SFBC Winterfest Auction Bike - Custom built by Pedal Revolution

SFBC Winterfest Auction Bike - Custom built by Pedal Revolution

SFBC Winterfest Auction Bike - Custom built by Pedal Revolution

This bike was assembled from the frame up by Pedal Revolution and given to The San Francisco Bike Coalition for their Annual fundraising party - Winterfest!

Lead Mechanic Todd B. with assistance from two our Youth interns Daniel and Josh spearheaded the assembly utilizing many donated components from Soma Fabrications. This is a signature example of a custom refurbished Pedal Revolution bike; a classic steel frame completely rebuilt with great quality new parts into a totally reconfigured city bike. Our focus is versatility, function, reliability, and fun! Early mountain bike frames like this one had a very high level of craftsmanship from Japan and had more of a touring bike geometry compared to contemporary mountain bikes. We love transforming these classic bikes into unique and utilitarian commuter style bikes, capable of carrying significant loads and accommodating racks, baskets, and fenders. Many of our customers rely on their bikes as their primary mode of transportation, grocery getting, commuting, and recreation. They want a bike that can reliably get them to work and back home and then be outfitted for a weekend bike camping trip or out of town adventure.

Pedal Revolution is a non-profit bike shop that has been in business since 1992 and hosts a paid work internship program for at-risk bay area youth. We employ 20 young people every year as interns in our shop working side by side with our professional staff. Our interns learn a combination of basic work-readiness skills and participate in a bicycle service based training curriculum experiencing bicycle repair, assembly, and sales in our own business. Interns assist our professional staff in the building of our new and custom refurbished used bicycles like the one you see here. Our refurbished used bicycles arrive from donations from individuals like you who want to support our program. The bikes are stripped, assessed, and then rebuilt with new components to assure a long and reliable life. These bikes are unique, one of a kind creations with distinct style and a character all their own. Please consider donating your old bicycles, frames, or bike parts to our program to support our social mission. Next time you are in the market for a fantastic new or refurbished used bike come visit us!

Here are some photos of the before and after bike build process:

Pictured below are two of our current youth interns Josh and Daniel holding the vintage Miyata “Terra Runner” frameset that provided the foundation for this build:

80’s Japan built, triple butted, lugged steel goodness.

The paint was a little rough so we sent it off to our friends at Champion Powdercoating for a super sweet repaint.

We’ve come to referring to this textured blue finish as ” Pining for the Fjords Blue”.

Service Manager Joel had the bright idea to have the stem painted to match.

Came out quite nice!

Here are Josh and Daniel again with painted frame, fork, and stem with the new wheels and Soma Fabrications New Xpress tires which they set up and installed.

Below Daniel carefully shellacks the cork grips designated for the bike. We love the classic look of cork grips.

Shellacking weatherproofs them and keeps them looking good for a long time.

Brand new drivetrain with Sugino touring cranks, Shimano and IRD mechanicals, and stylish MKS touring pedals.

Shop bottle/shop sticker steeze.

Sprung leather touring saddle.

Soma Fabrications Oxford Handlebar, IRD thumbshifters, Champs Elysees front rack, and Wald basket….gotta have a basket.

Those grips though!

This was a really fun project for the Pedal Rev crew. Hope you like!

Bike details:

 

-80’s era Lugged steel  Miyata “Terra Runner” early MTB frame

-Made in Japan

-Size 21”

-Custom powder-coated “Pining for the Fjords Blue”

 

Parts:

-Shimano 26” wheelset

-Soma Fabrications New Xpress Touring Tires

-Sugino XD500 Touring Crankset

-Shimano Deore M591 Long cage rear Derailleur

-IRD Front derailleur

-MKS Sylvan Touring Pedals

-Velo Orange Leather Saddle

-Soma Fabrications Oxford handlebar

-IRD 9spd indexed thumbshifters

-Shellacked Cork Grips

-Soma Fabrications Champs Elysees stainless front rack

-Wald basket

 

Custom "Raspberry Beret" 53cm Town-Style

Prince’s music remains difficult to find for free on the internet, and it’s a hard thing to complain about when you consider his musical talent and incredible writing.  So when I was trying to find a good video to link here, I was thwarted.  That’s okay though, because we all know the song and the fact that if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more. Brilliant.

When this frame came back Champion Powdercoating the Raspberry Beret connection was instantly obvious.  We thus attempted to build it up in a way that would accentuate the frame’s color; everything else on the bike exists pretty much in deference to the Raspberry.  Comparatively boring is the fact the the bike is nicely equipped with all new parts, including a simple and reliable 3-speed drivetrain, comfortable saddle, and nice-looking gumwall tires.

