Condition is Everything

When it comes to old bicycles, condition is everything

Why am I posting this? Because over the years, I have bought many old bicycles. I overpaid for some bicycles based on their brand name and country of origin. In addition to the price I paid for some of my bicycles, I spent to have them restored, in some instances twice as much as I paid originally. While some restorations have been worth it, others left me with a mediocre and somewhat decent bike at best. That is why when deciding on buying a bicycle, it's a good idea to look at the overall condition of the bike before making a decision.

Case and point, I recently got a late 70's to early 80's(ish) Concord Selecta Freedom Deluxe 12 speed road bike on trade. At the time of production, this was a mid-range bicycle made with Kuwahara tubing instead of the plain gauge, hi tensile steel so commonly found in bikes of that same era. This bike features a really cool, super smooth crankset that is a combination of the press fit and Octalink drive technologies seen today on modern bicycles. This crank also features self-extracting crank bolts which unscrew with a 6mm allen key, no special crank puller tool required. The Shimano Selecta crankset appeared around the same time as positron shifting, which was the first attempt at indexed shifting.

My Concord Selecta "Freedom Deluxe" 12 speed road bike.

The decals on this bike are painted, and the lugs have been ornately pinstriped.

The decals on this bike are in great shape. 

At first glance, there seems to be nothing special about this bicycle. It has a bolted on rear wheel, bolted on saddle, stem shifters, no rear derailleur hanger and no water bottle braze ons. The bike snob "connoisseur" types would quickly pass on this bike, assuming it is a cheap, low end model. What this bike doesn't show on the outside it reveals as soon as I mount on the saddle. 

This is the smoothest, most compliant bike of all my ten speed bike-boom era bicycles. The foam grips and the alloy wheels give it a comfortable and plush ride, and the steel frame does it's job of absorbing the road vibrations. The stem shifters shift effortlessly and I have just the right amount of climbing and sprinting gear ratios. What a climber this bike is! Seriously, I did not have to get off the saddle at all, not even on the steepest climbs of my routes the last time I rode it. The stamped, Selecta crankset spun smoothly up hills and I found myself spinning where I would normally be mashing. The saddle was firm enough but not super stiff in the crotch area, and the steel frame absorbed a lot of the impact to the groin region. Japanese road bikes of the 70's and 80's have a reputation for being well made and having better quality than the Peugeots and Merciers that were being made during the same period. However, the thing that sets this bike apart from my other bikes was the condition that I received it in.

This bike was received in time capsule, almost air-sealed, new-old-stock condition compared to other vintage bicycles that I have restored over the years. This bicycle needs no restoration, therefore there is nothing I have to put into it after making the initial investment. When I say nothing, not even the tires need replacing. The rubber on the tires is still new with the little stubbies sticking out the sides. Sometimes its better to get a lightly used, mass produced Japanese bicycle that is in good condition rather than buying a high end bicycle parts project. A middle of the road, not so prestigious bicycle in good condition will be ridden more, enjoyed more and it will be easier to keep up with in the future. A high end bicycle will be stored and collected after restoration, hardly getting any ride time over fears that if it breaks down it will be expensive to fix. These days, the better the condition and the better the fit, the more valuable a bicycle is to me. The Concord Selecta wins on both counts. I get freedom from riding it, just as the name on the frame suggests. It's a bicycle I can use to go exploring downtown or the trails around my area. I feel comfortable riding it helmet-less and in my regular clothing. A 20 mile ride on this bike wouldn't be out of the question, because I know that I received it in good cosmetic and mechanical condition. So I can't stress this enough. I have paid way too much in the past for bicycles that I never got running off the ground. So condition is everything...CONDITION-CONDITION-CONDITION!!!

Stay tuned and subscribe for more informative posts.

***Here's a checklist to go over when looking over a bicycle for purchase***

1. Does the frame have cracks, dents, rust or feel off balance when ridden?
2. Does the fork on the frame look bent?
3. Does the chain have rust?
4. Are the tires dry-rotted?
5. Are there any missing bolts on the bicycle?
6. Are the cables worn or rusted?
7. Are the brake pads worn?
8. Is there any rust pitting on the chrome components?
9. Are the wheels severely bent or missing spokes?
10. Does the freewheel or the rear cassette engage when pedaled?

Vintage Mountain Bike: My 1984 Schwinn Sierra

Rockin' those bull moose handlebars....80's style.

I rarely take self portraits, but this one seems very period correct, Star Wars tee shirt and all.

As a followup to my last few articles about vintage mountain biking, I wanted to introduce some of my readers to what a first generation mountain bike looks like. I recently acquired this 1984 Schwinn Sierra for 70 bucks a few days ago. This was the first mountain bike made by Schwinn and 1984 was the first year of production. This model was a mid-level option at the time, with the High Sierra being the top of the line mountain bike in the lineup.

My first impression of this bike is how indestructible it feels while riding. This bike comes with really beefy Araya 26x1.75 alloy wheels with high flange sealed hubs that are bolted onto the frame. The wheels alone probably have a combined weight of  over 10 pounds, including the tires and tubes. Although this was a bit of a drawback while climbing, I feel that these wheels can rollover and mow down anything in their path. I don't think there is anything that I can do to easily taco these rims. 

This bicycle features the highly coveted bull moose handlebars. Bull moose handlebars have a unique design that combines the stem and handlebars into a single welded piece. Adding to the uniqueness of this design, this bike comes with old school friction thumb shifters as well. 

"Bull Moose" handlebars and thumb shifters, also known as "thumbies".

