Bike Church- A Journal of Sorts—Finding and Rebuilding my Motobecane Bicycle

Day One
I strolled by Bike Church and on impulse decided to walk in and check it out. I met Ann & Josh; they were super nice and explained how Bike Church worked. There in the back I eyed this bicycle, the only step through frame they had (on that particular day). I saw the $10.00 price tag. Done. I bought my bike. Ann said it was a Motobecane and French.

(Bike Church - Ann )

Ann also said that because this was a slow time at Bike Church due to the Christmas Holidays that this would be an excellent time to rebuild my bike. She then explained what I would need to do in order to get this bike in riding shape. Oh, yes!! I signed up for the 'memberteer- get a bike' program. In the back of my head I also knew I would want to write about the experience and share it on this blog.


Wed
MY TEACHERS: Quentin & Erik
All I did was work for 2 solid hours, sorted wheels, seat posts and other bike parts. I earned 2 hours. I learned in what bins you could find which parts by doing this sorting job. In the end I realized this is really an excellent way to get you familiar with bike parts!


Thurs
MY TEACHERS: Jason & assistant
Today's assistant was really excited by my Motobecane and exclaimed I’d gotten a REALLY good frame. Now for the first time I got very excited about the potential of my 'junker'. I removed the back wheel and learned how to repack the bearings on the back wheel. I felt extremely proud! I had to get my work checked no less than 6 times to get it just right. Only snafu was that I lost a part (forgot the name of it) and ended up spending ½ hour sorting through and cleaning out a junk box of mountain bike forks with tons of crud at the bottom. Never found the part. Jason liked my cleaning & organizing. He said I did a great job on my rear wheel.

Fri
MY TEACHERS: Steve & assistant
Steve helped me identify my frame type. He explained drop outs that are cast vs. stamped drop outs. He told me my frame was not double butted or 531 steel. He said it was a single butted job and explained tube thickness. He also explained the derailleur to me, telling me I needed to replace it. He showed me a bin which I looked through. Hey, the cost for a used derailleur is a mere $4.00! My boyfriend came in and said the one I picked with Steve’s help was crap. Steve said to try to get a long cage derailleur; it would give more options down the road? I was confused. Time now for a derailleur research on the internet when I get home, I decided.

So later when I got home I researched some 'period correct' derailleurs and found 2. One on craigslist (simplex) and one on eBay (suntour). Anyway back to Bike Church... Steve was VERY helpful. The assistant however, was being pulled off in 100 directions by all these demanding people needing help. Sometimes Bike Church just gets flooded with people and their bikes and all wanting attention and help. I went off and cleaned the Bike Church bathroom and swept the yard. I racked up 3 more hours of 'memberteering' work. I came home filthy and feeling like slime because this really was grunt work, but I was so happy at the same time. I was getting my bike built!

(Took a Bike Church break for one week)

More pictures of bikes in the back that are for sale or are project bikes...

(3 speed bike currently (4/21/09) available to buy & fix at Bike Church)

Fri
MY TEACHERS: Steve & assistant
My boyfriend came with me to Bike Church to help put on tires and to help speed things up for me since I only had an hour to spend at Bike Church that day. I wanted to get seriously down to work and at least get tires on my bike. Steve came over and helped out as well. I made a slight mistake and picked brand new tires when I was only entitled to use my accrued credit towards used items. All my parts so far I had gotten used and in trade for the work I was putting in down there.…So I put on 2 NEW tires @10.00 each, 2 inner tubes @ 3.00 each. The first cash I'd spent on the bike since buying it for that mere $10.00. So I was now into my bike for only a total of $33.00 cash out of my pocket.

Sat. Intro to Bikes
MY TEACHER: Ryan
Intro to Bikes. I was the only student. My teacher was excellent. I had a complete 'one on one' learning the 101 for bikes! The class ran almost 2 hours long. I learned a lot.

Sun. Women/Transgendered Safe Space
MY TEACHER: Ann
I was the only one there except for a '20 minute-fill the bike tires-girl' who came in. Ann spent the entire 3 hours helping me and doing most of the really tricky finagling work as I learned and watched. I picked out a used rear and front derailleur from the used bins completely on my own (yes, it was 'period correct' and suntour.) Ann confirmed my rear derailleur was an excellent choice, so no need for the EBay or Craigslist derailleur I'd been considering at 8 times the price. Ann had these friction shifters she'd stashed away for another project bike and decided to let me have them. We ran out of time (darn French bikes and their bolt threading!) I still have to do the brakes, but I wanted to take my bicycle home for Christmas. I rolled my bike out of there and walked home in the rain. Happy.

(Ann - Teacher at Bike Church)

(I spent the next few weeks doing a green clean on my bicycle. Bike Church was closed so what better time to invest and really clean her up. Still, I was so anxious and excited to get brakes on and actually ride my Motobecane.)


