I picked up a couple of project bikes in the last week to a few months ago. Just getting around to messing with them. Just looking for generic comments, any insight into the components, or feel free to share your own winter projects.

The first project is an old 10 speed Peugeot. It has Sachs Hurret deraileurs and 700c wheels. But it turns out it is a hair too small for me, about a 52ctc seattube and maybe 53 on the top tube, couple this with a fairly short stem length and a straight seat post and it feels way too tight. Then there's the riveted chainrings. If I keep this I'll want to find a longer reach stem, maybe a seatpost with a little setback, to allow me a comfortable reach length. Then there's the garage grunge on the paint, it needs a very hard scrubbing (I suspect this thing hung in someone's garage for a decade or more). I'm thinking I might just post it up on Craigslist for $50 and see if I can get some holiday money.

The second bike is a Timberlin (not Timberline) Ridge Runner MTB. Biopace chainrings, Shimano 200 (?) deraileurs, but otherwise fits good enough, plus it is rigid front and rear. 7-speed rear, unsure if it's a freewheel or cassette. I might end up taking the components off of a ProFlex MTB I have since the polymer suspension on the ProFlex is shot and I've already replaced the rear ProFlex poly with PVC tubing and slipped one of the rear polys onto the front poly girder fork to try and stiffen that up. But I digress.... As noted in a post I just put into the tire section, the TImberlin will become a mixed trail commuter bike.

Here's some pics (if they post) of both project bikes.

And I just remembered, on the seattube of the Timberlin there is a little sticker that states that the paint is guaranteed to change with age. I don't know if it will change color or shading or what. I tried staring at it for a few minutes and didn' see anything happening. Just thought that was weird about the paint that's supposed to change over time.

That timberland is very cool. I like the paint on it. If I were you I'd put some drop bars on it, change out the seat, and put on 700c wheels. It'd be a killer cx bike despite the awkward position.

That timberland is very cool. I like the paint on it. If I were you I'd put some drop bars on it, change out the seat, and put on 700c wheels. It'd be a killer cx bike despite the awkward position.

That looks a LOT like a trek 830 I had around 1991. The black splatter paint, crank, headset/stem, and fork look identical.

I'm halfway thinking of one of those Brooks saddles with the coil springs in the rear, not sure about the handlebars yet. Thinking I might set it up as a BOB trailer towin' fat tire touring commuter the more I think about it. Quite a few of the rail-to-trail paths have the crushed stone that sometimes isn't too friendly to skinnier tires.

It could easily be a Trek what with the Sheboygan link, that shop could have made a special order from Trek for their store. I'll have to do a little web surfing on the 830.

Messing with it tonight out in the garage I've found the front shifter mechanism is a little funky. I might have to tear into it after I bring it into the basement so my fingers won't freeze while working on it. If the mechanism is beyond repair I'll just swap over the twist grip shifters from the ProFlex unless I can snag a deal at the LBS I used to help at. They used to have a pretty good old stock inventory so I might be okay with a fix or replace. Have to dig out the MTB repair book and see what's inside that mechanism.

Thanks for the thoughts and input.

I really like the double smoke stack, pop a wheelie photo. Looks like you have a long winter ahead. Have fun.

I would take that one back... the rings look warped:D

i need to build a TT bike
new race rig
custom

figure out if i need a rear disc - spend lots of cash

My friend had the timberlin with biopace rings. He finally broke down last year and bought a new bike. He got at least 10-15yrs out of it.

Ironically, I have a '93 Trek 1200 with that exact paint job!

The Timberlin gets my vote for quality shop time - it has the most interesting prospects; fun paint, good use options, fits and it sounds like you already have parts (no purchase necessary - the best!) that can easily take hours to install and adjust to perfection - I am so jealous!

I totally blew my winter project. I had been think about buying the least expensive carbon frame I could find and then moving all the components from my road bike over to it. But then, while trolling Craig's List, I found the frame I was looking for but the seller had already hung all these great components on it and was selling it at a price I couldn't afford to pass by. There went my winter project...

The Peugot is tailor made for a fixie. It's the perfect frame for that type of project. I've got a Timberlin in the rafters of my garage right now. It was my sons bike, very similar specs but not the screamin' color. My wife has been bugging me to build her a new bike that better suits her commuting needs. The Timberlin is in the running. Maybe consider taking off two chainrings, the front shifter and the FD and make it into 1X7 city cruiser/commuter with moustache bars and that Brooks saddle. The paint and the style would make it a one of a kind.