The brakes on this bike are truly unique. They are not the disc brakes seen on mountain bikes today or even the V-brakes seen on most 90's mid-school mountain bikes. These are first generation cantilevers, made of all steel with a winged shaped design.When adjusted, these brakes have incredibly good stopping power, although the front brake pads on this bike are starting to squeak and show their age.

Dia Compe cantilever brakes were one of the first braking systems used on mountain bikes.

When I got this bike, it was covered in silt over years of not being cleaned or maintained. The grease was 30 years old and never changed out throughout it's existence. I took this bike apart, regreased all the bearings and dunked most of the drivetrain parts in Simple Green to get the years of dirt and grime buildup off of them. I re-lubricated the chain as a temporary solution but will end up replacing the chain and freewheel in the future to make it ride just a little smoother. 

So, how does it ride? Let me start off by saying that this bike isn't for everyone. Its an old bike, there should be no illusions of it riding like a modern mountain bike or better. For one thing, climbing hills on this bike is more difficult because of the bigger front chainrings, the longer wheelbase and the overall weight of this steel bike. I made all of the hills I normally make on this bike, but found myself climbing on my largest rear sprocket most of the time. Granted, I had a backpack full of my camera gear when I took these photos on my last ride.  What this bike lacks going uphill it makes up for on the way back down.  This bike rides like a beast on flat singletrack and  takes downhills with speed. Its important to keep in mind that people were not thinking of riding their bikes over rock gardens or getting massive air off of jumps when these bikes were made. In the early years of mountain biking there was a big focus on trekking rather than racing like there is nowadays. Having a durable bike that could take a beating was key, but people also had the common sense to get off their bikes when the terrain became too gnarly. The mountain bike was originally designed to take people where a road bike couldn't go. In it's humble beginnings, it was purposed as a tool for exploration rather than an off road racing machine. Although this bike is heavy, there is no compromise to it's durability and this mountain bike rides like a tank. These are how the first mountain bikes that rolled off the assembly line were built.

This bike marks the start of a new focus for my blog, as well as a shift in the type of bikes that I will be collecting, riding on and talking about. I'll still do a couple of articles on vintage road bike riding, however the preservation of old-school mountain biking culture has taken precedent. One might assume that I'll be going off on a tangent of all things 90's mountain bike related, like talking about John Tomac's drop bar riding position or Tinker Juarez. Not at all; I'll be talking about mountain bike culture from the way I grew up seeing it, not from a nostalgic ex-racer's point of view. Some very interesting articles to come. Stay tuned!

A Tale of Two Peugeots: The PGN-10 and the PSN-10

Discussing my two favorite Peugeots from 1985

1985 was indeed a great year for a lot of things. Back To the Future came out, as well as one of my favorite movies of all time, The Goonies. I was born that year so that is probably the best thing that ever happened! All joking aside, that year also introduced two very unique models from the Peugeot bicycle factory. 

Second and Bottom: The PSN-10 and PGN-10. Image courtesy of cyclespeugeot.com

At first glance the PGN-10 and the model above it, the PSN-10, look like your typical 1980's road bikes. But look closer, and the differences start to become clear. These bikes have quill seatposts that adjust from the inside of the post rather than from a seatpost binder bolt. Plastic Stronglight headsets would now seem like a quirky idea but were the rave on many 80's french bikes. Even Bernard Hinault promoted his line of plastic headsets. As strange and as prone to catastrophic failure as these design features seem to be, they are highly functional and have been free from any defect over the past 30 years. I'm sure that the seatpost has a weight limit, however riding these bikes it's clear to me that I haven't reached it. The Sachs Huret shifters and derailleurs on my PGN-10 are the cleanest and smoothest shifting of all the bikes that I own. In the following article I'm going to do my best to give a concise review of both bikes.

Kitt From Knight Rider, my PSN-10

Meet Kitt, My Campagnolo equipped PSN-10.

This is easily one of the most comfortable steel bikes that I own, only below "La Poderosa" in it's ride quality and handling. It took a lot of work to get this bike to ride the way it should. Even after having taken it all apart and greasing every single bearing the bike felt whippy and noodly. I researched this and it turns out that its a pretty common issue with this Peugeot model. To counteract the "whippiness" I replaced the 40cm handlebars with some 43cm Sakae FX handlebars I had lying around. The Modolo Speedy brakes that originally came on the bike were not centering correctly, so I replaced those with some Tektro takeoffs from another bike, purchased from a seller on eBay. The original Vetta saddle that came on the bike was dried out and as hard as a brick. I had an extra Brooks saddle that I was saving for a very special bike. I decided now it was the time to use it on my new bike, which I will refer to as Kitt.

The Ride:

Today I took Kitt for a 40 mile spin around the countryside, just to see if I like the bike enough to use it in my next bike rally. This bike definitely has it's talking points. For one thing, I have never ridden this far on a bike without clip-less pedals. The fact that I was able to ride 40 miles in the 97 degree heat and still come out okay means that this bike was mostly comfortable on all it's points of contact.

There is a bounciness to the Super Vitus tubing that resembles titanium or carbon in it's ride quality. Compared to other steel bikes that I own, this Peugeot can absorb road shock without compromising energy transfer through the frame. All this makes for a lively, springy ride, especially when the roads start to get gravelly.  

One might assume that a stiffer yet springier steel frame makes for a faster ride. I did not have a cycling computer to see how fast I was going. Furthermore, I felt I could have lowered the stem a little bit more to assume my usual aero position. The fact is that the speed of this bike still remains unknown. It certainly felt fast, however I know from experience that feeling and reality are two different things.

