Yesterday the Trek project got another rite of initiation, if you will: I took it on a ride I have experienced with all of my Mercians--and some of the bikes of my youth.
I pedaled down to Long Branch, NJ. I am glad I went there yesterday, when it was overcast and windy--and turned chilly. Today is summer-like and, of course, it is Easter Sunday, so lots of families will be taking their post-church service or pre- (or post-) prandial strolls on the boardwalk. Some may even venture onto the beach, even though it's still too cold for just about any land, and even most amphibious, animals to swim.
Vehicular traffic was pretty light throughout the ride, except in one spot where it's almost always congested: Just past the Victory Bridge, where US 9 and New Jersey Route 35 converge for a couple of miles--which is near the point where the New Jersey Turnpike (the Jersey stretch of I-95) crosses the Garden State Parkway. But until that stretch, and after it, I didn't see many cars or trucks, even in Newark.
I rode down to the World Trade Center and descended through three levels of "upscale" (i.e., glossy and overpriced) shopping and "fine" (i.e., see above) "dining" (i.e., eating) "expriences" to the PATH train platform. If Dante's Inferno had been made of glass, steel and faux marble, and the people spent more money for clothes with names on them but weren't really any better-dressed than I was (if I do say so myself), it would have looked like that place.
And, the train parked itself in Journal Square, about halfway through the trip, for a "schedule adjustment". Hmm...I'll try that the next time I have a deadline to meet. Anyway, a trip that normally takes about 20 minutes took double that amount of time: longer than it took me to ride from my apartment to the World Trade Center.
Once I got out of Newark Penn Station, which smells as if someone's been brewing the same pot of coffee since the day it opened (It's a WPA building.), I was about to swing my leg over my bike when one of the most charming homeless men I've ever encountered asked me for a dollar to help him buy some fried chicken. Who doesn't like fried chicken? How could I deny such a request? Certainly not I, even if he wasn't telling me the truth!
I think, subconsciously, I chose to ride the Trek today because I knew its colors would mirror, more or less, the sea and sky. It's almost as if the Trek wanted to be there today.
The last part of the ride--from the Azzolina Bridge to Long Branch--was the flattest and, paradoxically, the most difficult part of the ride. It took me longer to cover that distance than to ride nearly double that distance, from the intersections of Route 35 and 36 in Matawan to the bridge. Once I got off the bridge, I was riding right into the teeth of the wind and the temperature felt as it had dropped about twenty degrees F. When I finally stopped, at the Long Branch boardwalk, it might been good to be a polar bear.
Speaking of which:
I think it's the first time that place has been painted in about 45 years. My first reaction was "Uh-oh! They're turning it into a Cold Stone Creamery clone--with CSC prices. Turns out, I had nothing to fear. It's still an old-school Jersey Shore roadside ice cream stand. You won't find exotic flavors there (unless you consider Yuengling Black and Tan exotic), just the stuff you remember from your childhood. And it's just as good, maybe better, and reasonably priced. I ordered a cone with vanilla-chocolate twist ice cream and a cherry topping. Definitely old-school Jersey shore.
It was good. Real good. So was my ride. So was the day.
The other day was a fine early-spring day. Yesterday was just like it, only warmer and with less wind.
It seemed like a good day for a maiden voyage. Yes, I took my winter project out for a ride. I'd planned to take it for a "shakeout" of, say, 20 kilometers. Then I'd go home, have lunch and take a ride on one of my Mercians.
But a ride to the World's Fair Promenade and Flushing Meadow park turned into a North Shore jaunt that took up the late morning and early afternoon. The day was just so nice that I didn't want to go back inside. Also, I was starting to form a few early impressions about the bike and wanted to spend some more time on the road to examine them, if not in depth.
Also, I wanted to see whether any problems would develop. So far, I haven't found any. I'll need to do only the things one normally has to do with a new build (even when using old parts): Cables and spokes need re-tensioning and I'm going to tweak the saddle and handlebar position a bit. So far, however, I don't think I'll need to make any major changes.
