Current Classics Gallery Updates

Cyclotourist's Rivendell Road
One of the more prolific photographers of "ride shots" has got to be Cyclotourist - aka Dave in Redlands.  He's one of the few folks who has actually made me mildly nostalgic for the winding fire roads in the Southland (that's the greater Los Angeles area, for those of you who aren't familiar with the term).  If you haven't run across his images on Flickr, you owe it to yourself to follow his stuff.



He's also managed to put together some very appropriate bicycles - finding some truly pristine examples of early Rivendell models.  Here, he shares his Road model.

The "Road" was made during the first generation of Rivendell models. I'm currently developing a bit better documentation of bicycles from this period.  The Road model arguably became the branch which begat the Rambouillet/Romulus, then the Hilsen.  At the time the Road model came out, finding decent reach brakes was an exercise in NOS patience - the commercial offerings were pretty minimal. But, even so, this bike was spec'd for maximum clearances with the components at hand, and staked out the idea of good clearance, stable and versatile "road" bikes that didn't need to stay on pavement.




New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -


#839 - David Horne's Mario Vicini
#840 - John Tsataros' Schwinn World Tourist
#841 - Ted Town's Gardin
#842 - Robert Hill's Raleigh Professional
#843 - Cyclotourist's Rivendell Road

Current Classics - Raleighs and More

Four Of A Kind - Well, four Raleighs out of seven new entries to the Current Classics Gallery - I guess that would make a good poker hand.  It's always funny how these things work out sometimes.  But, the interesting thing is what a variety of models have rolled out of Nottingham. (And if you want more background info on Raleigh - AASHTA - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/history.html)

But, even with all of these Raleighs, it's hard to pass up showcasing a classic Bridgestone MB.


Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
I've got a soft spot for the MB series - it was the first Bridgestone which ever rolled through my life (a purple MB-3, if you are keeping tracking) and it is still a bicycle model which has a perfect mix of style and performance.

The late 80's/early 90's mtbs are certainly some of the best riding 26" trail bikes.  Responsive and stable, quick and lively.  I'm lucky enough to have an MB-1, and everytime I hit the trails on mine, it reminds me how well realized this series of mountain bikes was.

Jim's photo of his really captures the spirit of far horizons and wonderful trails.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -

#833 - Michael Hensley's Raleigh International
#834 - Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
#835 - Branko's Raleigh Grand Prix
#836 - Michael Baczkowski's Raleigh Touring
#837 - Dominique Fernandes' Centurion Accordo RS
#838 - John Bunnell's Raleigh Pioneer Trail 2000

Four Current Classics for a Four Day Week

The process of organizing and cleaning up can be a little ugly - found a nested folder on the computer that had a bunch of things which folks had sent in late last year, that "I was gonna get to..." but didn't.   Within that unremarkable digital repository is a goodly chunk of cool bicycles.  I may end up threading them into the newer submissions, or just try to do those sequentially (which may in turn build up the backlog for more recent entries.....) We'll see.

Again for those of you who have sent stuff in and have yet to see it represented, patience please! (And Thanks! - both for the images and descriptions and for the patience!) Hang in there, subscribe to the feed and enjoy these fine bicycles.

Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior

Along with the early Trek bicycles, another set of bicycles which I've always secretly lusted after has been the fillet brazed Schwinns.  This under appreciated segment of Schwinn's lineup seems to be largely unknown to folks.  It first caught my eye when I read about them on Sheldon Brown's site -  in Mark Rother's article posted there.

Now, certainly,  I like lugs.  But, there's something really beautiful about a fillet brazed frameset - a smooth, seamless quality to the work that flatters the elegant simplicity of a bicycle frame. The Schwinns such as Nick's Superior just seemed like really undervalued framesets.