There was more stiffness in the front fork on this bike than on my other bikes. I  can attribute this to the Stronglight headset being made of Derlin plastic and therefore not transfering vibrations as efficiently as a steel one would. I will have to make sure to wear padded gloves the next time I take this bike on a long ride. 

One thing that helped the ride on this bike tremendously was switching out the stock saddle for the Brooks. I find that any bike with a Brooks saddle rides way better than a bike without one. Despite the odd seatpost and plastic headset, when all the pieces come together this bike works magnificently.

My PGN-10

I was fortunate enough to get this bike with very little use on it and very low miles on the frame and components. The only thing that I had to change out was the wheelset, because the seller put 27" wheels on the bike that didn't fit. I had some 700c wheels with Shimano 600 hubs lying around my garage that I replaced them with. 

This bike rides great with all of it's stock components. Not even the saddle needs replacing. This bike shifts well even while climbing, and I can hardly feel the transition from the large to the small chainrings when I shift. The Reynolds 501 tubing absorbs road vibrations well and in my opinion is more compliant than the Super Vitus as it isn't as bouncy. Since I have owned it I have not had to take it apart and overhaul it like I did with Kitt (My PSN-10 or the black bike, for those of you just tuning in). 

Reynolds 501 tubing makes for a light but strong frame on the PGN-10

The only thing that this bike needs is better handlebar wrap. Again, I can probably work around this by wearing padded gloves when I ride. I haven't done super long distances on this bike yet, however I have done 14 to 20 mile rides on it. From what I have ridden on it I can say so far its a great bike. I may go with this bike for my next rally, I don't know, I haven't decided yet. What do you think? Which one should I choose?

These bikes are somewhat rare finds but are common enough that I decided to do an article about them. If someone comes across a bike like one of these Peugeots, they are keepers, especially if they are the right size. For a long time I couldn't get my hands on a Peugeot, now they seem to be coming out of nowhere. I have been involved in buying and restoring old vintage bikes for a while now, and I am just starting to get some really cool bikes into my collection. Now that I have worked out all the kinks on mine I am definitely not getting rid of them.  I hope to hold on to mine as long as I can and maybe one day my son will enjoy them as much as I do now. Stay tuned for more articles like these and subscribe to my posts for more updates.

Some Notes on maintenance and care:

Do not overtighten the quill seatpost. It may lead to a bulge in the seat tube or failure of the seatpost. Get it snug tight until the seatpost no longer moves.

Derlin plastic can decompose if exposed to bleach or anything that has chlorine. Do not store this bicycle near pool chemicals as this will deteriorate the headset and cause it to crack. Do not clean the bike with hot water or mineral spirits and rather use a biodegradable cleaner like Simple Green. 

To be fair, many road bikes of this era had quirky features, such as odd seatpost binders, Italian and French bottom brackets and headsets, plastic derailleurs, etc. These were even more evident on higher end bikes than others made during that period. With proper care, I believe these bikes can last another 30 years without problems. However, once something breaks it can't be replaced. Keep that in mind when looking to purchase any vintage bicycle. 

The Humble Schwinn Le Tour

The Schwinn Le Tour: The Original Touring Bike

Touring bicycles have been around long before the Schwinn Le Tour. The name "Le Tour" is a dead giveaway that this bike was inspired by it's predecessors from across the pond.  This bike however, was the first mass produced touring bicycle to enter the U.S market by a U.S owned company.

According to history, the mid 1970's oil crisis and a national interest in all things European at the time brought about the bike boom and most notably, the "touring" bicycle or ten speed as it was once called. Before then bicycles in the United States mainly consisted of cruiser-style single speed bikes with balloon tires, also known as paper boy bikes. These more common bicycles featured tanks, horns, fenders and many of them weighed in excess of fifty pounds. The concept of lightweight racing bicycles was a foreign one to most people at the time. This perception changed during the 70's, when a fuel shortage, a new environmentally conscious generation and an unpopular war paved the way for a bicycle revolution. Belgium and the Netherlands rolled with the movement and are now the most bicycle friendly countries in the world. The momentum in the U.S ended abruptly around the late 80's when the economy improved and technology rapidly advanced. From the 80's onward, bicycles have turned from a practical means of transportation to a form of exercise and recreation. Out of that bike boom era there arose a people's champion, a working man's fare, the Model T of touring bikes and a well made product forged in a Chicago factory. The humble but reliable Schwinn Le Tour.

Over the years I have owned several Schwinn Le Tours. The yellow Schwinn featured in the title heading of this bike blog was my first restoration. It has now left my possession as I have given it to my mom, who rides it regularly. Unlike their French counterparts at the time, these bicycles were all steel with metal shifters and derailleurs, making them reliable and durable. The strong metal used for the frames could take a sustained load without making the bicycle ride slower. The early Le Tours had almost all factory made components with all parts stamped "Schwinn Approved". Finding the date on an early Schwinn is as easy as looking at the head badge and hubs of the wheels.


The following two bikes are examples of an early Schwinn Le Tour model and one of the last Schwinn Le Tours that came out of the Chicago factory. Both have features of what was popular for bicycles at the time of their production. With a stronger focus on touring, comfort and practicality, the 1980 Schwinn Le Tour on the right was equipped with stem mounted shifters, steel rims, ergonomic handlebars with shallow drops and center pull brakes. The late 80's Schwinn on the left was made much more sportier, reflecting the shift from practical use to recreative use. The 1988 Schwinn features downtube shifters, side pull caliper brakes and alloy rims. Like the earlier model it came with a strong steel frame and eyelets for mounting racks on, heralding back to it's original purpose of touring. Both bikes can be equipped as touring bikes and in this regard no one bike is superior than the other. 

