Street find....

[ultraman6970]

I never find S#$^!!! but today was my lucky day, like half street from my job there was this Huffy Bay POINTE 3 speed bicycle with a free sign.

Are this things like from 1970??

Just got home so Im looking at it better and the thing is mint, my best guess is that has been stored in a shed maybe for the last 40+ years after being used maybe a handfull of times, there is some rust like rain drops in the handlebars but nothing that bad, you guys know this bikes, they were built with a hint of chrome (or whatever it was) in the metal parts just to give them a shine but after maybe 40 years rust take over, good is not that bad.

The tires looks like are the original ones, seat is the original one aswell.

Wife needed a bike, and I needed something to do during the winter, this is going to be f... fun to restore because of its potential.

Wheels are ok, the 3 speed rear hub looks good.

THe brakes sucks as they should be, so wonder if there is something to do so they get easier to press??? anybody knows??

Chromed spokes in this thing would look awesome.

Just like this ones..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFqV_t7cMXE

[Ken Robb]

Lube brake pivots and cables. New pads. They will always require a bit more hand pressure than newer dual pivots.

[pinkshogun]

what ken robb said and switch sides so the right hand brake stops the front wheel. its a nice bike for what it is

[ultraman6970]

Hey.. switch the right hand to the front??? dont get that.

Yeah for what it is is a good find in this condition, I'm not even thinking in a flip because there's no money in this thing at all, actually all these mixtes are better built geometrically speaking than the colegiate ones that I really can't stand.

1st assessment, the stem and seatposts aren't frozen!!!!

The 3 speed hub seems to be working aswell, shifts fine, remember some of this systems had like a cable stopper with a cable tension adjuster, this things doesnt look to have anything unless is a really clever way to do it in the lever, gonna have to investigate this thing.

This things use regular clinchers or something else? no idea about 70s regular bikes at all.

I'll start taking this thing appart tonite I think, to start cleaning it.

[rustychisel]

Excellent find.

If you live in a college town you'd be amazed what $$ they can fetch (to the right buyer)

[Ken Robb]

Thinking about brake pull required:due to the bars,grips,hand position a rider will very likely be using 4 fingers on each hand rather than two fingers on each hand as we usually do on the tops or in the drops on bikes with drop bars so it will be easy to exert plenty of pressure if the pads are good. Are the rims aluminum? Braking on steel rims is less efficient.

[pinkshogun]

switch for better braking

if you are in a major or minor metropolitan area you can easily get $100 to $150 for a clean cool vintage bike like that

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE=pinkshogun;2275485]switch for better braking

How does switching give better braking? It would confuse me after 65 years of riding. :-) Oh jeez: I'm OLD!

[pinkshogun]

rear braking on those old bikes with steel wheels kinda sucks. most people are right handed so if the front brake is actuated with the right hand you get a bike that actually stops well using just one brake with their dominant hand

[ultraman6970]

Hey, thanks... Havent started disassembling it but did a test run using aluminum foil and some kroll oil in the handlebars and the thing cleaned really well... I was thinking in buying some O-acid but looks like the old aluminum foil and then a nice cleaning will do the work in the rust.

Now im trying to figure it out how to remove the rubber grips off the handlebars, they look really stuck in there after 40 years....

The rims are steel just in case, need to check the measurements but looks like this things are 27"... I'm tempted to swap the rims to make it easy to clean and service the hubs.. have to check if anybody is still making 27" rims tho.

[pinkshogun]

screw driver under grip and spray either water or if really stuck wd40 to loosen grip

most likely 26 x 1 3/8 (590 ETRTO) size tires if the sidewalls are so degraded that you cant read them anymore

[weisan]

I crack open a bit the inside of the rubber grip and drip some of these...works all the time.


Great find, ultra pal.

[Cicli]

Blow the grips off with a compressir and a blowgun. Works every time.
Start at 2:00. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qseRtY5eX94

[Ken Robb]

If the grips have little holes in the "closed" ends you may be able to blow them off by putting an air hose from a compressor tight in one end to blow off the opposite side. Then hold the loosened one tight against the now-open handlebar end to seal it and blow the other grip off. This is a good way to save the grips if that's what you want to do.

Getting alcohol under the grip is a good aid to the above method too. You can then wrap the grips in a rag and use channel lock pliers to twist the grips off.

[Davist]

If you're replacing the grips just cut them off with a box cutter (one slice in line), bars are steel, won't hurt anything.