That is a really sweet commuter bike Rob. The 80's asian Schwinns were (imo) leaps and bounds better than earlier Chicago made versions. I think it was either Giant or Panasonic who made those frames, maybe both, I can't remember. The cro molly frames and Suntour components huge huge upgrades from the chunks of steel they were selling in the 70's. Suntour is my favorite gear from the 70's and 80's too. I have mid-range Suntour groups that out perform my Campagnolo group. Campagnolo was probably more about Italian bike snobbery than it was about innovation.

 

Aside from that I love the changes you made to your Letour. It's a very smart build and the cantilever brakes are very enviable! How do you like the "symmetric" shifters, I have always wanted to try them out.

 

 

I owned a late 80's Schwinn voyager touring bike Beautiful lugged Cromoly frame,  Suntour components (upgraded to grease guard inJectible bottom bracket) etc. Added  front and rear rack, etc.. I toured that thing all over Washington state, Oregon,  Canada. Sold it for An Italian racing frame. wish I still had it. Only  problem was it was heavy. about 25 lbs. stripped but the quality / price ratio was superb.

Kingfish, you're commuting speed is only *half* what they do in the flat sections of the Tour de France:

 

Whatever happened to those "aero" bars and disc wheels from the late 80's?  Did they ban them or were they proven to be scientifically a wash?  Seems to me that the disc wheels would catch cross winds and so be poorly suited for outdoor riding.  Also, the tuck on those aero bars seems like it might confine the ribcage and optimum breathing, or even move the seat position in such a way as to be less efficient.  There used to be dozens of those (often florescent green from what I recall) for sale in bike shops and now they're zero.   

The Raleigh DL-1 Roadster. I need to give it a good cleaning-up and fix the dents in the chain guard and reinstall it. Looking at the photo, I just realized that I need to tighten the chain, too. Looks pretty nasty, right now:

 

 

My best traveling bike. This one hasn't been out of the basement in quite a while, and I owe it some attention. I built it up in 1977 using a then-new Eisentraut Limited frame bought from Steve's Cyclery in Dayton, Ohio and components salvaged from a vintage-1969 Peugeot PX-10 that had suffered an encounter with a suddenly-opened car door. Crankset is Stronglight, headset is Campagnolo, rear derailleur is Shimano Crane, shifters are Suntour SunRace, center-pull brakes are Mafac Racer, high-flange hubs are Normandy, mudguards are Bleumels. All old-school. I gave up the drop bars a few years ago to humor my arthritis. I had bar-tip shifters that I liked on those.

 

 

My dad's bike. I bought it for him for his birthday in the mid-1970s, when he was in his sixties. Even when he was a kid, he had never owned a nice, new bike. Mom wouldn't let him ride it, though. He was somewhat accident-prone, and she was afraid he'd get hurt. This bike has been ridden very little; the last time I took it out, a couple of years ago, it rode like new. I need to pump up the tires and put it to work more often. It has a 23-inch seatpost; 21-inch is standard.

 

There are a couple more rideable/near-rideable in the basement; a pretty turquoise AMF coaster-brake bike, and a vintage Birmingham Hercules 3-speed, dark green with chrome fenders. In addition, there are about three that mostly need tires and grease and putting back together. One is a pretty nice, tall-framed Nishiki that was given to me by a homeowner in Cleveland who found it in the attic of a garage at a home she bought. It had been up there in summer heat for so many years that the tires had nearly melted.

Rob I've been noticing that a lot of manufacturers are making new bikes like these, often charging well over $500.  Surly makes new fixie bikes that are supposed to look like early 1980's Schwinn's that were modified into fixies circa 2004 and charges $700.  These new bikes only have a front brake, which I remain convinced is about the stupidest idea ever. 

 

I first read about fixie bikes in around 1987 in the first book I read on cycling.  I distinctly remember the author saying that fixie bikes were popular amongst European pro's during spring training after winter layoffs.  They believed that they helped build strength faster because a rider could not coast.  It's also possible that hamstrings were strengthened. 

 

 

Rob I've been noticing that a lot of manufacturers are making new bikes like these, often charging well over $500.  Surly makes new fixie bikes that are supposed to look like early 1980's Schwinn's that were modified into fixies circa 2004 and charges $700.  These new bikes only have a front brake, which I remain convinced is about the stupidest idea ever. 

