Every time I swear I won't do something ever again...
Someone gives me a plate of nachos or chocolate chip cookies. Or a ridiculously cute kittie needs a home. Or I meet someone and start dating. Or I teach.
All of those things have happened within the last year-plus. But I'm not going to write about them now. Instead, I'm going to tell you about another "never again" pledge broken.
Yes, I've taken on another bike project. This Trek 720 is a hybrid, as best as I can tell, from the early or mid-90s. It's heavy, at least compared to the bikes I have. And while it's made of chrome-moly tubing--probably straight-gauge--it's has plain welds at the joints: nothing fancy, but seemingly intact.
(During the early and mid-1980's, Trek made a loaded-touring bike that was also called the 720. It was a lugged frame made from Reynolds 531 tubing and had multiple braze-ons for racks and water bottles--and for center-pull brakes. About the only nicer touring bikes at that time were made by Mercian, Jack Taylor and Alex Singer. Trek discontinued the touring 720 in the late '80's and introduced the 720 hybrid in 1990.)
I got a deal I couldn't refuse. I'm partly Sicilian. I'm supposed to say stuff like that. Really, I got it for nothing. On it, I installed a stem and rear derailleur I've had for ages. And a seat post I've had lying around, in 26.6 mm diameter, seems to fit.
I'm going to put it together, as I find parts. Then I'll decide whether to use it as a "combat" or "feed to the sharks" bike, or to sell it or whatever. Then I'll never, ever take on another restoration or rebuilding project, ever again. Really.
Someone gives me a plate of nachos or chocolate chip cookies. Or a ridiculously cute kittie needs a home. Or I meet someone and start dating. Or I teach.
All of those things have happened within the last year-plus. But I'm not going to write about them now. Instead, I'm going to tell you about another "never again" pledge broken.
Yes, I've taken on another bike project. This Trek 720 is a hybrid, as best as I can tell, from the early or mid-90s. It's heavy, at least compared to the bikes I have. And while it's made of chrome-moly tubing--probably straight-gauge--it's has plain welds at the joints: nothing fancy, but seemingly intact.
(During the early and mid-1980's, Trek made a loaded-touring bike that was also called the 720. It was a lugged frame made from Reynolds 531 tubing and had multiple braze-ons for racks and water bottles--and for center-pull brakes. About the only nicer touring bikes at that time were made by Mercian, Jack Taylor and Alex Singer. Trek discontinued the touring 720 in the late '80's and introduced the 720 hybrid in 1990.)
I got a deal I couldn't refuse. I'm partly Sicilian. I'm supposed to say stuff like that. Really, I got it for nothing. On it, I installed a stem and rear derailleur I've had for ages. And a seat post I've had lying around, in 26.6 mm diameter, seems to fit.
I'm going to put it together, as I find parts. Then I'll decide whether to use it as a "combat" or "feed to the sharks" bike, or to sell it or whatever. Then I'll never, ever take on another restoration or rebuilding project, ever again. Really.
Never again. We all say...
ReplyDeleteSteve--Famous last words, eh?
ReplyDeleteI too say: never again...but I just bought a used Brompton. Oh well, I'm in good company.
ReplyDeleteChris--Your excuse sounds better than mine!
ReplyDeleteOh jeez, a hybrid, the horrors! What's next, a...mountain bike?
ReplyDeleteShudder!
;-)
Adventure: I shouldn't have said "hybrid." I should have said, "sport-utility bike" or some such thing.
ReplyDeleteToo late, Justine, the damage is done!
Delete