A Mediocre Deal?

As I mentioned in my previous post to this blog, I’m in the process of selling my Schwinn Passage.  My current price is $275-$325 or so depending on what extras are included (rack, trunk, fenders, etc).  A potential buyer actually said it was a mediocre deal when trying to work me down lower ($275 including rack, fenders, etc, about $35 worth of extras for free) because his father was going to have to drive across town to come pick it up.  Never a mention on if I would be willing to meet his father half way or anything, just called it a mediocre deal and wanted everything cheaper. 

 Forgive me, but this burned me a little bit.  And it’s not the best wording to take in a negotiation for a lower price either.  I’ve got more than $275 in the rig as it sits now with the included extras he wanted.  Quite a bit more in fact.  I’ve given it a complete overhaul including tires, cables, brake pads, chain ring, chain, freewheel, just to name a few of the non-removable parts of the deal.  I bought the bike at a decent price, but put a lot into making it a fully outfitted touring bike.  Sadly, I have no current use for it and want to find someone who will use it.  But I’m not going to take a huge loss on it either.  I’m a college student and money isn’t just to be blown on such things.

On top of that late last fall I sold an old Trek, older than my Schwinn, with no upgrades or tune up for $200.  Sure, some of the tubing was slightly better, but wasn’t nearly as clean nor equipped as the Schwinn.  Additionally you have any idea how hard it is to find a true touring frame of any vintage?  I guess it just boils down to being the wrong time of year to try to sell a bike.  I’ll keep listing it on CraigsList (Dallas) till I do find someone who recognizes the bike for what it is and what it is worth.

Somethin about a Schwinn

Just about anyone who’s been around cycling for any length of name will recognized the name Schwinn.  Schwinn and Raleigh are likely the most recognized brands in cycling regardless of age or interest. 

I’ve owned two Schwinns since getting back into cycling in May of 2005.  In fact a Schwinn was the bike that got me back into cycling in a big way, road biking anyways.  It was a 1980 Schwinn Traveler, one of Schwinn’s lower end road bikes of the time.  It was built of Hi-Ten steel, also known as Carbon Steel.  It had all the marks of a mass produced (by Panasonic in this case) imported “Bike Boom” bike.  Stem shifters, steel rims, those “turkey wing” additional brake levers, low end Shimano parts.  Thing thing was a beast, and it was a wreck when I got it.  Not knowing any better, but eager to learn I tore the thing apart, upgraded it far beyond its worth, and rode it every chance I had.  Even rode my first Metric Century on it (62.4mi).  But it was also something else: BIG.   Too big for me. Buy at least 4-5cm in the seat tube big.  So I stripped it down, and sold the frame to another local cyclist.

Eventually I got the urge to get a “commuter” bike.  I had the grand plan of riding for more than just enjoyment, but to the store, to school, to work.  All I needed was the right bike.  At the time I had two bikes.  I had my Gazelle, a very nice rare steel frame that would be next to impossible to replace if stolen, and it wasn’t exactly commuter material being a racing frame.  I also had my Barracuda Mk.I, which I had labored for long hours to paint and build, and was in no hurry to get scratched.  So, I decided I needed another bike.  A touring bike!  And the search was on.

That search ended with the purchase of a Schwinn Passage from a local reseller of used bicycles.  It was perfect for my needs, well, maybe too perfect.  I put a little money in equipping it with racks, fenders, a mirror and lights.  New tires, cables and such came too.  And soon I had a full out touring rig with no where to go but a short jaunt over to school and over to work.  At 4mi and 6mi each way, neither of these rides were anywhere close to as long as this bike was designed to go at a time.  And now classes are later at night, and the roads around work have become a construction zone I don’t care to drive in my truck let alone by bike. 

So there’s somethin about a Schwinn.  Instantly recognized, but never long for my collection of bicycles.  The Passage is up for sale, and I can only hope I can get what I paid for it after the fixing and adding and such.  I’d keep it if I thought I had a need for it.  But for every other type of cycling short of multi-day unsupported tours, I already have a bike I would rather bike riding.  The Barracuda and Gazelle both perform wonderfully on the open road on the long rides.  So she goes to someone that I hope will find far more use of what is a great riding, well built, and worthy of the open road bicycle. 

Do I have any plans to replace the Schwinn with something else?  Maybe.  But only if I have a real need for the bike.  Of course, I will always have a real ‘need’ for a vintage Colnago, Pinarello, RIH, Jan de Reus, or any other of a dozen different high end vintage steel frames with all the trimmings labeled with that magical Italian name, Campagnolo.

Tease of Spring

So it’s gone from being ready for spring, to the first taste of spring, and now the tease of spring.  Why?  Because yesterday it was 71 degrees, today it should be 67 to 69 degrees, but tomorrow it’s going to be a high in the lower 50’s and raining.  And its going to stay that way for the next 5-6 days.  So more than likely yet another weekend shot to hell. 

Thankfully though yesterday I got out for a ride.  Sure, I had studying I could have probably been doing, but there was no way I was going to be able to concentrate sitting inside with the sun streaming in through the window calling me and my bikes outside. 

So after much too long of a time in the “out of action” category, the Gazelle got back out on the road yesterday.  Oh how I’ve missed the feeling that only a vintage steel bike can bring.  I can’t say much about the new headset other than it worked exactly how a headset should.  It is so smooth that I can point the bike in any direction needed and give the slightest inputs to the bars with the lightest of efforts.  And the new tires that I put on grip the road wondefully and take the bike in what every direction I point it with confidence and speed.

There is one part of spring that I don’t miss.  And thats the wind.  Here in Dallas we don’t have big hills to climb, but we do have the wind.  And with the arriving spring season, we’ll have it in spades.  Yesterday the forecast called for 12-18mph winds, getting stronger as the afternoon rolled on, blowing out of the south.  Unfortunately my choosen route for the day took me due south for most of the ride.  It certainly served to provide a good strong workout though, which is probably what I needed to get myself back in shape for rides later this spring.

Today I hope to get out on my other steel bike, my custom painted and built up Barracuda Mk.I, for its first ride of the year.  Last time I was on it was in December after battling a cold the previous week.  And the last time I tried getting it out for a ride the tire blew off the rim before I ever got the bike out the door.  Hopefully those issues are in the past and I can get one more ride in before I’m stuck back on the trainer for the next week. 

First taste of Spring

Yesterday after finishing up with my little headset replacement adventure (see previous entry), I made it home early enough to get out on the bike for a short ride.  My outdoor riding time has been little to none lately between school, work and weather.  However yesterday I pulled the Flyte SRS-3 down off the rack, suited up and headed out about 3:30pm. 

The weather was nearly perfect.  I could have probably thrown on my wind vest and gone with a long sleeve jersey and been even happier, but on a day like that, I wasn’t going to go back to the apartment until I had to.  First things first,  a couple warm up laps around the neighborhood streets, making sure the shifting was still crisp and smooth. 

The weather was just about as crisp this afternoon.  Weather.com claimed it was about 56 degrees with only a hint of wind, however I was generating plenty of my own moving air as I kept my speeds in the 17+ range for the first 5-6mi of the route.  On one slightly decline I swiftly shifted through the gears till I was hammering out a 30+mph sprint.  Felt good to see the cars only barely gaining ground on me. 

My over all route took me from my apartment, 5 mi to the start of a MUP (multi-use path) in the area.  I took the path another 5 mi before deciding it best that I turned around and headed back for home.  I finished the day with just over 20mi, not including the 30mins on the trainer I had done in the morning.  It wasn’t much, but I was happy to be outside and enjoying the first taste of spring weather.  Let’s hope it stays l

Headset Removal… the hard way.

Cross Post from Classic & Vintage on BikeForums.net 

Today I took my early 80’s Gazelle down to a local frame builder’s shop to have the headset replaced. The old Zeus steel headset was in bad shape both inside and out. The races and bearings were causing a very bad case of indexing. I purchased a new Campagnolo Record 1″ threaded headset from ProBikeKit and headed down to the shop where the right tools would hopefully make the job easy.

The cups came out with just a few taps with the Parktool’s cup remover and then it was time to pop off the crown race. Unfortunately the crown race remover was missing in action, but no worries, a few taps of a hammer on a punch later and it would be off right? Wrong. We start with a few taps with the smaller hammer. Then some more. Then the swap to the bigger hammer. Then more. Stepping back it was obvious the race wasn’t budging. Even if we had the proper remover, it wasn’t going to help this situation any.

So it was time to break out the power tools. I wasn’t planning on ever reusing this headset so destroying the race in the process of removal wasn’t going to bother me any. I just wanted the new headset on the bike and the bike out on the road. First the dremel comes out and two notches are cut in the backside of the race. More pounding in attempts to break the notched section free. Nada. More cutting, more pounding, back and forth for the better part of a half hour. Next the bigger grinding/cutting wheel comes out and the sparks REALLY start flying.

More pounding and a little more grinding later we can finally see just a little bit of sunlight showing between the race and the fork. The first positive sign of the day so far. Finally, what what looked like the last good tap before taking another break, the race breaks free and drops down the steerer tube. Thank goodness, it was off and the installation could proceed. Here’s what the race looked like after we got it off (and a little cleaning)

(Full size images on the BF’s thread linked above)

And finally a shameless plug for David at Southwest Frameworks. He went way above and beyond on this job. Headset replacements shouldn’t take 45+ minutes, but he stuck with it and never said that he couldn’t get it off.

Thoughts of the morning

This morning I woke up to see snow on the ground, real snow. In Dallas TX. To all of you up north you’re probably sick of snow by now, but yesterday as a rain shower turned to a snow shower here in Dallas I couldn’t help but see the beauty of the snow.

Same for this morning when all was quiet and the world was still mostly asleep.  Even though I was freezing, seeing the stillness of the snow on the ground and the red orange of the sunrise, made me wish I had the time (and the warm clothing) to throw my leg over a bike and take off for a few hours.

There is a stillness that comes with the activity of riding a bike if you allow it.  Especially in the early morning when most of the world is still asleep, even more so if you are lucky to have just the slightest bit of fog hanging over the earth on a cool spring morning.  Maybe stillness isn’t the best word, peacefulness perhaps is a better one.  I’d add quietness to the list, but sometimes its the noises you do hear in those early mornings that are often drowned out by other things that makes it even more special.  Riding slowly, soaking in the surroundings, listening to the freewheel click as you coast down a slight decline, or the sound of rubber digging into the paved surface below as you power up the next incline.  Hearing the mechanical shift of the derailleur moving the chain from cog to cog, or the soft friction of the brake pads skimming the surface of the rims.

There are many activities that can stir peacefully powerful thoughts.  Many have a similar mystique about them.  All fueled by the early morning stillness in sharp contrast to the power of something else.  I have written verses of poetry to such topics before.  Then it was about the gracefulness of a powerful automobile on a winding country road, perhaps in the hills of France or Italy.  But that was before I found cycling.  Now when I think of such moments,  it is the body that is the power, the bicycle the machine.  However, the location is often the same.

So, the next time you get on a bike, especially if its early in the morning, perhaps consider leaving the cyclometer at home, turn left when you normally go right, and go find some stillness of your own.

Why I love BikeForums Classic & Vintage

Short and simple: I only go there to read threads about beautiful old bikes and italian components designed and built by guys who raced up mountains on fixed gears. 

I don’t go there to be moderator.  In fact, though I spend a lot of time in C&V, they were one of the last areas to actually notice I had become a moderator.  Why, because I didn’t have to be one in there.  All hail Cranky & Vintage, they’re only cranky if you call their bikes out dated.  And even then it’s all in good humor and fun.

The First Post…

After much cursing and swearing at different programs trying to get a self hosted blog started on my own host, I’ve decided to settle down here on wordpress.  At least for the time being.  In any case, welcome to my blog.  This is a place for me to share throughts, primarly about cycling and things about cycling.  Though I can’t promise I won’t sneak in a rant or a rave about something else from time to time. 

For now, instead of typing a whole bunch of what I’ve already said better elsewhere, I will you direct you to my cycling website where I already have a firm foothold on the web about the sport I’ve come to love.

http://thecuda.com/cycling.html

Ready for Spring

Here in Texas it gets hot in the summers, and by mid August we’re all ready for cooler temps and even the chance to need to put a jacket or coat on in before heading outside.  Well, here it is at the beginning of February and I’m more than ready for it to warm back up.  Over the holidays I have gained all of the weight I had worked hard to loose before the wedding through many miles of riding.  I got a whole grand total of like 38mi on the road during January, though I did just purchase an indoor trainer and those ‘miles’ don’t count. 

I’m ready for spring for two very important reasons.  First is the spring charity rides.  Late March through April there are a number of rides in East Texas I really want to participate in.  Those rural back country rodes winding through pasture lands and forests.  There’s just something peaceful about being out there under your own power.  And something amazing watching the nearly endless train of cyclists along the road doing the same thing.

The other reason I’m ready for spring, is because I’m not the only one with a bout of cabin fever.  I have to admit I have it fairly easy being a Texas native when it comes to winter weather.  There were several days of 60 degree days when riding was great, while some of the northern states will still have snow and ice for some time now.  But being a moderator on BikeForums.net during this time of year can really feel like you’re trying to run a daycare full of hyped up kindergartners during a snow storm.  You can’t just tell them to go outside and ride their bikes because you know most of them can’t.  But I volunteered for the gig and for the most part it’s a pretty good one.  Just amazing some times how grown men and women can forget that there are real people on the other side of a screen name.  I’ve seen it before so I shouldn’t be so surprised, but I suppose I am.