Score! And New Podcast with Dylan Bowman
Drove by this pile of junk someone cleaned out of their house and sort of just dumped next to this big pine tree. I was just looking for something to use, other than the garbage bags I've used for over five years to put my clothes in. Digging around I see a rear road bike wheel, immediately assuming K-mart crap. I pulled all the junk, heating vent ducts, bed headboard, etc. that was piled over it off and it's a pretty nice road bike. Pulling it out I see that it's a 1981 SR (Ross - made in PA) with high end Shimano 600 arabesque full groupo, including hubs and Araya wheels - all original down to the leather toe clip straps on the quill pedals. Holy crap. by the wear on the cassette and chainrings (none) and the original brake pads, the thing has barely been ridden. Like I had found a $100 bill, I hurriedly carried over and jammed it in the back of my Audi (along with a neat foot locker looking cabinet I also found) and hustled the couple blocks home.
I'll pull it out of my car today, pump up the tires and assess the thing. At the moment it looks as though it just needs some new handlebars (they look narrow, like 40cm at most and a little bent). Otherwise, the thing is in amazing condition and my size ~55cm. I'll either strip all the sweet parts off it and get a nice(r) frame or just clean this one up as-is and sell or ride it. Frankly, I don't have anywhere to put it in my litle 250 square foot place; I've even had to keep Pudge outside with a tarp over him because I already have a 1989 cyclocross bike, my MTB, and extra set of MTB race wheels in my kitchen/office/recording studio/bike repair garage/weight lifting room.
Here's what it looks like, almost exactly, even same color.
So, now, my stable of two wheelers includes:
2013 Diamondback Sortie "Hope"
1989 Bianchi Tangent Cyclocross -yet to be named
1987 Peugeot Alpine Express (mtb) "Pudge"
1981 SR Semi Pro Road Bike -yet to be named
Recorded a fun show with Dylan Bowman and it's up and live at http://elevationtrail.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/footfeathers-show-with-guest-dylan-bowman/
I'll pull it out of my car today, pump up the tires and assess the thing. At the moment it looks as though it just needs some new handlebars (they look narrow, like 40cm at most and a little bent). Otherwise, the thing is in amazing condition and my size ~55cm. I'll either strip all the sweet parts off it and get a nice(r) frame or just clean this one up as-is and sell or ride it. Frankly, I don't have anywhere to put it in my litle 250 square foot place; I've even had to keep Pudge outside with a tarp over him because I already have a 1989 cyclocross bike, my MTB, and extra set of MTB race wheels in my kitchen/office/recording studio/bike repair garage/weight lifting room.
Here's what it looks like, almost exactly, even same color.
2013 Diamondback Sortie "Hope"
1989 Bianchi Tangent Cyclocross -yet to be named
1987 Peugeot Alpine Express (mtb) "Pudge"
1981 SR Semi Pro Road Bike -yet to be named
Recorded a fun show with Dylan Bowman and it's up and live at http://elevationtrail.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/footfeathers-show-with-guest-dylan-bowman/
Nice find! Keep collecting those bikes and it might force you to settle down for more than 3 months.... ;).
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the D-Bow interview.
Sweet bike find. Reminds me of my late 70s Motobecane Grand Jubilee (some thrift shop customer in Buffalo owns it now), but with higher-end components.
ReplyDeleteNice find! Convert that into a fixie and I'll send you some skinny jeans to go along with it.
ReplyDeletePerfect, Tan. I'll drum-up some converse knock-offs and white, over-sized ray bans. Better get him a flannel, too.
ReplyDeleteNice!!!! Classic bike.
ReplyDelete