On Thu, 2 Jun 2011 09:15:35 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 1 Jun 2011 21:57:50 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
...
On Wed, 1 Jun 2011 10:26:17 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
om...
On Wed, 1 Jun 2011 08:45:34 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
news:q91cu6hh6vr4s69qjrnkmo1qtaagnks4o8@4ax .com...

much snipped


Reynolds 531 has been around for 100 years or more and certainly has
had an effect on the better grade of bicycle frames. I doubt that many
medium or high priced frames still exist that were built with straight
carbon steel tubes.

It wasn't clear what type of bike you were talking about. My 30-year-old
bike, which is one of my two general-purpose road bikes and which was
medium-priced (Schwinn Super LeTour), is 1020 straight carbon, which
surprised me at the time.

Anyway, it wasn't clear.

I should have said. It is a strange one to me too. It was built in
Japan and when I bought it had 26 x 1-3/8 wheels and tires, cantilever
brakes, drop bars, fenders and a carrier. Standard 52-39 road
sprockets, 7 speed and a 2 Kg. lugged frame.

I bought it to make over into a semi touring bike and replaced the
wheels with standard MTB 26" wheels and had to move the brake studs.
which began the whole frame project.

That sounds like a fun project. Just two weeks ago I finished a bike
project, which I hadn't done for years. I converted my son's Raleigh
mountain bike into a heavy-duty commuter (with 26 x 1.5 road tires, etc.). I
was surprised at how light the frame is, despite large-diameter tubes. He's
23 and has suddenly developed a renewed interest in bicycling, and now he's
riding all over Washington, DC with it.

I wouldn't have thought of powder-coating a bike frame, but I'm not familiar
with having it done. My thought would have been for two-part polyurethane,
but I'm not equipped for spraying that stuff, either.


Essentially what I'm doing, although I'm also learning about touring
at the same time. Standard road gearing is not what you want, or at
least not what I want, for cycling long distances in hot weather :-)

I initially thought about painting with two part paint and have access
to either the gear and/or people to do it for me but when I ran across
this powder coating place their price was cheaper then I'd have to pay
for the two part paint as it is only sold in gallon cans here. And, as
the paint place is a friend's I'd felt beholding and would have had to
offer to pay his help for their time, and as I'm a friend I'd have had
to pay the help over market rates to indicate my thanks, and, and....
the powder coating was cheaper :-)

Have the lad try a pair of 26 x 1.3 smooth tires. It turns the bike
into a rocket.