A 1980's Schwinn Logo

A 1980 Schwinn Le Tour with a logo design reminiscent of earlier models.

By the late 80's lighter steel such as true temper was being used for the Schwinn Le Tour

1020 Tubing is not light by modern day standards, however the bicycle rides like a lightweight bike due to it's road dampening qualities.

Early Schwinns featured stem mounted shifters, steel rims, "suicide" brake levers and lots of chrome

Although the later Schwinn model was designed to be faster than the earlier version, the early Schwinn can be a serious contender with alloy rims and some minor upgrades. As shown in this video, this bike is no wimp when it comes to speed. The video shows me whipping past carbon fiber roadies in their $3000 Wiliers and triathlon machines on my 79' yellow Schwinn.

These bikes can be found all day long on the online classifieds, at a good price too if someone is a shrewd buyer. The 1980 Schwinn cost me $40 and zero dollars in investment to get it in it's current condition. I bought the 88' Schwinn to help out a friend and it cost me twice as much.  These bikes can and do usually bring anywhere from $150 to $300 at resale. I personally have a hard time letting go of Schwinn Le Tours. They are such well built bikes and such a bargain for the money that I will usually hold onto them while usually getting rid of my more expensive bicycles. Having restored one from the ground up, I know firsthand the quality of their build and what this bicycle is capable of. For some reason unknown to me, these bicycles are usually passed up by collectors while inferior models like the Varsity and Stingray get all the attention. The Stingrays, Lemon Peelers and Fastbacks which sell in the thousands of dollars can barely be ridden by grown men while a good Schwinn Le Tour that is capable of beating the socks off of a modern day road bike doesn't even get an offer over $100 most of the time. 

One day when the Puerto Rican Schwinn club switches from vintage cruisers to vintage road bikes (I'm Puerto Rican, I can say that...) or when hipsters start to covet Schwinn bikes for their fixed gear fallacies, the collector's value on a Schwinn Le Tour will probably rise. When it does, just remember that I was riding Schwinn Le Tours before it was cool, before hipsters discovered it and before having knowledge of a Puerto Rican Schwinn club, of which I am probably now regarded as an honorary member. Even though my stable of bikes boasts the best of French, Italian and British imported vintage steel, I will always remember my roots and the bike that got me into restoring bikes in the first place. I can always make room for a humble Schwinn Le Tour.

How I restored the Peugeot

My Peugeot UO-8 Restoration

I wrote an article about this bicycle last year but never got into any detail as to how I restored it. The restoration process was extensive so I didn't go into the details of how I got this bicycle to look the way it did. 

When I received this bike, the chrome parts had grit and a lot of surface rust. The shifters were broken and the derailleur no longer worked properly. The bearings in the crank arms were seized and the brake levers were toast. Nothing really moved on the bike except for the wheels, which spun smoothly. The frame, although scratched up and with a little surface rust, was solid and had no visible dents. 

The cottered cranks on this bike were the most difficult part of this restoration. The Nervar cranks were solidly installed and it seemed that nothing could take them out. I had to drill out the cotter pins in order to remove the crank arms and went through a few drill bits trying to loosen the metal pins. I could not get the drive side bottom bracket cup out so I had to send the frame for powder coating with it attached.  Here's a few pictures of the bicycle stripped down to the frame.

While the frame was getting powder coated, I went to work on removing the rust from the components using an oxalic acid bath. In hindsight, throwing the parts in Simple Green solution, which is safer for the environment, easier to dispose of and is not a health hazard like oxalic acid, would have been a better idea. At the same I had yet to experiment with Simple Green so I did what I knew could work. When the frame came back from powder coating, I proceeded to put the parts back on.

The cottered cranks gave me a hard time once again when I had to reinstall them on the bike. I had to order French cotter pins on ebay which cost about nine dollars and take the bike to a bike shop that had a cotter press lying around. At first one of the guys in the shop did not know what a cotter press was, a tool which is now obsolete. However, cottered cranks are still used on new bikes in third world countries like India. An older guy who worked there dug up the old tool from the back of the shop and called me in, allowing me to get behind  the counter to install the cranks. I had already established a good relationship with the guys at the bike shop, so it was no problem when a regular customer like me needed a favor. 

I also ordered some new old stock Shimano 600  brake levers to replace the broken Mafacs. Before putting the rest of the parts on the bike I called a guy who specializes in pin striping to repaint gold leaf paint on the lugs. I had met him at a swap meet a while back and saw that he did really good work. For about 25 bucks it added that extra detail that really made this bicycle pop. Afterwords I installed the rest of the parts. Here's a picture of the bike at this point of the restoration.

I then purchased some period correct decals for the frame from an australian guy off ebay and they took about a month to arrive. It was well worth the wait to make this bike complete. I first cleaned off the areas where the decals were going to be placed. Then I used a squeegee for applying vinyl like the ones used in sign shops. Here's a couple of pictures of the process.

Overall this bike is awesome. It is comfortable for riding around the countryside and pulling the child stroller behind. This isn't a race bike, however don't let that mistake you about it's speed. I have passed guys on time trial bikes in their drops who thought they were fast on this bicycle. The spring loaded saddle wasn't the best quality and has since been replaced with a vinyl leather imitation saddle. I plan to put money aside to get this bicycle a proper Brooks Flyer someday soon, as the geometry of the bike demands a suspended saddle in order to be comfortable. Hopefully this bike is around for another 30 to 40 years. I feel like the structure of the bike was well made and all it needed was some love and attention to give it's second lease on life. Stay tuned for more bicycle restoration articles and subscribe to my posts for more informative posts.

