Post by triitout on Nov 15, 2014 22:40:43 GMT
So I've had my little (20 1/2") GP sitting around for probably over 4 years and getting no love. It's only slightly less pristine than my Mojave GP and hate to see it just not being ridden. It just doesn't fit me with the short Viscount stem. The Nitto Technomic just looked too dorky with drop bars. After one too many late nights, staring at alternate bars on google images and remembering Bendo's Victor in it's mustache bar days, I settled on the idea of the "portuer" city bike look as being esthetically pleasing and possibly practical even though I don't live in the city. An anglo-french merger so to say.
I've made the first move with some goodies from Velo-Orange. A nice VO quill stem with a 17 degree + rise and the VO Portuer handlebars to start, set about level with the seat. It feels and looks about right on the indoor tryout. Unfortunately, the Lambert brake levers are incompatible so next up will be VO's City Levers. A lot of Portuers sport inverse brake levers but why confuse myself any further?
This has all the potential to become a money pit if I like the ride and want to further pimp it out with all things portuer. For now I'll keep it simple and add the brakes and some Nubaums white cloth tape for the bars. Ideas to enhance in the future in order are the following:
-shellac the bar tape
-Brooks saddle
-fenders for the 27" wheels. Maybe Bendo will talk me out of that since I've heard it's a royal pain in the arse.
-switch to 650b wheels with internal gears, fenders, single chainring
-racks, chain guard and a silly bell
The red/white GP barn find will have to wait for now. When "the Monster" get hungry again, it will make a nice meal!
A few asides; spoke to Robert, the fellow selling the twin GPs. He's got over 200 vintage bikes in his shop going back to the 1930's. They came from an elderly couple that bought them new. Told him to check out our site and about our admiration for the twins. It was much appreciated.
Added a Delta stem raiser to my Kona Koa rigid mtb. What a difference. Now it's a nice cold weather bike when a road bike won't do.
I've made the first move with some goodies from Velo-Orange. A nice VO quill stem with a 17 degree + rise and the VO Portuer handlebars to start, set about level with the seat. It feels and looks about right on the indoor tryout. Unfortunately, the Lambert brake levers are incompatible so next up will be VO's City Levers. A lot of Portuers sport inverse brake levers but why confuse myself any further?
This has all the potential to become a money pit if I like the ride and want to further pimp it out with all things portuer. For now I'll keep it simple and add the brakes and some Nubaums white cloth tape for the bars. Ideas to enhance in the future in order are the following:
-shellac the bar tape
-Brooks saddle
-fenders for the 27" wheels. Maybe Bendo will talk me out of that since I've heard it's a royal pain in the arse.
-switch to 650b wheels with internal gears, fenders, single chainring
-racks, chain guard and a silly bell
The red/white GP barn find will have to wait for now. When "the Monster" get hungry again, it will make a nice meal!
A few asides; spoke to Robert, the fellow selling the twin GPs. He's got over 200 vintage bikes in his shop going back to the 1930's. They came from an elderly couple that bought them new. Told him to check out our site and about our admiration for the twins. It was much appreciated.
Added a Delta stem raiser to my Kona Koa rigid mtb. What a difference. Now it's a nice cold weather bike when a road bike won't do.