Hopefully (since we presumably ride in the same county) I'll cross paths with this bicycle one day - but in the meantime, enjoy these images of this bicycle.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery - 
#829 - Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior
#830 - Gernot Huber's Raleigh Woman's model
#831 - Angus Lemon's Rivendell Atlantis
#832 - Tyler Los-Jones' Miyata 1000

Five Singlespeed Bicycles

I feel like I've shown up at a group ride well after the time agreed upon, only to find that everyone waited rather than just rolled out.  A little shame, a bit of embarrassment.  That sort of thing.  Suffice to say that if you are among those who have patiently waited for new updates, or the few who took the time to send a polite email, I truly appreciate your patience. 

While there have been a number of internal updates and pruning of the underbrush, this is the first Gallery update of the year.  As you might guess, there's a pretty decent backlog of images, and a few submissions from later last year which got stuck on a hard drive for a while. My plan is to hunker down, take small bites and keep chewing. We'll see how that works out.

So... with no further delays.  Here are five singlespeeds for your enjoyment.

Three of the five are Raleigh-labeled, which should not really be a surprise given the length and reach of that particular bicycle crafting dynasty (even more).  In fact, I have a Raleigh in the rafters, though it's most likely destined to becoming a grocery/farmer's market bicycle - might end up as a singlespeed, but I digress.







Philip De Ritis' Gazelle

Philip De Ritis' Gazelle on Cyclofiend.com

Now "Gazelle" is not a brand which you encounter quite so frequently - at least stateside.  It's one of those brand names, like Ibis and Kestrel, which embodies speed and nimbleness.  In my mind, there's something very art deco and 1930's about those names - in the sense of appropriate imagery and dynamic claims.

In addition to some very dramatic images, Peter has built up this frame using a strong "early days of cycling" aesthetic - "scorcher" style handlebar setup, stripped down components and a beautiful polished look to the parts. There's a lot to catch your attention with this bike, and it looks like it would fit in rolling slowly along a promenade or heading for the horizon at high speed kicking up a cloud of dust.

New Entries to the Singlespeed Gallery - 
#325 - Richard Sheets' Raleigh
#326 - Peter Van Dine's Bianchi
#327 - Leon's Retro Raleigh
#328 - Philip De Ritis' Gazelle
#329 -  Scott Taylor's Raleigh Sportif

A Good Helping of Current Classics

It's much safer to stay out of the post-Thanksgiving retail scrum and enjoy some great looking bicycles. Between gorgeous images of pre-fall mountain bike vistas and the details of resurrections and renovations which are contained within this batch, my hope is that you'll find some enjoyment and respite from the pending holiday craziness.


Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte

Mixtes seem to be enjoying a bit of quiet resurgence.  Appearing in  more advertisements and articles to be sure, but it does seem as though I'm seeing them more frequently on my commute and locked up around town as they quietly go about their day being useful and stylish. 

Starting with a well-rendered Miyata mixte frame, Eric has created a sure-footed, weather-resistant bicycle for real world use on the streets of Portland, OR. It's funny to consider how many features I would have poo-poo-ed a decade or so ago - basket, fenders, IGH (Internally Geared Hubset)... indeed, the very notion of a "drop-bar" bicycle itself.  But, now, there it is, with just enough glimmer and glint from the silver fenders to catch your attention as it goes about its way each day.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery - 
#817 - Bob Hague's Motobecane Grant Touring
#818 - Justin Becker's Rodriguez Tandem
#819 - Kevin Mulcahy's ALAN Guerciotti CX/Road
#820 - Tris' Fort Touring Audax
#821 - Michael Kullman's Surly Karate Monkey
#822 - Don Genovese's Rivendell LongLow
#823 - Nick Roth's Raleigh Commuter
#824 - Mauricio Orantes' Trek 1500
#825 - Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte

Singlespeeds For a Short Week

Everyone is supposed to be tying off work quickly this week and gathering for contemplation around an unfortunate bird.  Which means you're probably stuck in some airport, listlessly overhearing folks complain about the TSA intimate frisking they just endured. Hopefully, the addition of eight new entries to the Singlespeed Gallery will help you divert your attention to something fun and healthy...