 

I first read about fixie bikes in around 1987 in the first book I read on cycling.  I distinctly remember the author saying that fixie bikes were popular amongst European pro's during spring training after winter layoffs.  They believed that they helped build strength faster because a rider could not coast.  It's also possible that hamstrings were strengthened.

 

I believe fixies were popular among racers and bike messengers at least as far back as the late seventies. I knew a few racers around here who rode them full-time. Part of the attraction for pro riders in urban traffic was that when forced to stop for a traffic signal or cross traffic at an intersection, they didn't have to un-clip and get a foot on the ground; they could use back-and-forth motion on the pedals to stay upright at a stop, and stay clipped into the pedals. Some fixies don't have any brakes at all.

 

The Raleigh Detour Deluxe (~$750) is a good example of the modern-featured but retro-looking commuter bikes you're talking about. Really classy outfit, with disc brakes, etc. If it had a geared hub instead of a derailleur, the look would be almost complete.

 

I have a bunch of parts including a Peugeot frame and a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub with Dynohub built in, that I'd like to use to build a custom city bike. Connected to an LED light the Dynohub might kick out a pretty good beam.

Kingfish, you're commuting speed is only *half* what they do in the flat sections of the Tour de France:

 

Whatever happened to those "aero" bars and disc wheels from the late 80's? Did they ban them or were they proven to be scientifically a wash? Seems to me that the disc wheels would catch cross winds and so be poorly suited for outdoor riding. Also, the tuck on those aero bars seems like it might confine the ribcage and optimum breathing, or even move the seat position in such a way as to be less efficient. There used to be dozens of those (often florescent green from what I recall) for sale in bike shops and now they're zero.

 

I doubt those guys would be going so fast if they were headed to where I work.

 

Still, even the fastest riders out there are no match for traffic: http://www.bikebiz.com/news/22695/REVISED-Worlds-fastest-cyclist-killed-by-lorry

That's incredible. 

 

Yesterday I was stung in the bridge of the nose by a bee.  I was coasting downhill in Eden Park when I saw something buzzing and then felt like I got punched in the nose.  Luckily there was no traffic, because I had to pull over for a second to make sure my nose was still attached.  I was stung about 10 years ago in the chest by a bee that flew down my shirt, again while coasting downhill.  That time felt like I was punched in the chest. 

Rob, the DL-1 looks perfect.  What's the point of having an old English tank if it doesn't have a little patina?

 

That Albert Eisentraut is a show stopper, great frame with a cool eclectic mix of parts.  I have seen an Eisentraut "Rainbow Traut" (get it?) before, the craftsmanship was top notch.

 

Anyhow, the local paper had an article about plans for bike lanes in Canton.  They gave a time frame of around 5 years for all phases to be complete.  It's a good start, I hope to see them expand on it for years to come.

 

I am a little concerned about the short bike lane barrier wall, is this normal?  The expected comments can be found at the bottom of the page "DUH Sidewalks!!!"  :whip:

 

http://www.cantonrep.com/homepage/x737365422/City-engineer-says-yes-to-more-bikes-in-Canton

 

That Albert Eisentraut is a show stopper, great frame with a cool eclectic mix of parts.  I have seen an Eisentraut "Rainbow Traut" (get it?) before, the craftsmanship was top notch.

 

You're one of the few who recognizes the Eisentraut name. When I was looking for a kit to put on upright bars, I took it with me to the Uppity-Bike-Jock Store where the uppity bike jocks thoroughly dissed that "old, obsolete bike" and tried to tell me some entry-level $250 bike was better and I should buy it instead of modifying mine. The one they were promoting as "better" was like middle-aged folks would buy to ride around their subdivision on a summer evening.

 

Unfortunately, that frame has been repaired, although with good materials and workmanship. On a return trip by train from San Francisco, I used one of Amtrak's boxes and did everything according to the rules. When I claimed the bike at home, there was a hole in the shape of a forklift fork punched clean through the box. There was a big scraping dent in the top tube.

