Schwinn Supersport Revival!
I had a ‘fun’ ride last nite. Went with the club. Thought it would be a cruiser ride, but the racers showed up and a faired bent.
I was riding my latest find: a 1965 Schwinn SuperSport, $15 garage sale item, lime, gorgeous, kickstand, suicide levers, full generator lighting.
But a little…well, I don’t want to insult it. It was Schwinn’s greatest lugless bike! I proudly popped down the kickstand in the center of the parking lot as we gathered to ride.
I found I could keep up with the leaders so I did. 33 mile ride, hot. We got way out there. I chatted with the bent guy, who it turns out I’d helped online to make his fairing. He said he didn’t recognize me. Ha. I was wearing 100% civvies. Very nasty beard, too. After halfway icecream stop I thought I’d be dropped–I was on empty–but I bossed around some youngsters to pull me back every time we got gapped: ‘Hup! Get me back up there.’
They obeyed. It’s amazing what seniority and direct orders will get you.
About five miles from the end we dropped everyone via wear-down, not speed boost. Just me, the bent guy and a young crusty firefighter bachelor pal of mine also wearing tennis shoes. I wondered if something was wrong with those team riders, we weren’t going that fast. We dropped them on a hill. One team guy on a super fancy carbon fibre Lemond bike didn’t seem like he was even trying as I went past him.
I was out of the saddle honking massively trying not to lose momentum. It’s possible to get the SuperSport’s weight down, but stock I bet we’re talking 35-40lbs. The bent guy, who’s a regular, said ‘They’re just young. They drop me when I’m on my upright. I drop them on the bent. Say, you guys must be pretty strong. And that Schwinn can’t be helping any.’
My 3rd ride of the year, my pal’s first group ride in years. I don’t know how thrilling the ride was for all the titanium riders (everyone else).
I’d say it was one of the hardest rides ever for me. Whew. I hadn’t even lubed that old bike. It was clunking bearings. But it was pretty. It was tough and it was comfy. Rides no-hands like it was on rails.
I bet I’ll be a lot stronger next week! Folks should try resistance training like that.
Still, I don’t think I’ll try that again. My bachelor pal said ‘Uh, you have another bike, don’t you?’