It seems to be getting more difficult each time to choose one entry to highlight, mostly because each and every bicycle has something unique and intriguing about it.  This selection of single speed bicycles is particularly diverse - including purpose built commuters, repurposed mountain bikes, and stripped down road machines.  The wonderful thing is that these bicycles are all getting enjoyed and used now.
In the end, the nod went to a fine example of early mtb history...

Jeromy Hewitt's Fat Chance Buck Shaver
As I've mentioned before, it was from the writings of Mike Ferrintino back in the inky newsprint pages of California Bicyclist that first made me aware of single speed cycling. At that time, I recall thinking "why would you want to get rid of the gears?"

But, somehow as I read through the article, in which he talked about the weight which would be jettisoned and the simplicity which would be attained, there was an attractive kernel of resonance.  At that time, even seeing a singlespeed was a rare thing. 

Since that time, I've always thought of mountain bikes first when someone spoke about singlespeeds. On the roads with a single geared setup, you do sometimes have to accept the multi-geared folk whisking past you now and again, when you are spinning along at just under the butt-bumping cadence.  But, on the trails, there's that sublime flow and near-silence, the simplicity of knowing that speed comes only from effort, and momentum must be maintained.

The Buck Shaver came from the east coast, and was a move to bring out a less expensive offering from the workshop of Chris Chance and company. At the time, hard to remember now, there was the talk of "east coast geometry" - a tighter wheelbase and sometimes higher bottom bracket which gave those relatively unknown bicycles kind of a bad rap out where the sun set.  We liked our 44" wheelbases and slack-angled frames.

Of course, looking at that bicycle now, none of that comes to mind.  The Fat looks like a lean and ready trails machine. The TIG-welded steel and jaunty straight fork promises nothing other than a ready companion to help you get lost on the trails for hours. 


Additions to the Singlespeed Gallery:
#317 - Allan James' Schwinn World Traveler
#318 - Vince Santiago's No Name Singlespeed
#319 - Guiseppe Rosalia's Assiolo
#320 - Lee Chae's Rivendell Quickbeam
#321 - Jeromy Hewitt's Fat Chance Buck Shaver
#322 - Mark Elam's Schwinn Moab
#323 - Gilles Landry's Raleigh
#324 - Joe's Univega Viva Sport

Also, there were some Updates to these previous entries:
CC #656 -  Don Genovese's Miyata 1000 Touring
CC #654 - Randy Pugh's Trek 1500

Catching Up - CX, Working Bikes & Updates

Finally put on the headlamp, took a shovel and pick, and started digging into the morass of confusion which are the "Updates & Revisions" to previous gallery submissions.  At some point a year ago, I figured out something clever, then promptly forgot about it until a few months back.  By then, things had gotten relatively confused and out of synch, so I've had to chip away the grunge and refind them.  Which has occurred.  So, here's the first batch:

Singlespeed Gallery Revisions:
John Busteed's Rivendell Quickbeam
Jim Mather's Rivendell Quickbeam
Gary Passmore's Trek 420
Joe Huddelston's Nishiki Sport
Bert's Bianchi

Current Classics Gallery Revisions:
Mark Rosenberg's Rivendell Road
Stu Wemhoener's Raleigh Resurrectio
Stu Wemhoener's Burley Tandem
George Dickerson's Motobecane
Robert Hill's Richard Sachs #16

So, if you sent in a Revision to a previous Gallery Submission, hang in there!  I've got them queued up and am starting to move through them.  (And if you are thinking of sending in a Revision or Update, please take a second to reference the Gallery Number of the original submission - that helps me find it more quickly.)

In the past week, there were also updates to the Working Bicycle Gallery and the CX Bicycle Gallery. 

Working Bicycle - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood

Now, I'll admit that I've kinda got twin top tubes on the brain - with the evolution of Grant Petersen's Rivendell Sam Hillborne, Hunquapillar and Bombadil models all acquiring additional and entirely non-trendy tubing.  When they've appeared on various bicycle designs, whether taller framesets or more load-bearing-oriented models, I've tried to consider what the tube does, how it does it, and how it will be viewed in another 5 years or so.

