# NOS New Old School Pake Commuter & Touring Bike



## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

With a new job my bike commute went from an easy 4 in-town miles to a less-easy 14 miles out to a suburb. I wanted a commuter that would also serve duty in weekend touring pulling a trailer. I settled on a Pake C'muter, set-up old school style with downtube shifters (nice Dia Compe-style ratcheting ones) and silver-colored parts every, including Nitto Noddle handlebar and a Sugino crankset. I'll let you know how it rides.


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## drawerfixer (Aug 4, 2005)

My goodness, that's a classy bike and build. The bottle cage is handsome, and I like the splashes of gold in the bell and brakes.

What's that in the spokes of your front wheel?


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Very nice. I was considering a similar build, with downtube shifters and gold cantis from Velo Orange.

What size frame is that?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I like it.....very well done...


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I believe I can already tell you how it rides......


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

It's a 54cm, which has an effective 57 cm top tube. The card in the spokes was a promotional reflector for when Portland was trying to get platinum status as a bike city.

It rides nicely. It's a bit heavy, but a nice solid ride. I really like the shape of the Nitto Noodle bars, and the compact double paired with a 12-32 8sp cassette will be a pretty good combination for commuting & touring.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Very nice bike. How do you like those shifters? Are they firmer than the friction shifters? I am thinking of getting a set from VO.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

I like the little touches, like the brake cable going through the front light bracket. Or the light itself, for that matter.

Very nicely done.


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

Very nice. 

I have had a Noodle bar for a couple years. I think they look good and are comfortable too.


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## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

I really like it!


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## snapdragen (Jan 28, 2004)

Gorgeous. I have the same bottle cage, I like the look.


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## BentChainring (Jun 23, 2005)

Where do you get those bottle cages?


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

BentChainring said:


> Where do you get those bottle cages?


Most all of the parts, including the cages, are from Velo Orange. I think the bottle cages, brakes, headset, and stem are specced and imported by VO. The shifters also came from there. The light is the new crazy-bright generator-driven LED Lumotec CYO from Peter White. The hard part to come by in all of this was the fork.

The shifters are very nice. On my first ride, today, the ratchet mechanism is very smooth and reliable with the 8-sp cassette. It doesn't even feel odd to reach down to shift.

One deviation from Old School was that I tried a Rapid-Rise rear derailleur, as touted by GP at Rivendell. Having ridden integrated shifters for 10+ years I find it a fine variation.


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## gilley (Mar 22, 2007)

That is a beautiful ride! 

I have a question regarding your rear wheel set up. I notice that you have horizontal dropouts with a quick release axle. I was under the impression that a quick release was not strong enough to keep the wheel from slipping forward in a horizontal dropout. Or is that just the case with single speeds set ups.

I'm interested because I want to build up a single speed commuter ride but would love to have the option to convert it to geared setup in future if my knees don't agree or I move to a hilly area. 

Also, how do you set the wheel placement in the dropout so that you get the correct tension on the derailleur and drivetrain?

Cheers
Gilley


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## snapdragen (Jan 28, 2004)

BentChainring said:


> Where do you get those bottle cages?


http://www.velo-orange.com/voretrocage.html


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

Nice bike. I like the way it looks and the skinsides are classy.



gilley said:


> I have a question regarding your rear wheel set up. I notice that you have horizontal dropouts with a quick release axle. I was under the impression that a quick release was not strong enough to keep the wheel from slipping forward in a horizontal dropout. Or is that just the case with single speeds set ups.
> 
> I'm interested because I want to build up a single speed commuter ride but would love to have the option to convert it to geared setup in future if my knees don't agree or I move to a hilly area.
> 
> ...


With single-speeds the axle has to resist the torque from both acceleration and stopping. This can put a tremendous load on the axle. With a geared or SS setup the axle only has to resist acceleration torque and with a multi-geared setup the torque at the axle is less because the rider can shift to ease the load on his/her legs and this reduces the load on the axle. Still, horizontal dropouts and quick releases could mean a slipping rear wheel. You'll notice that PdxMark used an old-style rear quick release. These grab the dropout with more torque than the newer exposed cam style quick releases so the chances of a slipping wheel are reduced.

WRT to centering the wheel in the dropouts, pull the wheel all the way back into the dropout or just visually center it between the chainstays. Horizontal dropouts used to come with adjuster screws that allow you to set this ahead of time, just pull the wheel back and tighten the QR.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Beautiful.


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## boltzmann (Sep 26, 2005)

Where did you get the bikestand?


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

I didn`t know Sugino offered a double. I like the Cyo, too- I was going t oorder one a few months ago, but my bike funds all ran dry. I really don`t need more than I have now, but... well, you know how it goes.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Beautiful classy build. I like it.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks for the reply on the shifters. I'll be getting a set. Still a nice bike!


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

nioce!

grand cru brakes? how hard were they to set up?


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

I rode home tonight in the dark. The Lumotec CYO lit things quite, quite well. I've liked generator-powered lights for a long time, but this one gives all the light you could want.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

PdxMark said:


> I rode home tonight in the dark. The Lumotec CYO lit things quite, quite well. I've liked generator-powered lights for a long time, but this one gives all the light you could want.