 

For whatever reason - Eisentraut may have quit by then - I had a good local bike shop that no longer exists send it to someone near Columbus, Ohio. They did a nice job on the tube replacement, but weren't set up to replicate the original metallic gray hammertone finish, so I had it repainted in black. All that sort of trashes the market value, but it's still a quality ride.

 

 

Yeah, the bike shops in Canton are very similar in attitude (it depends on who is working).  I had a custom frame made by Mike Melton (I think he was set up near Columbus).  I took that frame to a local shop to see if I could dig up some more info on it and got the entire obsolete bit too.  Look at some of the high end custom steel coming from Rivendell, Waterford and others, those frames are going for thousands and your Eisentraut is every bit as nice.  Maybe your bike went to Franklin frames for repair?  I really love the look of those Stronglight cranks too.

 

Here are some pictures of the Melton frame I had.  The lugs just seem to melt into the tubes:

http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/50717887.html

 

Free rides on train

POSTED: 08:35 a.m. EDT, Jul 14, 2009

 

 

Maybe your bike went to Franklin frames for repair?  I really love the look of those Stronglight cranks too.

 

Here are some pictures of the Melton frame I had.  The lugs just seem to melt into the tubes:

 

That's it; Franklin frames did the work on my Eisentraut, and it was an excellent job.

 

That Melton frame is gorgeous. He built the team bikes for Huffy back in the seventies, and the dealer in Dayton where I bought my Eisentraut knew him. When I wanted to get the Eisentraut fixed, I took it back there and he gave it to Melton, who had it a year without getting around to it.

 

Finally I reclaimed it, and took it to a local racer who did frame repair as a sideline. After six months with no word, I went to check on it and found the guy loading a U-Haul to move to California. I don't know what might have happened to my frame - abandoned in the garage, junked, taken along?

 

That's when I took it to the dealer who sent it to Franklin. I had it back in just a few weeks for a fair price. Are they still in business? I want to look into getting another one (Peugeot) fixed, and build a quirky geared-hub city bike with it. Probably cost more than the frame is worth, but I have a sentimental attachment to it

^^Trains and bikes. Talk about an UrbanOhio Summer outing!

 

I've done the CVSR. It's awesome!

Yeah, Franklin frames is still going strong.  I know a few people on bikeforums that have had work done recently enough.  They seemed to be happy with the quality and price too.

 

I guess Mike Melton feel off the face of the bicycle universe, Dave Moulton has a blog entry about him and it seems he can't find him either.  There was a really nice Melton tandem up on ebay recently, now that would be cool.

 

I can't believe the grief that you went through trying to get your frame repaired!  Good thing you were diligent enough to check up on it.  There are a couple other local frame builders that seem to have a good reputation. 

 

Groovy cycles in Wooster http://groovycycleworks.com/default.aspx

 

and Ciclo Polito in Cleveland's little Italy.  Apparently he won Best in Show at NAHBS this year

I just saw a news piece on City bike, it seems business is slow.  I hope business picks up, I do like the idea.  They mentioned that a bike station is going to be built across the street next year, what's that?

A bit worse than my bee sting from last week:

 

 

Tour de France Rider Describes Being Shot by Air-Rifle

 

COLMAR, France (AP) - Two Tour de France cyclists were slightly injured Friday in what their teams suspect was an air-rifle shooting.

New Zealand's Julian Dean and Spain's Oscar Freire, a three-time former world champion, were struck while riding in northeast France during the 13th stage.

 

Dean's right index finger was injured. Freire's team said he was hit in the thigh with a projectile that was removed. Both were expected to ride Saturday.

 

 

It was not immediately certain what weapon was used. But both teams—Dean's Garmin Slipstream and Freire's Rabobank—believe it was an air rifle.

 

"He (Dean) was very lucky," Garmin spokeswoman Marya Pongrace said by telephone. "He is a little shaken up."

 

Rabobank said in a statement the doctor told the team the injury to Freire "will not bother him too much."

 

Police were investigating, and Dean was to be interviewed at his hotel in Colmar later Friday. Rabobank said it intended to file a complaint.

 

The riders were hit during the descent of the demanding Col du Platzerwasel, about 22 miles from the finish of the stage between Vittel and Colmar, Rabobank said.