Needless to say, Grant is not the first frame designer who has taken this approach.  This laid-back Robin Hood brings a stylish sweep to the genre of Working Bicycles.  Robin Hood was a brand originally acquired by Raleigh back in 1906, and was part of their bicycle manufacturing empire.

Here, Daniel has added a stylish front Porteur-style platform rack and simple but functional VO chaincase.  The additional racks allow him to use this as a camping bicycle, and it looks like it's ready to roll out into the woods.

Additions to the Working Bicycle Gallery:
#130 - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood
#131 - J. Tackett's Trek Loaded Fuel 80
#132 - Lee Chae's Kogswell P/R
#133 - Robert Clark's Brompton

CX - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

Bruce Gordon has been steadily designing and building bikes for over a quarter century.  He has always crafted framesets which were more than happy to roll offroad, or carry whatever you asked of them.  Whether passing out pocket protectors with the phrase "Bruce Gordon Cycles - Where the Touring Nerd is King!" or engaging in the Interbike pranksterism which was SOPWAMTOS, he was making quality bikes when most people didn't care or notice, and every current builder owes him an acknowledgment of thanks.

Ooops - how did I end up on this soapbox...

Anyway, this Rock-n-Road has all the aspects of what I like in a CX bike - a stripped down robustness, the clearances which can only be found in a steel frame and an understated finish.  Plus, there's a chicken on the stem. Can't beat that!

Updates to the Cyclocross Bicycle Gallery:
#64 - Esteban Diaz's Trek 700 Conversion
#65 - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

Seven Singlespeeds

Kind of a crazy start to a week that is now almost over. Between the San Francisco Giants winning the world series on Monday, those wacky elections on Tuesday and the resultant political hangover and celebratory national pastime parade in the city, I guess it was easy to forget I'd posted some updates to the Singlespeed Gallery Monday morning. I mean, here it is all Thursday and everything...

The updates also include an "oopsey!" on my part - sometime in the delay of receiving Jeffrey Brodersen's email with information about his 1974 Raleigh singlespeed project and actually getting it posted to the Gallery, his description got separated from his images, and I'm left with no way to contact him to ask for his text again. So, Jeffrey, if you are reading this, zap me an email with the specifics and I'll get it updated. Cool ride, by the way.

Also, a special mention for John Spurny's Fuji, which includes a great image of two happy dogs:

There's been a dearth of dog-buddy pix in submissions recently, and they are always appreciated when included.

This set of seven new bikes really had a nice assortment of projects and rides, with a number of countries represented.  It seems like all of them had a compelling reason for appreciation, but I said I'd only pick one each update... So,

Ian Roop's Saronni

There's really something about clean hardware and a fresh powdercoat... 

There's a simplicity about this build which is fairly deceptive, but captures a great deal of the allure of this type of bicycle. A bike with a single gear setup, whether fixed or coastable, has stripped away the confusion of extra cables and wiring, the complexity of on-the-fly gear choice and now reminds us of that easy and direct act of getting on and going.

The high flange hubs are gorgeous, the newly updated powder coat  smooth and creamy, but below it all lies the promise of the bicycle - easy and simple freedom.


New Additions to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery


#310 - Jeffrey Brodersen's '74 Raleigh
#311 - Balu Ramananda's Dahon Jetstream
#312 - George's Big Red Singlespeed
#313 - John Spurny's Fuji Grand SE
#314 - Ian Roop's Saronni
#315 - Paul Popescu's Prophette
#316 - Dean Watkinson's Schwinn Voyager 11.8

Also  Updates to the following Singlespeed Gallery entries:

#106 - Bert's Bianchi
#301 - Joe Huddleston's Nishiki

*A quick word about "Updates" - these have been languishing significantly, and honestly, they are a little cantankerous in terms of the workflow.  I'm making a concerted effort to include a couple with each update now, so if you sent in new images of your existing entry, hang in there!  Also, if you are sending in an update - please reference the Gallery # of your original in the email - that will save me a bit of time and make it more likely to see the updated version more quickly.

