Croix de fer 650b on a budget (sparkly barbie parts bin bike)

Had my old croix de fer frame from 2015 (Maybe?) that I was planning on selling. Has been used as a tourer and a bit of gravel. My more modern bikes has given me a taste for wider tires , which isn’t possible with 700c wheels. Decided that I wanted to keep it as a “poot around bike” but spend as little money as possible.

So the plan is 650b, using as much of components I have at home.

Cheap 27,5 mtb wheels
1x10 with friction shifter
Silver components
City style handlebars

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I’ve painted the frame using spay.bike.

Not my favourite process when it comes to paint. Very different type of painting than I’m used to so I’m going to have to sand the base paint to get it more shiny. Now it’s quite dull.

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Wheels and tires.

27,5 with qr hubs are weirdly hard to find these days. Wasn’t in the mood to build so a cheap pair of mountain bike wheels had to do. Would have wanted silver since that’s the look I wanted but these are def good enough.

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Fun

Following with interest. Considering a switch from 700c wheels to 27.5, for the same reason - cushyness. Wondering how practical/expensive/worth it it would be

For me it’s all about going from a tire width of 35 to 48. Couldn’t believe the difference on my gravel/road bike when I first tried a wider tire. Like riding with noise cancelling headphones… on your wheels… or something…
But sure, the cost of new wheels just to be able to fit new tires kinda sucks.

When I did my “try it for cheaps” 700c to 650b conversion it cost me £45 for a pair of QR wheels inc tyres and rotors from eBay they are not exactly sort after.
Interested to see how this rides. Looks like it’s going to be good already.

Don’t mean to make it a “tattooed Barbie” bike but I guess that’s what it is…

Also put some time into polishing a pair of crank arms that is had laying around. Was really ugly truvativ cranks, but I think they worked quite well in silver.

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Double post.

Gonna put sparkle clear coat to further embrace the Barbie look.

old sock as a rag? Nice thinking, I do the same.

Fun project though. Did you prime an clear with the spray.bike stuff?

The pink looks great! Love the handwritten branding as well. Definitely needs to be sparkly af.

Yeah, most my rags are old socks…

Ruffed up the old paint and tried to sand out the raised logos and paint changes. Worked ok. Put two layers of spray.bike, sanded and now sparkle clear coat.

Somewhat fucked up the clear. The close distance needed for the base colour messed with my head and I struggled to keep the longer distance the clear needed. Gonna try to sand and reapply. Wouldn’t have cared that much but the runs with sparkle looks dirty.

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The hand painted decals are fab and who doesn’t love a bit of sparkle!

Finished painting.

Next step is building it up, soon as I get the handlebars in the post.

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These kind of projects are the best, it def will be good with 650b and chunky tires

This is the parts I’m putting on. “Budget” might be a bit of an understatement with some of the parts from the bin…

Ritchey stem
Nitto seatpost
Shimano xt 10s derailleur
Shimano friction shifter
Fake Paul Thumbie from AliExpress.
KNCN headset

Threads on the bottom bracket was shot so have ordered a new one. And some chain ring bots since I lost those.

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Very nice - the polished cranks look great.. Silver bars as well?

Yeah that’s the plan.

Following for when I do mine.
I have the bike, the wheels and the tyres.
Everything is working so nicely at the moment (shifting, brakes) that I don't want to jeopardise spoiling it by switching the wheels. 😅

Had to do a quick lunch mock up.

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needs yellow bartape or grips... barbie needs to be a blond lol

Very nice!
I am definitely going to have to paint all of my Intec, when I've had some mods done.

Trying out some stuff.
Rear brake isn’t solved but the rest is as I’m thinking it will be. Probably some mudguards. But the ones I have are maybe too small

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Looking really good! Minor gripe, I reckon silver headset spacers would look loads better.

I vote keep them black to match the post clamp. Either way it’s looking sharp.