^ I saw that, crazy huh?  Eddie Merckx  got punched in the stomach by a spectator while in the TDF once.  Those crazy cyclist fans, almost as bad as soccer!

I wouldn't doubt that there is some NIMBYism in France when the tour comes through a particular area.  It's also a chance for the mentally ill to do something ridiculous.

 

The Tour is an incredible event, one that I think is very watchable on TV, with the exception of the time difference.  The helicopter shots during the sprints in the final miles of each stage are amazing because you can see how team members drift back through the pack to literally block the sprinters from other teams and introduce all-purpose chaos to the pack.  Of course the French countryside is typically amazing as well. 

 

 

Yeah, it can be a very exciting spectacle.  Did you see that a woman was struck and killed by one of the supporting motorcycles?  That would certainly add to the NIMBYism that you mentioned.  I don't know the details, but it's a tragedy.

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/524918.html?nav=5021

 

Funding deadline approaching

Groups may need to find cash to complete bike trail

 

By RON SELAK JR. Tribune Chronicle POSTED: July 21, 2009

 

WARREN - Groups working to complete the Western Reserve Greenway may be forced to come up with some extra cash in order to finish sections of the bicycle and walking trail.

 

Full story: http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/524918.html?nav=5021]http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/524918.html?nav=5021

4 Days and 2 Wheels on the Oregon Coast

By DAVID LASKIN, New York Times, July 12, 2009

 

IN a car, you’d cover the hundred miles of the southern third of the Oregon coast in a couple of hours, and you’d think, How gorgeous! But on a bike, you don’t so much view the scenery as absorb it. With every sense and muscle, you register how the hills fold and join, how the air and the light change with distance from the sea. You notice the seed heads ripening beside the road and hear the birds cheering you on your way.

 

Full story: url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/travel/12explorer.html

The author has a gift for word pictures. I enjoyed that a lot.

This is truly sad news as Steven Barbour was a well-known bicycle advocate and activist. He was also a long-time former ODOT employee.

 

Interesting that WSYX-TV made no mention of the fact that their main anchorperson was a passenger in the car.  His co-anchor read the story.

 

Bicyclist dies after being struck Saturday

Police call alcohol a factor after test on pickup driver

Wednesday,  July 22, 2009 2:50 PM

By Jeb Phillips

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

A well-known Upper Arlington bicyclist died early this morning of injuries he received when a pickup truck struck him on Saturday.

 

Full story: http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/07/22/barbour.html?sid=101

That is a damn shame, and yes, it sparks anger. I searched WSYX-TV to find some coverage of the incident, significant that it involved their lead anchorman, and this biased clip was all that I found. It's also severely outdated (severely injured???).

 

Miller should be charged with murder. He was being charged with aggravated assault when Steve was injured.

 

Noozer, can you keep us posted on this? If there are any organized rides in honor of Steve's life, I will gladly take a day off from work to come up.

 

Am I reading this right?  The anchorman, who had presumably been drinking, was riding with a drunk driver who hit this guy?

Yes.

"Scalf said Miller took a breath-analysis test. He would not release the results but said alcohol played a role in the crash."

 

This probably means it was close to the legal limit, but not over...  This might be attributed to the fact that it was 6AM and the driver was likely very tired, which many people will tell you is more dangerous than driving after a few beers.

All....from Consider Biking.

 

http://www.considerbiking.org/passing-of-steve-barbour/

 

Passing of Steve Barbour

Jul 22nd, 2009 by admin.

 

With deep sadness, we must share that local cyclist Steve Barbour passed away on Tuesday, July 21. Steve had been riding westbound along Cemetery Road in Hilliard on Saturday.  As he did so often, he was riding to the start point of the ride he was leading.  Steve was struck and critically injured by motorist Edward S. Miller, who was also driving westbound. 

 

Full story: http://www.considerbiking.org/passing-of-steve-barbour/]http://www.considerbiking.org/passing-of-steve-barbour/

f$&k yeah.

 

Shop owner chases suspect by bike

By Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, July 23, 2009

 

NEWPORT - A man suspected of stealing a bicycle from a Colerain shop Monday night found himself under arrest after being pursued on his bike by a vigilant Newport bike shop owner.

