Before I post a few pictures of my latest acquisition, I have to say that I am fully aware of how much against my usual conviction it goes.
It has not been long since I´ve said I´d never get a bike with an alloy frame and disc brakes. Or an electric motor btw, but since I have decided to try just such a bike last year on my commute, a seriously horrible looking Chinese e-bike, in order to get at least some little time out and about of my still 75km/48mi daily driving, dams have broken. So when a friend offered the bike pictured below for an agreeable price, I just got it without thinking much. I suspect it is about time for my first mountain bike too. Over its long-ish life any frame transfers have been lost so I have no idea what brand it is, but with those mass produced alloy Chinese or Bulgarian frames it doesn´t matter too much anyway.
Actually I like the bike for two things: The hub gear gives very clean lines in the drive, what with the kit and caboodle of the derailleurs missing, and the fat knobby tires are somewhat balanced in the fat frame tubes.
I´m now wondering if to keep the bike as is, simple, lightweight, but only a toy; or add muguards, lights and a rack cluttering it up, but making it more useful. OTOH, I still have my cluttered up Rohloff equipped city bike, so I might as well keep the new bike as a nice weather plaything. Luxury problems.
Anyway the speedhub works well, and I have planned to change the worn chain and sprocket next weekend. I will fit a push on sprocket adapter too. As is the hub, which dates from 2005 if I can believe a list published on the net, still sports a screw-on sprocket. Those are not available any longer, and I will fit the largest tooth count sprocket I can find in order to be able to use the noisy lower seven speeds as rarely as possible. I´ve done that to my Rohloff equipped city bike too, and it now has the smoothest drive you could hope to ride.
Nuff said, pix now.
starostneradost 