Korina

It does if it's a mustache.

DQRider 

Speaking of mustaches (SOMA Mustache II, actually) - Here are some better pics of the Wheeler:








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Krov9

I'm hoping these pics will invigorate this thread a bit

This is a circa 1989 Schwinn Impact that I bought last spring. I equipped it with these so called "rodeo bars" and after these pics were taken, it has also got some cheapo v-brakes with new levers and cables. Sadly, the well worn Brooks saddle was stolen one night when I had left the bike locked outside Since it had a qr clamp the thief had taken it post and all. Strangely they hadn't also stolen the brand new Brooks S17 right next to this bike.

With new cables and housing I'm quite happy with the gears, the front is friction and rear indexed. The Biopace chainrings took some getting used to with some gear combinations I almost feel like I get too much torque on loose gravel. I'm thinking of equipping the wheels with a pair of DoubleFighters or similar and looking for a hub dynamo front wheel.

chevron envy

I'm loving this refresh of this thread.

DiegoFrogs

Interesting to see a Schwinn land in Finland. I lived in Sweden for 5 years and saw exactly one locked up, and it may have belonged to someone I know.

Do any of the stickers on the seattube give an indication about its origins?

Krov9

I've come across a few Schwinns here every now and then, I'd say mostly from 2000 onwards. Someone has maybe imported them at some point, but in very small numbers?

The sticker on the seattube says "Helen's, Santa Monica Westwood, Area's Largest". The gentleman I bought this from told me that the person he had bought this bike from had brought it with him in his luggage on a flight from the States. Curious choice, I'd suppose there should be more "exciting" stuff to haul over the pond too This model would be a low to mid tier offering as far as I know. Surprisingly fun ride anyway, very agile and stable at the same time. I've seen pics of the same model in black chrome finish and it's gorgeous. The silver grey on this one is not too bad either, but it's got some rust here and there from the chain, clamps and cables.

The handlebar is supposedly a NOS spare for one of these they were called "rodeo bars" for whatever reason EDIT: rodeo was a Finnish name for an "ape hanger", so I don't have a clue what this should be called

ofajen

Here’s a nearly current photo of my RockHopper MTB. I switched to an even longer 150 mm stem that puts the grip position at about the steering axis. I also added a rear rack and trunk bag, which is very handy and also ends up substituting somewhat for a rear fender.




What’s not current is that I put a Speed King on the rear wheel. My plan is to run that until things get so muddy on the trails this winter that I need the Race King on the rear wheel too.

Otto

Krov9

Man I love the graphics/color schemes on old Specialized MTBs! Very 80's - 90's postmodern

ocsawdust

lots of bars out there. many different names as well for basicly the same bars. bars can be a funny thing as well, I wanted some bars but then I wanted to try some others, then others and others. I found they all have different personalities on different bikes. funny how that is. the stems also play an important role on how close the bars are to you or how far away and even height . something to consider......you swill likely need to change your cables and housing when changing the cockpit around. Leave them as long as possible for the next set of bars you may want to try 😉. ( or don't till the next ones come along and then you will. )

mechanicmatt

Try Whatbars.com to compare for similar bends.

I just put Soma Dream Bars on mine and think they are very wide and classy.

I also like Guster Stasche bars. Similar bend as the Milan.

frogger72

Tried this on a few different rigid 90s ATB's over the years but always reverted back to < 600mm flats, just felt more fun and sketchy that way riding around the neighbourhood, sharing heavy traffic roads with cars, climbing and hopping curbs etc with the kids. Maybe I just haven't tried the right bar.

Korina

Or maybe you have.

cooperryder

Out on a grocery run on my Schwinn High Plains.

That's a Jones SG 2.5 Loop Aluminum handlebar. I like it.
Also Rene Herse Rat Trap Pass tires...

DQRider 

Very nice! Grocery run, you say? Where do the groceries go? No racks, no bags, must be a backpack, right? I've been struggling with the same issue on my latest build, The seatpost clamp-on rack just doesn't work with standard bungies. The load always wants to shift, and at the worst possible time. The cargo net is too fiddly. But the Diamond Back Apex doesn't have braze-ons for a rear rack. So I'm forced to resort to Engineering...

I'll figure it out. Since this will be a winter bike anyway, I'm not averse to using P-clamps. Those deserve a spot in the Bodge-It Hall of Fame right alongside duct tape, zip-ties, Super Glue, and WD-40.
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cooperryder

Grocery runs are usually on this bike, a Canadian made Miele with a rack and large Wald basket.


It gets the most miles because it seems I'm usually needing to carry something.

Sometimes I need to carry a smaller amount and ride a different bike but grab a couple of the heavy duty cloth reusable grocery bags with sturdy cloth handles.

I try to balance the weight between the two bags and then tie them on the bars with a regular double knot.

The cloth handle easily allows me to untie the double knot when I arrive at home.

I should have taken a snap with both bags on the handlebar.

I don't really recommend this method because an unbalanced load can cause steering issues and the sacks need to be cinched up high enough to minimize any sway and hitting the front tire.

A back pack would probably be safer or some method of quickly adding a rack, panniers or basket. Let us know if you come up with a solution.

