My $100 Hunk of Junk

Well I did it. I bought the turd of a 52cm steel 1990 something Diamond Back I found on Craigslist. It has needs, more needs than it is probably worth but I wanted a bike now and would rather throw the occasional $50 used ebay part at it than go all summer without a bike, saving for something better.

I should be super excited but until my clothes and most importantly my HELMET get here from storage in Oregon I'm not going anywhere. First trip will be to Performance to get a cheapy chain because this one is trashed. Mebbe new saddle, and once the new STI levers/shifters arrive pink handlebar tape to accent the ugly marble green of the front end. Woo!

Oh well, it's a bike. And bikes, even ugly ones, are good. Oh, and the Boulder Bike to Work day they're giving away like, a $2500 bike as the grand prize. Ha ha, in effect I just paid I $100 entry fee to try and win a sweet bike.

You've adopted a puir, neglected creature. May you grow fond of each otehr...

Spread the bike love. Be kind to your new neglected critter, and feel the love.

When I was your age, DiamondBack had *just* started as a company, and their bikes were exciting and good. What happened to them later is sad, but your bike might be old enough to have missed that sea-change. Steel is good stuff, and DB used to be good. Give your "steel turd" a chance.:D

Don't flush the "steel turd" of a bike away :D Your ugly duckling may turn into a swan. I'll stop mixing metaphors now :o

Oh don't get me wrong I'm calling it a POS in the most affectionate way possible. I actually got it for it's retro craptacular cred! Okay, and until I start fixing stuff it won't hurt my feelings too bad if someone jacks it. Perhaps they need it more than I do.

Presently I'm trying to decide if $100 is worth ditching the downtube shifting. I think I'm gonna vote yes on proposition "don't veer into traffic while shifting."

I'm gonna pick up a new chain today and look at shoes today at Performance. Normally I try not to support them but I just can't see shopping at a better store when I'm looking for walmart quality parts.

My helmet and clothes will hopefully arrive tomorrow, so that's good news. I absolutely, positively, cannot ride without a helmet. It's a good habit for sure, but the damn thing is taunting me!

I'm kind of having fun digging around for parts because I'm learning about all sorts of stuff. There are naysayers who think rebuilding this bike is a waste of money, but seeing as how presently none of them are a significant other, and even if they were I wouldn't care, I'm pushing forward.

I will take some pics later today. She needs a bath, badly, and I'm thinking of taking her apart, lightly sanding her, and giving her a neon pink rattle can paint job. That's what I love about ghetto bikes, I can do stuff like that, and not really care if it doesn't totally work out.

Peas!
-HillBill

I am enjoying your attitude and how you are approaching this challenge. Keep going. Have fun.

This is cool. Will you take some before and after pics for us? What a great story.:D

Happy Wrenching!!

Hey, you'll get used to the downtube shifting in no time. When I was your age, very bike I ever had at DT friction shifters, and we never thought a thing about it. Just shifted when we needed to, and that was that. It's kind of like driving a stickshift. The basics.

Karen

Okay I promise to get on pics here soon, got drug over to the Dark Horse for burgers and by the time I got the dogs walked it was pretty dark.

I'm sure millions of people have survived DT shifting but I'm really lopsided due to something my chiropractor calls a "subluxation" of my lower back. Thus the muscles in my left leg are all tightened and screwy causing my left leg to technically be shorter. I cannot for the life of me take my right hand off the handle bars. No, "look ma!" for me!