Out of riding action for a month or two, I originally was going to buy an engine to tinker with, but I’ve since been given an old bike, and I quite like the idea of fixie-ing/ss-ing it and selling it on or maybe keep it.

I need to get the old bb and headset out, if anyone can tell me the tool I need, or size to replace from these pictures it’d be great! :

Will the bike become structurally unsound if I removed the seat-stay bridge? It looks ****ing ugly and I won’t need a rear brake :

If so, any bright ideas as to how to beautify/hide it?

Thanks for any help!!!
Bike is a free spirit cobra, and I’m respraying the frame British racing green, with cream joins for anyone interested.

you sure that frames worth the effort?

A restoration of a reasonable quality frame is a good idea but I’d be checking if that one qualifies.

Yeah it’s probably not, but it was free, and I’m low on money and looking for a project.

threaded headset and cotter-pin cranks bb.

google them and you’ll work out how to remove.

i doubt removing the bridge will matter.

Even though it was free, it’s going to cost time and money, cranks, brakes, tires to start with all add up; do the math; can see that bike quickly becoming a money pit.

You’ll be looking at spending a couple of hundred quid bu the time you but tyres, headset, bb, etc. Don’t think you’ll sell an old gas pipe bike like that on for much of a profit 🙂

IMO,definately worth doing up as a fixie,or a SS

bb is easily removed,lockring has a right hand thread,so knock it round with a hammer and drift (old screwdriver blade will do at a pinch),the bb cup will unscrew with a pair of mole grips,stillsons or better still in a vice.you should be able to remove the other side cup (left hand thread) with pretty much the same method.

replace bb with a sealed unit,and a set of cheap road cranks and ring from fleabay,or put a wanted add on here,use the original chain.
a cheap free wheel will sort the back end out,a guick re dish of the wheel will finish it off.leave the bridge if you’re going SS ! chop it off if going fixed.
If you’re going fixed you will need a track hub/rear wheel,you can put a track cog on a standard threaded hub,but it will unscrew and you will DIE HORRIBLY !

if you’re near Brum,or the Black-country,gimme a shout,I’ve build loads of old fixies and SS’s 😉

don’t listen to the nay-sayers,£60-70 will see it done,if you use your loaf…

I’d be tempted to get on the road as a run about hack, fetch the papers and a bit of shopping type thing. When it gets pinched you’ll still have your Trek at home. It may have greater value to you that way.

low on money

looking for a project

These shouldn’t go together, there’s no such thing as a “project” that doesn’t involve throwing cash into a bottomless pit 🙂

Here’s some advice about the cottered cranks. Personally I would get them out and replace the whole lot with some shimano HTII cranks, or something square taper if you like the old fashioned look.

The headset looks like a standard 1″ threaded, but it doesn’t look like it has a standard threaded race. You’ll need a spanner to get the top locknut off to have a look at the rest of it. Measure it to see the size you need – it could be 30/32/36mm.

As for the seatstay bridge, the bike probably wouldn’t collapse to pieces and kill you if you cut it off, but that’s just a guess, hopefully someone with more experience about these things can say for sure.

The seatstay bridge is there for a reason. Leave it be.

Spend as little as possible on the bike, and replace only what is broken or worn out. Use it as a hack bike.

The seatstay bridge is there for a reason. Leave it be.

Ah bugger, looks like I won’t be selling it on then. Just dremelled it off.

Thanks Keef and Raisinhat, really useful information.

Okay, I’ll have a look at the BB and sell it with cranks if it’s in bad condition.
I think I’ll put a front brake on and run it as a single speed.
Not sure whether to fork out ~£50 on a new set or try to get the rust off these and relace a new hub on the rear?

Many thanks

take it from someone who has done this 9 of sorts) It is worth it. It’s unlikely to cost much if the fundamental parts are sound. However it may take some time. This however wouldn’t be for a full restore, as it may be a money pit if you want everything like new.

ie. – you prolly do not need to replace the headset. Clean old one and get £2 of bearings from a supplier. Tyres – search ebay etc, look for clearance deals on parts. Cranks can prolly be polished with some effort etc. Surely a fixie is only going to get grimmy and work on the roads anyway. Why make it perfect? I thought was the whole idea of them anyway.

It may be time consuming as that last wheel nut may take 2 hours to loosen, those wheel bearings need to be sourced, that cotterpin needs replacing etc.. but that’s all part of the fun and satisfaction at the end.

I would just make it functional and look presentable. Wouldn’t bother with a full restoration personally.