To be sure, there are lots of different raspberries out there.  You’ve got black raspberries (not too common here, though blackberries are presently in season and if you’re hungry, head on up to McLaren Park to pick some), golden raspberries, and even yellow raspberries.  But I think it’s probably safe to say that when Prince was writing the song, he was picturing the lady in a beret just about the color of the bike you see here.

Though the bicycle does not come with a beret included, we can recommend a number of fine fashion establishments nearby where you could find an appropriate one.  I guess that’s about all you’ll need, then, especially if it’s warm.

$725

SOLD!!!!

Novara Trionfo 48cm @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

While shopping a while back I purchased a bottle of what I assumed to be olive oil, based on the presence of those words on the label as well as a prominently displayed Italian flag. It was only when I got home that I discovered it had been blended with canola oil, reducing it from prime bread-dipping status to mere general-purpose frying duty.

While the Made in Italy label does seem to gain the immediate attention and respect of the average American consumer, I hadn’t even seen that.  Just the flag.  Enough to buy the item.

You won’t see an Italian flag on this Novara Trionfo, but maybe its Italian name is enough to lure you in.  And in that case you won’t feel duped as I did, because this is very nice, classic steel road bike-not some off-brand fry oil lurking in the back of your kitchen cabinet.

 

Also of note is the internal cable routing. As a mechanic, it’s sometimes hard to feed the brake or derailleur cable through these small holes.  The makers of this frame, a late-1980’s model, took the trouble to design this feature well.  The cable went through perfectly, and I didn’t even have to bother to slightly pre-bend the end of the cable to help it find the exit.

 

The Trionfo was stripped the the bare frame and fully rebuilt with more modern parts.  A size-appropriate 165mm crankset has been installed, as well as some narrower 38cm Soma Highway One handlebars.  It’s also got a nice set of 700 x 25 Gatorskin tires that should hold up well in our glass-strewned city.

Come check it out today! A good fit for someone right around 5′ tall.

$750

 

Univega 53cm Town-Style @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

Several weeks ago we had a customer come by the bike shop to donate an old Univega that dated back to her college days.  She hoped that we would make use of it, and we assured her as much.  It’s the objective of this post to show the process we go through to refurbish good-quality older bicycles here at Pedal Rev.

To be a reliable and comfortable bicycle for the next rider, this Univega really needed everything.  This started with removing all components from the frame and determining which parts could be re-used.

 

 

She’ll be a good fit for somebody in the 5’3-5’7″ range.  Come take a test ride!

$700

SOLD!!!!

50 cm Trek 2120 Carbon Road Bike @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

As a material, carbon fiber was first used on production bikes in the late 80’s/early 90’s.  The bike you see here, a Trek 2120, was among the first.  The three main tubes are carbon, and they’re bonded to aluminum to form the rest of the frame.  Though the frame is pretty old, it is still in fine shape; a lot of the early carbon frames tended to be “overbuilt”, and are in fact stronger that some of the newer and thinner carbon frames out there today.

Terry saddle and new Continental Gatorskin 700 x 25 tires.

Bike features a nice wheelset-Shimano Ultegra hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro rims.  A light, solid set of hoops!

The rest of the drivetrain is a mix of Shimano Sora/105 parts.  A good fit for someone about 5’1″ to 5’4″.  Come check it out today!!

$700

SOLD!!!

Motobecane Super Touring 58cm, Custom Town-Style

From what I can gather, 1980 seems to have been a fairly tumultuous time.  Americans were being held hostage in Iran as their home country watched helplessly on (at least for the most part).  The Soviets were invading Afghanistan, beginning the decades of political instability and human misfortune in that country; in response, Jimmy Carter boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.  And the U.S. economy wasn’t doing too well; Reagan was about to perform his trickle-down on America and swell the ranks of the billionaire class. On a more positive and politically unrelated note, the Lakers won the NBA championship and Magic Johnson played a real nice Game 6.

Not too sure what was going on over in France, but I do know that Motobecane was still making bicycles.  They’d file for bankruptcy in 1981, but this fine Super Touring was ushered off the production line just in time for your cycling enjoyment.  Relatively thorough online research leads me to conclude it is indeed a 1980 model.

This bike came to us in a pretty unorthodox fashion.  A gentleman called the shop a while back and I (Todd) picked up the phone.  He explained that he had an old Motobecane he wanted to donate, but would be shipping it to from out-of-state. I tried to suggest that it might not be worth his trouble, but he wasn’t sure what to do with it and wanted the bike to go to good use.  So I thanked him and said sure, ship it on out.