 

Jason Reser, owner of Reser Bicycle Outfitters in Newport, pursued the man through the streets of Newport and said he endured a punch to the face from the man before police arrested him.

I hope he pressed charges against the guy for assault. :whip:

I hope he pressed charges against the guy for assault. :whip:

 

I think you may mean battery.  As I recall, assault involves fear of physical attack.  Battery is the actual physical assault.  But I agree with what you mean -- hope he sues the guy.

Yesterday I was stung in the bridge of the nose by a bee.  I was coasting downhill in Eden Park when I saw something buzzing and then felt like I got punched in the nose.  Luckily there was no traffic, because I had to pull over for a second to make sure my nose was still attached.  I was stung about 10 years ago in the chest by a bee that flew down my shirt, again while coasting downhill.  That time felt like I was punched in the chest. 

 

Thanks to untamed facial hair, I survived a bee collision this morning.

 

Mustache 1, Bee 0.

Yesterday I was stung in the bridge of the nose by a bee. I was coasting downhill in Eden Park when I saw something buzzing and then felt like I got punched in the nose. Luckily there was no traffic, because I had to pull over for a second to make sure my nose was still attached. I was stung about 10 years ago in the chest by a bee that flew down my shirt, again while coasting downhill. That time felt like I was punched in the chest.

 

Thanks to untamed facial hair, I survived a bee collision this morning.

 

Mustache 1, Bee 0.

 

Haha.  I biked to lunch today with a coworker and had a bee smash itself against my sunglasses...would have been right in my eye otherwise

The increased popularity of bicycling has given rise to a need for safety instruction in the local community; there are a bunch of people out there who have no clue as to how to protect themselves or to ride courteously in order to not invoke the ire of motorists who can run them off the road.

 

My cross-street will accomodate two cars going in opposite directions, except where there are parked cars. It's also part of the Rivergreenway, and gets a lot of bike and running traffic. Yesterday afternoon I came up behind a young man and young woman riding side by side and taking up the whole street at something less than 10mph, and either completely unaware that I was behind them, or indifferent to my presence. After about a block of that, here comes some dork from the opposite direction, riding on the left side. Immediately it becomes clear that neither he nor they know what to do, and they're all all over the street. I just stopped and waited until it all got sorted out. I stifled the impulse to 'splain things to the left-side rider, realizing it would do no good and he'd just speed up to get away from the crazy man.

 

This evening at dusk as I was leaving Lowe's, I saw a young man in dark clothes, on a bike with no lights, riding in fast, heavy traffic while absorbed in his cell phone conversation. Local drivers must be better than I gave them credit for, else we'd be reading about a sharp uptick in bike-car fatalities.

Rob I am shocked at just how clueless some people are on bikes.  A few weeks ago I was in South Carolina and collided with a space-brain on a rental bike. I will spare you all the details of this incident, other than to say the guy was riding on the left side of a bike trail that runs right along a divided 6-lane highway.  I rode behind him at his snail's pace for about 200ft., waiting for him to veer back to the right side of the trail so I could pass on the left. He kept looking into the woods to the left of the trail, not where he was going, and looked like he might very well continue on the left side of the trail for another 1000 miles, so I just sped up to pass him on the right, but at that exact instant he mindlessly veered back not only to the right, but to the right of the right, onto the thin strip of grass between the paved trail and oncoming 50mph traffic. All the while he was still staring off to the left, into whatever he was looking at in the woods (Bigfoot?). The guy might have actually drifted into oncoming traffic if he hadn't hit me first! I came relatively close to being hit by an oncoming car, and although the incident was partly my fault, it was 97% his fault. 

 

^Which is why I have a bell and I'm not afraid to use it. Everybody understands what my bell means except the OSU kids. Hmm.

I have a bell on my bike, but not on the bike I was riding.  Also, I was sure the guy had seen me, but he obviously didn't. 

A little project of mine: converting my old 1983 12-speed Schwinn into a fixed gear/single speed. The saga begins:

 

 

More photos and narration here:

 

Kudos for keeping a front brake!  I am really curious about fixed gear bicycles, I want to try one out but never feel like building one.  I could probably test ride one at the LBS but I hate asking.  The head tube and fork angle look really steep on that Schwinn frame, is there a bend at the head tube lug?

