Dawes (not polo) commuter

So, after a nice evening playing polo with @coventry_eagle @lava @GranthamMiles @cgg I feel like this cheap frame is going to go polo.

Missing a few bits:

1. Front brake caliper
   
2. Appropriate chainring
   
3. Er, chain
   
4. Grips for the handlebars
   
   

Not quite sure how appropriate is a quill stem for polo yet!

Advide more than appreciated, I think I've developed a nack for never buying the right sizes and diameters.

No issues with stem.

Try to find some cheap MTB cranks as they will allow much smaller chainring.

Not sure you can go much lower than 39 for the chainring with that crankset.

Thinking about it again, wouldn't your current daily be more suited to the task? Gear ratios would need a bit of thinking, obviously.

So,big update. Quite the pivot, actually:

The Dawes frame above will become my fixed commuter, while my previous (shite) No Logo is going to play polo.

So here goes:

Thanks to Tom from the Hackney Peddler, the shit cranks are gone and replaced by a pretty cheap Decathlon MTB 32t at the front, and the freewheel set in rust has been replaced by a new 18t. Ratio 1.78 should be decent for polo if we bring our best thighs. The surgery involved sawing off the cranks, and many hammers and blowtorches were put to use to destroy the freewheel at the back. Brutal.

We'll do away with the mudguards and put the brake lever on the left. With any luck, we'll try it Sunday (@coventry_eagle?).

The Dawes frame makes use of the other side of the flip flip wheel. It's pretty bare at the moment so I'll put the pedals, mudguards, and grips on. Because this morning 16km ride in London with a freewheel, polo ratio, and one brake was rather annoying.

Mudguards removed, had the idea to put a tube in the front wheel (seems to have dramatically enhanced the ride), brake lever to the left for my rightie self. Can't wait to crash it.

@cgg do you want to bring one of your fat Strada Bianca for the front wheel?
What says the fashion police regarding straight bars v. risers?

Looking good man! Come down this Sunday yeah?

Sure will!

First commutes are going well.

Still looking for:

• wheelset for the new Dawes commuter
  
• calliper/lever for the polo bike
  
• did someone say they’ve got a spare mallet?
  

Some deets!

Current status, with new wheels and bar tape:

Some rusty bits

Nice mudguard label <3