In addition to my racing and endurance road bikes, I've decided I needed a practical bike with a rear carrier for tasks like shopping and recycling paper and metal waste. Here in Taiwan, you can items you need to discard, allowing me to contribute to environmental protection and even earn a little money through cycling.
After transforming my 26' mountain bike to a 700c road bike, I rode it for a while. However, when the opportunity arouse to acquire a nice NOS (New Old Stock) BMC Streetfire SS02 frame, I transferred most parts from my converted 26' bike onto it. The remaining components, including the MTB frame, fork, and wheelset, were stored somewhere at home. For the new project, I've decided to reinstall the original or 'old' parts. This bike would serve as my daily working bike which would be versatile enough as a comfortable city bike for short tours - a tranquil Swiss army knife bike.
Most of all, it should be, as usual, a build on the cheaper side by using as many old parts as I could.
Frame and Fork
Frame: Wheeler 2900 pro
The frame is a flat black NOS (new old stock) 21" sized MTB frame designed for 26" wheels. It has mounting points for a rear rack, important for mounting both of my bags on my bike
tubing: alloy 6061 plain gauge (from the internet, the frame has a warning sticker but no material sticker)
head tube: 1 1/8" integrated head tube, matching bearings are widely available and don't need any special tools
bb bracket: BSA, 68mm, widely available
Many people prefer steel over aluminum, but I like alloy frames. The material and welding technology have improved over the years; the harshness is gone, and the frame is very reliable. And there is no rust problem compared to steel.
The paint was still in good nick, so I just cleaned it for the build.
Fork: unbranded
The frame is a suspension fork design, but I used a road alloy fork with a bolt hole on each leg. The original fork was DIY painted black and had some scuffs from storage. I smoothed the surface with sandpaper and sprayed it first with a white primer base, followed by a shiny black color. Some drops from the white base covered unintentionally the other black leg, which came out surprisingly interesting. After painting the whole fork black, I sprayed some white base coat from a distance, giving it a starry, starry night or misty look.
Yes, there is a German flag on the steerer tube as a connection to my heritage - the country in which I was born and gave me so much!
Steering
Handlebar: unbranded
Initially, I installed a classic straight 31.8mm MTB handlebar with an alloy stem on the bike. I must admit that my wrists ached from the unfamiliar position after the first ride. While I checked out some bars on the internet, I recalled that I should first check my parts bin. There, I found a slightly scratched older 25.4mm alloy handlebar with an ergonomic back sweep for a more comfortable position. In a drawer of my bookshelf, I discovered the matching stem that had been waiting there for quite some years.
I relocated my bar ends from the outside to somewhere inside the bar. When I mounted them closer to the stem, I found the handlebar, and consequently the front wheel, became unbalanced as I was pushed on them forward to mimic an aero position.
Stem: unbranded
This 130mm chromoly (chrome molybdenum) stem was from my time working for a Taiwanese trading company back in 1991. It was initially a sample for a mountain bike featuring a distinctive steerer clamp within the stem, as opposed to the usual two bolts on the back. From the rider's viewpoint, it appears very sleek. The steel construction helps to absorb some rougher vibrations during the ride.
Saddle/Seat post
At present, I ride a low-named saddle that was initially installed on an older Easton EA50 alloy seat post. But, despite inflating the tire to the recommended pressure, the rear tire did not feel steady enough to me. However, after replacing the seat post with an older 3T one and putting on good used 26" Continental Grand Prix tires, the entire rear end became significantly more stable for riding at higher speeds or when fully loaded.
Drivetrain
The whole idea behind the bike was using older parts. Concerning the drivetrain, I had everything except for the front derailleur in different boxes. Some might wonder about the Shimano-SRAM mix; everything in 9-speed can generally be mixed and matched.
Shifter: SRAM X7, 3*9
I took my old but reliable SRAM X7, 3x9, out of the box. They have been with me since 2007. I bought them after I returned from a bike trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco the year before. I bought them as an alternative to Shimano shifters on purpose, and they have been reliable and performed well with the SRAM X7 rear derailleur. Some color of the alloy shifter clamp peeled off; it looks nicely worn.
Front Derailleur, Shimano FD-T660/661
I had only a working 2x front derailleur and therefore had to buy a new one. I've decided on a NOX Shimano LX FD-T660/661 front derailleur because most 3x9 front MTB front derailleurs are only designed for 44T (teeth) front chainwheels. I wanted the freedom to upgrade to 48T at a later point when the urge for more speed would arise.
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X7, 3*9
They have been a part of my shifters since 1999. I don't have the exact part number, but I surely remember that I bought the long cage version with up to 34T. They work well with the X& shifters. I found an interesting video on how to rebuild a SRAM X7 (rear) derailleur:
-Cassette:
One of Shimano's many 9-speed cassettes
-Chain: KMC X9SL
A few years ago, I purchased a KMC X9SL (super light) chain made in Taiwan. I haven't ridden much due to having other bikes, and my chain gauge indicates they're still in good condition, so I keep using them. Next time, I might opt for a gold chain at the same price. In terms of quality, they're comparable to Shimano chains, and in Taiwan, they're more affordable than their Japanese-made counterparts.
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