'YO!' Toyosha Conversion

[wwm]

G'day all. Here's a little project I've been working away on for the last week.

I picked up a 1975 Toyosha (made by Toyota) 10 speed recently. Perplexed by the rarity I thought it deserved some love from the state that I picked it up in...



Some excellent components but standard gearing so I thought it was a perfect candidate for a single speed conversion. Here is the result.



The name of the bike has earned it the loving nickname YO!


Original Suntour Black Guard. Shimano Freewheel.


Though I would have liked to keep the bike fully Japanese the cranks weren't holding up. Ebay provided the bargain goods!


City slick bars=No more mirror collision. Handsewn leather grips.


Handsewn porter strap. Saves shoulders. 1975 Brooks for pure comfort


I'm sorry that this post is so image heavy but I'm stoked on this project. Love the trials and tribulations and rewards that come with converting old bikes.

YO!

[jonbays]

Don't see those porter straps about much but they are a great thing for flat dwellers with stairs as I remember.

[familyguy]

Best. Pie plate. Ever.

Jim

[Moe]

The Pie Plate makes this bike, Porter straps are a nice touch.

Do something about that chain tension and she's sweeeeet. Good work.

[PeteV]

One of the best conversions I have seen in a while. Tastefully done mate, I really like it!

[Kempie]

Nice build!
Its not trying to be something its not, parts compliment each other (maybe change the pedals).

Do something about that chain tension and she's sweeeeet. Good work.

+1

[HLC]

It's Single Speed! Who cares about the chain tension. Loose chain is a fast chain!

Different and interesting build! Kudos.

[maccayak]

It's Single Speed! Who cares about the chain tension. Loose chain is a fast chain!

Good point. The chain on my SS is a bit slack, but I like your point, if it's only a single speed it does not matter as much as you are not using the chain for a brake.

Geoff

[wwm]

I'd like to add to this chain debate. I've been riding this bike for a few weeks now with different chain configs-pretty slack to nice and tight. I have to say that it runs optimaly the tighter it is but because I don't have ultra muscles that's probably not very tight at all.

Anyway, the chain has been loosening in and today something drastic happened. On my way home I went over a huge pothole and my chain slipped off due to me not having tensioned it for a while. However, I'm getting pretty quick at slipping it back on. Today though, after the pot-hole incident, I went to put the chain back on and realised the master link had snapped off and the chain was now broken (at the masterlink so an easy fix)! I never really trusted these masterlinks that you install by hand-I mean surely the tension and pressure is 1000 fold what your hand can do to get the master link on there. Never again.

[Quadrifoglio_75]

Looks amazing! Old post, but if you’re ever interested in selling please hit me up.

Cheers,
Simon

[rustychisel]

... the master link had snapped off and the chain was now broken (at the masterlink so an easy fix)! I never really trusted these masterlinks that you install by hand-I mean surely the tension and pressure is 1000 fold what your hand can do to get the master link on there. Never again.

Can you define 'master link'? Do you mean the double plate with snap catch, or the current standard in-line quick links such as Connex or Wipperman. If the latter, then sorry, they're are no weaker nor more liable to fail than any other link in the chain. Period.

If your experience is otherwise, then improper installation must be the answer*.



* NB: using a Connex link in 3/32 chain for fixed gear riding and have been doing so for well over a decade. NEVER had an issue with it, including when I unshipped the chain (loose tension) at 50kmh. The chain was buggered but the quicklink remained operable and in place.