Good luck. When it works you’ll love it.

Couple of hundred quid??? A money pit???
Deary me, an easy but rewarding project this could be, if you set a budget first and do not go over it. If your in a hurry then forget it, you can easily find parts for it if you bide your time. Even your local dump might yield some parts of useable quality. Rebuid the BB, you might need to replace the ball bearings at worst. Same with the Headset and hubs, use what you have. Polish things, spraypaint things, make it look decent and ride nice. Keep it simple.
Its very easy to throw new parts on an old bike, but is that really a worthwhile and rewarding project?

meant to get it to like brand new show condition may cost a fair bit or require access to proper tools, such as polishers etc.

agreed Neil. DIY polishing, rust removal, etc is good. If you need to do something there’s always info online about methods etc

The only invaluable tool I would say to buy is a digital measuring ruler thing. Brilliant for working out odd sizes/stds/bearings etc Prolly be about £8

Prolly get a bb for a fiver or so and it will almost certainly last 5 years or maybe 20. Same with other stuff.

Thanks, really encouraging!! I think with the amount of time it’ll take me to srip the frame with one arm, it shouldn’t be a problem being patient with parts!

What make is the frame ?

I have an old Wilson frame witch is exactly the same colour and has the same seatstay bridge I think mine is from the early to mid eighties.

I think it was a tour specific bike which had internal wires to connect the lights to a built in dynamo.

Mines in bits and I am deciding what to do with it after an angle grinder slip put a nasty gauge in the downtube.

ps concentrated lemon juice is good for rust and loosens bolts if left for an hour or two and then redone if needed etc. Just avoid paint etc. Loads of little gems like this are learnt. The combo of lemon and then penetration spray then lemon etc can work wonders too if fittings are bad.

Look on ebay for everything..even small stuff like cables and outers 1m lengths for £2.00 etc. That’s how you keep the costs down. It’s all the small things that add up etc.They may not be as good as your mtb ones but should be fine for road use. It cost nothing so you should keep it that way 🙂

The lemon juice is a good tip, I’ll make sure to remember that one!
The frame is a free spirit cobra 27″. It’ll be a plain, but nice looking frame when sprayed.

Can anybody help me convert my 2X cottered cranks into SS, no sure what chainring, or how to mount it.

With regards to the current wheels, while really heavy, they look nice, but they have patchy crumby rust, is there any way of cleaning it off? Just had a crack with t-cut, but it’s not doing anything for the bigger patches.

Not sure about how to replace the rear hub either, as I have no idea which spokes I need (the wheels have no info on them).

If anyone can answer any of the above, it’d be great!

that rear freewheel will unscrew clockwise,you will need the appropriate tool tho…

Hope it goes well PeacefulParsnip. I’ve got a BSA in the garage that I picked up to do exactly the same with. Want to see if I can get it done over summer. Looks like you’ve done more with one arm than I have with 2!

Think I might have to hassle Keef as I’m in Brum 🙂 *waves*

I want to replace the old steel wheels with alloy ones so its a bit better at stopping in the wet. Where should look for some cheap-ish SS wheels? Looks like I could keep it 10 speed for less than making it a single speed atm.

You can’t change the chainrings on that crankset, best you can do by the looks of it is take off the inner one, (bolts holding it on?) but if it’s not worn then just use the outer one.

Wire wool and chrome polish on the wheel rims.

Are you changing the whole hub for a single gear one? Look for instructions on the internet about how to build wheels, that will tell you how to measure the rims and hubs and use an on-line calculator to work out the length.

edit – I’ve had a few things off this website. Always been OK for prices and delivery IME. single speed components

sorry,meant anti-clockwise,doh !

Use wetted alu foil on the chrome, works very well.

Finally finished the frame(sort of – needs clear coat)! A hell of a lot of work, but really pleased with it! The headtube was very difficult, and on close inspection isn’t perfect, but pretty chuffed for my first attempt!

I ended up dremelling off the seatstay bridge, which took a while, as well as all of the brazed on cable guides. I smoothed the scratches and gouges out with some car body filler, along with some really deep chain-ring gouges in the chainstay.
Still need to do the forks and clear coat it, but the worst is over.

Not a bike I’d ever feel comfortable selling, in case I indirectly kill someone when it snaps, but I love it and I’ll probably use as a town bike when I sort some wheels out.

Here are some photos I took throughout:

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=DD713D838B9BB018!2073&authkey=!ANKI0d-Zc8hbEM4&ithint=folder%2c

and this is the finished article: