I’m an old roadie converted to commuter and mountain biker. First custom bike was a 20” Stingray with a 24” fork/wheel, great for popping wheelies! That was ~1972, 5th grade. Bought a Collegiate Tourist 5 speed with my paper route money in 1973, by 1974 I was stripping all the paint off it and rattle canning with a color I liked. In 1975 I starting working in a small LBS that also made custom high end road frames. With access to a machine shop, torch (no mig/tig back then) and a paint shop life was good. I moved on the University next, those towns have lot of cool vintage…if only I had cash in the mid 80’s (and a crystal ball to pick out the stuff worth money in 2010). Now it’s 30 years later and I’ve got an attic full of old stuff, some cool, most junk.
The bikes on this site are truly works of art. I am humbled, it’s clear this sight is going to raise my game. My customs will explore the edges of my biking world, commuting and gravel path riding. All my bikes will have to be able to be ridden on my work commute, 6 miles one way with 15lbs backpack mounted on the bike.
Here’s my latest custom, very tame by this website’s standards. My vision was a bike shop mechanic makes a nice bike for his Dad back in 1975. Hand brazed Schwinn Super Sport frame, Schwinn Suburban fork, fenders, cranks. 7 speed IGH (I know, not available back in 1975). Tandem bars, Drum brake front hub, hand built wheels (by me) with DT spokes and Mavic a319 rims.
The bikes on this site are truly works of art. I am humbled, it’s clear this sight is going to raise my game. My customs will explore the edges of my biking world, commuting and gravel path riding. All my bikes will have to be able to be ridden on my work commute, 6 miles one way with 15lbs backpack mounted on the bike.
Here’s my latest custom, very tame by this website’s standards. My vision was a bike shop mechanic makes a nice bike for his Dad back in 1975. Hand brazed Schwinn Super Sport frame, Schwinn Suburban fork, fenders, cranks. 7 speed IGH (I know, not available back in 1975). Tandem bars, Drum brake front hub, hand built wheels (by me) with DT spokes and Mavic a319 rims.
:lol: OK, hazing's over welcome aboard. :mrgreen:
