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How many use a vintage bicycle to commute on?

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How many use a vintage bicycle to commute on?

Old 04-10-22, 12:59 PM
  #151  
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@gaucho777, what do you teach? My lifelong dream to become a teacher will be fulfilled in September. I'll be a special needs teacher in middle or high school.
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Old 04-11-22, 07:18 PM
  #152  
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I still have my commuter, my vintage Trek 7000, even though I've retired. I'm going to repurpose it as a touring bike by adding a few bits to it, like different bar grips and different tires that I already have. I liked the 26" Gatorskins but I'd rather have something a little beefier for touring and I have a pair of Schwalbe Marathons.
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Old 04-11-22, 11:44 PM
  #153  
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Originally Posted by noglider
@gaucho777, what do you teach? My lifelong dream to become a teacher will be fulfilled in September. I'll be a special needs teacher in middle or high school.
Tom, that's fantastic! Congratulations. I teach 4th & 5th grade--currently teaching 4th. I switched to teaching mid-career a few years ago after nearly two decades in publishing. I hope you find your new path as enjoyable and rewarding as I do.
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Old 04-12-22, 05:39 AM
  #154  
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Originally Posted by gaucho777
Tom, that's fantastic! Congratulations. I teach 4th & 5th grade--currently teaching 4th. I switched to teaching mid-career a few years ago after nearly two decades in publishing. I hope you find your new path as enjoyable and rewarding as I do.
@gaucho777, this January, I started tutoring 3rd graders in their school three days a week and 7th graders remotely. Being there in person is the best. The kids and I love each other. I love the 7th graders, too, but the remote stuff is, well, remote. I never even get to see their faces. This summer I will be in intense training. I am very excited. How many people start their first teaching job at age 61?
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Old 06-21-22, 11:15 PM
  #155  
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Early Eighties Bob Jackson tourer

My commute is 10 miles one way with (free) ferry ride in the middle, my last tank of gas lasted three months.

My favorite thing about this bike has to be the cheap powder coat both very durable and looks fine from a few feet away, best of all the finish leaves me with no reservations about riding it.
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Old 06-22-22, 01:25 PM
  #156  
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I commute on a 1981 Trek 613.
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Old 07-17-22, 02:19 AM
  #157  
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Current bike is a '87 Schwinn Traveler, but it's too big for me.
Just got a '92 Specialized Rock Hopper, but it's going to need some TLC to get back in reliable shape.
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Old 07-17-22, 05:08 PM
  #158  
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I own 8 old bikes and no new bikes. They work for me.
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Old 07-20-22, 07:42 PM
  #159  
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35 mile RT commute on a 1990 Panasonic mountain bike:





Sometimes I do it on a newer 1991 Wicked Fat Chance:




Are they vintage? Maybe. Am I vintage? Most definitely!
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Old 07-28-22, 09:38 AM
  #160  
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Very happy that my company has provided indoor parking on two of our floors for bike and scooter parking! I still throw a lock on it but I think I can do with one that isn't so heavy. On the other hand, sometimes I don't head straight home and I'd want the heavy Kryptonite.

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Old 07-28-22, 10:21 AM
  #161  
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I don't call my winter/rain/city bikes that served for decades as my commuters vintage. Just the right tool for the job. Early to mid-'80s horizontally dropped "sport" bikes; either generous 700c or 27" running fix gear, fenders, dropped bars, Mafac or Mafac and Weinmann style brakes. Long TTT or Cinelli stem; later even longer steel customs. LowRiders and panniers. U-lock. Single color paint jobs of durable paint. Now powder coat. BITD brushed 2-part epoxy (much cheaper and just as durable). Wheels - Miche track rear hub, Tipo front. Open Sports and 2.0-1.8 spokes. 28c Paselas.

1980-85 was the sweet spot for production bikes that fit the role above so well. The brief window of time when much of the bike world had one standard. Nearly all the steel frames used the same diameter tubes. Threads were the same. (Well not always cut the same but after the first well greased and muscled force, just fine.) When one of my commuters met an un-timely death, a trip to a bike store or two yielded another well used frame. Swap over of parts - one evening and there would be one or two parts I'd have to buy for that one; maybe a headset or seatpost.

Current ride - a Trek 4-something, circa 1983. Powder coated after the seatstay cap TREK cracked across the "R". Sugino 110 BCD crankset with an 1/8" chainring. RACER front brake, Weinmann rear. (I turn RACERS into fronts, Weinmanns into rears. Gives appropriate response front and rear with very similar feels after full length rear cable mush. Great city brakes.) Fun part on that bike - a Chorus aero seatpost. Single bolt so I won't use it on my good bikes plus it came to me badly zigzag scored. High quality clamp that while single bolt, allows exact seat placement and zero slip. Way, way above the rest of the bike for quality! Except for the 175mm -22 degree stem to get "the fit".

My other winter/rain/city bike is a geared Raleigh Competition, triple 7-speed. Other than that, very similar to the bike above except it has a rear rack also. Farmers market bike. Very comfortable on very poor roads (with or without pavement). Wheels like above except Phil hubs and wider Paselas. Edit: Another powdercoat, this time because that frame missed braze at the factory so all lugs were filled by TiCycles (plus do-dads; WB bosses, Huret to modern hanger change, seatlug/pin repair).