On my first bike tour I used p clamps to secure racks and they held up fine for 2500 miles with a pretty heavy load.

danders

A few recent changes, Had a VO Milan but felt it was too narrow.
Microshift Advent 11-42 and original crankset 24-32-42 this is over the RD capacity, maybe 2X someday.
Sunlite rack + Wald 137
Traded the Milan for a Nitto Mustache RM016N that is going on my Fuji World.

thorstein

This came to me pretty much stock except for the saddle. I replaced the Mountech rd after the upper pulley seized on me (I did clean it up & get it working, but figured it was a ticking time bomb). I also replaced the bullmoose handlebars with a Nitto slingshot stem & unknown 'bars. The DTHs handle single track, gravel, & pavement just fine.
It's kind of my poor man's Rivendell. It's a blast to ride!

mechanicmatt

Second pic from the ride this morning.

DQRider 

Earlier this season, I obtained a Diamondback Apex as part of a trade with a local flipper. The model year is hard to pin down. It has a standard 1.125" diameter threadless stem, so this places it in the late `90s - early `00s time frame. But as you will see in the photos, this bike is in very nice condition. It's almost a shame to use it on our salty winter roads, but all my other bikes are classics. This bike has the most durable paint finish on it, so it got the Frame-Saver treatment, and I will coat the outside with Boeshield T9 in-between cleanings.





The riser stem and handlebar make for a comfy - but - still sporty ride. I've got a pair of studded Schwalbe Winter Marathons ready to go on after the first snow, and Planet Bike full fenders to protect from salt-spray on the road.



The Brooks saddle will have to go, in favor of something more waterproof. I have a vast selection of takeoffs to choose from.



I'm developing a cargo-net solution for the rear rack that will support a load both above and below the rack deck, just above the rear fender. This bike should serve well on my 6-mile commute this winter. More pics once I get the studded tires and fenders installed.
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Clyde1820

DQ, don't you ever end up with a crummy-looking ride? Sharp-looking Apex. Love the deep blue/purple paint on the thing.

DQRider 

Thanks for the compliment, Clyde1820. Since this is more of an obsession than a mere hobby, I can't imagine what I would do with a crummy-looking ride, except to make it purdy again.

Life is too short to ride crummy bikes.

However, this does limit the places I can stop for refreshment to those where I can see my bike locked-up outside. Keeps me away from dive bars, so I guess that's a Good Thing.

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djj7

I got the Ahearne+Map bars. They look good, I think that they'll work fine. Just finishing up adjusting the brakes right now. It's been raining here all day with the same forecasted for tomorrow, so I don't know when I can give them a good ride.

Clyde1820

Just the other day, for example, Velo-Orange just got in a couple of their Polyvalent Low-Kicker frames in the "correct" (for me) size. They were gone in a few hours. Probably a good thing. As you say, obsessed with good-lookin' stuff, it was hard to skip over that one and let it go. The trouble with me is, the size of frame and the geometry that works for me is rare. Smartest thing would be to have a custom-geometry frame build, to handle it. It'd be great-looking, but I just can't convince myself it's necessary.

Could be worse. We could be obsessed with hiking all of the "Fourteeners" in the Rocky Mountains ...


V-O Polyvalent Low-Kicker:


Rodriguez's Adventure Low-Step:

dphilips

Here's my recently rebuilt my Univega Alpina Uno. It spent a few years as a drop bar conversion but I ended up moving the wheels and drivetrain to a Handsome XOXO and the frame's been sitting unbuilt for ~6 years. Since the XOXO has speedy covered, I went to the other end of the spectrum with an upright build:





Senqi 54cm cruiser bar w/ ESI grips, Sakae SX crank with 38t ring, and 13-30t seven speed freewheel, Sunrace friction thumbie.

Shimano canti levers to Paul touring cantis. (This Alpina has brake posts with the pins reversed/outboard. The Pauls brakes solve that by not using pins.)

Tires are Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.

DQRider 

What a beautiful bike! If this thread were illustrated by one single image, I can't think of one better than this.

The reason I love this thread so much is because these are the bikes that fulfill the bicycle's ultimate purpose: Useful Transportation

Utility bikes are awesome, but one-dimensional. You wouldn't take one on a ride just to ride (if that makes any sense).

I don't need to inform you on the limitations of Italian/French/British racebikes.

And the "Touring" roadbikes are wonderful for the sort of slim, lightweight athletes who buy them and promptly put on hundreds of miles.

For the rest of us, the lightweight chrome-moly frames, sturdy geometry, and massive gear range of the vintage rigid MTB is the perfect recipe for a bike that could actually serve as a sole mode of transport, in the right circumstances.

Got a family? Build or buy a trailer, mount seating on it, and a roof of some sort, and you have your basic family carriage. The strongest son or daughter gets the honor of driving! How's that for self-esteem building?

I'm just woolgathering here. But if our destiny involves travelling by people-power; the vintage, rigid, ATB/MTB is a perfect platform on which to build. Lighter, stronger, and faster than the old gas-pipe classics, I believe they are the ideal transportation for a diminished fossil-fuel future. Even for old-farts like me!


Both Vintage AND Classic I am...
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