Who rides what?

[K'Tesh]

So I'm sticking it again... in a new forum.

So, Welcome Back "Who Rides What"!!!
K'Tesh

[spatialized]

Since K'Tesh re-stuck the thread, here's my faithful steed.


A 97 or 98 steel Specialized Rockhopper. Add fenders, rack, pannier, lights and it's now my full-time commuter, and all around riding bike. Rain, snow, sleet, hail and even sun, this bike has been through it all.

This pic was taken almost 2 years ago, it looks a little worse for wear now...

Tom

[SonyaByBike]

Custom-build Bareknuckle track a.k.a. "Bubbleicious"


2007 Jamis Quest- awesome long distance bike


1980s Schwinn Sprint converted SS/Fixed grocery-getter


Royce Union that will be SS/Fixed for my boyfriend soon

These bikes will soon be roaming the streets of Portland!

[LESTER]

I'm gonna list them in order of age: (the last two may be reversed if the KHS is newer than 1996)

[Alan]

'70s vintage Raleigh Supercourse, 27" frame (crank center to top of seattube).

March 2011: The rear brake cable hanger on a built-in bridge has always puzzled me; never found a Motobecane model with that. Finally looked at some pics of Raleigh Supercourses and sure enough, some years have that bridge. The lugs and fork crown also match some years of Supercourse. The only pertinent brand markings on the bike, since the frame is painted over and the head badge is gone, are the Raleigh bar-end shifters. I always guessed they were replacements but now I'm thinking they were originally on down-tube clamp-ons, then converted to bar-end. Still plenty of puzzling details but for now I'm calling it a Raleigh SC.



'80s-ish UniVega "Alpina Trail", 21":



Either of 'em can hitch up to this Instep trailer, with its kids sling seats removed and a birch plywood floor laced in with zip-ties for a dog or cargo (you can see the edge of the plywood, just above the frame rail, photo right):

[The Bicycling Guitarist]

Since the early 1980s I have ridden this same Schwinn Sportabout bicycle tens of thousands of miles while simultaneously playing a Fender Stratocaster guitar, writing hundreds of songs dozens of which are posted on the official web site of The Bicycling Guitarist.

In the early years of the twenty-first century, this 1977 Sportabout had its first major improvements in all the time I had been riding it. I upgraded to quick release hubs and center-pull brakes from a Continental, thus creating a Schwinn "Sportinental". The bike was professionally painted including the URL of my web site on the sides of the frame.

I moved to Oregon a few years after that, and I am very well received in my new home town of Roseburg. They even featured me as the lead story on the front page of their newspaper. I may visit Portland someday, hopefully with my bicycle and guitar.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by The Bicycling Guitarist

Since the early 1980s I have ridden this same Schwinn Sportabout bicycle tens of thousands of miles while simultaneously playing a Fender Stratocaster guitar, writing hundreds of songs dozens of which are posted on the official web site of The Bicycling Guitarist. (snip)

Welcome, Chris! Nice website, cool occupation and I especially enjoy the info about your Schwinn. I bought a brand new Continental in 1970. I still have it but it's not streetable right now; it must have head bearings and new tires before it rides at all, and really needs a total overhaul, cables and housings, chain, rims...well, you know all about how that goes. Thanks for the link to the page on Angelfire about "date codes;" it tells me mine was built in Sep '70. Do you happen to have a link to the "Schwinn restoration forum" you mention on the Sportabout page? I'd be interested in that. (Update: found it on the "Continental" page - www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/forums/. )

Oh, and just curious, but how do you brake while holding the guitar? Right hand on the brake?

[The Bicycling Guitarist]

Hi Alan and thanks for your kind words and welcome.

My Schwinn pages could stand a bit of reorganization to make all the online bicycle forum links easier to find.

When I need to brake, I usually hold the body of my guitar with my right hand and use the left hand on the brake. If need be of course I use both hands on the brakes.

Recently my front wheel started a vicious shimmy side to side faster and faster. I have been riding this same bicycle for nearly thirty years and never encountered this problem before. I don't know what has changed to cause this. If I hold my leg against the top tube I can dampen the shimmy, but I can't keep it like that all the time.

I checked the tires' air pressure and had the front hub rebuilt with all new bearings and fresh Phil Wood waterproof grease. The problem persists. Tomorrow I'll see if any of the spokes on the rear wheel are loose since one source online said that might cause the problem. Cargo on the rear rack may also be the cause, but I've carried many things back there over the years and never had this problem before.

Anyway, glad you like my site. Peace TBG

[Alan]

Originally Posted by The Bicycling Guitarist

When I need to brake, I usually hold the body of my guitar with my right hand and use the left hand on the brake. If need be of course I use both hands on the brakes.

As long as the Stratocaster is safe. *grin*

Recently my front wheel started a vicious shimmy side to side faster and faster. I have been riding this same bicycle for nearly thirty years and never encountered this problem before. I don't know what has changed to cause this. If I hold my leg against the top tube I can dampen the shimmy, but I can't keep it like that all the time.

I checked the tires' air pressure and had the front hub rebuilt with all new bearings and fresh Phil Wood waterproof grease. The problem persists. Tomorrow I'll see if any of the spokes on the rear wheel are loose since one source online said that might cause the problem. Cargo on the rear rack may also be the cause, but I've carried many things back there over the years and never had this problem before.

Check the front spokes, too, since it's so easy. And check the head bearings. Straddle the bike, clamp on the front brake, and gently rock fore and aft with the handlebars. There shouldn't be any play of the fork steerer tube in the head bearings; you'll feel a slight "clunk" on the fore-and-aft movement if there is play. The bars should rotate freely side-to-side, of course.

I'll be curious to hear what it turns out to be, once you figure it out.

[The Bicycling Guitarist]

Hi Alan. The rear wheel spokes were tightened today and the rear hub got fresh grease. I had shimmy on the way to the LBS but didn't on the way back, so fingers crossed let's hope the problem is fixed.