The big dutch BumbleRat ladies stepthrough

So about 6 months ago my girlfriend decided that she wanted a new bike, something more regal and comfy that she could make short rides around London on whilst maintaining a certain sense of queen-like superiority and upright posture. A dutch bike. A hub gear, coaster brake, big tyres, mudguards dutch bike.

A few weeks later I found a slightly ratty example of the failed Blackpool hire bike fleet on eBay for £30 and pulled the trigger.

Then followed a 5 months saga of trying to buy some forks in which I found out that 26" threadless forks with a 30cm steerer are few and far between and that, as it turns out, one of my neighbours is agoraphobic and won't bring around a big fork shaped package even if it's sitting in their hall for 3 weeks BUT isn't too agoraphobic to GO ON HOLIDAY the day before I realise said parcel is at their house.

Anyway, two weeks of knocking on their door three times a day later I finally have my forks and a few other bits.

I've basically got everything except spokes and nips for the back wheel but there are a few things I still do.

There are a couple of paint chips on the frame, I don't really want to get it resprayed but don't want it to rust up after a few months of winter riding. Unless anyone has any better ideas I was gonna try going over the holes with some nail varnish in the hope it would seal them up.

Obviously I don't really want all the Hire a Bike and Change for Life decals which have been enamelled on so I think I'm gonna go over those with a nice vinyl-sticker-pattern-thing.

Thirdly there's this metal plate that sits on the downtube with text about hiring the bike and also telling you the bike's name is Noel(?). I've been trying to think of ways to utilise this space and am currently planning to cut a hole at each end that I can run a toe strap through and use it to secure a D lock with a few rubbing shims underneath to stop it rattling about too much and wearing through the frame. Other thoughts are welcome.

Nice project!

coooooool def don't spray it, colour's nice

I hired one of these in Blackpool a few years back. Not bad as I recall if a little heavy (like Boris bikes then). Did they stop the scheme? Seems a shame.

Good luck.

I'm a bit paranoid perhaps, but treat the rust first with rust convertor, then got at it with nail polish/car touchup :)

Maybe some hard modelling foam would make a snug fit for the lock, not sure how long it holds up outside.

Have fun ^_^

Well it looks as though the scheme didn't completely die but was scaled back: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/council-cycle-hire-scheme-scaled-back-after-losses-1-7264722

I imagine the original bikes were built like the Boris Bikes, drum brakes, hub gear, rack, mudguards so they probably weighed a bit. The frame itself isn't too bad at about 2.4kg but I won't be building it to be light and I will be fitting a hub gear/coaster brake which will add a kg or two.

Well the frame's actually aluminium so it won't rust but I wanted to make sure it wouldn't corrode. I just stripped back the paint where it had started to bubble up and gave it a few coats of varnish.

My plan A for cushioning the lock-holster-think is just to wrap an inner tube or two around the downtube and then I'll see how it holds up.

Progress so far:

I just realised yesterday that the Sram 3 speed hub I'd bought is actually 116mm spaced, for some folding bike or something I guess. There's a Nexus 8 speed hub on the forum which is suitable and I think I'll go for that now instead. Other than that thought I just need some spokes!

Looking good, like the colour bands ^_^

ACI spokes are good and cheaper than DT usually.