neo_pop_71

Don’t beat yourself up chum… I’d never think of you as a hybrid weasel/rat abomination!

I had something similar years ago when I had a trunk mounted bike rack on my Audi. I was a rubber coated braided cable with a large loop on one end, the other end was threaded through and secured to a hard plastic ball. You threaded the ball through the loop and back through your bike frames. You popped the trunk slightly, tossed the ball anchor in the trunk, and then closed the truck and “locked” up your frames. Yes, they could still steal your wheels or what have you but it was enough to deter the thief to finds an easier ride to gaffle. I’m trying to to design one that attaches to my hitch mounted rack and can secure all four bikes… wheels and all.

When it’s done, I’ll post it and you guys can feed my your criticisms, I’m thick skinned, I can take it! Until then, check out the TiGr lock, I supported these guys when they were on Kickstarter. Super smart design and a clever use of materials… plus it’s light (unlike most bike locks), and not hideous to the eye! Yes, it’s pricey, but how much is your bike worth when you factor in getting stranded and then the trials of replacement. Here yo go:

http://tigrlock.com/

What about Ross working backwards from the Taiwanese manufacturers perspective? Ross is looking to expand overseas quickly, the frames are already in production and they pick up Moore Lorge & Co Ltd as a UK distributor who use their own designer to come up with a logo and decals. They’d be the same frames with the full of the UK and Europe to press sales with the new look. Just a thought…

Extremely cool find Derek!!!

Rare mountain bike there… KOM aka King Of (The) Mountains… Schwinn’s answer to the Specialized Stumpjumper. Next to the top steel mountain model, S-7 vs S-9 Team, both had the same triple butted Tange CrMo frame. The only difference was the S-9 Team had Shimano XT components vs. the S-7 with full Shimano DX group. Paramount made Paramountain (Google it, only available as a custom order lugged frame in 1990 with MSRP $999 for frame/fork only) fork but decals saying “Schwinn” instead of “Paramount” on the legs. This was an American by Waterford (aka Paramount) made mountain bike available before the bankruptcy filing and Schwinn being bought out. The following year, 1991 catalog, the lower end bikes were made in Japan or Taiwan and badged PDG (Paramount Design Group) but the high end were still made in America by Waterford aka Paramount in the same facility. All had the same frame design… check the bent chain stays, supposed to be shock absorbing.

http://bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/1990/MTB_And_Road/FULL/1990_MTB_Road_Cat_10.jpg

http://mombat.org/Schwinn_Specs.htm

The Schwinn S-7 is equivalent to the Paramount Series 50, specs below:

http://waterfordbikes.com/w/culture/paramount/pdg-series-bikes-1989-94/

Here’s an Ebay listing for the same PDG 50 bike and KOM S-9 frame:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCHWINN-PARAMOUNT-19-MOUNTAIN-BIKE-SERIES-50-PDG-BEAUTIFUL-CONDITION-RARE-R50-/111180739420?pt=US_Bicycles_Frames&hash=item19e2e3735c

$100 vs. $259 B.I.N. price… yours is a score!!!

-or-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1989-SCHWINN-KOM-S9-STEEL-BIKE-FRAME-INTL-SHIP-/200978797276?pt=US_Bicycles_Frames&hash=item2ecb4512dc

$100 vs. $349.95 B.I.N. price for frame only but the same frame as S-7

Hey Derek, now that you know how sweet the KOM S-7 is, you should buy it for me and go find one that fits you… it’s too small for you but it’s just my size!!!

Lies!

I cry foul… the proof is in the puddin’ or in this case, the photos!!!

(without photos this bike doesn’t exist)

Right on Derek, nice to see you postin’ to the board instead of paddlin’ yo’ puddin’ with yo’ spatula!

Chains: 5-8 speed run the same width chain, 9 speed needs a narrower 9 speed chain, the same for 10 speed and 11 speed. Each additional speed past 8 the price grows significantly; that said, the price on 9 speed has come down a lot since 11 speed hit the market. For the dough, 8 speed is where it’s at… same wheels (usually, see below) and same chain when you move parts between the 5 through 8 range.

Wheels: 7, 8, and 9 will fit on the same hub body but if you have an older/earlier 7 speed, there was no consideration for the future 8 speed development and 8 and 9 speed will not work. The later 7 speed hub bodies had taller threads on the lock ring side so they would accept the 8 speed and eventual 9 speed swap over. If your wheels are quality and they’re in good shape, simply get a new 8 speed hub body and install it… now your wheels are ready for the future regardless of build. The 8 speed hub bodies are cheap, especially when compared with the cost of a used quality set of wheels.

On my ’88 Cimarron LE that I just finished, I ran the 1st generation Shimano “Deerhead” XT but I swapped out the 13-32T 6 speed freewheel with a new 8 speed 13-32T freewheel. I simply had to let out the limit screws on the rear derailleur. For the front I ran a swaged Sugino Super Maxy crank with 50/39T chain rings, I decided to run the crank without the 28T small ring. Like Vinny said, no need for the triple, the gear overlap between a 50/13T and 39/32T will cover most everything. I had to bring the limit screw in on the front derailleur since I wasn’t running the small ring. My fat butt isn’t too proud to jump off and run the hill, I guess that’s leftover from the old cyclocross racing days.

I’m trying to figure out what fork is on that bike, it has no adjustment knobs on the sand cast crown but it has CNC dropouts… Suspension Dynamics, Ballistic, or something. Seems like a great deal, even if you had to do a fork swap!

Whoops… looks like someone scored a good deal, the ad has been deleted.