Archive for the ‘Bicycling’ Category
The bike arrived and unfortunately there were a couple of shipping scratches. I’ll get those handled after the mechanical going-over is complete. The bike was in very good condition and the only obvious issue is that the tires/tubes won’t hold pressure for long. Well, they are 30 years old so I really shouldn’t be surprised.
Taking things apart to check the bearings and adjustments isn’t too difficult, but I wanted to use the correct tool for the job. I purchased tools to remove the freewheel, to remove and adjust the bottom bracket, to remove and adjust the wheel bearings, and the headset.
I had a good quality grease available, cleaning supplies too. The job went smoothly with the proper tools and soon it was just about ready to ride. I knew the tubes weren’t holding pressure for long so I picked up replacement tubes. When I took the tires off to replace the tubes, the tires were cracked and falling apart. I’m not sure why I thought a 30 year old tube needed to be replaced but a 30 year old tire would be fine. See, I do get smarter as I get older – but it’s a slow process. 
Anyway, I replaced the tires with Panaracer RibMo 700Cx25s and they ride very well. I haven’t had them on wet pavement yet, but they have good traction and ride quality. I’m running them at 90psi front and 100psi rear. For looks, gumwall tires are better, but these are fine and I have no plans to replace them anytime soon.
I do like the ride of a nice lugged steel frame…
Not a motor-powered one, a human-powered one. A very nice early 1980′s Bianchi Limited. Even though it is almost 30 years old, it is in nearly mint condition. I’ve wanted a nice steel framed bicycle and because smaller frames fit me best but are harder to come by, when this one showed up I didn’t hesitate.
This winter it will see a complete going-over and will be ready for next spring. To tell the truth, it may just see a few miles yet this year – weather depending.
Take a look at these photos – very nice for a 30 year old bicycle.
This time, without gasoline. That’s right, bicycling.
Last year, my wife and I bought new bicycles. Good, not great, Trek bikes from a very good shop in Oswego, Illinois. When I was in high school in upstate New York, it seemed like I spent entire summers on the bike with a friend named Steve George. Up and down the hills of upstate New York; long ago I lost count of the miles and hours we spent riding. The bicycling bug never actually left, just was dormant for a while.
We started going on rides around the house, and also on the Fox Valley and Gilman bike trails. It’s been a lot of fun and good exercise too. I have a old Fuji Dynamic 12 I bought many years ago that is in need of restoration, maybe that will become a winter project. Precisely which winter remains a mystery.
Anyway, I decided this year to ride more and it’s been great. We’re fortunate to live in the country so we can go on several nice rides right out of our driveway.
More to come…