Whee!

For the last two years I have been looking to score a deal on a nice old Carlton Raleigh... one that I could restore and convert into a 'Country Bike' (thats what European touring type bikes seem to be called these days)

So, the other day I took a quick look at Craigslist and saw this posting for an old raleigh 10 speed for $49. The owner said in the ad that he thought it was a valuable bike. The picture was too fuzzy to tell what model it was, but it looked like my size. "What could it be?" I thought... "Competition? Super Course? International???" (I would have died and gone to heaven if it was an International)

I called the owner. He said the bike was still there, but I was the fourth caller already. I told him I wanted to buy it, sight-unseen, and I wanted to pick it up right away before someone else did. He told me he wouldn't be home until after 9:30pm.
At 9:45 I arrived at the house and found a beat up old 1974 24.5" Gran Sport. Not quite what I was hoping for, but still, the Reynolds 531 frame, Stronglight (Model 93?) crank and Brooks B17 saddle made it worth the price of admission.

Overall, it's pretty rusty, but nothing serious. The chrome on the rear triangle is in decent shape, but the chrome on the fork is pretty bad and I may have to paint over the fork. Covering up the chrome on the fork will detract a little from the classy looks of the bike, I know, but the fork is just in really rough shape.
After stripping and re-painting it is going to look awesome!

Utilitarian cycling in Rhode Island!

I spotted this awesome pedi-cab bike outside a restaurant in my neighborhood! Of course I had to stop and talk to the owner.

Jamie lives only a few blocks from me. He frequently takes his two children for rides on the bike path's, in parades or, like he was doing today, out for lunch at a local restaurant.

This Main St Pedicab  has an electric assist motor for the hills and a high-power lighting system for nighttime riding.

Jamie also used to be a hardcore bicycle commuter too (52 miles round trip!)

While I was talking to him everyone that walked by and saw the pedicab said 'Cool!'

Cool indeed!

fixed gear pics

My old pink Bridgestone 550 has a new black paint (spray can) job.

The pre-1990 Bridgestones are nothing like the Grant Peterson cult classics from the final days of Bstone. This one has a short top tube, no fender eyelets, no tire clearance for anything bigger than a 700x25, and the headset stack height is so ridiculously low (and it has no spacers) that I cant find one to replace it! Still, I LOVE the way this bike rides, feels and handles.

The Lego skeleton has been hanging from the mirror in my VW for years. Once the car died, It only seemed fitting to make it a headbadge for my new ride.

 

car free!

My old 1997 VW Golf finally died. It's been spiraling the drain for about a year now, and I kept fixing it but now it's just not worth it anymore.

I've been on a lot of adventures with this car. Folk festivals, mountain bike festivals, more snowboard trips than I can even count, camping and road trips... 

I'm gonna miss it. 

I'll really miss my Windells Snowboard Camp decal. 

So. I'm now car free... not completely by choice, but I'm ok with it for now.