I reckon I rode 85 or 90 kilometers with a few hills and rough patches. The bike is both more stable and sprightly than I expected it to be. It seems, so far, to ride like a less refined version of Vera--which is not a bad thing, necessarily.
Years ago, I had a set of Weinmann 605 brakes on my Romic and one of my Treks. I liked them then, and now I remember why: They have a very firm response which, I believe, is enhanced with Mathauser (Kool Stop) brake pads. I am especially pleased that they are playing nice with the inverse brake levers.
And I remembered what I liked so much about SunTour derailleurs back in the day: They, like the brakes, have a positive response. I wondered, however, what the shifting would be like with a modern chain on an old freewheel. I wasn't so worried about whether they'd mesh: The freewheel I installed hadn't been used much, if at all: It was about as close to new as it could be without being new. It is, though, a five-speed freewheel, which has wider spacing between the cogs than what's found on modern cassettes. And the chain--a SRAM PC-830--is made for 8-speeds.
Happily, I didn't miss a shift. The "pickup" was quicker than I expected, and the chain engaged the cogs--on a SunTour Winner Pro freewheel--without any problems. The drivetrain shifted and ran quietly.
In an upcoming post, I'll list the componentry. For now, I'll mention two interesting (to you bike geeks, I mean enthusiasts, anyway) things I did.
One is in the rear wheel, which I built. The hub is spaced for a six-speed rear, with a 126mm over-locknut diameter. I rearranged the spacing--shortening it by 5mm on the right (drivetrain) side and lengthening the left side by the same amount. In other words, I spaced the right side for a 5-speed freewheel and, in adding the spacers to the other side, made the hub more nearly symmetrical. This reduces the amount of "dish" in the wheel which, I believe, will make it stronger.
The other thing I want to mention is the handlebar tape. Yes, I used cloth tape--in this case, Tressostar gray and dark blue--and coated it with clear shellac.
That ornament on the stem? It was an earring. It was once half of a pair. I lost its "mate". So, I cut off the clamp, filed down the stub and attached it to the stem with Crazy Glue!
If you've been reading this blog, you've seen the bag before. It's the great Randonneur bag Ely of Ruthworks made, which I've used on Vera for the past couple of years. I hope she and this bike--which I've yet to name--don't fight for custody of it!
Yesterday definitely felt like Spring. The weather was pleasantly cool and the skies almost preternaturally bright. Breezes blew from the ocean, sometimes turning into winds.
It was a great day, in short, for a ride of, oh, about 105 or 110 kilometers. A trip to Point Lookout and back falls very neatly into that range, depending on whether and how I vary my route.
I didn't see as many people along the Rockaway boardwalks as I expected. However, a lot of people were roaming around the area, and on the beach, both in the Rockaways and in Long Beach. And, while I enjoyed a piece of English Blue Stilton cheese and two whole wheat bagels, a few families stopped at Point Lookout to take portraits on the rocks, with the waves in the background.
Well, all right, there weren't any waves. Or, at least, they weren't the kind that lash against the rocks. I don't think I've ever seen the tide recede as much as it had yesterday.
On other rides, I've seen sandbars form on the north side of the bay. But yesterday, for the first time, I saw another on the south side. They almost merged:
Meantime, Vera was soaking up some sun. She's getting and giving some good rides. Don't worry: My other Mercians will see the road this soon--actually, this week, I hope. I was doing some maintenance on them and now I have a few days off for spring break!
And, yes, my project Trek will also see some "duty", too!
Today started blustery and cold but ended with drizzle. In between, it seemed that the Koppen climate classification for this area changed a couple of times.
Tonight I listened to Obama's farewell speech. I had mixed emotions: I am less saddened by his impending departure than I am scared of Orange Man ascending the throne, I mean, assuming the Presidency. I am glad for what Barack did in some areas, such as LGBT rights and energy sustainability. On the other hand, the United States has spent more time at war, and more innocent people have been killed, tortured or surveilled, than under any other President in this nation's history.
