3 replies to this topic

[Merco_61]

I rewrapped the bars and went for a ride on this piece of old steel this morning and had to clean it when I came home. When it was clean I took some photos...

 

 

[Kenafein]

It looks well loved.  It's too bad it's frightening to ride a bike in my city.  I miss the more bike friendly neighborhood of my youth.

[Merco_61]

The frame is 34 years old, but the original Dura-Ace groupset wore out and I modernized it with a 2010 Campagnolo Veloce gruppo a year ago. The wheels are from 2011 and laced and trued by yours truly. Even with the downgrade from Shimano's top of the line in 1980 to the cheapest Campag gruppo available to the general public in 2010 and from tubulars to clinchers, the bike is 50 g lighter than when new.

In this city, everybody rides a bike everywhere. This can be a problem as sidewalk riders and salmon are difficult to see as they aren't where one expects traffic...

A bike is definitely the fastest way to get around, unless transporting something large or heavy. If I include the time to find a parking space, my travel times are shorter by bike than they were by car anywhere inside the city boundaries. I don't have a car anymore as it is cheaper to rent one the few times I need it than to own and maintain one.

[Kenafein]

The frame is 34 years old, but the original Dura-Ace groupset wore out and I modernized it with a 2010 Campagnolo Veloce gruppo a year ago. The wheels are from 2011 and laced and trued by yours truly. Even with the downgrade from Shimano's top of the line in 1980 to the cheapest Campag gruppo available to the general public in 2010 and from tubulars to clinchers, the bike is 50 g lighter than when new.

In this city, everybody rides a bike everywhere. This can be a problem as sidewalk riders and salmon are difficult to see as they aren't where one expects traffic...

A bike is definitely the fastest way to get around, unless transporting something large or heavy. If I include the time to find a parking space, my travel times are shorter by bike than they were by car anywhere inside the city boundaries. I don't have a car anymore as it is cheaper to rent one the few times I need it than to own and maintain one.

That sounds great, but I live in Southern California(just outside of LA).  My commute is 19 miles each way(considered relatively short).  I contemplated riding to work anyways, but there really aren't any safe routes and nobody looks for cyclists in my region(excuse for wife calling me crazy).  In California the car is king, but I shudder to think about how bad everything's going to be even 10 years from now.  We have no real prospects for mass transit.  In fact, to take mass transit, it would take me almost 2 hours to get to work.  I could cycle there in less time. I'd really love to see some bike lanes added, with protected dividers.  We have so few here, and what we do have is encroached upon by drivers.