As you can see from the willows in the distance, the wind was blowing, and now that the temperatures are trending downward for autumn it's far easier to forsake the Lycra without sweating through your clothes and looking like you've wet your pants.
Alas, today it is raining steadily and heavily, so instead of riding I retreated to the basement where I finally got around to packing up the Drysdale Special for its return journey to Classic Cycles on Bainbridge Island, WA:
While technically my last ride on this bike was last week when my son and I rolled on over to the park, my last "proper" ride (meaning with the ballet shoes and so forth) was to Central Park last weekend:
In my 11-ish years of typing words into this electronic box a lot of bicycles have passed between my legs, but the Drysdale stands out--mostly because it's old as shit, to be fair, but also because the experience of riding and old-as-shit bicycle is nothing short of revelatory inasmuch as by 1950 the road racing bicycle had already attained a state of considerable awesomeness:
Indeed, I will now acutely feel the absence of a vintage bicycle in my stable, and I've now got half a mind to put one together for myself. (Though fortunately I've got another half a mind to save the time and energy and not bother.) I'm also grateful to have had extensive firsthand experience with landmark bicycle componentry such as the Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleur, with which the Drysdale is equipped:
I do sort of regret racing the bike, and I did consider it. However, the reason I ultimately decided not to was because, well, it's fucking old, and I didn't want to be the fucking asshole who crashes half the field because his 60+ year-old crankarm snapped.
Anyway, I imagine it won't be my last spin back in time, as Classic Cycles have already indicated I may be in line for a vintage mountain bike next.
Guess I'd better shake out the jorts and grow myself a mustache.
42 comments:
You're NOT getting a fat tired bike.
I thought we've been over this?
"As you can see from the willows..."
Confirming those are in fact willow trees. I'll let someone else guess the exact species.
"Vintage mountain bike" Ugh! Please, Snob, don't do it! (Unless, of course, it's a vintage 29er.) Any, and I mean any, specimen sporting that God-forsaken-Depression-era-Schwinn-fueled 26" "standard" must be shunned! (Unless, of course, you're under 5', then we could justify it as a "kid's bike/toy")
yay! go vintage mtb! now we just need a sixties moulton and a bickerton and the snob will have covered my entire stable.
Tell me you padded and secured that handlebar. That quill stem is gonna mangle the paint on the headtube and fork.
Also, why does your sponsored link-way now feature cowperson boots? Have you made fun of the boot sellers (like you have of many of your other sponsors)? If not, can we interpret this to mean you approve of cowperson boots?
My dog used to give me shit about getting old.
But he's getting on also. Poor guy pinched a nerve in his neck over the weekend. I broke a toe a few weeks ago.
Yesterday, we were shuffling along like a couple of Floridian retirees en route to the Early Bird Special.
Ordinarily, I try to wear getting old like a badge of honor.
Some days though, the badge weighs more than others.
The great benefit of aging, however, is the realization you only have a finite amount of fucks to give in this life and as the stockpile dwindles, you appreciate the importance of rationing them.
You ride slower, but you appreciate it more.
Glad you had time on the Drysdale.
Did ya have to send the ballet slippers back as well?
it was fun reading about your adventures with the dryesdale.
Perhaps you're getting an off road penny farthing?
Tree Fred and Anonymous 2:57pm,
Congratulations Tree Fred on beating Bike Case Fred to the punch!
--Tan Tenovo
Oops!Drysdale.stupid me.
Snob, as the owner of 4 old bikes of various levels of awesomeness I'll assure the better half of your mind that wants to build up something old is the correct half of the brain.
though i suspect that people who do not own or lease smaller child people may have a bit more free time to dick around on the craig-face-bay for parts and such and pour over super important details like making sure your headset is a 7410 and not the obviously inferior 7400 but ensuring your stem is 7300 cause aero is where its at these days. in fact, that should change AERO TO ARROW cause that's how streamline and fast I am. and super pointy in parts.
There is a road in Florida that is the most dangerous in the nation, per the WSJ.
I do not like Florida.
IMHO -- a quiver of sporting goods is incomplete until it has old items that function. I've never seen a broken crankarm, only bent ones, broken cranks may be an urban legend.
@pbateman, you snaged me with the “obviously inferior” 7400(headset). I’d suggest it's superior for indoor track use, but agree the sealed and svelte 7410 desirable for road bikes.
I would have choked up after closing the case...Good-bye quill stem...Good-bye Sewups...Good-bye ballet shoes...Good-bye lugs...
Dear Mr. Tenovo, Have you ever been to Bicycle Heaven in Pittsburgh? You could build just about anything from their parts selection, your mag wheeled bmx for example would be a piece of cake.
You again- what the hell is your problem with 26" wheels? You rant like an ass!
Go to Youtube and search for the 35mm Dutch film on the 1953 TDF. Ok, I'll do it for ya. Lots of scenes of pre-60's France.
https://youtu.be/ZV0wzG3KEgY
So, the vintage MTB collection at Classic is lacking any really old bikes. No converted Schwinn Excelsiors. No early Ritchey, Fisher, or Cunninghams. Not even a 1984 Stumpjumper, the first mass production MTB, that used a combo of road, touring, bmx, and motorcycle parts.
Their earliest example is a claimed '86 American Comp Lite, but the 6 speed indexed XT M730 group on it came out in 1987. Weird early aluminum bike.
