Thursday, August 11, 2011

Christmas in July

Cycling is booming Québec, I think I have been waxed about this one ad nauseam

What I found out recently though is that not only is urban cycling on a total roll, but sport cycling is literally exploding as well. Roading is the biggie. I have been hearing this from hubby's colleagues and all the folks I know in professional fields: golfing is ringard and for has-beens, cycling is in. Professional firms finally caught on with the idea that golf really sucks some boring dick that only older partners enjoy licking.
(Yuck, I know... I should stop being so gross... But, hey, the point of this blog is also for me to vent alright! I did have to suck these things up in my previous life...)
Younger folks are much more attracted to cycling, which, as a bonus, allows them to beat some serious partner's ass for once...

Anyways, hubby had been toying with the idea of getting himself a road bike after several of his colleagues have started investing in major ass jewels. Yet, how does one know whether they will enjoy a new activity unless they try it at some point? One cannot simply walk into a shop and drop big $$$ on a untried toy. Dilemma... Asked above-mentioned colleagues for a trial... Nice but not enough to get a trust worthy impression.

And then... Boom! Santa Klaus drops one in the chimney!


Can you believe this shit? Is this serendipity or what?

Ok, not so much Santa than a cousin moving in a new place and dumping an old wheelset left there by the previous tenant. A Raleigh Record, the most basic of all entry-level road bikes.

All red and proud.




I wish I knew which year it was made in.


"Vintage", as in old school, nobody-rides-these-things-anymore (not true). But hey, it's a free bike!


Always funny to see road bikes with kickstand. The previous owner was probably using it as a commuting tool.



It was made in Canada. Weights a ton, "high tensile steel tubing".


Some rust...


yet, it is in an almost perfect state. A tune-up, some new tape and there we go. Hubby will be able to play with it and figure it all out thoroughly.

As I commented recently on Lovely Bicycle!, people do not tap family enough. There are literally a gazillion bicycles laying idle in folks' basements, attics etc. All we need to do is reach out.

Ask and you shall receive! 

4 comments:

  1. "I wish I knew which year it was made in."

    12 speed and cotterless cranks. This is one of the last batch.

    "Always funny to see road bikes with kickstand. The previous owner was probably using it as a commuting tool."

    Not funny at all. The kickstand came with the bike, as they did with all bikes of its class. You are confusing "road" bike with road racing bike . This is a city bike. A Sports with drop bars and derailleurs, but stem mounted shifters. Like one of those "sports cars" that's really an economy sedan with a two seat body dropped onto it. My Taiwan version of essentially the same bike even has a proper brazed on kickstand plate.

    Throw a set of Bluemels and a tool bag on it and it'll be complete, although that may disrupt the hubby's "road bike" image.

    "nobody-rides-these-things-anymore"

    Yeah, ummmmmmm, well, when you get tired of it just pop it on a Greyhound to Albany and I'm sure "somebody" will ride it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @ kfg

    Thanks a lot for the information.

    "You are confusing "road" bike with road racing bike."

    Actually no, I can make the difference (I think). But people are so obsessed with their bike's weight that they sometimes remove those kickstands. Once, I was advised in a bike shop where I was looking at urban bikes, to avoid chosing one with a chainguard as "it is heavy, it will rattle, and people remove them anyways!".

    Sad no?

    "although that may disrupt the hubby's "road bike" image."

    I am the one with the images in here! I had to wrestle hubby for him to accept the bike. And to this day he has not ridden it yet. I think he looks down on it as it is not some carbon Argon 18 or Opus jewel.
    I am the one fantisizing about it. I might end up keeping it for myself actually!

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Sad no?"
    Sad yes.

    "he looks down on it as it is not some carbon Argon 18 or Opus jewel."

    Well, it is a student/working class bike for feeling sporty on, rather than a bike for actual sports. Still it is good enough to get a feel for the The Road Bike Thang(tm) on. Put a set a slick tires on it and it'll go about as fast as the motor can.

    I'd also change the bars. Most people who think they don't like drops think that because their experience is with those drops. Those are really shallow track drops, you want something with a half round profile; and make sure to mount the brake levers high enough on the bends that riding the hoods is comfortable.

    ReplyDelete

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