Ok lets take a break from the GNRS story,
cause that's what I did!
The wind was really out of my sails on friday.
I slept and watched a couple movies and that's about it,
until night time anyway.
There's a bike ride that happens in San Diego every last friday @ 8pm
called Critical Mass.
It's a fun ride through the streets of SD, through stoplights and traffic.
A wide variety of bike riders - bmx'rs, fixie hipsters, tightpants roadies, MB'rs,
college drunks, hippy granola's, cruisers, stoners, dad's with kids...
Yep, put me on the list of dad's with kids!
I found this thing (of course) on CL hoping to get my wife (dani) to ride around with me.
We did ride it a couple of times but it's really tough to get the kids squared away.
Fast forward almost a year,
and our oldest son Jaxon can now reach the pedals. Score!
Our first critical mass together was on New Years Eve last month.
We live close enough to ride up to Balboa Park,
and he huffed and puffed like no other to get there.
Unfortunately the actual CM ride was weak and didn't last very long,
but our ride home was great, along the bay at night.
This past ride was back to normal,
at least a couple blocks full of riders taking over.
I think Jax was a little overwhelmed but that's what makes the Tandem so fun.
So here it is...
An older couple was selling this,
he had acquired it from their neighbors.
They liked their old Schwinn Twinn better!
From what I have gathered it's an early 90's version.
It wasn't totally rideable when I got it, but just some air and some fiddling.
The bars were flipped up, 70's style, and these big fat cruiser seats,
it was awesome.
Unfortunately no pics of its heyday as a retirement village cruiser.
Most bicycle manufactures make different price bracket bikes,
usually using the same frame with higher or lower end components.
This thing has a SUNTOUR group and after a little tuning it runs so smooth,
I can't find a reason to want or need to replace it.
This thing was built beefy.
I love the wide flange track style hubs by Sansin.
I'm not sure if this has the threaded part for an older style freewheel,
or were they way ahead of the fixie epidemic?
The frame also has what looks like a disc brake flange,
for '93 kinda rare.
So far I only swapped in some swap meet campagnolo super record pedals,
and added some drillium holes in the gears.
Rodriguez was one of the first to use oval tubing,
and the single tube from headset to rear bottom bracket.
(I'm just regurgitating from what I've read online)
They were also one of the first to use a Bushnell Eccentric bottom bracket.
http://www.bushnelltandems.com/articles/eccentricdefined.html
its an interesting way to get rid of the cruiser style adjustable sprocket.
There is no useful need to swap out any of the Sakae stuff,
so will probably just ride it til it wears out.
This thing was built for the road, already had all the blackburn racks,
and these really strong brakes - Suntour XC pederson style brakes.
These must predate V-style brakes but they stop us really quick.
Also notice the bitchin bar-end shifters, or Suntour Barcons.
If you remember from my old Rauler post,
Suntour was on top of their game, engineering-wise,
and even this mid-level stuff can outperform any brand.
One thing I did splurge on was a couple nice seats, or saddles.
It took a long time scrounging craigslist for these,
an unmatched pair of Brooks B-17 Champion Specials.
They are a wide comfortable seat and fortunately don't look as sleek on a hipster bike.
Interestingly both have the cool copper rivets,
but one has a copper plated frame, and the other a gold cadmium plated frame.
No matter, they are ours now!
What?
You noticed the bar wrap?
While there may be more comfortable types of bar wraps,
not much looks cooler than the old cotton tape coated with shellac.
This stuff comes in a ton of colors,
and guys come up with some crazy wrapping designs.
The grip feels a little sticky but doesn't leave your hands sticky,
not slick like some of the rubber tapes.
Nice heavy duty 48-spoke wheels!
Has some big 700x38wheels, thick!
I've got to say that riding with Jaxon is a ton of fun.
Now we dream of riding some long distances...
Fortunately for me looks like I'll be getting lotsa miles on this bike!
Maybe that's why the wife lets us keep it inside!
until next time...
TP
cause that's what I did!
The wind was really out of my sails on friday.
I slept and watched a couple movies and that's about it,
until night time anyway.
There's a bike ride that happens in San Diego every last friday @ 8pm
called Critical Mass.