Vintage Find: 1940's-1950's Samchuli (Samchuly) Korean Roadster

My 1950's (possibly 1940's) Samchuly Korean Roadster

A few months back I was fortunate to run into this bike on Craigslist and purchased it for less than three digits. This bicycle is one of the first bicycles ever to come out of what is known today as South Korea. It dates back to a time when the Korean War was on the front page of the headlines and it survives as a legacy of that era.

This bicycle is a roadster, meaning a workman's style utilitarian cargo bicycle. The rear cage is so strong I was able to ride the bicycle with my wife also sitting on it. This bike comes with rod lever brakes, as opposed to the cable operated brakes of today. These brakes work using a front and rear rod that pulls up the brake pads and compress them against the inside diameter of the rim. The rims, known as Westwood rims, are made specifically so that the braking surface was on the inside of the rim instead of the sidewalls.

This bike has some really cool details and because of that it is best to leave it unrestored. The only thing I did was to replace the dry rotted front tire with a passable Chinese tire. Even still, the tire wants to ride off the rim so I can only put about 20 psi of air in it. Despite this, this bicycle is still ridable and would work perfectly if the 26" Korean dimensioned westwood rims would be replaced with 26" westwood rims of English dimensions.

Here's a couple of more photos I took of this bike. I decided to go with my studio setup for the pictures, as it is also for sale online. Check out my eBay link or personal message me for more information. This bicycle weighs about 45 pounds, so it will have to be shipped disassembled in two boxes. Enjoy the pictures!

Vintage Find: My Guerciotti

Vintage Find: My 1986 Guerciotti made by Alan

Here is another one of my Campagnolo equipped "grail" finds, my 1986 Guerciotti. This was the first attempt at buiding an aluminum road bike. The frame was built by another company called Alan, which specialized in making lighter composite frames for various bicycle manufacturers. This frame was built by a special process in which the frame tubes are actually screwed and glued into the frame lugs. This process was known as bonding, and was also the process used to build the first carbon fiber frames.

Today I rode this beauty down White Rock Lake. I saw another rider on a steel Guerciotti.  Guerciotti bicycles are a rare bird, so I grabbed his attention and pointed at my bike. He said "An aluminum Guerciotti still on the road?". Apparently there were a few bad apples made that really destroyed the reputation of bonded frames. There are stories of riders flexing the frames with their own weight and frames simply snapping under too much load. I am not the lightest that I have been in a while. Yet this frame holds my 190 pound weight really well. If I had any complaint about it, it would be that the bike is actually almost too stiff for me. It accelerates wonderfully because there is direct power transfer due to it's stiffness. It also is an amazing climber. I was suprised at how quickly I was making it up some of the hills on the lake.  I rode 28 miles in under 2 hours, stopping to take pictures along the way. To me, that's a pretty good speed. If a person weighs more than I do, they should probably not ride this bike anyway. There are Surly Long Haul Truckers that can hold their weight wonderfully.

I'll not abuse this bike very much, to me this bike is like the Ferrari that only gets driven on Sundays. Since I will never be able to afford a Ferrari, this is the closest I will probably get to owning Italian luxury.

It's fun to own bikes almost as old as I am and still be able to enjoy them. There is joy in the hunt when looking for bikes like these, but there is also joy to be had in owning the bike and riding it. People like to accessorize their shoes, suits, hats and even their cars. I accessorize my bicycle. I tend to get bored of only one bike, although if it came down to it I could probably only live with one. But there would be no fun in that. I can't say this will be the last bicycle that I will keep to myself, but definitely one of the last, because I don't plan on making this a long term hobby (and I mean years). I have to focus my attention on other projects and pursuits in the near future. In the meantime, check out some more photos of my vintage Guerciotti.

Guerciotti Headbadge.

Cinelli Criterium Handlebars.

This bicycle is fully equipped with a Campagnolo Victory drivetrain and Campy Record brakes.

Vintage Find- My S.M Woodrup "Grail" Find

My 1985'ish S.M Woodrup Bicycle

So, it's been awhile since I have updated my audience on my latest vintage finds. I have come across a few finds during the winter but I have been too busy ( and lazy, quite frankly) to write articles about them. Most of the finds that I have written previous articles about have already been sold, since there are only so many bikes that I can keep in my garage. Now that I no longer qualify as a candidate for the show "Bike Hoarders", I have made room for a few more sweet bikes that I have recently acquired.

One of them is this S.M Woodrup, one of a kind custom road bike. When I say one of a kind, this bike was hand built in s small shop in Leeds, England, to the exact measurements and specifications of the previous owner that I bought it from. Thankfully the previous owner has the same build and height as I do. It was an easy sell, one which I was able to afford thanks to selling a few bikes of my own. I will remind the reader that most of the time there is little or no money to be made in the bicycle collecting pastime, most of it goes right back into bicycles. I will say that the bicycles that I posses have a greater collector's value than the ones I have sold previously. One must work their way up and eventually leave behind the point of sale market. Anyway, let's talk more about that Woodrup!

Awesome Headbadge emblem! Custom made in Leeds, England

This bicycle is completely Campagnolo equipped, with Campy Syncros shift levers. These were the first attempts at SIS shifting, which Shimano perfected and got the one up on Campy in the bicycle market. Campy Syncros shifting is notorious for the clunkiness of the shift and at times skipping gears. Even with these setbacks, I was able to sustain 18mph for over 20 miles at a time. Not bad for a steel bicycle. The rear derailleur was a setback at first. I had to remove it and readjust the chain tensioner which had snapped in half and come off the derailleur. I managed to piece back the tensioner and re-connect it to the derailleur, giving me a working but I'm afraid not so permanent fix. After a hundred miles it's still holding up, so that's a good sign. On a side note, anyone selling a Campy Athena rear derailleur they could let me have at a good deal?

