What To Do With A Rescued Frame

About a week ago, I mentioned that I "rescued" a rather nice old frame.

Turns out, I have most of the parts I'd need to build it.  So now the question is:  Into what kind of a bike should I build it?

As best as I can tell, this frame is a 1983 Trek 560.  That year, it was sold as a complete bike with SunTour Blue Line derailleurs along with a mixture of other Japanese components, most of which were reliable if not fancy.  However, in that component mix was a Helicomatic freewheel.  It was a good idea, and, had it been better-executed,  we might be riding it, or other hubs based on its design, instead of Campangnolo- and Shimano-style cassette hubs.

The frame itself was made from Reynolds 501 tubing.  Apparently, Reynolds made it for only a few years during the 1980's.  It's butted, but heavier than 531, 631 or 853.  Also, it differs from those higher-quality Reynolds tube sets in that it has a seam.   It's actually much like the tubing used to make the Bridgestone RB-2 I rode briefly, until it was stolen.  

A number of entry-level racing bikes (or relaxed road bikes) were constructed of 501 during the mid-1980's.  In addition to Trek, Peugeot, Gitane and a few other European bike manufacturers made bikes from this tubing.

The paint on this Trek is in pretty rough shape.  It's better on the seat tube because there had been a "panel" decal there, which was removed.   I suppose I could paint it and build a pretty bike from it.  But I'm thinking of turning the bike into a "beater" or winter bike.  If I do that, I will probably use a single speed (perhaps a "flip-flop" hub) on the rear and a single chainring.  And I have a scratched-up pair of Velo Orange Porteur bars (which have become my favorite upright bar).  

If I turn it into a "beater" or winter bike, the parts are going to be functional but not fancy.  On the other hand, if I take more care and make it prettier, I might end up selling it.  Whatever I do, this is going to be an interesting project, I think.

Getting There: Further Improvement To The World's Fair Marina Promenade

Yesterday I rode along the Worlds Fair Marina promenade on my way to work.  As I reported a couple of weeks ago, the path had been extended to the Northern Boulevard Bridge.  But there was a problem:  access to the Northern Boulevard Bridge.  

To get to the bridge's walkway, you have to cross an entrance ramp to the Grand Central Parkway. The worst part is that it is on a sharp curve, so motorists approaching the ramp are likely not to see cyclists or pedestrians crossing it.   At night, the visibility is even worse.

Well, since my previous post about this route, a crosswalk has been painted, and curbs have been cut at each end of it.  Best of all, there's a traffic signal there. 

Although it's an improvement, I still think there is a problem with the crossing. Because motorists approach it from a curve, they may not see the signal until they are within feet of it.  And, unless there's a traffic jam, they drive through the curve at highway speeds, or close to them. So I have to wonder whether some of those motorists could slow down and stop quickly enough when they approach that crossing.  

So, even though it's safer than it had been, anyone crossing from the bike lane to the bridge needs to be, really, just as cautious as he or she might have been before the improvements.

Getting there....

A Hosteler

How many of you have gone on a hostelling trip?

As I anticipated my first bike trip abroad, I told people I was going to stay in hostels, at least for part of my trip. In those days, most Americans--at least those I knew--had no idea of what a hostel was.  What's really funny, in retrospect, is that some of the grown-ups in my life (I thought I was one; now I know I wasn't!) were actually more worried about that than about my plan to camp on nights when I didn't stay in hostels. 

Actually, I didn't bring camping equipment with me, save for a sleeping bag and Swiss Army knife.  On those nights when I "camped", I slept under bridges, overhangs or the stars (or clouds).  

In the months leading up to that trip, I pored over hostel guides.  In one of them, I found out that there was actually such a thing as a hosteling bike.  In fact, the French bike company Gitane actually made a model called "The Hosteler."

When hosteling, one doesn't have to carry quite as much equipment as is necessary for camping. So, a hosteler probably can get away with riding a lighter bike with a somewhat shorter wheelbase-- and, while he or she would need sturdy pannier racks, they probably wouldn't have to be quite as strong as a camper would need.

At least, that's what I surmised when I saw the one and only Gitane Hosteler I ever saw.  It looked like a nice bike, and I expect that it would be, as Gitane made some well-designed and crafted bikes.  (However, you never knew what components you'd get on your Gitane:  They had a reputation for using whatever they had on hand.  So, as an example, one model came with Huret Allvit, Simplex Prestige, Huret Svelto and Campagnolo Valentino rear deraileurs--all within the same model year!)

Anyway, I indulged in a few memories on coming across the photo I've included in this post. The owner of the Gitane Hosteler had just had it restored.  However, I don't think there are any original parts on it!  Still, it's a fine bike for hosteling.  If anything, the modern drivetrain components made it even better.