As it turned out this was one of the better-quality Motobecane frames of that era, built with heat-treated steel tubing and a derailleur hanger.  We replaced the damaged original fork with a chrome one, and it’s been built up nicely for stylish around-town use.  Nearly all the parts, including the brakes and wheelset, are new.  Favorites of mine include the comfortable Soma Oxford handlebar and excellent Suntour ratcheting bar-end shifter.

The bike would be a great fit for somebody about 5’10” to 6′.  Come check it out today!!

$600

SOLD!!!!!

 

Schwinn Sierra 8 Speed Nexus Internally Geared Hub 21" @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

This Schwinn Sierra began life as an early era mountain bike and has all the characteristics that made the bikes of that time so versatile: Steel frame, relaxed geometry, long wheel base, low-ish bottom bracket, rack and fender mounts. Early mountain bike design borrowed a lot from classic touring bikes and were designed to be comfortable for off-road touring rather than the popular type of “shredding” style riding done today on contemporary mountain bikes. These early bikes were so robust that a few decades later the frames are still going strong. We love receiving donations of these bikes and rebuilding them as dependable utility commuter bikes. In fact, a current inclination among many San Francisco bike couriers is to use a rebuilt early era mountain bike for delivery, rather than the tried and true fixed gear or steel road bike. They are more comfortable for long days in the saddle, cheap to repair and replace, can accommodate heavy loads, aren’t flashy looking (theft deterrent!), and can take a beating!

This one got the unique treatment of an internally geared Shimano Nexus 8 speed wheelset plus all the other goodies that we love - Continental Touring tires, WTB saddle, upright Wald handlebar, new brakes, and full fenders for the rainy days to come.

21″ fits a taller individual of  about  5’11”- 6’2″.

$450 SOLD

Custom Gitane 63 cm Town-Style 3 speed @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

Are you or someone dear to you between 6’1″ and 6’4″, dig the color orange, and in the market for a unique town-style bicycle that rides like a dream? If any of this rings true, you’d best come in to Pedal Rev to check out this Gitane.

According to the original sales paperwork provided by the gentleman who kindly donated it to us, this bike cost $165 way back in 1972.  It still had all the original parts on it, and the paint is in great shape for its age.  But cycling has come a long way since then and major changes were on order; in fact, the frame, seatpost, and matching original Zefal pump are the only items that weren’t replaced.

Cool details on this bike include a new polished 3-speed wheel, some vintage Suntour Cyclone cranks, and some pretty wide Nitto handlebars that’ll be well suited to the larger individual who ends up putting miles on this rig.

Some ergonomic Portland Design Works grips are comfortable on the hands, and the retro-look Tektro brake levers control new dual-pivot calipers that’ll bring this orange whip to a stop in no time.

Come on by and take it for a test ride!

$725

Specialized RockHopper Commuter 19.5" @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

Another rebuilt gem from yester-year. Cool grey and aqua color scheme on this classic steel Rock Hopper frameset. Rebuilt by Pedal Revolution for heavy duty commuter use with new drivetrain, wheels, upright bars, shifters, brakes, saddle, and burly Continental Touring Plus tires.

19.5″ (fits 5’9″- 6′).

$375.

Powdercoated Custom Step-Through Commuter 50cm @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

Who says “Mixte” style bikes need to be dainty and pastel colored? We had this one powdercoated in a stylish finish we’ve come to refer to as “Scorched Earth Brown”. Full custom rebuild job on this one and it rides like a dream. All the good stuff and Pedal Rev favorites are represented: 1×7 “just enough” drivetrain, Mavic/Shimano road wheelset, Panaracer Pasela tires, WTB comfort saddle, Velo Orange Milan handlebars, Soma Sutro stem, and leather grips. Understated and awesome.

50cm and an ideal fit for a rider 5’3″ - 5’6″.

$850.

Raleigh "Sports" Brown Townie 57cm @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

Super custom rebuild on this gem of a Raleigh frameset. A ground-up build with all parts replaced on this made in England frame including a Tange chrome fork, Sturmey Archer 3 speed internally geared wheelset, MKS touring pedals, Dual pivot brake calipers, Soma oxford bar, and leather grips and saddle. Reconfigured to give a more upright seating arrangement, this bike is a go-to city bike for daily use. Slap a basket and some fenders on it and you’ve got a reliable grocery getter/rain bike.

