(Most of) The Bikes We Ride

People ask us what kind of bikes we ride. Below are pictures of (most of) our bikes. You can click on some of the pictures to take you to a gallery for that bicycle.

We ride American, French, Italian and Japanese bikes from 1967 through 2004

The Jeunet came to us as an unloved United Nations of bicycle parts, repainted mess. The Bocama lugs are really beautiful though its not any kind of special bicycle. This model was made from 1966 – 1974 and since there are no, none, 0 serial numbers on this bicycle, there’s no way to tell what year it was built. However, these were imported to the US by Beacon in Chicago and Oakland during 1973. It did still have its Universel (Yes, that’s actually how its spelled) Cottered Crankset with the Roulement Francais Garanti Bottom Bracket with a replacement Thomas D. Cross & Sons Ltd spindle and the Universal (Yes, different company) Center Pull brakes (which are made of drillium). The Simplex front derailleur was cracked (of course) and the rear one had been replaced with a generic Shimano. It was repainted British Racing Green before we figured out it was a French Jeunet, otherwise it would be French Blue. We put a nice set of Weinmann alloy rims, a Suntour GT rear derailleur with a Suntour Spirt (Yes, Spirt not Spirit) front derailleur combined with a Suntour 6 speed freewheel. The handlebars were changed from drops to Tourists and a comfy leather saddle makes for a nice upright riding bicycle.

Haven’t really done much to this bicycle except change the saddle. Schwinn (or Giant for Schwinn in this case) used to make nice bicycles

I believe, from the decal remnants and shadows on the anodizing, that this was labelled as a Performance. These frames were sold by many different companies and the internet isn’t really sure of who made them; SR… Kuwahara? Its a nice Aluminum lugged frame.

This Super Sport has been modified a little bit. We bought it from the original owner who had put 375.8 miles on it before she hung it in the barn. Still had the original tires on it when we got it and they were still in good enough condition to ride on them. The one piece Ashtabula crankset has been replaced with a three piece crank with a Stronglight 105 bis. The Huret rear derailleur was replaced by a Suntour GT. The pie plate spoke protector was removed and a smaller Maillard 5 speed freewheel replaced the huge original. Everything else, even the handlebar tape, is original

1978 Schwinn Superior – 4130 Cro-Mo Main Tubes with Viscount Lambert alloy crankset, Suntour Cyclone Rear Derailleur, Suntour Compe V Front Derailleur, Weinmann concave 27×1 1/4″ alloy wheels, Universal Mod 61 centerpulls, leather handlebar tape and leather Soffatti Professionale Saddle

1968 was the only year that Sports Tourers were called S/S Tourers. They came with the lovely TA Cyclo Tourist three ring crankset. The rear derailleur was replaced with a Suntour Cyclone and the freewheel with a Suntour 6 speed. This has the TA handlebar bag and Schwinn approved front and small rear chrome racks

Digital Cameras make everything look better than it actually is. The Brown paint on the Columbus SL Tubing (you could get it in Brown, Green or Blue) and chrome aren’t in the best condition but its not from lack of polishing. It came with a Stronglight crankset, but it was replaced with an Ofmega with Torpado (Torresini) chainrings, which is who made the frame for Ben Lawee in the first place. The Campagnolo derailleurs are original (except for the pulley wheels which were cracked, as they all are) and the wheels were replaced with Fiamme rims laced to Campagnolo hubs. The Weinmann Carrera sidepulls (made of drillium) are not original (Universal Model 61 Centerpulls were original and they have migrated to the 1978 Schwinn Prestige) but they go well with the rest of the chrome on the bike. The stem is a 3TTT and the tired leather saddle is a Brooks.

Is it possible for this bike to be any blingier? Maybe if it had curb feelers?

Made with Raleigh’s 555SL Tubing, which is probably like Bianchi’s ‘Special Tubing’ which was whatever Tange tube set that they could get. It is surprisingly light and the chrome forks and stays are pretty retro even for an 80’s bike.

Bought from the Original Owner’s Nephew. Reynolds 531 tubing, Shimano 600, Mavic wheels. Thermo Bonded steel tubes to aluminum lugs

 

This bike came to us as a repainted (badly) mystery bike with nice Shimano 600 parts. After it was repainted this lovely pearl yellow, we figured out it was a Falcon Triathlon 600

Candy Root Beer paint and copper color hammered fenders. A folding bike with a two speed AUTOMATIC rear hub. It shifts gears at around 7 mph.

This was/is a 1980’s all chrome frame Roland Mountain Bike. Since this picture was taken, it now sports collapsible wire baskets on the rear, which makes it a great hauler of things…

I like this bike for the fillet brazing that covered up the TIG welding on the frame…plus the chrome fork and the original Portage Strap are pretty cool.

Without a doubt, the classiest bicycle we have. Even the original Simplex ‘plastic’ derailleurs are in excellent shape. Since this picture was taken we put the original chrome wheels with Maillard high flange hubs back on because they just look better than the alloy wheels. The Schwinn S/S Tourer ‘borrowed’ the TA Handlebar bag

A French Mountain Bike. Not like the Orient Express / Canyon Express that Peugeot sold in the US. This one is all French. French lugged frame, Sachs / Huret Derailleur, Simplex Crankset, Simplex Thumb Shifters, Weinmann Concave wheelset, Rear Wheel Locator Screws, Helicomatic Rear Hub…

This is the ‘Tourist’ version (UE-18) which had fenders and lights. These weren’t just a ‘dealer add on’ but had a dedicated generator mount brazed onto the seat stay and guides for the wiring brazed to the bottom of the frame that a UO-18 wouldn’t have had. The fenders and rear rack are stainless steel. The chrome cottered crankset was replace with the Stronglight from the Italvega and the delrin Simplex derailleurs were replaced as was the 5 speed Maillard freewheel for a 6 speed Suntour. The chrome wheelset was also replaced with an alloy high flange set. Probably the nicest Peugeot Mixte we’ve had.

The Youngest Bicycle in Our Stable

Frame built by Araya. Painted with color shifting paint that changes from dark blue to purple.