What on earth is this thing?

[iamconfused]

Ive come to the realization that you cant have a nice commuter in NYC. I wouldnt feel comfortable leaving something nice locked outside for more than 10 mins. So I was looking for a cheap single speed, and I found something that looked like a crappy generic SS bike... picked it up for $70.

A few days later, I was going over it and what I thought was just crappy, cheap factory paint, was actually spray paint, and the bike was actually blue with "polished" stay ends. Now im very curious what this is and how it looks under the spray paint. Are "spray paint removers" good at removing spray paint, but leaving the original paint job untouched? I doubt it, but Id love to hear it if you know of one.

There are many things wrong with this bike. Crown race isnt seated, brake surfaces super rough, but one thing im more concerned about is the fact that it had some cheap seatpost collar installed, and when I removed it, i found that the frame doesnt look like it came with a seatpost collar from the factory. Not sure what to do about that..

Overall, I knew i was getting a project, and I thought, worse case scenario, I bought a nice chrome fork and classy looking SS cranks. After discovering the spray paint, Im now worried that its stolen. Ill search for the serial number on one of the databases just to make sure. Guy I bought it from wasnt sketchy at all, Seemed like a chill professional business guy.

I know its a long shot but does anyone know what frame this is? I know its a super generic single speed(hub ano color makes me cringe) but maybe the FSA Gimondi cranks would ring a bell if they were on the bike from the factory.

Thanks!

more pics

[Novasfyre]

Originally Posted by iamconfused

Ive come to the realization that you cant have a nice commuter in NYC. I wouldnt feel comfortable leaving something nice locked outside for more than 10 mins. So I was looking for a cheap single speed, and I found something that looked like a crappy generic SS bike... picked it up for $70.

A few days later, I was going over it and what I thought was just crappy, cheap factory paint, was actually spray paint, and the bike was actually blue with "polished" stay ends. Now im very curious what this is and how it looks under the spray paint. Are "spray paint removers" good at removing spray paint, but leaving the original paint job untouched? I doubt it, but Id love to hear it if you know of one.

There are many things wrong with this bike. Crown race isnt seated, brake surfaces super rough, but one thing im more concerned about is the fact that it had some cheap seatpost collar installed, and when I removed it, i found that the frame doesnt look like it came with a seatpost collar from the factory. Not sure what to do about that..

Overall, I knew i was getting a project, and I thought, worse case scenario, I bought a nice chrome fork and classy looking SS cranks. After discovering the spray paint, Im now worried that its stolen. Ill search for the serial number on one of the databases just to make sure. Guy I bought it from wasnt sketchy at all, Seemed like a chill professional business guy.

I know its a long shot but does anyone know what frame this is? I know its a super generic single speed(hub ano color makes me cringe) but maybe the FSA Gimondi cranks would ring a bell if they were on the bike from the factory.

Thanks!

more pics

I believe that is what the kids are calling a "bicycle".

[charliedid]

Junky old SS...just fine as a knock around town bike.

What's going on with the seat tube?

[mattscq]

If you don't care about kinda destroying the finish (you can always rattle can it back I guess), you could first try a pass with Goof Off Grafitti Remover. I've had some luck with it in the past where it took off somebody's rattle can job and revealed the factory paint beneath. No promises it won't damage the original though. You could also try acetone and it may strip the top layer before getting to the original paint layer. You just want to be patient with it and do it layer by layer.

[8eh3iub]

Jamis Sputnik circa 2012ish came with those dropouts w/eyelets, rack eyelet above brake bridge, blue w/chrome ends, no tt cable stops, chrome semi sloped lugged fork, and on some years: Gimondi cranks.

[45K10]

That seatpost collar does look sketchy.
I would try to remove the remnants of the original seat post clamp, clean it up the best you can and then find a decent seatpost collar that fits over the top of the seattube. You may have to go with a smaller seatpost and then trial and error shim it until it doesn't slip.

[p nut]

I know of some folks who intentionally spray painted the frame an ugly color to ward off thieves.

Regarding spray paint. Lacquer thinner works really well.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=280073

[iamconfused]

Originally Posted by 8eh3iub

Jamis Sputnik circa 2012ish came with those dropouts w/eyelets, rack eyelet above brake bridge, blue w/chrome ends, no tt cable stops, chrome semi sloped lugged fork, and on some years: Gimondi cranks.

You are 100% correct!! This is it! So cool! At least it was made 10+ years ago before a lot of companies started churning out $199 fixies. Jamis wasnt anything special back then, but they were sure as heck a lot better than some of the crapola out today. Thanks!

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by p nut

I know of some folks who intentionally spray painted the frame an ugly color to ward off thieves.

Regarding spray paint. Lacquer thinner works really well.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=280073

I would spray vinyl wrap on a nice bike in super ugly colors and you can peel it off and do it again if you want. Several companies make a spray on vinyl wrap they claim lasts three years.

[ridethecliche]

I'd just make sure it's safe and the gearing suits your need. Once the work to accomplish those things is done then just ride it. You bought it as a cheap knock around bike. It's nothing special so don't get sucked into trying to make it into anything!

[iamconfused]

Originally Posted by ridethecliche

I'd just make sure it's safe and the gearing suits your need. Once the work to accomplish those things is done then just ride it. You bought it as a cheap knock around bike. It's nothing special so don't get sucked into trying to make it into anything!

that was the plan, but if i can get to some real paint fairly easy, id be into it...

First order of business is definitely this seatpost collar though... not sure what happened to it, but hopefully the rest of it comes off without heat. Would be nice, but im not counting on it.

[ridethecliche]

Originally Posted by iamconfused

that was the plan, but if i can get to some real paint fairly easy, id be into it...

First order of business is definitely this seatpost collar though... not sure what happened to it, but hopefully the rest of it comes off without heat. Would be nice, but im not counting on it.

You bought a bike to ride around because it was ugly. Don't try to make it pretty. Totally defeats the intended purpose.

But like... This place probably won't try to talk you down.

[paredown]

Originally Posted by iamconfused

First order of business is definitely this seatpost collar though... not sure what happened to it, but hopefully the rest of it comes off without heat. Would be nice, but im not counting on it.

If it is the frame that 8eh3iub posted, my guess is that some mouth-breather had a seatpost bolt they could't remove and/or a stuck seatpost, and used a Sawzall straight across the lug, making the bolt go away...

I suspect that would mean that the remnants that are there were part of the brazed-on seat lug. So frame shop to get it heated and removed, or some dedicated work with a good sharp file seem like the options de jour.

[CMiller]

Looks like the fork doesn't have fender eyelets on the Sputniks, just rear rack braze-ons. There were a lot of generic fixed gear frames during the fixie days, I doubt you will be able to definitively find the model, but they all ride similarly. It could be a non-issue with the seatpost, but I would be apprehensive about sinking too much money into this only to discover a big crack or other issue. $70 not a bad deal for a wheelset and crankset, maybe find another frame to put it on?

[8eh3iub]

Originally Posted by CMiller

Looks like the fork doesn't have fender eyelets on the Sputniks, just rear rack braze-ons. There were a lot of generic fixed gear frames during the fixie days, I doubt you will be able to definitively find the model, but they all ride similarly. It could be a non-issue with the seatpost, but I would be apprehensive about sinking too much money into this only to discover a big crack or other issue. $70 not a bad deal for a wheelset and crankset, maybe find another frame to put it on?

The spec ebbed & flowed, but the forks usually had eyelets. The earlier frames were butted Reynolds 631 and not quite as junky as the early DTC brands.