Stoopidtall

If you're reading this, you've probably seen at least one "funny bike":  you know, the kind with one frame is stacked on top of another.  

I've seen as many as four frames stacked up, with I-don't-know-how-many kilometers of chain connecting the cranks bearing the pedals with conveyor cogs and the sprocket that spins the chain that drives the rear wheel.  It was parked, so I don't know who (or whether anyone) rode it, let alone how he or she would have mounted such a machine.  

Turns out, that bike wasn't nearly as tall as one someone rode (yes, rode) at Ciclavia, a car-free bike ride through Los Angeles streets.  

Now I'm going to show you how much of an East Coaster I am:  I can't believe I typed the "car-free" and "Los Angeles" in the same sentence.  Still, I find it even more incredible that someone was actually astride that contraption.

If you really want to be amazed, here's a video of someone riding it:

That intrepid cyclist is 14.5 feet (about 4 meters) above Santa Monica Boulevard, or wherever he was riding.  Although I admire him, I don't think I would try it at home--or L.A., or anywhere else.

If that bike were ever to come to New York, its name would help it to fit right in:  It's called Stoopidtall.

CycloFemme In Ottawa

Here's something I wish I'd known about sooner:

Today, a new ride is taking place in Ottawa to honor Global Women's Cycling Day, or CycloFemme.

Rides and other events to honor this day--which also happens to be Mother's Day in the US. (Yes, I called my mother!)  Today's ride is the first such event for the Canadian capital.

According to the announcement, women of all ages and cycling abilities are welcome.  And there's no entrance fee. What's not to like?

I've never cycled in Ottawa, but I hear that an active cycling community has developed there.  Given what I experienced when cycling in another Canadian bilingual city--Montreal--I wouldn't be surprised.

A Bike Tom Would Have Liked

Thomas Avenia, who owned one of the first (and, for a long time, one  of the few) shops in the US to sell lightweight bicycles, once told me that track bikes are "the king of bicycles."  He, who lived to be 95 years old, rode one well into his 80's.

I recently spotted one that I think he could have appreciated:

Now, he never would have ridden his with those handlebars:  His own machine, a vintage Frejus, had TTT Pista bars, if I recall correctly.  But the rest of the Bridgestone I spotted would have pleased him.

I think I've seen one or two other Bridgestone track bikes.  This is the first chromed one I've seen.  

If I'm not mistaken, this Bridgestone track bike was built by hand, in a separate area from other Bridgestone bikes.  Most Bridgestones I've seen had clean, well-finished lugs and paint.  They're even better, I think, on this bike.

Bridgestones were originally imported into the US under the name "Kabuki" during the 1970's. In the 1980's and early '90's, Grant Petersen worked for the company and helped to design the bikes that were imported into the US until 1994.  

I feel that the only Japanese bikes that were as good as, or better than, Bridgestones were made by Miyata and Panasonic.  They are also among the most sought-after mass-produced vintage bikes.  

Tom would have appreciated Miyata's and Panasonic's track bikes. But I think this Bridgestone would have done more to remind him of his beloved Frejus.

Silver Lilacs

After yesterday's deluges, riding to work this morning under a sun thinly veiled by high cirrus clouds was simply delightful.  Doing the commute with an engaging man--and good cyclist--made it even better.

His name is Allen.  Or is it Alan?  However, he spelled it, he was keeping up a good pace--and riding an intriguing bike.  I'd seen one or two like it before, but his was the first I'd seen in a large frame size.  I didn't get a chance to photograph it, but I've found images of that model on the web.

It's a Motobecane Le Champion.  He said he bought it used in 1981, in his native California.  I'm not surprised that he's still riding it: The frame, which was hand-brazed with Reynolds 531 tubing, is as solidly as it is beautifully built.  

If I recall correctly, Le Champion was the top Motobecane racing model until the Team Champion, on which Luis Ocana won the 1973 Tour de France, came out.  Allan's Le Champion appeared to be from about 1974 or so, based on decals and paint that looked like this:

Sometime in around 1975, Motobecane started to use blockier lettering rather than the script you see in the photo.  But, in 1974, Le Champions were offered in the color shown. The catalogues referred to it as "silver lilac."  It's one of my favorite bike colors of all time, because it has the character of purple that I so love, but it also has, to some degree, the elegance of silver Cinelli bikes from that same era.  

"Velouria"--who inspired me to start this blog--has a Mercian fixed-gear bike  in a similar color, although I think hers is a bit more purplish.  I love it, too.  It's what I would have chosen for my own Mercians if I hadn't gone with the purple/green (which actually looks purple most of the time) finish they sport.

Le Champions were equipped with a combination of high-end French and Campagnolo components. Alan, or someone else, swapped out the original Campy Nuovo Record derailleurs for Sun Tour Cyclones which, in my opinion, shift better.  And modern Mavic rims were laced to the vintage Campagnolo hubs.  But the bike still had its original Stronglight cranks, Campagnolo brakes and other parts.

He said he'd like to give the bike a "facelift."  Whatever he does, I hope he keeps the original color.

When I Ride--And Don't Ride--In The Rain

I am often asked whether I ride in the rain.  The most precise answer I can give is, "within reason".

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, if it's raining and the temperature is less than 40F (5C), I won't ride.  Likewise, I won't start a "pleasure" ride in the rain unless it's warm and I'm at a seashore. And, unless I absolutely have to be somewhere (e.g., my workplace) and there is no alternative means of transportation, I won't ride if it's raining so heavily that I can just barely see out of the windows of my apartment.

The latter condition prevailed today, just when I had to leave for my commute.  The rain stopped for a few brief interludes throughout the day.  But I knew more was coming.  I think this cell-phone photo I took from the Queensborough Plaza train station tells today's weather story:

The clouds envelop much of the Empire State, Chrysler and UN buildings which, on most days, are clearly visible from the station platform.  

And, yes, more rain came. It fell even harder than what came down when I was leaving my apartment.