Sun. Women/Transgendered Safe Space
MY TEACHER: Ellie
I was so glad Bike Church was open again! I decided to work on my bicycle only during the Women/Transgendered Safe Space on Sundays and which only occurs once every three weeks. I like it because generally it has a whole lot less people vying for help and attention from the teachers, plus it has such a really cool vibe! Ellie helped me put my brakes on. (new brakes pads $4.00) She found used color coordinated cable housing (blue of course) for me. She also is the one who said I just had to go with cork grips ($8.00) and to be sure I shellacked them. I totally love Shellac now; I ended up shellacking my thrifted bicycle basket.

I rode my bicycle for the very first time out of Bike Church! I was thrilled and ecstatic!

Sun. Women/Transgendered Safe Space
MY TEACHERS: Ann and Ellie.
I brought my Motobecane with the new cork grips and basket in because I wanted Ann and Ellie to first of all see my bicycle all finished and pretty and also because I was having difficulty shifting. Turns out the shifting 'problem' required a very minor, minor adjustment. What I really needed was more practice with 10 speed shifting, not that its rocket science or anything, it's just that I've always ridden cruisers or a 3 speed. What a noob I am sometimes.

(Ellie - Teacher at Bike Church)

The bike collective is a way to find out where to find a bicycle coop near you OR how to start one in your own community. Thanks Ann for pointing out to me where to find this information at!

Some before and after pics of my Motobecane....

(before pic taken at Bike Church the day I bought my Motobecane)

(after or rather midway pic, the brakes, front derailleur, cork grips & basket added later)

I received requests to explain how I came by my Motobecane... So I hope everyone enjoys this back story behind my Motobecane 'Belle'. Thanks Bike Church!!!!!

Where I Live, Sunny Ride, Cork Handlebar Grips

(Adrienne Vittadini coat, RidingPretty bicycle helmet cover, thrifted-then reconstucted peg leg pants, thrifted shoes, Forvever 21 sunglasses, vintage 1970's Motobecane bicycle)

This is where I live, and this particular spot is just a few short blocks from my front door. Gratefully the sunlight was just gorgeous yesterday when this pic was snapped. My boyfriend who takes these pics is loosing patience with me. He doesn't understand why I want to get my outfits photographed so regularly now. Sigh..

This is my 1970's Motobecane. I promise to devote a whole blog post on 'Belle' sometime soon. I did just add cork handlebar grips and the basket. The basket is thrifted, but it's really nice because the underlying structure is wire. So it's like a wire basket that's been wrapped in a rattan. When I shellacked my (bare, untreated) cork handlebar grips I had enough shellac to do the basket at the same time.

I'd love to add bamboo fenders and shellac them in the same matching amber shellac color, but it seems sort of overkill at $150.00+ for the fenders when my bike was purchased for only $10.00. I also don't want to make my bicycle so pretty and styled out that she becomes a big theft magnet either. Still... I do need fenders, so I will probably settle for some recycled ones. I'll just dream about the bamboo fenders for now.

Raleigh DL 1 - Posing for a Photo

I haven't shared any photos of my Raleigh DL 1 bicycle in ages. My PrettyBritty is well and fine! This is in response to that someone who wondered why there were no more new, current photos or any new adventures with my Raleigh bicycle. Well truth be told, I've been riding my beach cruiser exclusively all summer long and into the fall. So my Raleigh DL1 (PrettyBritty) along with my 1970's Motobecane Mixte (Belle) are in my storage garage down the street. Both are safe and well and waiting to be ridden! More adventures to come!

Riding Along

(photo: RidingPretty bicycle helmet cover prototype, my 1970's Motobecane bicycle, DIY'd tie dye shirt)

This photo is fairly recent. A totally gorgeous spring day riding along a beautiful little path next to a pretty little stream, EXCEPT for the beer bottles and ciggies that were dumped in it...and that's why I have that look on my face!

Anyway, the crawdaddy denizens of this little stream are way down from prior years I've been told... So, after a little clean up I was on my way enjoying the rest of the day.

Flower 'Bicycle Bonnet' -- Easter

(ridingpretty bicycle helmet cover prototype, thrifted flower skirt, stirrup leggings, gladiator sandals, vintage motobecane bicycle)

This was what I wore for my ride on Easter...

I just finished this in time to wear it for Easter. It's my newest bicycle helmet cover with changeable flower attachment. It's all handmade. The bicycle helmet cover has an especially nice brim that keeps my face well shaded.

p.s. I'll be putting up more pics of the helmet cover (which will show it in better detail) very soon!

Tips - Buying a Fashionable and Stylish Bicycle

Ready? Good! Let's jump right in...

