Old New Bike

On the deck, after this morning's ride.

Although this decal says Swartz Creek, Michigan--Matt's shop is there--this bike was actually built in Mount Pleasant. The bike was originally blue, not brown; I'll likely have Matt repaint it next winter. Perhaps we'll also restore the Mount Pleasant stickers at that time, too.

Wondering who's linked to this photo; if you know, please put the URL in a comment (it's not Kristin Urbane's, which has gone missing). Really this is just curiosity, as it's getting lots of daily views. Thanks! ========== Picked my bike up from the shop after work. Then I climbed aboard and took it for a spin. It's the same delightful machine it was in 1982 (or 1975, if you ignore equipment issues), and should be good for another 85,000 miles. We'll see how things go.... The bike's an odd mix of old parts and "new old" parts. My thanks to Barney and everyone else at Riverfront Cycle for helping me restore it to its prime.

Zefal pump, too.

Matt Assenmacher learned his trade at Bob Jackson Cycles under the tutelege of Dan Foster; excellent credentials, and impeccable skills. I've always been very proud of this remarkable bike, and this photo shows one of the reasons. A work of art. That's a League of American Wheelmen sticker on the downtube.

"Mod. 61" means this was Universal's new model brake in 1961. It was still among the best on the market when I originally bought/assembled this bike in 1975. Really sharp eyes will notice that the Reynolds 531 decal's in French. Not sure why....

While modern derailleurs have their advantages, none really perform better than the Cyclone. A jewel.