His speech was followed--at least on the station I had tuned into--by the perfect antidote: a program called "The World of Jazz," hosted by Dwight Brewster, who has become a favorite of mine. Tonight's program featured Sonny Rollins and musicians he mentored (who, incidentally, include Brewster). It was all just right.
And what was I doing while listening?
Yes, my estate-sale find is coming along. The fenders and handlebars (Porteur) are from Velo Orange. And the crankset is the same as what I have on Vera, my green Mercian mixte: a Shimano Deore 110/74 with 46/30 chainrings--a.k.a. Gran Fondo gearing--and a BBG Bashguard in place of the outer chainring. I found the crank on eBay. (The one on Vera came with the bike; I replaced the rings.). As I said in an earlier post, I am not looking to do a strict "original" or even "period" restoration, but I want to do things that are "in the spirit" of the bike. The Deore crank was made a few years later than the bike but it's not unlike some of the 110/74 BCD touring triple cranks--such as the ones made by Sugino--from the bike's era.
I took off the SunTour VGT rear derailleur, which I'm saving in case I ever use the 34t freewheel that came with this bike. I replaced it with a VXs: the "medium cage" version of the Vx. Ironically, the Trek 412's original equipment included that derailleur and I just happened to have one in my parts box!
I still have some other work to do on the bike, of course. But now I'm starting to think of some details that have nothing to do with the function of the bike. To wit:
Do I use this basic black steel-riveted Brooks B17? The original saddle was probably an Avocet, which came on most Treks of that time. And, as far as I know, Avocets were like Model T's: You could have one in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.
With the black saddle, the bike somehow reminds me of a Fuji. As I recall, at least one model was painted a blue,and had a a gray panel, similar to what's on this bike--and came with a black "Belt" saddle that looked a lot like this black B17.
I have another B17 in brown (actually, aged honey):
Of course, it is a more elegant saddle than the black one. I think I like the way it looks on the bike. But I wonder whether it's "too much" or "too good" for this bike.
Also, I am thinking about how each saddle would coordinate with the bar wrap I plan: A "barber pole", "candy cane" or "harlequin" of blue and gray Tressostar tape, which I think I'll coat with clear shellac.
I'm guessing the brown/honey saddle would work with it--and with the bags I'll probably use with the bike: the Ruthworks handlebar bag that's on Vera and a wedge to match it. (The bag will be moved between the bikes as needed.) The black saddle would be OK with those bags, but the brown would echo the leather in the bags.
Hmm... Big decisions, right? I went to my "council" for advice.
Am I a tease if I actually follow up on something I hinted at?
I ask because a few days ago, loyal reader Coline accused me (in the lightest of spirit, of course) of teasing when I mentioned, briefly, a possible upcoming project.
Well, I think I am going ahead with it, at least during Christmas recess. (I won't have much time during the next couple of weeks, what with my students' final papers and exams!) I made a mental commitment, more or less, today, when I took another look at this estate sale pick-up:
"Retrogrouch" has praised the lugged-frame Treks with Ishiwata tubing. I'm guessing this one is from 1981 because it's the last year this model came without brazed-on cable guides or water bottle mounts. Also, that was the year some Treks began to sport contrasting panels on their seat tubes. When I get a chance, I'll check the serial number against databases.
Anyway, aside from some scratches and chips in the paint, the frame looks to be in good shape. I could find no misalignment or rust, and no signs of crashes or abuse. In fact, I think that this bikes owner didn't ride it much after making some changes to it.
One of those changes is the stem: No Trek (or for that matter, any other bike) with a 56 cm (22") center-to-center seat tube ever came with a stem that had such a short extension! To be fair, the bike has a longish top tube (also 56cm), but even I, with my short arms and torso, would ride a longer stem than that.
Another is the seat, I think. Most Treks of that period came with Avocet saddles. This seat, whatever it is, doesn't look like one. Whatever it is, I have to wonder whether this bike's owner actually rode with the seat post mounted backward. Hmm...Maybe that person is even more of a "no arms" than I am, or simply wanted to sit as if he or she were on a Laz-e-Boy.
