N+1: The birth of an addiction
12-16-23, 07:19 PM
#1
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Bikes: 1970s Zeus Competion (3), 1970s Lejeune track, 1970s Flandria fixie, Peugeot UO-8 fixie, 1970s Gitane tandem, 1980s Cilo Sport SE, 1990s Softride road, 1990s KHS pursuit track, 2012 Cannondale CAAD 10 3
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N+1: The birth of an addiction
I grew up in the Bronx in the 1960s and never saw a drop-bar road bike until high school. I couldn’t afford one so I commandeered my older sister’s 3 speed Raleigh, took the fenders off, and rode it. A few years later in college, I managed to get hold of a new 10 speed Corso, which was junk and luckily got stolen. I had been trying for months to keep up on it with some racers in Central Park, and when I told them the bike was gone they sent me to Kissena Cycles in Queens to buy a Zeus Competition. That was in 1971 or 2, and luckily I still have that beautiful bright red bike today, along with a million (actually 20 or so) other vintage steel or aluminum road, track, or fixie-converted bikes. It’s definitely nuts, my wife is really frustrated with the bikes all over our house, but unfortunately that teenaged kid who wanted a race bike so badly is still alive and well inside me...
12-16-23, 07:47 PM
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Welcome to the forums. Keep posting so you can get the 10 posts required to share pictures of those bikes in the C&V sub-forum.
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
12-17-23, 04:53 AM
#3
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[QUOTE=tsacco27;23102224]
but unfortunately that teenaged kid who wanted a race bike so badly is still alive and well inside me...
This part if the OP is a statement I do not understand. In my mind, I am fortunate enough to still have some of that kid alive and well.
But, welcome to the Forums, enjoy the ride.
but unfortunately that teenaged kid who wanted a race bike so badly is still alive and well inside me...
This part if the OP is a statement I do not understand. In my mind, I am fortunate enough to still have some of that kid alive and well.
But, welcome to the Forums, enjoy the ride.
12-17-23, 10:30 AM
#4
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Bikes: 1970s Zeus Competion (3), 1970s Lejeune track, 1970s Flandria fixie, Peugeot UO-8 fixie, 1970s Gitane tandem, 1980s Cilo Sport SE, 1990s Softride road, 1990s KHS pursuit track, 2012 Cannondale CAAD 10 3
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Hi delbiker1, you’re right, there’s nothing unfortunate about old race bikes. My problem is having less and less self control the older I get. Case In Point: I saw an old Trek 1000 Aluminum on CL for $50. I told my wife, don’t worry, I’ll just buy it for its wheels (black anodized Matrix rims on Maillard hubs), to have a spare set of wheels for my other bikes. Of course I fell in love with it before I even got home, and ended up having my LBS tune it up, install new stem, ITM bar, Fizik tape, egg beaters, NOS suede Vetta saddle, Vitoria Corsa tan wall tires, and a corn cob freewheel. Now it totally rocks and even though it’s just another bike boom bike, I love it and ride it several times a week. But the last thing I needed was another bike. Go figure...
12-20-23, 08:22 AM
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You had good advice in the past.
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
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12-28-23, 02:01 AM
#7
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I will have to show this post to my wife when I am next trying to acquire my next 'must have' steed.....
Will have to agree that is an addiction but there are much worse ones.
Will have to agree that is an addiction but there are much worse ones.
12-28-23, 02:12 AM
#8
Newbie
Very nice bike.
Do not think Zeus ever sold complete bikes in Australia.
The did however sell Campy knock-off pedals and hubs.
Do not think Zeus ever sold complete bikes in Australia.
The did however sell Campy knock-off pedals and hubs.
12-28-23, 09:12 AM
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Welcome to Bike Forums. Nice intro.
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