That light is a serious value. To my eyes it's just as bright as the edelux and supernova.

Oh, and that's still a sweet build.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Doh, you guys are killing me! Please stop preaching Cyo, at least until after I get Christmas paid for! You`re going to burn a $108 hole in my pocket.


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## mitmoned (Apr 7, 2008)

No, please, by all means, keep talking about the Cyo. It's on my Christmas list and the more good reviews of it, the better chance I have to justify needing it!!


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

*Excellent job*

I'm guessing you've rode or built up quite a few bikes before this, and put a bit of planning into it. This build reflects an appreciation for what works through practical experience balanced with an eye for what looks good. That doesn't happen very often. This is one of my favorite commuter bike posts. 
The frame caught my eye. I'm kind obsessed with backupicitis. I have to have a backup/spare for everything, beyond just spare wheels and extra tubes. I need a backup commuter frame and this fits the bill. Steel, clearance for 32mm tires, rack and fender mounts, canti studs, and a 54 cm frame with a longish top tube. I'll keep this model in mind.


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Jesse D Smith said:


> I'm guessing you've rode or built up quite a few bikes before this, and put a bit of planning into it.


It's more that I put alot of thought into the few I've done than having done alot of them. This build had/has two difficulties, well, three in my case, but two for everyone else. The nice long rear horizontal dropouts make it impossible (I think) to maintain a consistent wheel/fender spacing over the circumference of the fender. Even deflating the tire you need extra space between the wheel and the front of the rear fender. Also, the fork is quite tall. I have half of a two-inch straight steel bracket as an extension of the fender tab on the front fender. 

My third deal was that I needed to bend the light bracket to move the light forward so it cleared the front brake cable. With a pretty solid stainless tell light bracket and no vise I did my he-man act with two pairs of pliers. 

Otherwise this bike built-up quite nicely.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

PdxMark said:


> It's more that I put alot of thought into the few I've done than having done alot of them. This build had/has two difficulties, well, three in my case, but two for everyone else. The nice long rear horizontal dropouts make it impossible (I think) to maintain a consistent wheel/fender spacing over the circumference of the fender. Even deflating the tire you need extra space between the wheel and the front of the rear fender. Also, the fork is quite tall. I have half of a two-inch straight steel bracket as an extension of the fender tab on the front fender.
> 
> My third deal was that I needed to bend the light bracket to move the light forward so it cleared the front brake cable. With a pretty solid stainless tell light bracket and no vise I did my he-man act with two pairs of pliers.
> 
> Otherwise this bike built-up quite nicely.


We can't plan for everything. The wheel/fender thing isn't a big deal when it's only an issue when removing a wheel, and not while you're riding it. I always wind up just keeping the axle butted against the rear of the dropouts and then using one of the two dropout alignment screws to get it perfectly straight. 
I kind of like it when I have to bend some stuff. I think all of Sheldon's bikes had some part "customized" so it would play nice with the rest of the bike. 
That commute will give you plenty of time to get to know the bike real good real fast. Have fun.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

I might have at least a partial solution to your rear fender spacing. It worked on my last commuter, which had semi horizontal dropouts, about 3/4 of an inch long. I found a long 5 or 6 mm bolt that was threaded all the way to the head, ground the head down to about half its thickness, and put it through the fender hole from the inside with a locknut run all the way up against the fender on the outside so it was effectively like a threaded stud sticking straight out from the fender. With that stud through the hole in the CS bridge, held in by a finger-tight nut on the fender side and another locknut on the BB side, I got about a half inch of play by spinning the finger tightened nut towards the fender for wheel removal or against the bridge for riding. By keeping it only finger tight, I didn`t need any extra tools with me to take the wheel out, but about every two or three days I`d hear the fender vibrating and have to spin the little nut back into place again. Your dropouts look longer, but maybe that would get it a bit closer for you.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Very, very nice. I've nver understood why the Pake C'mute doesn't get more buzz because it's an incredible value and well-designed for commuting and touring. Maybe your post will help. I like everything about yours - the color scheme, choice of components and functionality.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

Here's a possible fix for your fender line problem.

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2009/04/spring-thing.html


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

tarwheel2 said:


> Very, very nice. I've nver understood why the Pake C'mute doesn't get more buzz because it's an incredible value and well-designed for commuting and touring. Maybe your post will help. I like everything about yours - the color scheme, choice of components and functionality.


+1.

It's really pretty, it's cheap and it doesn't take completely obscure wheels and tires (I will never understand 650b).

Gorgeous build, BTW.


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## stunzeed (Jul 27, 2007)

Looks amazing...how is it climbing up the hills in portland? Looks too pretty to be a rain bike but probably does well in it


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## dirttorpedo (Feb 20, 2009)

Nice bike. I'm thinking of getting a C'muter and building it up as my commuter. I am interested in trying out 650b wheels - eventually. Does anyone know if this frame would be suitable for a 650b conversion?


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## Mace2180 (Nov 12, 2012)

She's a beaut!


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## cazesm (Aug 29, 2013)

Good afternoon. I'm in the middle of a C'Mute build up and would love to see yours if you still have pics... They don't seem to be part of your post anymore...

Thanks!


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