Just managed to scored a free bike that I'm gonna set up for commuting to and from work and general round town stuff.

It'll be a work in progress and probaly take me some time as my budget is just about $0 for everything, well mabye a bit more the $0 so gonna have to be resourceful and keep an eye out for sum good deals (or not).

The bike itself is a Avanti Super Sprint Traithlon? My brother has had it sitting in his shed for a few years and before that my dad had it and used it to ride to work every day and the Lake Taupo race many moons ago. Before that it belonged to a family friend so at a guess its from the mid 90s.

Will post pics tomorow when i pick it up from my brothers farrm, and as i slowly get new bits n bobs to put on etc etc.

Any advice on what sorta parts to look out for or places to find good deals would be choice as. I live in Taupo at the moment but will more than likely be moving to Auckland or Wellington within the next 5-6 months.

Stay tuned...

Some pics after i picked it up this morning.

I think i'm gonna attempt a single speed conversion.

First thing im gonna do is pull it to bits.

The wheels are shagged as are the tyres. Any ideas on what wheel/tyre combo i should keep an eye out for. I want something suitable for cummuting etc....

I've also found a Fire Eye single speed kit on Trademe, anyone know much bout these?

why are the wheels shagged?
are they buckled, twisted, cracked rims? no?
then is it stuffed bearings?
is it not something a bit of a dismantle, clean and regrease couldnt fix? if that "sealed mech" front hub has cartridge bearings, you can usually use a very sharp object to remove the seal on the bearing and repack them with grease.

if your budget is $0, then i'd say work with you've got.

radman wrote:I've also found a Fire Eye single speed kit on Trademe, anyone know much bout these?

it's got forward facing dropout - so no need for a tensioner if you decided to go SS, you can set chain tension just the same as with rear facing (track) ends (and it's even got set screws in the dropouts so once you have the tension right you can do quick wheel changes and know you're back where you should be)

[ and if anyone tells you you need a chaintug/bolt up hub etc ignore them - with a decent qr you'll be fine ]

danose wrote:

radman wrote:I've also found a Fire Eye single speed kit on Trademe, anyone know much bout these?

it's got forward facing dropout - so no need for a tensioner if you decided to go SS, you can set chain tension just the same as with rear facing (track) ends

[ and if anyone tells you you need a chaintug/bolt up hub etc ignore them - with a decent qr you'll be fine ]

but your bollocks will be in danger if you do not do the QR up as toight as a toight thing

T7 had chain tugs for $10 or so...

Trail wrote:but your bollocks will be in danger if you do not do the QR up as toight as a toight thing

the current QR seems to have no issues holding - now explain why the forces when you go SS will be different

main thing is to the keep the old school 'steel is real' shimano QR (if you want to put some craptastic bling qr on there sure run a tug if you value your nuts)

as for 'toight as a tiger' - even my missus can do a shimano qr up 'correctly tight' - anyone else complaining will get accused of a chronic case of limp wristedness

Tyres are bound to be perished after all those years however the wheels could be alright. Front hub is Shimano, presumably the rear is also so cup and cone bearings which are pretty easy to pull apart, clean and regrease. Might want to put in new brake pads if the old ones have perished/gone rock hard.

It's a pretty nice bike really and the price is right.

First and foremost, remove the reflectors on the wheels or the style police will put a cap in yo ass!

When you've got the tyres off give the spokes and nipples a spray of lube at the rim - this will hopefully prevent the dry corroded nipples cracking.

Don't forget to wipe the rims off afterwards. Contact cleaner is ideal for the braking surfaces.

Oooo, I always wanted one of those.

Back in the day they were top of the range (I think). My mate down the road had the model down (the Sprint), then another mate got a Super Sprint in about 1990.

What kind of rear hub does it have? The modern kind with the freehub and cassette, or the older kind where the cassette screws on?

Either way single speed is a good idea. Makes the bike nice and light, and it looks cool.

Like the other posters have said, the dropouts can be used to tension the chain. I just used a normal quick release on my conversion and it worked well

Toko wrote:Back in the day they were top of the range (I think).

there was a model above with 600 (which became ultegra later) - can't remember what they called it though (oli will remember)

The Super-Duper Sprint.

swtchbckr wrote:why are the wheels shagged?
are they buckled, twisted, cracked rims? no?
then is it stuffed bearings?
is it not something a bit of a dismantle, clean and regrease couldnt fix? if that "sealed mech" front hub has cartridge bearings, you can usually use a very sharp object to remove the seal on the bearing and repack them with grease.

if your budget is $0, then i'd say work with you've got.

The rims have a few dents in them and i found when spinning the wheels, in particular the front one it was noisey and almost felt like there was sandpaper or somthing in the bearings if that makes any sense. I found this out by taken the wheel off the bike holding either end of the axle and giving it a quick spin while holding it in the air - probaly not the most conventional way of doing it but meh....

That's the pro way!

Sounds like cleaning the hubs out and packing some new balls in fresh grease will get you rolling. Check the bottom bracket and headset bearings, the brake pads and the cables and you're sorted...