Here’s one of my wife Martha’s Xmas presents. My bro and I built her up this new(old) citybike. (My brother Tim helped enormously. We spent most of a good day wrenching on it at his shop.)
Martha and I both love a rich bold green. The best green I know is on the early 60’s-70’s Raleigh Super Courses. A fellow online vintage bikes buff had a small ‘70 anniversary frame for sale for $50. These frames are handmade from the famous Nervex lugs.
(Raleigh also has the best orange-brown-bronze “rootbeer” coffee color. Maybe we’ll build one of those up next!)
Martha had been riding a hideous and sterile 80’s aluminum C’dale–every day. She deserved a sweeter ride. She needed to show off a bike that put the cars to shame, why not. One that inspired others to take up the wheel. That’s what class does! Inspires!
The sad thing is that we’re the only errand-bikers we see in the 15-mile loop we cover—but maybe a superstyle bike will help recruit another. Just one!
(Some local folks do commute to work, though, we know. My bro is one of them!)
A funny thing was that as I dismantled her old bike I noticed that I was admiring its rich metallic dark blue paint more and more. It’s a classic French color, really. But its soda-pop can construction style was just not right.
So I took the parts off her old bike found others and we built up a new one for her. I took it into the community bike reviving shop and my bro and I rummaged thru old bins til we found everything. My bro and I had a nice day together making each aspect just right. (I had to hold him back from rebuilding the front hub, though.)
(Further notes: It has 27” wheels and, yeah, the front fender needs adjusting.)
For good measure I topped it off with a $100 Brooks saddle. Its size is just about the same as her old tractor saddle so we’re hoping she finds it comfy enough. (I note that Brooks uses two kinds of leather: one thick and innately supple in its B17—which both Martha and I appreciate—and a ‘hardshell’ kind in this new saddle. I hope it’s not too hard!)
Martha is 5’9″. The new frame is 21.5″. I hope it works out. She says the saddle needs to go up another half-inch. Fingers crossed!