Shaking Off The Dust - Beth's "Stompy v2.0"

It seems appropriate to reinvigorate the updates with bicycles that share a simple design and construction.  Until we decide to take the big step back to the Draisine, the singlespeed is still about as simple as you can go.  And as anyone who tries it may (well...sometimes begrudgingly) admit, simple is often times good.

I know that a single drive sprocket keeps calling me back - even when I might curse its inflexibility as the pitch of the climbs increase.  Tonight I scooted out after a day too long rooted in front of the  computer, and as the solid, windless heat lay upon the earth, the fixed drivetrain of my ride made no sound.  A tangent onto some narrow trails supplied the perfect challenge to momentum and balance. Single geared bikes rock.

And speaking of rocking, long time contributor to the Galleries, Beth H. has gotten a good chomp from the singlespeed bug.  Her first rig of recent years was a singleated mtb which somewhere along the line I seem to have dubbed "Stompy".  After shaking that down on the Portland short track and cyclocross scene, she has ended up with a more purpose built model, a Redline Monocog with snazzy bits of pink for accent.  Cool bike!

In addition to wrenching at CityBikes up in Portland, she keeps an interesting blog - bikelovejones 

Updates to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery

#306 - idotel's Raleigh Grand Prix
#307 - Gina's "Milk Runner" Nishiki Custom Sport Mixte
#308 - B. Saul's Motobecane Touring
#309 - Beth Hamon's "Stompy 2.0" Redline Monocog

Another Classic Dawes

It's actually pretty hard to pick one bike out of each of the day's entries.  For example, today I had to pass over an interesting Follis tandem and a phenomenally well color-coordinated commuter...  It isn't that I like those any less - more that some tiny little thing in another Gallery post strikes a chord or catches a memory.


As I've commented more than a few times, there's honor in getting a disused bicycle up and running again - whether it's been sitting out under the eaves benefiting from seasonal weather and annual disuse or it's been forgotten out of the elements in some sort of Tomb of Tutankhamun manner.   The second thing about today's featured entry is the manufacturer - Dawes.  


Sharp-eyed or long term followers of the Gallery might know that the first bike in it was my Dawes Double Blue, which was scooped from a dusty and forgotten pile at a garage sale. It got resurrected, cleaned up and readied again for use.  It was the second bicycle I made into a fixed-gear (thanks again to the late, great Sheldon Brown!), the second road bicycle I purposely fendered and the first bicycle which I ever broke a crank on.  It rides with a stately, yet nimble gait which is different than any other bike I own.  


Dawes used to be a UK manufacturer, but faded into disuse.  Their name (along with others) got scooped up and is now slapped on a line of down-market bikes imported into the US (and probably other places).  They have nothing to do with this era.  Although Dawes was never a higher-end British maker, they had some excellent models.  The Dawes Galaxy is one of those.


Chris Tolbert's Dawes Galaxy

Current Classics Gallery #792


This was one of those attic finds that lent itself extremely well to a refurb and makeover. Looking at this bicycle, you realize how many nice touches mark its crafting - the double edge of the forward seat lug shape, the brazed-on loop which acts as a cable guide to the rear brake, the chromed fork and rear triangle and the significant head badge.  (The paint job is gorgeous, but was added in the restoration).


It appears to have similar dimensions to my Double Blue, and it's funny how we both ended up with bikes that have a more "French" dimension, leading to a small amount of seatpost showing.   Nice to see it getting newer components and being ready to ride again.


New Current Classics Gallery Entries:
#789 - B. Saul's Raleigh International
#790 - B. Saul's Raleigh International 
#791 - Daniel Artley's Jack Taylor (Daniel, if you are out there, can you send more info on this bike?)
#792 - Chris Tolbert's Dawes Galaxy
#793 - Bruce Gutman's Lynskey Pro Cross Commuter
#794 - William Lockmiller's Follis Concorde Tandem