mickey85

Don't know if it's actually a "clunker," or not (like my Free Spirit), but I just picked up a Raleigh Professional for $10...been using that to commute lately, but to make it my actual commuter, I'd love to get some clincher rims, instead of the sew-ups on it now. Anyway, here's a shot in front of the dry-erase board in my classroom.

BTW, riding this thing (about 24 lbs) compared to my 3 speed Free Spirit with wire baskets on the back, I shaved a full 20 minutes off my commute, from one day to the next.

caloso

No, that is definitely not a clunker.

gmule

Here is my 1992 paramount mountain bike that I pulled out of the trash. I use it for running errands and riding to work on the days that it snows.

Buglady

Raleigh Professional =/= clunker!! That's a gorgeous bike. (I have a soft spot for Raleighs )

Isn't it fun to go from a heavy bike to a light one? Although I still love my 5 speed Raleigh for errand running and for relaxed rides with firiends. On my other bikes I feel like I should go fast all the time.

mickey85

Thanks buglady!

And honestly, I haven't been back on my F/S yet, but I'm kinda dreading the first grocery trip - that sucker is going to SUCK going up a hill!


anyway, this thing has given me a renewed interest...I've always loved to bike, but this is actually giving me hope that I might be able to finish a century (well, the hilly hundred), and perhaps more. It's exciting!

funrover 

While it's not quite 20 yet here is my 1991 Haro, it's my bad weather or change of pace commuter!

LordBass

"Clunkers" make great commuters! I've commuted 21 miles RT on each of these in the last few years. Each were bought for $150 or less, though I've spent a lot more than $150 outfitting the Motobecane with a pile of new bits.

2W-Dale

I commute (12.3 miles each way) three days a week on my highly used late '80s OLMO Corsica. I must admit that when it is polished up it is a beautiful sight to behold. I need to take some photos like the others I've seen here. One problem that I am having is that after all the racing and training I did in the mid '90s and the time it spent on the rack waiting (patiently) for my return, is that it is now showing its age with some rust on the top tube and cable hangars. What is the best solution other than stripping it all down and getting it repainted, or is that the best and only permanent solution?

Thanks,
2W-Dale

Doohickie

I rode the whole stable to work this week.

I rode my Raleigh on Monday just because I like to commute with The Old Gentleman once in a while,

I rode my Nishiki Hybrid on Tuesday since it's my normal commuter,

I rode my Oly 12 (the one I wrecked in February and bent the frame on) today because I bent the rear rim on the Hybrid a few weeks ago and I just can't keep it trued any longer; the wheel goes to the LBS this afternoon to get a new rim put on.

(I suppose I could have ridden The Old Gentleman again, but I didn't want to deal with the lack of gears on the 3-speed).

Lucky07

I ride a 25 year old Fuji Team (ss conversion) and a mid 90's Raleigh M-45 (also ss conversion) as my commuters. They're solid, reliable bikes. They're perfect for my short commute.

Doohickie

Well my "normal" commuter is out of commission for the time being. I bent a rim a month ago... actually tacoed it somewhat... and got it straightened by an LBS at the time. Lately it's been going out of true again and all my efforts to true it in my living room are to no avail.

So it's at the LBS now. I thought it would need a new rim, but the LBS is optimistic about taking all the tension off the spokes and retrueing it from scratch; if not, they will do a new wheel or rim, whatever ends up cheaper.

They are actually looking forward to the job. This LBS has only been in business about a year. Although they've been bike fans for years, they took formal training in bike mechanics before opening the shop (since all their knowledge was through experience). Anyway, they said the primary mechanic, Mike, probably won't do the job. Instead, Debbie, who normally just runs the business ends of things, will give it a go, because when they took their training classes, she was a natural at trueing. They've done minor trueing, but trying to save a bent rim through the Zen of Trueing is a challenge Debbie is looking forward to.

So I left my rim in their hands, and in the meantime, my newest available bike is 25 years old, and the backup to that is 42 years old. I'm a clunker, at least for now.

supercycle62

Here's a video of my old Venturer bike that I got used the other day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjoctD7-CuU

I think it has 26" wheels with new tires and tubes. It originally came with a crappy racing seat and drop bars. I took the seat, handlebars, grips, brake levers and rear carrying rack off of an old girls bike that had 24" wheels and installed them on this bike. It has ten speeds and rides wonderfully. Perfect for riding in the city.

LeftinFlint

Here's my Summer of Love Continental. It's still a work in progress, but I love it.

Lurch

We were recently in Florence, Italy for a week and saw every sort of 2 and 3-wheeled machine used for commuting. Some bikes were in pretty bad shape too from the noises they made as they went by. The attached pic is a bike parking lot.

drummer5

OT: where in Florence is that? I was there a year ago studying abroad and didn't see any bike parking to that scale!

I miss it, I bought a cheap bmx bike to bomb around on.

Here's a shot I took next to the Duomo of some packed bikes

Lurch

[quote=drummer5;7762422]OT: where in Florence is that? I was there a year ago studying abroad and didn't see any bike parking to that scale!

I miss it, I bought a cheap bmx bike to bomb around on.



It is in the Piazza Della Signoria behind the statue of Cosmo Medici and near an electric car recharging station. I wish I could have found a better vantage point for the photo as there were about a quarter acre of bikes packed in there. We spent a week walking around the old city center and I was constantly amazed at the numbers of bicycles and motor scooters. The next two weeks we were further south in Tuscany and then Umbria, but we never saw bicycles on nearly that scale again. I guess they don't work as well in the hill towns.

Ka_Jun

Beautiful pic!

defrag

My 1983 Velosport Prestige converted to single speed.

drummer5

Hmmm that bike lot must be new, I don't remember seeing it, and thanx for the comment on the picture, but really it's the city that's beautiful, i was just lucky enough to capture it.

Anyways, back on topic...

That old Motobecane that I posted is quite the tank. This past Thursday I was hit by a car and the bike fared better than me, I busted my right clavicle(I'm right handed too, whee) and all that happen to the bike was ripped bar tape and seat, and the pedals got bent, hell the steel rims even stayed true.

PaulRivers

Well, I just have to disagree based on personal experience. When I was in high school (1990's) I had my dad's old steel Schwinn bike from the 1970's. The bottom bracket broke (rusted out) one day while I was riding it. So yes, there are sometimes things wrong with really old bikes that can't be fixed with a tuneup or a simple part replacement. :-)

Sixty Fiver

Another one of my clunkers... this one is 36 years old.

Buglady

Off topic... but I watched "Son of Rambow" last night (fantastic movie, BTW) and was delighted to see not only a Raleigh Twenty but also the non-folding version (Sprite?).

bugly64

I can't wait to get back to the States and start getting some clunkers to commute with.

BassNotBass

Now THIS is one I want in my stable... and I wouldn't even convert it into a fixie.

jungwiar

Finally got a picture of my current everyday commuter. It's a 28 year old Chrome Schwinn Voyageur outfitted with a Shimano Nexus 8, Shimano dyno-hub with custom LED head light, Brooks B17... It is an excellent commuter - can't imagine anything else being better for my 12 mile r/t commute.