Vancou-velo

So, as one or two of you may know, I've just managed to score 3 months (unpaid) off my job and have headed to Canada in search of the new, music to play, places to ride and maybe there's a pretty girl involved too.

I got here on Monday (4th March) and have started to look for a bike to build/convert. My budget is relatively small but, hopefully, Craigslist and a few other sources will come up trumps.
My considerations for the build are

• low budget
  
• Size (I'm 6'4")
  
• Resale (not trying to make all my money back, just find a buyer fairly easily)
  
• Vancouver's extensive collection of hills
  
• Ease of finding cheap/second hand parts
  
• Fun.
  

A couple of options have presented themselves immediately as favourites, both with their own pros and cons.

This Raleigh full build is plenty big enough and would provide me with an immediate ride, but the seller has no idea of the tubing and lives a three and a half hour round trip away on Sky-train and busses.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/bik/3608226729.html

The components aren't exactly what I'd call top spec, but the saddle (which is apparently very much ridable) appeals to the hipster in me. It's also a 27" frame which would put me off immediately in terms of finding a fixed back wheel, were it not for this showing up at pretty much exactly the same time:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/bik/3648136359.html

The other is this:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/bik/3605609526.html

Known tubing and situated locally. Decent headset and bottom bracket. He's also dropped the price to $100 but pointed out that there's a dent where the head badge would usually be and that the paint on the rear brake bridge.

With this option I'd find myself building from scratch but, considering that I want to ride it fixed, it'll be mainly about finding a wheel and crank set.

Plus, I actually quite like the look of the frame.

Hey Bro, today is going to be Brilliant and i would like to help with your travels...

My boss bought a Bianchi Piaggio last year to convert but walked on the build after finding a complete

the seat tube is 55 or 56 cm but not too sure about tt length

the frame is Red with polished post/stem with white seat/bar tape

Have a great stay... you should come to the UBC bike rave next Friday

make sure to invite your Girls friends.

Others have mentioned OCB in Vancouver. I'd already been told about them by a certain local who'd used them to fix up her bike (a desire for which I'd like to take no small amount of credit for spawning) so I've been to see them. Second hand parts galore. They're just around the corner so I'm going to head over there today to see what they have in terms of parts for this build. You can rent a work stand and have full use of their tools/grease/whatever for a cheap flat rate, so I'd imagine that most of the build will take shape there.
I've also signed up to volunteer there during my time in BC so I may well talk more about this as I go.

Our Community Bikes is a Great Resource

try Kickstand on Commercial Drive too

Seawall is going to be the TiTs.

Hey skrtluv, the Bianchi sounds good but I really need a 60 c-t-c minimum.

I'm also very much up for the bike rave. PM me. I'm definitely up for meeting some new folk out here.

Rattle-can?
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/bik/3638141626.html

Or these:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/bik/3583569411.html

Group rides are on thursday nights at 8pm on Broadway and Main

Bike Ride Society or Midnight Mass on Fridays from the Art Museum

... just a few spots to get you started

left my contact# on Official Free World thread

Hey skrtluv, the Bianchi sounds good but I really need a 60 c-t-c minimum.

found this lovely conversion when i google searched bianchi piaggio

not too shabby looks to be around the same fit on a 55/56
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_saYf5Wi_cek/S8nygu_SGeI/AAAAAAAAAp0/3eYHD-ZnnqU/s1600/IMG_6366.JPG

Yeah, judging by the head tube, that's way too small. Very pretty though.

Frame acquired. A bit of surface rust and maybe a touch small but overall I'm pretty happy.

He even chased me down the street to give me a saddle and rather nice fluted Sugino seat post.

http://www.facebook.com/ajax/messaging/attachment.php?attach_id=83927db4828e67aa078ba53c37b07bd6&mid=mid.1362954860133%3Aec294a4bc8fcbf6905&hash=AQChkRnBQyH4rEeO

I now realise that theres no seat pin as I was expecting. Perhaps an over site on his part but a minor thing to get hold of.

congrats buddy... see ya out there

my brother paints if you're interested

I found a few interesting bits in OCB yesterday but didn't want to buy anything until I had the frame sorted. They had a white set of track drops. Too much?

Crank set and wheels still the priority.

^^Thanks, I may take you up on that.

Bike Rave!!!!

i've got a crazy monstrosity built up.

Oh yeah? What sort of monstrosity are we talking? I'm imagining a neon tall-bike.

looking forward to seeing what monster you end up building, look out for the skirtlove:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread101520.html

he might send you down the wrong direction.........unless that is your thing :)

i flipped the forks to run backwards on a conversion mtb frame Fixed 26in wheels..

Budget Weinmann DP18 wheel set. Check. Fully greased up, hubs adjusted, sprocket, lockring and freewheel, $120.

Off to the Pedal Depot to pick up some bits I put aside yesterday including the same Sugino Mighty Fluted cranks that I have on my bike at home. Should be $10 or less. Win.

First functional incarnation.

Handlebars to be cut down, grips added and longer stem sourced. I also need some shorter clips to reduce/eliminate the toeverlap.

Awesome Guy, whats your direction beater ratt rod or classy refresh?