57cm fits 5’10” - 6’1″

$525. SOLD

 

Serotta Saratoga 56cm Road Bike @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

Bikes that bear the Serotta name belong to a long lineage of high-quality, American-made frames.  The company was founded in 1972 by Ben Serotta and went on to provide frames for Olympians and Tour de France riders in the 1980s.  As a relatively small-scale, artisan frame manufacturer, Serotta did some very interesting designs which can be read about in this article, published in Velo News.

This particular one we have in stock, the Saratoga model, is perhaps the quintessential “mile crusher” that we love here at Pedal Revolution.  It’s got a lightweight Reynolds 501 steel frame, a fork with some good steerer tube extension for a moderately upright riding position, and a Shimano 105 groupset in very nice condition.  The wheels are also very nice-Shimano 105 hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro rims.  Good looking and riding hoops, and wrapped with the ubiquitous Panaracer Pasela tire.

We’ve modernized the bike with a 42cm wide Soma Highway One handlebar and some cool Jaguar Racing Green handlebar tape, finished off with some grey Newbaum’s tape for a classic look.

The bike weighs in at just over 23 lbs.  A great fit for somebody in the 5’10” neighborhood.

$1250  SOLD!!!

"Gold Vein" Lugged 56 cm Road Bike @ Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bicycle Update

Anybody who’s been in San Francisco for a little time, or closely studied a city map, knows that the streets can be extremely confusing-especially for a cyclist.  That’s partly because of the hills (if I keep pedaling straight up this hill maybe it’s a shortcut??) but also because of the city’s rapid growth brought on by the Gold Rush.  The city really grew like crazy.  A quick Wikipedia query put some numbers on what I had already vaguely known: At the beginning of 1848 there were only 1,000 residents, but by 1870 it was a city of 150,000.  Getting any type of overarching city plan together must have been nearly impossible.  I guess the city is still trying to mitigate the effects of poor initial planning (e.g. the $ 1.5 billion Central Subway), but that’s another story.

The story for today, though, is a beautiful 56 cm road bike done up in the beautifully textured “Gold Vein” color (thank you Champion Powder Coating).  The frame was a higher-end Shogun from the mid-80’s.  You can tell its quality based on the fluted tips of the seatstays, the minimalist cable guides under the bottom bracket, and what I believe are investment-cast Suntour dropouts.  Originally this bike came equipped with Suntour components as well, but after the frame got painted it was time to modernize the bike.

We’ve put some nice parts into this build.  It’s got a SRAM Apex 10-speed drivetrain, Shimano Ultegra brakes (those are some very elegant stoppers, folks), and a nice wheelset with SUZUE sealed bearing hubs.  A Sugino 50/34 crankset, MKS UB-Lite pedals, and a Brooks Professional saddle are some more great looking parts that’ll last a very long time.  Considering the frame is already gold, we tried to keep other things a little understated.

The geometry of this frame was intended for road racing, but we’ve put the Soma Sutro stem and Highway One bar (in the 42 cm width) for a somewhat more upright riding position.  It handles very nimbly and is a real pleasure to ride.  If you’re around 5’10” or so, she’d be a pretty prime fit for you.

$1500     SOLD!!!

Custom Powdercoated Fuji Mixte 1×7 @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bikes Update

This gem was completed and put on the floor last week at Pedal Revolution. A classic lugged steel Fuji mixte with a new powdercoat and all new parts. We built it up as a 1×7 for a perfect amount of gears for everyday use. Panaracer Pasela tires, Soma bars and stem, shellac’d cork grips and a Brooks saddle complete the picture.

50cm

$825. SOLD.

Fuji - Mt. Fuji Touring Bike 55cm @Pedal Revolution Custom Bike Update

Fuji, Mt. Fuji

Another day, and another gem of a refurbished bicycle is here at Pedal Rev.  This cycle started its life as a higher end Mt. Fuji mountain bike from what I (Nolan) believe to be a 1980.  This lugged steel steed was created in the magical time when bicycles were expected to do more: your mountain bike was your touring bike, your commuting bike, and your beverage bike.  Quality steel, comfortable geometry, copious eyelets and more made this bike an exemplary all-in-one eighties powerhouse.

