Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Schwinn Mirada - Mom Bike MKII


I found this frame at the Evergreen Shop a year or so ago and kept it hanging around the house. What caught my eye was the single top tube that merges into two additional stays in the rear, just like the French  constructeurs would do. In a way it is a very peculiar build. It has the heart of a 80's mountain bike with a build mixed between beach cruiser and French city bike.


The majority of the parts came from this Schwinn of the same era. The problem with the original build was that the seat tube was at a fairly steep angle for the upright riding position.


Since she'll be riding this mostly in Sacramento, there isn't much need for wide gearing. With only the front ring in the front, I took the liberty to add a little flair.






The fork crown is kinda amazing. I'm not a huge fan of these Tektro cantis, but I think they're a good match for the rider and purpose.


Not the best way to route the rear brake, but it is certainly an improvement over most step throughs that require a caliper brake with the housing coming from the reverse angle. Sadly, the braze-ons necessitate the housing running the full length of the cable...




Wheels were freebies and look the part. Maybe some day it will get generator lighting and racks.