Town/pub bike/winter bike/everyday "no one will nick it" bike/ordinary bicycle...

Whatever you call it, do you have and use one and what is it?

So ive bought a new MTB, fancy all singing full squish trail bike for all manner of "Gnar" riding with my slightly mental other half. My old hardtail i gave to my dad so he can get into mountain biking, and ive got my road bike for big distance on asphalt. Basically 2 rather expensive (to me) bikes that i ride alot but certainly wouldn't trust leaving outside a shop in my local town. They also run Spds and drivetrains that eat jeans.

Im thinking about building an everyday hack bike. Something i dont have to be precious about, can just ride everywhere (in normal attire i must say) to the post office, shops, ect and not worry too much about maintenance or faff to hop on. Basically a bike, when cycling was just something you did and not the obsessive hobby we all know it becomes.

In the shed i still have my first mtb, a Btwin with V brakes, 3x7 tourney, 100mm travel fork that only ever got 10mm travel and 26" hoops. Been meaning to sell on local as its just rusting away but thinking about bodging into a basic daily bike? Worth the challenge?

And hell, i always did love a good tinker!
Already looking at singlespeed conversion, maybe change the useless fork for a lighter rigid one, maybe even a means to carry shopping!

I just hope this bodge project doesnt cost anything significant! Im all spent after that new squishy bike...

I thought you were a minimalism sort of person.

Had plenty in my time! Most were mountain bikes converted to singlespeeds with skinny tyres.

Mudguards are useful on hack bikes

Currently on this though, not quite a 'hack' but used for the same purpose (was given free to me btw!)

I'm actually trying to buy one at the moment, for trips the cinema and whatnot, but I can't seem to stop myself being too picky.

Surely a Hack bike sound be something you found in a skip?

Cheap/no emotional attachment/couldn't give a monkeys if it got stolen?

My hack was a singlespeed flat barred Specialized Allez

I wasn't using it so took the wheels off to store in the shed (so it would take less space)

It's gone, literally can't find it. I want to say it's been stolen but it's such a random thing to take from the shed, as there's other stuff in there that's better or more sellable.

I'm gutted as it has centimental value. Although I haven't used it in years, I kept for emergencies, pure hack use where it would be parked up for a while, or for lending

By the way, this is my hack bike.


Campus Bike (2011) by Chris Reeves, on Flickr

70s claud butler frame passed down from my father, random front wheel from somewhere, original brakes, race face deus xc cranks donated by a friend, random rear wheel built up from a downhill hub I got off an ebay auction and a mavic cxp33 rim swapped for a pint in the pub, singlespeed obviously. Ace bike - looks ropey but rode surprisingly well. It was my main mode of transport round uni.

Chew wrote:Surely a Hack bike sound be something you found in a skip?

Cheap/no emotional attachment/couldn't give a monkeys if it got stolen?

Probably, but I also wouldn't want to ride it for more than 5 minutes.

I'm going for something I don't mind riding / can handle varied terrain but also doesn't cost me more than say, £100.

my hack bike is my most ridden bike. 100 miles commuting week in week out year in year out.

If you need any bits I have a box full of sh1t you re welcome to. Let me know if anything comes up..

I suppose it still has to be ridable, safe, and maybe atleast a little enjoyable. Riding around on pure tat has no appeal, but something basic and leave you less paranoid about theives seems to make sense.

As for the whole minimalist thing? I see the irony, and im not going to get defensive, im in a light mood today.
Having a bike wasting in the shed bugs me, if i dont hack it im better off selling it.
I want to ride more daily and not just as a weekend hobby, i dont drive and hate relying on public transport so i currently just walk everywhere. Since ive reduced what i buy online and eat more fresh food i do alot of shopping locally and lug it in a pack. Maybe i need to embrace my dutch side and get a basket?
For this use, both a carbon roadie and full squish MTB seem...wrong...

Oh, and its still minimalist if it looks Scandinavian in pure white...right?

Gonna dig it out tomorrow, already know itll need a new chain (and maybe cassette....unless i singlespeed) slick 26" city tyres, id like to put a rigid fork but struggling to find a cheap one thatll fit. Second hand might sort it.


Oh and i must resist the urge to just buy a cheap folding bike for the same job

Chew is dead right, they should be dragged from a skip, cobbled together from whatever left over parts are lying on your garage/ shed floor or given to you.
No sentimental value, no real monetary value the only real worth is the fact they get you from A to B.
The problem with all this is that if you are into bikes then you ain't gonna ride a total shed and they end up getting blinged up when you upgrade your "best " bike.
Mine at the moment is a Kona Paddy Waggon, built up with leftover bits from a 29er strip down. 32c tyres, flat bars. Bit of a mish mash but I love it!! I would be gutted to lose it, so perhaps not a true hack!
Loving yours Zippy, proper kit that. Mudguards and all. Nice!

I have an old Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo that I've SS'd and dumped obsolete bits on. It's been my station/shops/pub hack for years and will soon be going with my daughter to uni for similar duties.

There are real bargains to be found on Gumtree and Ebay if you're patient and careful not to give your cash to a bike thief.

Hi groovers. I have an old Kona Cindercone sitting in the garage. How much do you reckon it would cost for me to get it set up as single speed? Is it a tricky conversion to do?? Thanks,m

An ex GPO bike is a good shout for this sort of thing!

mh24 wrote:Hi groovers. I have an old Kona Cindercone sitting in the garage. How much do you reckon it would cost for me to get it set up as single speed? Is it a tricky conversion to do?? Thanks,m

Not a lot. If it's a 94-97 (might be true for others too?) Then a worn chain will run nicely in 32-16 from what i remember. . .

If that works, you just need a singlespeed cog for the back (deep, un-ramped teeth) and to loose 2 chainrings at the front. If not, you'll also need some form of tensioner

There's a "show us your work bikes" thread on Retrobike that has 86 pages(!) of bikes of a more "utilitarian" persuasion : it's a pleasant place to while away an hour, or so. http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... f=6&t=2519.
I was thinking of replacing my hack bike, until I browsed through it. Thinking about buying another bike is usually a sign I'm not riding either of my present ones enough.

In true hack bike tradition, "skip bike" was rescued from the hands of a bloke about to lob it into the "recycled metal" skip at the local tip. I thought it would do for spares, but it was better than my hack bike at the time.

That was 6 years ago . I've replaced parts as they've worn out: the only original items are the frame and the handlebar (both steel). Until recently I was doing my best to wear those out too, with 70 to 150 miles-a-week commuting. From the bike's perspective it must have seemed like it was turfed out of the retirement home and conscripted into the Paras .

The most important matter is that it fits well; it's also unbelievably reliable. It's not light: but a porky bike means a skinny rider . Future mod's? Possibly a Surly Troll fork, when the Dart 2 finally wears out.
It certainly has no monetary value. As for "sentimental value": none originally, but its comfort, reliability and agricultural charm means its earned its place .