My daughter needed a bike for college this past fall and I wanted to set her up with something functionally good but hopefully not too appealing to thieves.
I originally built up the Trek 6000 (2nd pic) but the frame was too big. I scored the Specialized frame, which was exactly what I needed, and transferred some parts and dug others out of the parts bin. I think it's a great balance for a commuter/college bike.
I converted the cantis over to v-brakes, set up some spare wheels with a new Tourney 1×8 drivetrain, found some clearance Bell cruiser tires, and a thrift store basket + rear rack. There were a few scrapes, so she used clear nail polish to prevent rust without making it look to pretty.
I also put on some anti-theft axles + seatpost bolt and got a Kryptonite New York U-Lock. The anti-theft parts ended up costing as much as the entire build but, despite some fiddling with the lock, it hasn't been stolen yet! (knock on wood)
by skilledsapien
3 Comments
This is sooooo sick!
Did you paint the rack or was it that colour when you got it?
That is one nice looking step through build.