The Frame Style (the bike's geometry) is an early decision you make towards finding the right bicycle for you. I ruminated on this topic; Just how much do you need to know to buy a new (Euro Style) Bicycle Part I. My recommendation is a bike with an Up Right geometry, the Sit Up & Beg style or as I like to say the Euro Style bicycle. You may also want to consider Cruisers or Townie bicycles which are distant second cousins, technically speaking. I suggest reading Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? Then for further info & answers read Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? -- Good Answer. I highly recommend (for the greatest of ease while riding in dresses and skirts) a step-through frame and also simply called a 'ladies' frame. Size matters, so getting the right size for you is the other half of the equation. Be sure when you get to the point of actually buying your bicycle to consult with the seller and emphatically and absolutely determine that you are getting the right size bike!

Your next decision is whether to buy vintage or new?I started off choosing vintage for a variety of reasons. I always like to buy recycled (anything) first. I also think steel frames are far superior to any 'Big Box' bikes manufactured out of China. For the same ballpark $200.00 you can get a real vintage beauty, but you need to know a thing or two before jumping in and buying off Craigslist or Ebay. For some tips on buying read; Buying a Vintage Bike Guide along with reading about my own personal experience rebuilding a vintage bike; Finding and Rebuilding my Motobecane Bicycle. Price points, oh yeah the other determining factor. Not much cash? Ah, well choosing a vintage bicycle is the way to go. Read about how overwhelmingly popular vintage bicycles have become; Vintage Bikes - Girls want them! If you're looking for a NEW bicycle then be sure to check out this posting;12 Bicycles for Girls. Recommendations are across all price points, high to low.

The next big decision is going to involve how you plan to use your bicycle? Plus where do you live? Your answers will determine how many gears you'll want. General rule of thumb is 3 gears minimum. Flatlanders, strictly leisure riders, incredibly short distance bike commuters, and all those super fit fixie riders maybe be able to get away with a single speed. I have a single speed cruiser I ride to the beach and up the block to my neighborhood shops. If your terrain includes hills, then get multiple gears. Talk to anybody you can find who bike commutes in your area and ask how many gears they think work best. Now would be a good time to get friendly with your local bike coop, community bike advocacy groups, and your local bike shop (LBS) who you'll probably end up buying bike stuff from any way.

The Let's Be Lady Like! check list: Of course now that you plan to wear all sorts of stylish outfits while riding your new bicycle, then you'll want to make sure your bicycle has fenders, a skirt guard, a fully enclosed chain guard to keep you and your clothes free from dirt and grim. If these are not already included with your bicycle, it is possible in many cases to add them on later.

The Practicality check list: You will want a front basket, rear rack, and panniers (you add those onto that rear rack), for transporting your stuff, be it groceries, Chinese take-home, library books, you get the picture. Additionally there is a very possible extra benefit, you will earn respect and street cred amongst the utility and commuter cyclists!


The Safety Items check list: Lights, reflectors, bicycle bell, bicycle lock, and a helmet if you chose to wear one (I advocate for helmet safety). You could also add in a bicycle repair kit for fixing a flat tire in a pinch.


The Purely Aesthetic and Stylish checklist: Well this could get cross referenced to several of the afore mentioned items above. I'd add cork handle bar grips (cork is a sustainable and eco material). Also a Brooks saddle would be wonderful! And you can shellac those cork grips to match the patina of your Brooks saddle whether it's it vintage or new. Other considerations...Add streamers you make yourself or check ETSY, perhaps a bicycle basket liner, and pretty flowers for your basket (as in brightening up any dreary winter's duldrum day).


Sincerely hope you've found this posting and it's check lists helpful! Happy Bicycle Riding to All the Stylish Lovelies!!

***** Update:
Newer posting and highly recommended... 'Dream Bicycle List - Let's Go Shopping'.

Amgen-SantaCruz-RainyWeekend-Redcoat-Lance-MyShineyHelmetCover

Rainy Weekend and it was a blast. Amgen Tour came to Santa Cruz. A huge crush of spectators hugged tight at the finish line, while I was out prowling for the 'chicest' riding attire I could spot...



Was I crazy or from 'planet of my own imagination'. Get Real. This was a RACE, in the rain. What fashionista would show up on her bicycle wearing heels to this?? I admit I saw the best in rain gear /outerwear in gortex, nylon, hi-tech fabrics and by all the best brands, Patagonia, Columbia and designed for rugged wear. And then the lifestyle brands like Roxy, O'Neils, and so forth.
So, I settled for this little girl wearing her bright red coat and maryjanes.



Lance saluting someone in the crowd. This was my spot for the race. It had a huge outdoor viewing screen to watch the race. It was way beyond the finish line, lots more room to breathe
(I get a bit weird in big crowds, so always opt for as much space as I can find). Lance put his feet to the ground and after a hard ride. I had fun. This was my first cycle race.




Rainy Day and trying to go for a short ride on my motobecane.

**This above look is described in detail on lookbook.nu