigure an older Schwinn fat tire  as a 3 speed winter bike.  Especially when the bike cost me $40 to begin with.

2 speeds:
http://www.treefortbikes.com/product/333222366909/716/Sturmey-Archer-B2C-Kick-Shift.html

Or do what I do; wander around junkyards, recycling places, and garage sales until you runs across a bike for $15 or less with a hub that isn't obviously broken.  Worst case, you end up buying a half dozen before you get one that actually isn't broken, but in the meantime you accumulate lots of interesting parts.  Brakes, brake levers, shifters and some bearings are relatively interchangeable, so you might end up with some other bikes as you go.  You'll also want to practice before you start to lace and true the wheel you're putting the hub in.  (Set yourself up a frame or two upside down as truing stands.)  Using wheels you're just going to throw in the scrap pile helps with the frustration level for the first couple of attempts.

[mtnbkr]

I know that.  For multiple hundreds of dollars.  Not worth it when my aim is to resurrect and reconfigure an older Schwinn fat tire  as a 3 speed winter bike.  Especially when the bike cost me $40 to begin with.

I've seen them for well under $100 and sometimes under $50.  They don't sell well.

Complete wheel for $110: http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/diagonale-sa-3-speed-wheel-650b.html

However, the hubs with more than 3spds are comparatively expensive.

Chris

[sanglant]

why not shove a motor in it?

i could have sworn there were at least 5 companies making the same basic thing. around 5 years back. but can't find them anywhere now.

[KD5NRH]

why not shove a motor in it?

i could have sworn there were at least 5 companies making the same basic thing. around 5 years back. but can't find them anywhere now.

http://electricbikereport.com/electric-bike-kit/

Not enough regenerative ones, IMO.  Seems like what too many people are looking for is an unlicensed coal-powered motorcycle instead of something that could actually be used on a touring bike that won't be anywhere near an outlet for days.

[sanglant]

exactly, i could have sworn one i was looking at. was rear wheel drive, with regenerative braking through the motor, and a dynamo on the front wheel.

used Li-ion batteries mounted under the top tube. and cut the regenerative braking when you weren't on the brakes, think it was the first movement of the brake levers engaged it, then moved into the real brakes.

it also had real brake, and head lights. can't find anything like it now, maybe it was a joke page. and i was in hurting to much to notice it?

[KD5NRH]

exactly, i could have sworn one i was looking at. was rear wheel drive, with regenerative braking through the motor, and a dynamo on the front wheel.

Not sure why they would put a separate dynamo on it; the 5-6W drain of even a fairly large LED light set wouldn't make much of a dent in the power for a 350+W motor rig, so there's no real reason to add the extra drag of a separate dynohub that would just be more work for the rider when the assist is off.  Incandescents might be nice as a dump load on long downhills, though.