Did You Know We Do Restorations, Too?
Not all bikes are born awesome, but we can fix that. Given the shortage of good bikes to start the 2020's, we've done some very cool things with uncool beginnings. Old bikes, fitted with new shoes, upgraded modern components, a little style and a lot of love can be better than the day you bought them. Swing by and let's talk bikes!
Restoration Stories - "The King"
The King Build Summary
The Story
What Does It Do Now?
The Story
The King is a Trek Multi-Track that was gifted to us by a building resident. I immediately fell in love with the tall frame and wanted to build a "Gravel Lite" bike for a few months and set it aside for myself.
Aside from the major changes to the handlebars and tire setup, I swapped in friction shifters to make things easier to adjust on the fly and give it some old school accents. I love these, but I'm also an oddball who drives a manual transmission, so there's that.
Estimate
What Does It Do Now?
The Story
Parts and Labor: $750 ... It was an expensive saddle ... worth it. Also includes new tires and tubes, brakes and time to swap old bearings and recondition the bottom bracket.
Most of the labor broke to a 50/50 split between bearings all around the bike and getting the bars reconditioned, swapped and re-wrapped with the new shift and brake set ups.
What Does It Do Now?
What Does It Do Now?
What Does It Do Now?
This bike is my go-to for any and all rides that aren't house calls or park rescues. It's not wicked fast, but it moves well and is fantastic on longer distances because of its comfort.
The bike went from being more upright as a light use commuter bike to better suited to longer rides without worry for picking up city bits that pop tubes.
The leather accents help make the bike and I see what the fuss is all about when it comes to Brooks saddles now.
New Parts
Re-Used Parts
What Does It Do Now?
- Bars (Salsa Cow Chipper)
- Stem (Upgrade to handle bigger bars)
- Faux leather wraps Friction shifters
- Maxxis Rambler tires
- Brooks B-17 Saddle
- New Canti Brakes
- A general "freshening up."
Re-Used Parts
Re-Used Parts
Re-Used Parts
- Frame
- Rims
- Seat post
- Groupset
Restoration Stories - "Anteldope"
Anteldope Build Summary
The Story
What Does It Do Now?
The Story
In June 2021, two bikes found their way to the shop. His and Hers bikes, a sleek road bike and this Trek Antelope (1996).
I wrote up the estimates for both bikes and it came back with a go for the road bike and a pass on the mountain bike so she could get something newer. I sent back an e-mail to confirm and this bike hung out with the other as we added things piece by piece as I placed orders that month and decided what to do with it.
A few weeks later, we were looking at tires (they don't have the size we want... bigger will work, right?) it had taken on a life of its own and I kind of fell in love with a bike too small for me and just right for Theo.
By the time the road bike was finished, The Anteldope was, too. I don't know if the original owner was impressed or horrified when she saw the finished product.
Estimate
What Does It Do Now?
The Story
Parts: $350 (on the initial restoration pass) to change the tires, swap the shifters and brakes and re-run cables and housings. $150 est. service to address the major issues and replace worn bearings front to back.
More went in later to replace a sketchy front brake and replace an aging handlebar.
The center stand allows me to do simple repairs on site by using the rear rack as a small work table. It also looks cool.
Replacing the seat tube/clamp as well as the quill stem and bars allows the bike to adjust to short or tall riders (currently between 5 feet and 6-3).
What Does It Do Now?
What Does It Do Now?
What Does It Do Now?
We took this early 90's Trek and upgraded it to a City Beast with tougher, more comfortable tires, new components to make it taller and upgraded storage racks.
It currently has a permanent place in the shop rotation as the workhorse/tow truck. I can load up the rack and add saddlebags to do simple on-site repairs or flat tire work and never think twice about cutting through a glass-strewn alley to get there.
Update: A few years in and this bike is now the primary tow truck, too with the addition of a Burley cargo trailer. The low-slung frame really keeps the bike rooted with a heavy trailer and is a perfect fit for the heavy duty hauling.
New Parts
Re-Used Parts
What Does It Do Now?
- Maxxis DTH Tires - 26x2.3
- Rear Rack - Weight rated to 75 lbs - now paired with a cargo net
- Euro Kickstand - Center mount to reflect the new life as a shop tow truck
- Combo Shifters and Brakes with New Cables/Housings
- New Front Brake
- Front/Rear Bearings
Re-Used Parts
Re-Used Parts
Re-Used Parts
- Frame
- Rims
- Groupset
- Rear Brake
Restoration Stories - "Delivery Boy"
Another older bike - This time a Fuji Odessa. It was too "tall" and the tires too low for my tastes,
The "after" - our inspiration was "Euro Delivery Cool" so we added front and rear storage, an interesting kickstand, fenders and fixed the tire issues
Tire "issues" from time spent in storage.
The hubs were disassembled, stripped and rebuilt.
I had help on this one, too.
A unique kickstand design (for the U.S.) Similar to the Anteldope, but this folds to the non-drive side, away from the chain to keep shifting clean.
The nearly finished product on a chilly shakedown run. Handlebar grips were added, but this was pretty much it once I adjusted fenders.
Golas and Sons Bike Repair
Copyright © 2024 Golas and Sons Bike Repair - All Rights Reserved.