djkushuba wrote:
A couple of Apollos from a trip to Vancouver last summer. I had never seen one in California. In Vancouver seems you can't throw a rock without hitting one. Cool looking bikes. ... Vancouver is a great vintage bike city
As for Vancouver's Apollos, you are absolutely right. During the bike boom, the ground was heaving with the things. However, the ones you found were in better shape than most of the ones I saw there this last March.
As for Vancouver being the vintage bike city — I think that this is rather recent. I don't get back there very often, but I have noticed very recently that an inordinate number of old bikes are running around as daily transportation.
I commented on this to an old friend. He said that a few years ago you couldn't give an old 10 speed bike away. Then, BANG! Hordes of vintage velo started appearing in the more central parts of the city. It seems to be tied in with the fixie/SS fad — even if most of these veterans are still running multi-cogged freewheels. At the same time, Vancouver city has made dedicated bike lanes and designated bike routes to encourage cycling. (It is causing controversy — anger among the "cagers".)
I was with my family at my alma mater — UBC — when I spotted a student on a really nice old bike. (Silly, but I can't remember what it was — 531 something.) As we were were waiting at a pedestrian light, I started talking to him. He did appreciate the bike as well as my admiration. And he said that it had been his dad's. So I posited the theory that older folks were digging piles of these older machines out of the basement rubble. They were, in effect, being recycled. He agreed.
The weather in Vancouver is very temperate, albeit rainy and adjacent to a temperate rain forest. But Vancouverites generally don't notice being wet. Besides, GoreTex is a long way from the canvas jackets of my day. So, usually you can ride just about every day of the year but for a few icy days.
Climate conspired with with the 1960's and early 70's. These were golden years for the
alternate post-war, baby-boom culture. Lawn-hippies and so on to bypassed the Buicks and finned Chevies and favoured V-dubs and 10 speed bikes — like the Apollo. One hugely popular bike carried the name of a local dealer as opposed to the manufacturer. Peugeots, Gitanes, Lorne Atkinsons, Raleighs, Sekines, Crescents .... They were not top flight racers, but they were a revolution of their own.
Last march I was shocked at how many had reappeared — as in a time warp. From time to time some real gems showed up with very sweet vintage components on them — like tied up at the organic food store or Italian cafe. Alternate culture once again — younger folks.
Meanwhile people of all ages are beginning to appear on bikes of all kinds.
I shot a few myself oldies myself — my wife rolling her eyes
I'll try and post soon.