Dawes

I was going to buy this bike but a friend beat me to it by just a few minutes. At least she let my photograph the head tube badge.

Bicycle Portraits

A friend sent me this link. Some nice bike photos and stories HERE

El Paso, 1972

Photograph by Danny Lyon

The Prisoner

The Prisoner by Rudi Nadler

Chemainus, BC

Original photograph by Victor Anthony, copyright 2010. No unauthorized reproduction please.

High City

Painting by Marc Simonetti

531 Trek

I picked up this Trek 610 from the local recycling centre for a cool $5. Lugged Reynolds 531 tubing plus a Shimano 600 gruppo made it a good score. The frame's too small for me but I couldn't resist building it up as a fixed gear so I pulled the wheels, chain, seatpost and saddle off the Motobecane and put it together quick and dirty. I've got the Brooks way back on the post and a 120mm stem out front so the cockpit is OK. They threw in some oddball Manubri Cosmos handlebars with a track shape but road drop and since they fit the stem, on they went. Running 50x20 with the stock crank and a Surly cog out back. Think I'll ride it for a while and then maybe sell it.


Note: I added a new link today > Classic Vintage Bikes

Pedal Power

A fixed gear bike + a generator = Carbon-free kilowatts. Read about it here

Toulouse Lautrec

Olmo Pista

A beautiful Italian track bike seen recently on eBay

Bianchi's 125th Anniversary

Read all about it here

Quote

I have ignored this blog for too long. Hopefully, I'll be posting more often. I photographed my rear wheel in some nice light this afternoon and found a good quote to go with it.

"Transportation by bike means you are riding IN, not driving THROUGH like a car. You are life-EXPERIENCING, not sight-SEEING. You are in it and of it, and the beauty goes so deeply inside you that you could weep, and you just never want to get off the bike again"

From NO IMPACT MAN by Colin Beavan

Original photograph by Victor Anthony, copyright 2010. No unauthorized reproduction please.

Vintage Fuji

I worked on a friend's old Fuji touring bike today and couldn't resist grabbing a photo of the vintage headbadge. Too bad most companies have gone to decals.

Celo

Can't remember where I found this photo but it sure makes a nice desktop. It reminds me of the Masi catalogue image I posted about this time last year.

Summer-Weight Motobecane

I removed the brake, bell and bottle cage for a total of 1.8 pounds which is enough to notice. I'm not a gram counter kinda guy but the bike definitely feels livelier. And I enjoy riding brakeless which I did a lot last year on the Apollo. Of course the bike looks much better stripped down too.

Fixed Gear Family

Questions

I snapped this photo on Hawthorne Street in Portland. Fixed gear bikes are everywhere in that city but this one caught my eye for a couple of reasons and I'm wondering if any of you have any thoughts on...

1. What do you think about track bars on a road bike conversion?

2. Check the stem (looks like maybe a 130mm) and the height of the seat post. Obviously, this frame is a tad small for it's rider but he/she has made it work by stretching the cockpit. Have any of you taller riders had experience with making a smaller frame fit OK?

I keep looking for a lugged steel track bike or frame in my size (61-62) but I don't find many for sale. Anybody have any suggestions? I can't really afford a custom-built frame and besides I prefer the look of an older bike with some battle scars and patina.

1964 Frejus

This beautiful machine belongs to a lucky fellow named Dan and was posted to the Fixed Gear Gallery today. More photos here