This bicycle is potentially fast. Like all bicycles, the power is in the engine that drives it. I hope I can ride this bicycle one day at the speed it is supposed to be ridden. That way I can pull an Eddy Merckx-style breakaway on a group of unsuspecting time trial cyclists on the trail. I will say that there are stiffer, lighter and more snappier bicycles out there. But there is definitely a coolness factor to this bike that can't be overlooked. In fact, this bike is so so cool that I finally caved in and topped it off with a Brooks saddle, something I never thought that I would buy for a bicycle. Riding this bike takes me back a couple of decades, and let's me see how the view from an 80's professional race grade bicycle looked like back then. I can feel the same way Miguel Indurain or Bernard Hinault felt back in the day. I'm keeping this one, I've already sold a lot others. I could always entertain a trade for a new Cannondale Supersix Evo Team Liquidgas Edition though. Anyone have one lying around?

Stay tuned for more vintage bicycle articles from a Bicycle's Point of View.

What's an Old Bicycle Worth These Days?

Vintage Bicycles: Perceived value versus actual value

To the collector and reseller, with time one learns to understand that the business of buying, owning, and selling vintage bicycles is mostly supported on the perceived value of the item that is being purchased, sold or collected. While it is true that most things depreciate over time (the automobile being the best example of that) not all things are equal, and some things actually appreciate in value as they become rarer and rarer with the passing of time. So what bicycles depreciate and what bicycles hold or increase in their value? What are some things to look for when collecting vintage bicycles? And how can bicycles become a fixed asset that yields dividends when it's time to sell?

Let's consider the first question. Today's bicycles, as well as some of yesteryear's, are manufactured with depreciation in mind. If we were to compare a Huffy from last year with a Huffy from 20 years ago, they would both be worth $40 today. You can, however, up sell a bicycle on the perceived value of it, according to the current trends and what is popular at the moment. A few years ago when road bikes soared in popularity, I managed to sell one Huffy road bike for $200. Granted, I pulled the wool over a newbie's eyes when I did it, but being a newbie myself at the time I hold no qualms about it today. Road bikes started to become more expensive after 2008, with the most basic models selling at $800. Everybody seemed to want one, and there was a big wave of consumer demand for them at the time. This proves that even a Huffy can sell big in the right market.

There are some bikes however, that are worth keeping around as real investments. When money is short they can serve as a financial relief when it's time to sell. Plus they are bikes that someone will want to keep because of the quality of their craftsmanship and their rarity in the market. They are sometimes referred to as "grail finds" since to some they are like finding the Holy Grail when coming upon one. If someone is buying bicycles only to sell them, I believe they are missing the point. While not promoting people to become hoarders, there is nothing wrong with a reseller having a small private collection of these grail find bicycles. Which leads me to the next question in this topic, what bicycles are considered grail finds, and what are some things to look for when determining the collectivity of a bicycle?

Anything Italian- Anything Italian, if it is in the U.S, is usually a grail find. Vintage bicycles from Italy were usually hand made and imported into the United States when bike boomers wanted to ride what the pros were riding. Any Bianchi pre-1990 is worth a closer look, especially if it is a celeste green colored Bianchi. Brands that hold their value or have increased in value include Colnago, Gios, Atala, Frejus, Cinelli, Guerciotti, Ciocc, Legnano, Magistroni, Basso, Zeus, and the list goes on and on. So if there is a bicycle at an estate sale or on an online classified with a funny name, the best thing to do is at least call and inquire a little bit about it. If it's at a good deal, just buy it outright without questions. Sometimes too many questions may raise suspicions in the owner's mind that what they have is worth much more than what they are selling it for.

Campagnolo- An Italian bicycle parts manufacturer that usually made drive train components for high end bicycles, although the bicycle may not necessarily be Italian in origin. Known otherwise as Campy, for short, bicycles that come with this brand of components are almost guaranteed to be high end, top of the line racing machines. If you are not sure about buying a bicycle, but notice that it is campy equipped, buy it without delay. The components might be worth more than the price paid for the bicycle.

Reynolds 531- The gold standard of steel tubing for quality bicycles of the past. Used in the Tour De France with victories as recent as 1995. There will usually be a sticker on the frame or fork indicating that it is made with Reynolds 531 tubing. Many of these bicycles can still compete with today's bicycles in most local races held.

Intricate Lugs- Intricate, chromed or polished lugs on a bicycle are usually a sign of something high end and very valuable. If there is a cutout on the bottom of the bottom bracket,  usually in the shape of a clover or spade, this is usually either a Colnago or a Ciocc. Alan bonded aluminum frames also came with polished lugs, so lugs are not limited to steel bikes only.

Rod Lever or Roller Lever Brakes- Featured on Dutch cargo bicycles or on Asian or English 3 speed bicycles. These bicycles are usually equipped with westwood rims, which allow the brake pads to brake from inside the rim diameter rather than on the sidewalls. These bikes are rare in the United States and are only still common in India and China as working class or utilitarian modes of transport. They are increasing in popularity here in the U.S as a fashion item and as a result of the burgeoning cargo bike community. Depending on the condition, the value of these bicycles start at $400 and up. 

Skip tooth Chain and sprockets-  A skip tooth chain is indicative of any bicycle made in the U.S before the second world war, therefore rare and very valuable if in very good condition. The most valuable example of this is a pre-war Schwinn Paramount track racing bicycle. Some have sold online for as much as $8,000 in the past. However, skip tooth chain cruisers, or paper boy bikes as they were once called, are steadily losing their demand in the collector's market. These bicycles featured a tank with a built in horn or wiring for a front headlight. Mountain bike pioneers would strip these bicycles of their fenders and tanks and take them on the trail with knobby tires. I still see the asking price on some of these bicycles around $2,000, but seldom do I see a reserve price being met at auction.