While the Mt. Fuji is a great bike, this particular Mt. Fuji was in a bit of a bad way when it arrived at Pedal Rev as a donation.  Distressed paint, and parts worn beyond repair left us wondering: “What were we to do?”  Champion Powder Coating provided us with a screaming matte green paintjob (thanks y’all!), and a new parts build got this bike back in fighting shape. While the bike was originally built with a riser bar, we built it with the cockpit of a touring/randonneuring bike.  Randonneuring bicycles seem to be all the rage right now and the newly dubbed Mt. Fuji Destroyer falls in with the best of them.  Our Destroyer has traditional road bar/levers and bar end shifters to allow for multiple riding positions.  The wide range 3×9 drivetrain give the bike plenty of gears to tackle the hills, while a powerful set of cantilever brakes provide enough Umph! to stop after bombing down said hills.  26” wheels and the perennial Pasela PT tire round out the build. Just when you thought the Destroyer couldn’t get any better, we added some flair in the form of a color correct Velocity H2O cage, and wrapped the drive side chainstay with black Newbaum’s cloth bar tape for a real curated look. The Willys Jeep is (matte) green with envy.   

This bicycle measures out to a 55cm, and would work be perfect for a rider 5’9”-6’. Come in and put some fun between your legs.

$850.00        

Lemond 853 Reynolds Steel Road Bike 54cm @Pedal Revolution Custom Bike Update

Steel bicycles have had a cadre of die-hard fans who appreciate their smooth ride quality and long-term durability. In an era where much of what we consume is becoming more and more dispose-able, short life spans in products are less and less relevant. That fancy new smart phone you just got will soon be overshadowed by the slightly updated version coming out in six months.  Fortunately, if you do a little research, a bicycle can still be purchased that will last for many years of consistent service. This custom rebuilt Lemond road bike is a fine example of a classic lightweight steel-framed bicycle that has many years of service to give. Built from Reynolds 853 tubing, this is a performance designated bike designed to go fast and handle quickly. The vibration dampening compliance that the steel frame provides is noticeable when travelling over rough roads or after long hours in the saddle.  This bike was refurbished with a well-rounded parts grouping including a Shimano 105 drivetrain and brakeset, brand new Shimano tiagra 9 speed shifters, Soma Highway One compact handlebar, and durable Vittoria Randonneur tires.

It’s sized at 54cm  and would be a great fit for a rider 5’5″ - 5’9″.

$900. SOLD

    

Motobecane Grand Touring Road Bike 53cm @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

As attributes, quick, light, and affordable are generally not found together in one bicycle. Generally you’d have to settle for one or two of the above characteristics. This 80’s Motobecane Grand Touring is a gem of a bike that finds a happy balance between all three. It was rebuilt with a new wheelset, brakes, Soma New Express Terracotta tires, and a Soma Highway one bar. It’s a great mix of old and new at a very reasonable price.

53cm ST - 55cm TT. A great fit for 5’5″-5’9″.

$575. SOLD

 

USA Built Trek 1200 Aluminum Road Bike 55cm @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Bike Update

Just on the floorat Pedal Revolution,  a US built Trek 1200 aluminum road bike. Rebuilt with new Shimano/Mavic wheelset, Panaracer Pasela “Grey” tires, Soma Sutro stem and Highway one handlbar, Tektro brakeset, and WTB saddle.

55cm fits 5’7″ - 5’10”

$575. SOLD

 

"Point Break Blue" Custom 58cm Fuji 3-Speed @Pedal Revolution Custom Refurbished Bikes Update

The paint job on this rebuilt Fuji is very similar to the classic Stanley Thermos Blue. See below:

Pedal Revolution went classic on this frame and built it up as a lightweight three speed city bike. A moderately upright handlebar with Sturmey Archer thumbshifter, and retro-styled Tektro levers round out the cockpit for comfortable riding position. Well-reinforced Soma New Express (Panaracer made) touring tires in “Creme” take care of the rolling comfort on a new Sturmey-Archer internally geared wheelset. The 3 speed Sturmey hub has remained virtually unchanged for close to a century and  has a workhorse reputation for a reliable and low maintenance shifting system with a low (easy) climbing gear, a moderate general riding gear, and a slightly harder high gear - perfect for day to day basic riding/commuting use.

'MERICA! A Slightly Patriotic Specialized Rockhopper! @Pedal Revolution Refurbished Used Bike Update

Just in time for Independence Day, this patriotic little number just hit the floor at Pedal Revolution. A refurbished Specialized Rockhopper with timely red, white, and blue accents. Perfect for the July 4th parade or your general run-of-the-mill enthusiastically patriotic commute to work. - Update: SOLD

(ALSO! Works for patriotic Frenchies, FYI). Vive la France! Sacre Bleu! USA! USA! ‘MERICA!! etc. etc.

$350 SOLD!