The 1987 Diamondback Arrival and Schwinn Cimarron are closest to the early MTB design, with geometry based on the excelsior beach cruiser, cro-moly construction. Both bikes run the XT M730 group. The geo is actually not far off from the Jones, with long stays, slack seat angle short reach. Considerably slacker head angle and wider bars, tho.
The two bikes that seem right up Bikesnob's alley are the 1987 Cunningham Racer, and the 1989 Bridgestone MB-1.
http://classiccycleus.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/1987-Cunningham-Racer.jpg
Charlie Cunningham has similar design approach to Jeff Jones. Re-imagining all components of the bike, from hub spacing, to handlebars. The aluminum and proprietary brakes and bb may be a deal breaker.
http://classiccycleus.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1990-Bridgestone-MB-1.jpg
Grant Petersen design, japanese tange tubing, full retro. This bike would be sick with some northroad bars, slick fatties and fenders.
@HDEB,
Not an urban legend at all. I've seen two broken cranks in person, thankfully neither of them mine. Even watched one of them snap when the rider in front of me stood up on a small hill. Apparently the fluting on the old Campagnolo Super Record Strada crank is a stress riser and leads to fatigue cracks.
Courtesy of The Beaverton, Canada's answer to The Onion, we have people that don't like bikes up here as well:
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2018/09/doug-ford-invokes-war-measures-act-to-remove-toronto-bike-lanes/
My only MTB is a somewhat elderly Kona Lava Dome that I've fitted Pace RC35s to (to try to reduce the double vision on fast rocky descents). Indexed thumbies, but. Nice bike.
Hey Nonny Mouse
The mb-1 seems like a bike that bikesnob wished he owned in retrospect, when he was riding bright red Cannondale.
the Mb1 and RB1s have jumped the shark.
You have some asshats out there adulterating those sensible everyman bikes in blingy crap... like pacenti carbon 45 tubulars for god sake... to the point they've lost the original intent and have devolved into yuppie/hipster fashion statements.
i'd suggest something more sensible like a ritchey p22 team or a panasonic MC team. all xtr of course.
I'd go with the Cunningham Racer if you can make requests of Classic Cycle. Maybe they're going to send you a WWI military bike or something.....otherwise, i'd think you've already owned an 80's "Classic" mountain bike? They still available for about 50 bucks on occasion at thrift stores and oddball second hand shops, like an early 80's Ross i bought in '17 to tour NYC with.
One poster's suggestion of retrofitting an MB-1 with northroad bars, slick fatties and fenders is refined and classic. Like a 19th century safety frame redux with gears, coasting, and clampers... which mirrors the build on my current quiver of one (by virture of moving cross-continent in a compact vehicle) that excels, kinda, across the spectrum of road or trail. Which brings to mind - how's that 'bike of one' experiment working out for you this year? Has it faltered amid all the others you've been riding? Which was it again, old rusty or the Milwaukee? (Ben's, solid, one of the iconic locals)
Dude, your crank arm snapped. THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.
vsk said ...
Snobby, you have to quote the serial numba of that Drysdale in your literature cause, you know, provenonnnnsssss / provenance. That bike will be worth an abbreviated fucktonneload more if the buyer knows your arse graced the chair, in Central Park of all places.
MTB - get a 26" front / 24" rear 1985 Cannondale and be done with it. My grey one was stolen from my driveway, locked up and all.
Incidentally, I did have an Avocet triple crank on it and broke the non drive side arm whilst doing deliveries for the local pharmacy. Roy's Cycle in Sheepshead Bay said they wouldn't replace the arm because the bike was being used "commercially".
Big bidness screwing the little guy...
vsk
Mr. Snoobovo, Tan
Too bad the red bicycling cycle had to be sent on its way. Gives me a better appreciation for all those "Beverly Hillbillies" reruns. I had no idea their banker was also an esteemed framebuilder.
Cheerio.
26"
The best size. It's bmx for adults. It's only a matter of time.
When you said “firing up the flux capacitor one more time”— did you mean it - ah- literally?
Got the Brooks B17 in royal blue today. just mounted it. its beyond handsome.
doesn't even look look like i'm trying to hard - just looks like i have exceptional taste. which i absolutely do. you'd be truly impressed by the furnishings at my apartment up on west 81st.
i am surprised by how stiff these things are. my first brooks so didn't know what to expect exactly but i can see why there may be a break in period.
ride safe if you are riding
p.s.
Tan T - our next 5 blog posts better be free to make up for this week.
Ride safe all.
With or without an escort.
F-U-U-U-U-CK Y-O-U! (Ya' Conformist Dill-Weed Moron!)
you do realize the only reason those lazy Marin Hippeis chose those Schwinn 26"Klunkers wuz becuz...those lazy Marin Hippies, dontcha?
I pulled out of the metal scrap yard one of those '85 cannondales with a 24"/26" wheelset, and couldn't believe how far ahead of their time they were and why someone would just let it go to rot.
Son if racing bikes hit 95% of perfection by 1950, what would be the similar date for MTBs?
Movin’ to Montana soon, gonna be a moustache wax tycoon.
Yeah, twenty six inch vintage anything sucks, what WCRM wants is a sugar 292.
Hopefully it's stock for the full 'riding a squishy wet noodle' experience.
Maybe with an e-bike conversion for the full Fisher approval?
I think that's a plus bike not a fat one.
Four Hour Erection:
Better your crank arm than your crank.
Outdoorpace@3:07am- Definitions@ from-here-to-forward~r t b~considered~ fluuyyd~ soyaknow gowiththe flowbro.
Hey there Mr. Snob- What kind of case is that you're packing the Drysdale into?
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