Keep some of the tips in mind when treasure hunting for a collector's bicycle. While some of the bicycles being made today are likely to one day become collector's items, for the good majority of the bicycles being built today that is not the case. Overseas manufacturing has killed most prospects of future collectivity on many new bicycles. The lifespan of a carbon fiber bicycle is five years. The consumer who usually pays top dollar for a carbon bike will want a new one even though it might not be necessary to replace the one they have. After five years a bicycle that cost five grand will be worth only a thousand and less and less after each consecutive year. I have seen carbon fiber bicycles from the 90's being sold for only $150-$200 here locally. So while it's tempting to shell out a few grand on the latest technology, the best buy for the average person that isn't racing in the Tour De France is probably an older bicycle in good condition. Get fitted at the bike shop first, then buy a bicycle on the classifieds later. Fittings are usually free and an incentive shops offer to get people to buy their products. Once the used bicycle is purchased, visit the shop for tires, brakes and other components which may have worn out over time. This is another way to support the local bike shop without fattening the industries profits on the top end. I hope these tips have helped the reader to evaluate the price and collectivity of their old bicycle.

Taking the Schwinn out for a Spin

Lately I find myself riding my old steel bikes for than my aluminum bike with clipless pedals. After a five mile run earlier this morning, I hopped on my Schwinn Le Tour and did 3 laps around White Rock Lake. I must say the run did take a lot out of me, but overall I feel I had a good ride. Here's a video I took with my Go Pro camera. Enjoy. Here is a link to the video directly on Youtube if for some reason it's not visible on this page. See link

Restored bike vs. Beater bike

Bikes you Keep, Bikes you sell.

Two Peugeot UO8 Bicycles, one restored, the other fixed up

When finding an old bicycle worthy of restoration, it's easy to go over one's head trying to fix every detail on the bike. I have a simple rule of thumb that will make the decision process a lot easier. Is this bike for oneself, or is this bike to sell? If this bike is not for sale, or you do not have the intention to sell it in the future, and you have money to spare, then by all means customize it to your very tastes. If this bike is for resale, as a lot of vintage bicycle enthusiasts often end up doing as a result of a garage full of bikes and one unhappy spouse, then fix what is necessary to sell the bike. You'll be surprised at how well most bicycles clean up. The scratches and blemishes will sometimes add character to the bike. The key to any item for sale is to sell it at more than what you bought it for plus your investment to fix it up. I'm fortunate to have had amassed a collection of period correct parts for vintage bicycles over the period of time I have been tinkering with them. Having a stockpile of parts and accessories makes this process a lot more affordable. Take for example, the white Peugeot at the top of the page. I was able to get it to riding condition with several parts I already had in my garage, including wheels, tires, cables, derailleurs, and even a saddle. On the other hand, take the green Peugeot featured as well. I bought this bicycle with the intent of making it like new with period correct parts. I had the frame repainted and bought decals for the frame. I bought new shifters from eBay as well as a leather saddle and saddlebag. After it was all said and done, I spent about $250 restoring the green Peugeot. I'll probably take it on a tweed ride or start my own randonneur club locally, who knows! Anyway, for me it was an investment well spent.

The lesson to be learned here is to do what best suits you according to your needs as a cyclist or as a collector and seller. If I commuted by bicycle more, I would probably keep the white Peugeot because I could use it as a beater bike for riding around muddy roads and won't take a big hit if it gets stolen. I also realize there is a market for beater bikes in college campuses and more urban areas. When a bicycle goes for sale, these are the markets that I try to target. There is no right or wrong way to restore a bicycle, there is only the perceived value that it may have in the buyer's or one's own eyes.

Road to Valor- "A Must Read" book review

Are you a history buff? Cycling fanatic? Vintage bicycle enthusiast? Or just love an all around good read? Then you have to read the autobiography of the late Gino Bartali Road to Valor- A true story of World War II Italy, the Nazis. and the cyclist who inspired a nation. This is a well written documentation of the life and trials of this famous cyclist, who as it was later discovered, became one of the greatest humanitarians of his time.

The backdrop of this true story is set in pre-war and post war Europe, namely in the agrarian region of Italy known as Tuscany, from which Gino hails from. Tuscany as well as southern Italy can be described as a picturesque,  paradisaical landscape which most of us only dream of seeing, especially in it's pre-war days. The book describes in great detail the rolling hills and lush vineyards that surrounded Bartali's hometown near Florence. But a dark shadow was looming over the country in the early part of the 1920's. With Mussolini in power as the country's dictator, a Fascist presence fully manifested itself during World War II and threatened to rip the country apart. Gino did not give in to the xenophobic demands of his government at the time. Rather, he used his fame and his talents in an underground life saving work. As part of a human rescue mission, he helped Jews fleeing for their lives to obtain false documentation during the Nazi regime, thus leading to hundreds of lives being saved. He would smuggle all these documents in the frame of his bicycle, using what was once his means of livelihood to save lives.

