Cargo Bikes

There's no v brake mounts on mine

@Jonny69 yes positioning the pedals for takeoff is a nightmare.

Yeah you definitely don’t want that. Have a look if there’s a way to swap the coaster brake to cable operated and if it results in you being able to pedal the cranks backwards on the freewheel, as that would be your easiest way forward if it’s possible. Otherwise, 10 or more speed mtb derailleur setup would be my preference. I have a 32T NW chainring at the front and 11-34 range at the back. I know it’s more expense but it’ll make the bike far more useable.

Budget shopping list:
-Dropouts
-Budget 36-spoke 26” wheel with disc mount (or just the hub if you can lace wheels)
-Disc, caliper and lever
-MTB shifter and matching rear derailleur, or Tiagra 10-speed shifter and either any Shimano long cage road derailleur up to 10-speed or Shimano MTB derailleur up to 9-speed.
-10-speed cassette eg 11-34

So you’re probably looking at £250 there if you buy all new, but you’ll get a bit back if you put the hub and shifter on eBay. Keep an eye on Retrobike for for a groupset.

Just remember you can mix and match a lot of 10-speed kit which I find makes my life easier because I can share parts between bikes. SRAM X5/X7/X9/X0 is compatible with Rival. Cassettes are same as Shimano. 10-speed Shimano road is backward compatible etc etc

Long post. I’m tired and rambling. Sorry.

That's not a long post at all - that's very helpful, thank you very much. I guess I am just used to having a geared hub on a cargo bike and been lazy with the shifting down before coming to a stop but I can definitely adapt to that with a cassette, rather than using a coaster brake.

(or just the hub if you can lace wheels)

I can do it but it's the time. Two young kids makes it hard to get any time at all to do anything recreational, and much as I enjoy the satisfaction of putting something together, if I had that free time to me I would happily just farm the work out to a shop or buy an OTP solution.

I'll probably get in touch with SBC cycles as I have heard several of you recommend them.

Hand-OperatedBAD

I have 2 young kids and there is no way I'd find time either. (I'm posting because there always seems to be some joker popping up saying it only takes a couple of hours)

As I have said before, no1 in scandanavia gets to comment, you guys are living the dream :(

I can do it but it's the time. Two young kids makes it hard to get any time at all to do anything recreational

I don’t know what you’re talking about, lol. Once I’d bought the hub, it only took me a convoluted period of 8 months to find an evening to lace the wheel, another to true it, a couple of hours one sunny lockdown afternoon to put a tyre on with my little helper and then another evening to sort out the bike after everything had seized up while waiting!

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the cost of the dropout wont be much, you will need a diff rear wheel/hub that can take disc rotor and everything that goes along with it; hydro rear brake, cable for rear mech, cassette, rear mech etc.

pls dont go front brake only on a cargo bike, in grand scheme of things (if you source used/aliexpress) couple of hundred quid isnt a lot for safe braking.

edit: @Jonny69 already said all of this

This will look amazing once restored.

Kinda reminds me of the radiator bike

Any drawbacks in using a mechanical as opposed to a hydraulic disc brake on the rear of a Bullitt? I'm used to working with the cable rather than the hose.

Can't imagine there would be on the rear but don't have direct experience

IME- Just not as consistent, require more maintenance, good mechanical disc brakes (ie avid bb7) are more expensive than good shimano hydraulic brakes (ie deore 2pot)

Would choose hydraulic any day of the week personally!

If it were me I’d go for the cheapest shimano hydro lever / calliper combo I can find + the biggest rotor you can fit.

Mechanical disc brakes >>>>>>>>>

Even the cheapest Shimano hydros work well enough for general use.

-Budget 36-spoke 26” wheel with disc mount

Finding it difficult to locate a 36 spok wheel, lots of 32 options.

I think 32 or 36h will be ok as long as the build is solid and the rim is ‘burly’.

Also worth noting some IGH have zero flange offset and build into stronger wheels. So if you did go that way you could quite comfortably go 32spoke I think

Thank you

Right, here is what I am considering:

Halo T2 rear wheel : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142715036686
8 speed cassette : https://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/shimano-claris-cs-hg50-8-speed-cassette-11-32t-
Shimano Altus M310 7/8 Speed Rear Derailleur : https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-altus-m310-78-speed-rear-derailleur
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/hydraulic-braking-kit-complete-front-or-rear-160-mm-tektro-auriga
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/3-to-8-speed-bike-chain/_/R-p-331640

That brings it up to about £195 so far. How much are the replacement dropouts for the Bullitt?

Might have to sell some other gear.

I'm assuming that rim diameter will fit!

I think £195 will go LONG if you shop used (and if you have time to do so).

Worth posting a wanted thread and see.

Altus is bit sad, get long cage clutch mech so at least you can have a good 1x ratio.

Some more ideas:

Unless you specifically want that posh Halo wheel, here's a budget one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26-DISC-BRAKE-ONLY-MOUNTAIN-BIKE-WHEEL-REAR-CASSETTE-FITTED-7-7M-8-9-10/254349298641

I'd go for more gears. My experience is 9 is still a bit gappy but 10 isn't. You haven't mentioned shifters, so are you using the shifter on there?

Shimano XT 9-speed derailleurs are that sort of price, compatible and have more kudos might be better.

Just for reference, I got a new SRAM X7 rear derailleur for about £35 and a pair of matching 2x10 shifters for about £35. It's a matter of trawling the eBay shops but I appreciate parts are a bit short on supply at the moment. Also put a wanted ad out for this stuff on Retrobike.

Alfine 11, 26" wheelset with dynamo front hub

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Swift-Arrive-Alfine-11-Nexus-Hub-Wheels-/254946708944?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

£200 inc. shifter.

You could cut out the dynamo and lace into your 20" front wheel (not that you've got time!)

Can't find a price for the dropouts.

Hubgear ftw on cargo bike

Cor that cog looks like it’s done some miles!

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Not alfine 11 though

Very into this.