It's a fun ride through the streets of SD, through stoplights and traffic.
 |
| critical mass SD |
A wide variety of bike riders - bmx'rs, fixie hipsters, tightpants roadies, MB'rs,
college drunks, hippy granola's, cruisers, stoners, dad's with kids...
Yep, put me on the list of dad's with kids!
 |
| night riders |
I found this thing (of course) on CL hoping to get my wife (dani) to ride around with me.
We did ride it a couple of times but it's really tough to get the kids squared away.
Fast forward almost a year,
and our oldest son Jaxon can now reach the pedals. Score!
Our first critical mass together was on New Years Eve last month.
We live close enough to ride up to Balboa Park,
and he huffed and puffed like no other to get there.
Unfortunately the actual CM ride was weak and didn't last very long,
but our ride home was great, along the bay at night.
This past ride was back to normal,
at least a couple blocks full of riders taking over.
I think Jax was a little overwhelmed but that's what makes the Tandem so fun.
So here it is...
 |
| rodriguez trillium sport |
An older couple was selling this,
he had acquired it from their neighbors.
They liked their old Schwinn Twinn better!
From what I have gathered it's an early 90's version.
 |
| rodriguez trillium sport, again |
It wasn't totally rideable when I got it, but just some air and some fiddling.
The bars were flipped up, 70's style, and these big fat cruiser seats,
it was awesome.
Unfortunately no pics of its heyday as a retirement village cruiser.
 |
| drillium |
Most bicycle manufactures make different price bracket bikes,
usually using the same frame with higher or lower end components.
This thing has a SUNTOUR group and after a little tuning it runs so smooth,
I can't find a reason to want or need to replace it.
This thing was built beefy.
I love the wide flange track style hubs by Sansin.
I'm not sure if this has the threaded part for an older style freewheel,
or were they way ahead of the fixie epidemic?
The frame also has what looks like a disc brake flange,
for '93 kinda rare.
 |
| sansin track hubs? |
So far I only swapped in some swap meet campagnolo super record pedals,
and added some drillium holes in the gears.
 |
| strong |
Rodriguez was one of the first to use oval tubing,
and the single tube from headset to rear bottom bracket.
(I'm just regurgitating from what I've read online)
They were also one of the first to use a Bushnell Eccentric bottom bracket.
http://www.bushnelltandems.com/articles/eccentricdefined.html
its an interesting way to get rid of the cruiser style adjustable sprocket.
 |
| eccentric bottom bracket |
There is no useful need to swap out any of the Sakae stuff,
so will probably just ride it til it wears out.
 |
| ready for touring |
This thing was built for the road, already had all the blackburn racks,
and these really strong brakes - Suntour XC pederson style brakes.
These must predate V-style brakes but they stop us really quick.
Also notice the bitchin bar-end shifters, or Suntour Barcons.
If you remember from my old Rauler post,
Suntour was on top of their game, engineering-wise,
and even this mid-level stuff can outperform any brand.
 |
| brooks b-17 champion special |
One thing I did splurge on was a couple nice seats, or saddles.
It took a long time scrounging craigslist for these,
an unmatched pair of Brooks B-17 Champion Specials.
They are a wide comfortable seat and fortunately don't look as sleek on a hipster bike.
Interestingly both have the cool copper rivets,
but one has a copper plated frame, and the other a gold cadmium plated frame.
No matter, they are ours now!
What?
You noticed the bar wrap?
 |
| tressostar & shellac |
While there may be more comfortable types of bar wraps,
not much looks cooler than the old cotton tape coated with shellac.
This stuff comes in a ton of colors,
and guys come up with some crazy wrapping designs.
The grip feels a little sticky but doesn't leave your hands sticky,
not slick like some of the rubber tapes.
 |
| coming |
Nice heavy duty 48-spoke wheels!
Has some big 700x38wheels, thick!
 |
| going |
I've got to say that riding with Jaxon is a ton of fun.
Now we dream of riding some long distances...
 |
| next! |
Fortunately for me looks like I'll be getting lotsa miles on this bike!
Maybe that's why the wife lets us keep it inside!
 |
| inside storage |
until next time...
TP
don't know if you still have the bike, but that threaded portion on the hub and tab on the chainstay are for an Arai Drum brake. Very useful on long descents.
ReplyDeleteAhh I was wondering why that was there.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was for a flip-flop fixed gear conversion.
We need to get out more on that bike.
TP