Need a peachparts for bikes
 

I used to be into mountain biking through high school until I totaled my bike (along with my arm, ribs and helmet/head) and haven't really ridden since then. I just got my dad's road bike, a 1976 Viscount (equipped with the infamous "death fork") that he was planning on donating to charity. My question is - is there a site like peachparts for bikes? All I can find is little mom and pop websites here and there. When I used to MTB I would just go to the local shop, but now the magical interwebs has changed my buying research strategies. I need a lot of new stuff, particularly 27 inch wheels, and/or new brakes with 700c wheels and tires....

I'm really trying to get back into biking again, I have a nice paved trail literally 2 blocks from my house that goes along the Schuylkill (sp?) River from Philadelphia out about a hundred miles or so.

Remove and destroy that front fork immediately! It really is death on wheels. Unfortunately, the company is no longer around, or they would give you a new one for the pieces of your old one.

To destroy it, simply place the blades in a vise so that you are pushing them towards each other and turn the screw. Before you know it, it will let loose with a very satisfying "PING" noise.

ebay is a good source for parts for older bikes

I like Sheldon Brown for info:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lambert.html

There are loads of forums for cyclists -- just add the word "forum" to a Google search with a description of the bike in question and you should get some hits. I just sold my old Peugeot and Motobecane road bikes and picked up a Specialized carbon fiber bike and, a couple of days later, a sweet Klein frame. Now I need to decide which will be the "keeper" of the two!

I love bikes... I ride an old Raleigh Super Record that I've converted to single speed to work every day. Occasionally I'll ride a Belgian "Victoria" city bike, my Specialized mtb, or my Trek touring bike (just to keep them "in tune"). My wife isn't real excited about the amount of garage space the bikes take up, but they are a fun, cheap(ish) hobby.

Now, the leather saddle collection that sits under the coffee table in the living room is another story altogether. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a neglected Brooks seat in need of a little TLC! :grin:

Colorado Cyclist is good and so is REI but why not go to a local bike shop and help support them?

BTW get new tires. They become hard and slippery after a few years.

BTW, best source for parts I have found, aside from garage sales, is Craigslist. You can find a pretty nice wheelset for under $100 on any given day in the lists for bigger cities. For tires and other things that are best purchased new, I like Nashbar.

I just picked up a Raleigh Sport 3 speed in awesome condition that somebody just put out to the trash! great shape, all there and rides better than my new bike. needs a Brooks seat, the old vinyl Brooks is tattered, so if anybody knows a sprung Brooks for cheap let me know. Something like a Brooks 72....

That sheldon brown site is great! I am thinking more in terms of product reviews though. I will go to a local bike shop and buy, but I do all of the research online beforehand. I do this with all of my music stuff too - read up online then try/buy from my local independent store. Amazon was the only place I could find that has enough reviews for some items, but something tells me Amazon isn't the place to buy a bike...

This bike is in pretty good shape, my father rode it thousands of miles since he got it, kept up with maintenance...although it still has the death fork--which is on the top of the replacement list. The rear wheel has a slight bend to it, probably from it getting smashed by the MB in our garage (my own fault...but then again there was about an inch to spare with the SD in it). 27 inch wheels are impossible to find nowadays, and going to a 700c wheel would require a new brake setup. Will be getting new tires/tubes, and overall just cleaning the thing up. I'm debating just spending the money on a brand new or slightly used road bike, but the charm and super light weight of the Viscount (for the time, and still pretty light) keeps calling my name...

tbo -- are you sure your brakes can't be adjusted to accomodate 700c rims? I have retrofitted a number of bikes with 700c rims that originally had 27"ers. I just had to adjust the brake pad a bit. That said, you might check with a local shop to see if your original rims can be trued (if it's worth messing with at all). You can still find 27" tires easily enough.

I totally understand the lure of older bikes. Of all mine, I think the old Raleigh is my favorite. I put 700c Araya rims on it, and a Brooks B72 saddle. I polished an aluminum rear rack, and put a couple of old Swiss military leather & canvas breadbags on as panniers, and wrapped the handlebars in honey leather myself. Oh, and I installed a set of SKS fenders that look fantastic on the bike... it's got a real neat "retro" feel to it, but rides smooth as silk!

BTW, bikeforums.net is a pretty decent site.

Not so much for the reviews, but more for used parts sources and some pretty knowledgeable bike guys, is Rat Rod Bikes http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/ . They have some pretty cool bike build-offs, too!

There are lots of good deals out there, but if you aren't sure about what to get, then I'd suggest you just go ride a lot of bikes. Nobody does 27" wheels anymore. 700c is the standard now. You can get a nice entry level 700c bike with for about $600. Sizing is important here. You want to make sure you're comfortable on the bike. Not what size someone else says you should be riding, but what YOU feel you can ride for 2-3 hours without too much fatigue. So go ride a few.

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