In 1938, Gino was in his prime of fitness. As the war escalated, Italy distanced itself from the Allied Nations. Italy did not partake of the Tour De France after Gino's Tour win in 1938. The Tour was altogether canceled for a number of years during the latter half of the second world war. After the war, Gino emerged a changed man. Having lost his prime racing years and a lot of his fitness during the war, a insurmountable task lay ahead of him, win the Tour De France of 1948. He would have to do this ten years after his first tour win. Despite the odds, Gino Bartali took victory in France in 1948, closing a ten year gap of virtual non-existence on the professional cycling level. He won the race on the mountain stages. He summited up gravel and mud roads in the middle of two freak snowstorms that left his opponents literally frozen. When it was all said and done, Gino won with a mind blowing 21 minute lead over the field, a feat that very few elite cyclists have achieved, even today.

During his racing career, Gino Bartali made many friendships and rivalries. His biggest rival was fellow countryman Fausto Coppi. While Gino was a clean racer, a man devoted to his family, and in his own way a deeply religious man, Fausto Coppi contrasted him in many ways. While many can identify with Fausto Coppi of being the secular champion of Italian cycling, I believe Gino Bartali deserves more merit. His accomplishments go far beyond the world of cycling as his cause was far bigger than himself. I would have to say I personally identify with Gino Bartali on many points, both as a cyclist and as a person. I guess, after reading this book, I am now a Bartaliani (read the book, see the reference).

Final thoughts-Today's cycling scene can greatly benefit from the examples of great cyclists like Gino Bartali and even the way the race was raced back in the day. Today people talk about a  new cycling phenom called gravel grinding. This back then would be simply referred to as ciclismo. There were essentially no paved roads back then, and cyclists rode on vintage steel bikes with cottered cranks. Now that's hard core. I would like to see that in modern times. That would really level out the playing field, and no amount of steroids would be able to compensate for the pure skill and athletic ability one would need to have to do what these great masters did back then.  

 I will end this review with one of the most inspirational quotes that I have read, in Bartali's own words.

"Everyone  in their life has his own particular way of expressing life's purpose-the lawyer his eloquence, the painter his palette, and the man of letters his pen from which quick words of his story flow.

I have my bicycle."

My Restored Peugeot

My Peugeot Restoration

 

I Finally found a workaround for uploading photos on this blog, so I won't be starting a new one for now. Here's some updates on my Peugeot UO8 restoration. This bicycle has been repainted and decaled. It was a long and complicated process, I would provide some how to articles on this bike but they would be too entensive and detailed as to what I had to do to restore this bike, especially removing the cottered cranks. I will, at the readers request, provide any information that they would like to know on any specific topic. Hopefully, my next restoration will be less complicated than this one.

Winter Projects

The 2013 Lineup of Vintage Bicycle Restorations

Winter Projects to keep me busy this winter and into next year

As a self tribute to my bicycle restoration career, I have purchased the next four bicycles I plan to restore and permanently own in my stable. Each bicycle will be a labor of love and will take considerable amount of time to restore to their former glory. When they are finished they will be showroom worthy and some will be very valuable. Here's the lineup of bicycles I have set aside to work on this winter.

The first bicycle I have in mind to restore is this 1970's Peugeot UO8 touring bike. I comes equipped with Mafac "Racer" brakes, cottered cranks and a rear rack, which I may or may not replace. This will be my first project tackling french dimensions on a bike. I have found replacement decals on eBay for this bike, so I definitely plan to get it powder coated in a forest green or cream finish. The decals they sell are adhesive vinyl and can stick to the powder coat finish. I plan to remove all the rust and high polish all the chrome pieces. Once finished this bicycle will be the envy of all retro-grouches that gaze upon it. It will look like it was pulled out of a 1950's french post card. 

 Next on my to do list of bicycle restorations is this Raleigh Tourist DL-1 roadster bicycle, made circa 1976. This bicycle will realistically take me at least six months to buy and replace all the parts for. I got it at a bike swap for $50 dollars along with some other random parts and accessories. For anyone who knows anything about these bicycles this is an extremely rare find in the U.S. This bike features a 3 speed Sturmey Archer internal rear hub and rod lever brakes. It also comes with westwood style rims, although in this case I purchased this bicycle with the original front rim having been replaced. I plan to cut no corners on the restoration process, as correctly restored bicycles like this one can obtain a value of over $1,000 if sold to the right buyer. Although like I said, I don't have any plans to sell it. If anyone has one like this and has restored one already, please drop me a line in the comments section with tips and where I can find parts for one.

Anyone recognize the bicycle above? This is a 1979 Schwinn Le Tour, the same exact model and size I restored and powder coated yellow. This is the same bicycle that is featured in the heading on my blog. It's also in almost the exact same condition as the last Schwinn Le Tour that I restored. Surface rust has seized the bicycle on the outside. I am not too concerned though, as I have tackled projects in much worse shape. I love the way these steel frames ride. Once fixed up and dialed in these bicycles can keep of with a pack of Sunday bicyclists on much newer bicycles. They also make comfortable touring and randonneuring machines, as readers of my blog already know.

Last but not least is this circa 1982-1983 Peugeot PH10s road bike. This bike comes in pretty light at 25lbs and can probably be set up to run a 7 or 8 speed freewheel or cassette. Which begs to question whether I should do a full modern upgrade on this bike, brifters and all. I am definitely contemplating a metallic powder coat finish on this bike. I could also do a period correct restoration and see if I'll be able to reuse the simplex derailleurs, which are plastic, and the wheels, which are missing spokes. The all chrome fork has a big gash on it, possibly from being leaned against something or some heavy piece of industrial equipment falling on it. This bike will be sitting in my garage until I can figure which will be the most appropriate way to restore it. I will say this, however, that once restored this bicycle will be fast. 

All of these bicycles are tailored to my size, and I feel very fortunate to have run across them. Funding for these projects is pretty low right now, so this undertaking may be on hiatus for a little while. But stay tuned for a lot of how to articles, with new information that other sources may not have. 

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