The privateer workshop and an old bike

I've spent a couple of hours wrenching today. I don't do this professionally. My profession is being a computer nerd. I like working on bikes in my spare time, sometimes at least. There just has to be a certain standard to the work area/shop. I hate having to fix something major on a bike, without a work-stand for instance. Also, the lack of proper tools can be annoying.

But when I'm at it, it's a pretty creative process. I sorta forget the time, like if I was drawing, painting or something. Also a glass of red wine and the soundtrack of your choice ads to the ambiance.

I live in an apartment, so I can't have a nice workshop in a shed outside, but luckily I have enough space inside to keep my bikes in shape. It's just annoying when the new-age airshock on your mountainbike decides to blow up, and give your wooden floor an oil-treatment. Thus yesterday I acquired a big sheet of vinyl for my floor, where I work. Also notice in the photo below that my Surly isn't parked on the vinyl. Luckily it doesn't have shocks.

I've been working on my (ex-)girlfriend's bike today. It's a bike we bought a year ago at a flee-market for 100 kroner. That's the equivalent of like two pizzas. It's a 1988 Kildemoes whatever model. I think it's decent steel; ie. not hi-ten. Feels springy and good. It'e very rusty though. Paint is gone around the BB-shell and other places. I've replaced the bars, brakes, seat, tires and a bit of color coordination. It had an external 10-12 speed setup that I've removed. The chainring teeth were a tribute to the Egyptian pyramids. The rearhub takes a screw-on cassette, so I re-spaced the wheel and put on a Shimano BMX freewheel.

Santa's workshop?

All bearings in this bike are open ball bearings. They're a fantastic thing, in that they can be disassembled, cleaned, re-greased and pretty much keep going eternally. And if something breaks you don't have to replace some big complicated unit.

I'll post a picture of the bike later, when it's built again.