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Old 08-03-22, 01:48 PM
  #162  
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What year draws the line for vintage? Haha
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Old 08-07-22, 12:35 AM
  #163  
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My '88 Schwinn something-or-other...

... I call her "Big Blue."

I originally spotted the lugged steel frame, fork, and seat post, then built her up over time.

I commute about 4 1/2 miles each way daily, and is currently my favorite bike to ride.

- Wald Tourist Bars with ergo grips
- Sturmey Archer 5 speed Grip Shift
- Sturmey Archer long pull Brake Levers
- Sturmey Archer Drum Brake front hub
- Sturmey Archer 5 speed Drum Brake rear hub- Sturmey Archer Crank & chainring 46 x 18
- Light system powered by B&M Bottle Generator
- Persons leather saddle
- Schwalbe Marathon 700x40 tires
- Cafe lock






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Old 08-07-22, 08:11 AM
  #164  
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I've been commuting daily on folding bikes for over 20 years. Last week, I wore out a stem part after about 7,200 folding cycles. While waiting for a replacement part, I pressed into service my old Motobecane Mirage... the first bike I ever bought (in 1975). The METRA conductors gave me tacit approval, though technically it's not allowed during Rush Hour.
The part for my folder was delivered yesterday, but was stolen off my porch while I was out for my birthday dinner.
So I'll be on the Motobecane for a while...

1975 Motobecane Mirage. Original frame, rear wheel, drivetrain, brakes, saddle. Replacement front fork, wheel, seatpost and handlebars.



Sun Tour VGT Luxe derailleur. Original steel rear rim (poor braking!). There is now a cap on the valve.



Original head tube badge.
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Old 08-08-22, 05:12 AM
  #165  
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Originally Posted by sweeks
The part for my folder was delivered yesterday, but was stolen off my porch while I was out for my birthday dinner.
So I'll be on the Motobecane for a while...
Happily, the package was delivered 24 hours later, thanks to UPS's apparently poorly-synchronized tracking and notification system. Folding bike is back on-line, but it's nice to know I have a safety net!
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Old 08-08-22, 09:21 AM
  #166  
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Originally Posted by Timbeau
... I call her "Big Blue."
Can you talk about the chain cover? Is it a cable organizer? How is it joined? Draggy, noisy? How long does it hold up?
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Old 08-08-22, 08:11 PM
  #167  
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
Can you talk about the chain cover? Is it a cable organizer? How is it joined? Draggy, noisy? How long does it hold up?
My current folder (Tern Verge S11i) came with one of those. It's like a cable organizer. I found it noisy and it complicated chain maintenance. I suspect that it would retain any water that got in during rain rides. I took it off the first day.
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Old 08-14-22, 08:31 PM
  #168  
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This isn’t my main commuting bike, but I do ride this 1973 Schwinn Continental some. It has newer wheels and a square taper bottom bracket, so the weight isn’t TOO crazy… maybe around 31 pounds. I really like the springiness of those skinny tubes!
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Old 08-16-22, 10:16 AM
  #169  
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
Can you talk about the chain cover? Is it a cable organizer? How is it joined? Draggy, noisy? How long does it hold up?
The chain cover is simply auto wire harness loom, 3/8", I got a roll from the auto parts store.

It just slios over the chain. I superglued and overlapped the ends together. There's no drag, and very little noise. I mean, not silent, but I hardly notice it., The environmental noise basically masks it.

I've had it on there like, 6 months.
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Old 08-30-22, 09:08 PM
  #170  
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I’ve been commuting on this bike since 2014.
1984/85? Raleigh Sportif. Belonged to my aunt - I got it and stripped it into a single speed. It’s been through about 6 iterations. Different bars, with/without rear racks.

Here’s how it looks now. My job is changing as is my gym/locker situation so I may need to change how I carry things. I’ve been backpacking it for the last 3 years. Might need to go back to a rack & panniers.


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Old 08-31-22, 04:13 PM
  #171  
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I commute in an 85 team miyata

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Old 09-03-22, 05:12 AM
  #172  
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Here is my new-old Raleigh Rocky III I bought for commuting. Paid CDN$80 for it this week. I needed something with mudguards and a rear rack. I’m in the process of replacing the tires, brakes, handlebars and 22.2 mm stem. The bike dates from the 1980’s, was made in Canada and spent it´s years in a garage. It still had the original tires. I bought it to replace my other bike which was stolen this week.



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Old 09-04-22, 01:45 PM
  #173  
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Here it is with new v brakes, brake levers, friction shifter cables, handle bars and tires. It still needs the derailleur adjusted. This is the part I ll leave to the bike shop. The final addition is the milk crate on the rear rack just to make it ugly and hopefully theft resistant.




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Old 09-04-22, 09:38 PM
  #174  
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1988 Fisher Montare. Restored this a few years back but now it’s getting official commuting duty. Generator hub and rack off my old commuter, LHT. This is much more comfortable.
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Old 09-06-22, 09:41 AM
  #175  
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My current 40 mile round trip commuter. Neat bike for 30 bucks plus consumables.


1973 Peugeot PA-10E

1973 Peugeot PA-10E
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