Then there is this freewheel. It's s SunTour Pro Compe, of very good quality, but the 34 tooth large cog much more than I'll ever need unless I take another loaded tour of the Alps (or some other mountain range). I might hold on to it, which would mean holding on to the chain. Which leads me to this question: How much life does either have left? Perhaps, if I could find some cogs, I could rebuild the freewheel: those old SunTour freewheel bodies are practically indestructible.
And I am surmising that the SunTour VGT rear derailleur is a replacement. This bike probably came with a VXs, as the shift levers and front derailleurs are from the Vx series. Also, the bike's original freewheel was more than likely had 14-28 or 13-28 freewheel, which the VxS could handle, but the VGT's extra capacity is necessary for the larger freewheel.
Even if I don't use the 34 tooth cog, the VGT is a keeper, whether for this bike or some other. So, I am glad for that change and for another I didn't notice until I got the bike home:
The original headset was probably a Tange that was commonly used on mid- to upper-mid-level bikes of that time. It looked like the company's Levin model--which looked like a Campagnolo Record from about five feet away--without the logos. At least, I know that this Stronglight headset wasn't original equipment. I'm pretty sure this is their early roller-bearing headset, which tried--like just about all quality headsets made until 1985 or thereabouts--to look like Campy's products. (Later Stronglights had a sharper, more "aero", shape.) Even if it's a regular ball-bearing headset, I won't mind: I've always had good luck with Stronglight stuff.
But I found the biggest surprise of all on the rear wheel:
Can you believe it? A Phil Wood hub! This is one of the earlier version, with a three-piece steel shell. The bearings are as smooth as the more modern Phil Woods on my Mercians. This hub is definitely a "keeper", except...
It's a 48 hole model. I would love to keep and "as is", as it probably won't die. A Super Champion 58 rim is laced to it. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my very first pair of hand-built wheels included a pair of SC 58s. They totally deserved the reputation as the best non-racing rims of that time. Again, it's something I'd prefer not to change, except...
It's a 27". The tire, as good as it is (a Specialized Turbo) won't last forever, and there aren't many quality tires available today in that size. The wheel seems true and round.
The front wheel, however, is not. And there is not much tension in the spokes: I think whoever built it didn't re-tension it. It's the one that would have come with the bike: a Rigida 13-20 rim laced to a Sansin hub. Not bad stuff, but I think the rim and spokes won't survive a re-tensioning and re-truing. And, really, I don't want to buy another 27" tire, rim or wheel. I suppose I could ride a 700C front with the 27" rear.
So I'll probably build a 700 rear wheel, too. The question is whether I want to use the Phil Wood hub, which would mean taking the current rear wheel apart and buying a 48 hole rim. Or I could build a 36 spoke rear wheel on another hub I have.
I am leaning toward building the 700C rear wheel on whichever rear hub, not only because it's easier to find 700C tires, but also because the bike would fit that much better. As it is, the frame, with 27" wheels, is exactly at the upper limit, size-wise, of what I can ride. The 700s, which are about 5cm smaller, would give me a bit more breathing room. Also, they would add to the already-ample fender clearance the frame and fork offer.
Yes, I am thinking about fenders. And, possibly, a Velo Orange Porteur handlebar with bar-end levers (like I have on my Mercian mixtes) and a nice, tasteful wrapping.
Whatever I do, I'll try not to do anything gross. I'm not looking to do a period restoration or anything pedantically "retro", but I will try to keep in the spirit of the bike, if you will: a good sport-touring machine from the era before mountain bikes. I promise not to use neon-colored "V" shaped rims or cranks that look like starfish designed by Salvador Dali. And I'll try to resist the temptation to turn this into a single-speed or "fixie". At least, I won't let it become a "hipster fixie".
P.S. Yes, that rack came with the bike. It's an original Jim Blackburn, made in the USA.
