199?'s Stratos Speedster

Blackbike

Blackbike

Retro Guru
Welcome to a dimly lit den of mechanical debauchery performed by a man from Hollywood California with a penchant for Quentin Tarantino movie villains, expect the unexpected...

The recipe: Cold set a Stratos track frame to 135mm without destroying it, put it on "The Rack" then realign everything, and stuff a Alfine 11 gear hub in the gaping space between the dropouts...

https://flic.kr/p/2owR35V

The cassette shift arm has to hide behind the chainstay (because it's ugly and note that two of these arms did not survive the process), so it's off to my den of mechanical correction to get bent and a clearance notch added to miss the end of chainstay that allows full travel in the dropouts.

https://flic.kr/p/2oCgfyr

Time to procure some hoops.

https://flic.kr/p/2oxp8r9

It's OK to play with your fork.

https://flic.kr/p/2oypqs6

Time to get naked...

https://flic.kr/p/2oF8ick

That's all for tonight folks: Mike
 
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Deuxième Partie.
At some point in this process I thought it might be nice to have brakes. Looking at my options cantilevers were a logical choice as tight as the clearances are on this frame.
Cabling stops and routing had to be determined so I chose to keep the braze ons as simple and classically clean as possible and of course agonizing over all my choices that looked like this on the first cut but evolved over time.

https://flic.kr/p/2oBGTaB

Joe Bell Paint in Spring Valley Ca. has a master frame builder to handle frame repairs and modifications for customers bikes, he liked the project and performed all the fit up and brazing. I picked up the completed frame two days later and I'm very happy with the quality of the work.

https://flic.kr/p/2oJnjDx

https://flic.kr/p/2oJgSAz

https://flic.kr/p/2oJh4XH

https://flic.kr/p/2oJnvWN

: Mike
 
Troisième Partie.
Paint or lack thereof... Yes black primer with a seal coat is the final finish, crankset is Campagnolo Record Pista with the Pista carbon shell bottom bracket.

https://flic.kr/p/2qw1qtx

Wheels... Yes it has wheels. I would go into details on the rims and tires but it is written all over them, spokes are Wheesmith, hubs are Alfine 11 and Dura-Ace 7600 track.

https://flic.kr/p/2qyz6Ch

Brakes... Avid Shorty Ultimate with titanium bolts and Swiss Stop BXP pads

https://flic.kr/p/2qyzUTG

https://flic.kr/p/2qyz6dF

And last but not least a cockpit preview...
It's starting to look like the perfect bike for a bicycle messenger by day, a evil but likeable assassin by night. I need to work on the script...💀

https://flic.kr/p/2qyts2e

Best Wishes: Mike
 
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grantoury said:
A build thread for the villainous Stratos, I can't wait to see the process.
Click to expand...
Hi Grantory,
The thread finally caught up with present day events. Don't tell anyone i've been building this thing off and on for three years and I'm currently hung up for parts to be delivered.
I am surprised no one asked what inspired this build, the answer is the 1948 R.R.A.
Thank you for dropping by and for helping me build my evil empire, have a great Sunday.

: Mike
 
Quatrième Partie
Today I cabled the shifter up and finished the cable install and set the indexing. This was the part I was not really looking forward to. The cassette joint as Shimano calls it was bent to provide clearance for the chain stay and despite good intentions the best laid plans sometimes go astray...
But not this time the entire system works like a champ, two turns on the cable adjuster the index marks lined up and the hub cleanly shifted into all 11 gears turning the rear sprocket by hand.
The Jtek shifter is a really nice piece of hardware, it's smooth and positive and has a lite action. On to the photos...

https://flic.kr/p/2qyG4Wm
https://flic.kr/p/2qyLFn7
https://flic.kr/p/2qyN48c

Cabling for the brakes was also completed but the inner wire was not. The good news is my chain is showing up tomorrow so I can torture the hub while the bike is on the stand.
This is what the final gearing looks like.

https://flic.kr/p/2ozyw1Q

Wishing everyone the best and thanks for following along.
: Mike
 
highlandsflyer said:
Watching with interest. That Alfine is on my radar.
Click to expand...
One of the nice things about the Alfine is it takes any 3 lug gear hub sprocket from Sturmey, Shimano or Sachs/Sram and others, I am currently running the offset 24 tooth Sachs 3/32" wide sprocket that gives a nice 42mm chainline. I believe Sturmey made a 26 tooth that takes 1/8" chain so the gearing choices really very wide. Another nice thing is setting up the indexing is dirt simple. Glad to hear your onboard.

Link To The Alfine Manual
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/SG0004/DM-SG0004-10-ENG.pdf

Have a great Monday: Mike
 
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Cinq Partie
There is still work to do but there is a point where a partial reveal is in order. At this stage it is a functioning bicycle, weight is 22.375 lbs as shown, the handling is quick and predictable in a non-lethal manner (unlike a mid 1980's critt bike I previously owned the less said about that bike the better).
There was a change in gearing from the 47 tooth chain wheel to a 49 to better match its intended use as a all arounder. The Alfine 11 shifts wonderfully smooth and silently mated to the Jtek bar end shifter.
Work yet to be completed is mostly cockpit related to get the fit where it needs to be so stay tuned...
Also a plot twist... The bike told me its name. It's name is Dr. Strangelove...

https://flic.kr/p/2jmuejt

https://flic.kr/p/2qBnx1c

https://flic.kr/p/2qBoqGv

: Mike
 
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