Introducing the Hot Karl

I went over to Jersey City today. N to the PATH train. It really is easy to get to. It’s kind of like what we say about Queens, I suppose.

And I picked up the bike that will become the Hot Karl. $270. It’s a perfectly sized frame. Light. Steel. Lugged. Two excellent wheels. Bottom bracket. Crank arms. Fork. Handlebars. And break levers. All top of the line. It’s a fixed gear. 26-inch (559, not 650B). My plan is to replace the rear wheel with an internal 5-speed hub that I bought on e-bay. And then sell the fixed gear wheel on e-bay. I don’t have any use for a 26-inch fixed gear wheel. And Karl is not an advanced biker. A fixed gear is not for him. The new wheel should be here any day. The wheels are standard mountain bike

I also got an extra very nice rear wheel (700cc). $70. It’s always good to have backup. It will fit my Bianchi and Katie’s Del Ray. It’s always good to have backup. And with that he gave me handlebars and stem. I don’t really *need* them. But they’re nice and it was quite a bargain.

It’s too bad that I haven’t used the same size wheels for all the bikes. The Bluebird is one size (650B). My bikes and the Del Ray are another (standard road 700). And now the Hot Karl will be a 3rd size (standard mountain bike 26 inch). But when you assemble, sometimes you have to take what you can get. And the standards 700mm size wheel is not the best size because it has no clearance. If only everything was 650B.

On the way home (FYI, you can get a bike through an “iron-maiden” style turnstile. But it takes a little effort), I stopped by the wonderful bike store (see above) near here and bought a chain and front brake and chain ring bolts. The Hot Karl will be sweet.

Once the new real wheel is on, the bike needs:
1) fenders
2) a rear brake cable
3) peddles
4) probably a new seat
5) cable to lock the seat
6) crank arm nuts
7) a proper lock
8) a paint job