Rob, I know what you mean about idot riders!!  I was stopped at a light in traffic last week, on the downside of a hill.  I was waiting in the lane a few cars back from the light when this other guy comes flying down the hill filtering past the cars.  The light turned green and he continued flying through the intersection, I was just waiting for one of the cars beside him to turn right.  Luckily for him it didn't happen.

 

Edit: clarification

Kudos for keeping a front brake!  I am really curious about fixed gear bicycles, I want to try one out but never feel like building one.  I could probably test ride one at the LBS but I hate asking.  The head tube and fork angle look really steep on that Schwinn frame, is there a bend at the head tube lug?

 

Good eye. There may well be (see below). The lugs look sound; i.e., no cracks or fissures. I'll take another look when I get back home. The way the back wheel was bent up I think I may have taken a spill at some point (yet I have no recollection). I don't believe anybody else ever rode this bike. Ah well. I don't anticipate doing any cross-country riding on this. It's mainly a learning experience. I'll be investing a total of about $150 on the conversion (most of that wheels); everything else is knowledge.

 

Fixies are fun. I've ridden a friend's. Definitely a different type of riding. It's completely distilled: all your power comes out the other end of the pedals. You have a heightened awareness of your surroundings and your machine. Too bad about all those hipsters. I imagine I'll be able to upgrade for cheap in a year or so once the fad dies down.

 

^Definitely bent top tube and down tube, and the fork may be sprung back a little bit, too. It looks like the front wheel encountered an immovable oject like a curb. It's probably still safe to ride for its intended purpose, so long as there are no visible cracks where the tubes are brazed into the lugs. The wheels may run a little out of line, but that's something you learn to compensate without really thinking about it.

Kingfish, are you anywhere near Canton?  I have a quality frame and fork that you can have for free.  It's a 52cm Fuji with tange infinity tubing.  I have a sister that lives in Columbus so I travel that way every now and then.

Thanks for the sharp eyes, guys. mkeller234: I'm here in Columbus. I'll gladly accept your frame. Stop by anytime. I can give you a bucket of old hardware for your trouble, even. Again: this whole project is a learning exercise, and you guys are definitely adding to the lesson. Thanks!

I'm supposed to help my sister move in the coming months and I could haul it down with me.  She is still looking for a new place so as far as I know, but I could always arrange a weekend trip.  52cm is an ok frame size then?  I am assuming it is slightly larger than the Schwinn you have pictured.

 

One thing I should mention... this bike is very 80s.  It has a Miami Vice paint scheme going on but if you can get past that it has decent cro moly tubing and forged dropouts.  It has a fair amount of braze-ons which may not be the prettiest on a fixed gear.

 

This is how I got the bike, now it's just a frame but I have cleaned it up a bit too.

Sold!

If you are a cyclist in Cleveland, especially one who uses your bicycle for transportation, as opposed to recreation, I am seeking your input at the following meeting:

 

RTA's Transit Improvement Advisory Committee (TIAC) on Friday, Aug 7 from 8:30-10AM @ RTA's Main Office, 1240 West 6th Street in the Warehouse District.

 

August's TIAC meeting will be dedicated to developing a priority list of specific bicycle accommodations that should be included in the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit system.

 

If you'd be so kind, please PM me if you can attend.

 

pEACE>

Do you guys have bike racks on your busses?

^Definitely bent top tube and down tube, and the fork may be sprung back a little bit, too. It looks like the front wheel encountered an immovable oject like a curb. It's probably still safe to ride for its intended purpose, so long as there are no visible cracks where the tubes are brazed into the lugs. The wheels may run a little out of line, but that's something you learn to compensate without really thinking about it.

 

I would just assume let a bent frame lie, but is there any wisdom whatsoever in attempting to straighten it? It's steel.

^Probably not, even on a high end frame.  You could probably ride it the way it is, but it will probably handle funny.  You could always build it up with cheap cables from walmart, the bell set costs around 5 dollars.  I think the Fuji will work out well and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it since it's too small for me.

 

Maybe I can talk my wife into visiting Columbus in the next week or so.  I'll let you know when and we can arrange to get the frame in your hands.  She lives over in Victorian Village, so we could probably meet in Goodale park.