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New Guy from Avon, Ohio - Now with NEW pics!
Hi all,
I'm not sure if a forum specific introduction is the norm around here. I posted an introduction in the main forum over the weekend, but looking through the posts here in 50+ for about the last year, it looks like introductions within the forum are sproadic. Please excuse the faux pas if once was enough. I've replied to a few threads already andthis seems to be where I'm likely to hang out most, so I thought I'd put a face to the name, as it were. Here's a couple snips from my original introduction: Well, I hope I stick with this... I pulled my old bike off of the hooks in the garage for the first time since about 1994. Our daughter wants to go riding, and has seen it hanging there, and bugged me enough until I brought it down. I'm 55, and used to ride all the time, everywhere I went. Then the next year I was trying to get in shape for a backpacking trip, so I walked everywhere. After the trip, I vegetated. For 15 years. I stepped on the scales last week, and weigh the most I ever have. Time to get back in shape and riding was always a fun way to keep fit. When I last rode, my goal was to keep up with the fast boys and put in a lot of miles. I mostly rode solo after work or evenings, and on a couple organized metric centuries each summer. Now my goal is to be comfortable, enjoy the ride, and explore new places at a more leisurely pace, maybe working up to longer rides as I get back in shape. So I've spent the last few evenings looking at replacing the old skinny Panaracer tires with some fatter Schwalbe Marathon 700X32, and replacing the skinny Selle San Marco with a Brooks Champion Flyer or B-67. My priorities are obvious: taking care of my butt! [edit: I ordered the Champion Flyer and the Marathons] The bike: I was an old BOBster. I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB-T that's mostly stock. I bought the touring rather than the RB-1 or RB-2, as I was pulling a Burley trailer with our oldest daughter at the time. As noted, I replaced the old Avocet tires with the skinny Panaracers, and the saddle with the SSM. I also had the dealer swap Look clipless for the MKS and toe clips, but at some later time I changed back to a basic Union platform pedal. The trick is going to be keeping at it. Seems all my hobbies are outdoor summer hobbies, and all conflict. I've got three scooters and an old MG for exactly the same sort of weather that I'd be biking. What's the saying? Too many toys, and not enough time. I need to retire! Well, that's about it. If you are in the area, and see a chubby dude on a dark green RB-T going about 7 MPH, toss me a beer! My wife has a 1985 Panasonic Sport LX Mixte hanging in the barn that hasn't been ridden even longer than my bike, but she has no interest in riding again. It'll make a good bike for the 12 year old when she grows into it, as it is a 17.5" frame. That's me in a nutshell. I tend to babble, so just whack me upside the head if I get carried away. I'm glad I found y'all, and I look forward to participating, learning, and hopefully offering interesting ride reports. Photos to come when I get the tires and new saddle on. Steve |
Welcome......you will fit in just fine here.
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Bridgestone touring bike, saddle w/springs, 700x32 tires ... that all sounds good to me! I hope you are enjoying your rides on it.
Welcome to the group! |
Welcome, I live in Medina and work in Elyria, we're almost neighbors!
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Jet,
I work in Elyria, as well, at Ridge Tool. I used to ride in on the bike. In fact, that's when I decided I needed a helmet. I made contact with cars two days in a row, both turning right immediately after passing me. The first one I didn't have time to react to, and ended up off the road but upright. The second one I was ready to knock off the mirror when I noticed she was turning into a funeral home. I live about a mile behind LCCC, so it is only 8.5 miles to work for me. Right now, I ride one of the scoots almost every day April to November, as long as there's no salt, ice, or snow on the road. I only have 33k miles on my seven year old car. I'm not sure I can (or rather, want to) drag my butt out of bed early enough to ride the bike in. That might change, though. Thanks all, for the welcome! |
Welcome, Steve. Glad you found us.:beer:
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Originally Posted by smorris
(Post 8952338)
Jet,
I work in Elyria, as well, at Ridge Tool. I used to ride in on the bike. In fact, that's when I decided I needed a helmet. I made contact with cars two days in a row, both turning right immediately after passing me. The first one I didn't have time to react to, and ended up off the road but upright. The second one I was ready to knock off the mirror when I noticed she was turning into a funeral home. I live about a mile behind LCCC, so it is only 8.5 miles to work for me. Right now, I ride one of the scoots almost every day April to November, as long as there's no salt, ice, or snow on the road. I only have 33k miles on my seven year old car. I'm not sure I can (or rather, want to) drag my butt out of bed early enough to ride the bike in. That might change, though. Thanks all, for the welcome! I used to live in Elyria near the college also. Abbey road is not very bike friendly, especially around the Turnpike underpass. I work for the Board of MRDD, just west of downtown. Good luck on finding the passion and reasons for bicycle riding again. I'll be commuting today and tomorrow to and from home, so I can get my riding in and still do work and family commitments. |
I tried Abbe twice. Yikes! I go south on Stoney, through the new developments over to Case, and then Center Ridge to Cleveland, across the tracks at Olive, and to work (that is, currently on the scoots or in the car.) Once I get the fatter tires on, I'll have to check out the trail along the CSX tracks going under 57 rather than across the intersection at 57 and Cleveland.
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From a former northern Ohioan, to Steve I send out a big O -- H ...
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I don't think I've ever seen an RB-T. Got a picture? Welcome!
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Welcome to the group. We don't worry a lot about protocol around here. Thanks for the introduction.
My 1992 Bridgestone is an RB-1 which has been my main ride since I bought it new. Every time I think about replacing it, I end up upgrading it and riding it instead. Fantastic bikes. |
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 8958047)
Got a picture?
I will have photos as soon as the tires and saddle come from wallbike, and I clean and polish it up. It doesn't looks so good after hanging all this time, and all I did was dust it off, pump up the tires, and go for a couple short rides. End of school year kid activities are taking up weeknights at this point. Anyone have any suggestions on how to re-stick decals that are starting to lift at the edges? Thanks again, all, for the nice welcome. Steve |
Wow! I just got home, and there's a box from Wallingford waiting for me. I'm going to have to do a lot more cleaning!:eek:
That seat is gorgeous! (Brooks Antique Brown Flyer Special) That's nothing like my old basic Brooks from the '70s that I sold on the bike before I bought the RB-T in '92. I'll have to put in a lot of road time to get the shine off of it so I don't look like I bought it just for looks. Definitely need some pretty posed pictures before I start riding this thing on the trails. (And yes, I did hold it up to my derriere to see how it fit. Seems pretty comfortable without any weight on it. :D ) I probably should take off the clear plastic chain saver, too, huh? ;) |
Originally Posted by smorris
(Post 8962067)
I probably should take off the clear plastic chain saver, too, huh? ;) I still have my dork disc on my '87 Bridgestone. Well, I've never removed one from a bike. |
OK, I got the bike all torn apart, cleaned up, and put back together. Just finished a little while ago. I took it outside for a quick photo, but it is pretty crappy. Too dark for a non-flash without the exposure getting too long, so I just used the on-camera flash. I'll take some better photos when it is daylight. Supposed to rain tomorrow, so maybe Wednesday. I wanna get some shots before it gets dirty! ;)
http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...7_RxQ9C-XL.jpg Large photo here I used some degreaser, then 3M hand glaze to clean up the parts. The aluminum parts got a rubdown with Simichrome, which really helped remove the oxidization. Bearings were great, cables are OK, I might end up replacing the rear derailleur inner cable. Then all the painted and polished parts got two coats of Zymol Carbon wax that I use on my MG. That stuff goes on so easy and looks so nice and deep. You might not be able to tell, but the frame is painted a deep green, with some subtle metal flake. Not the obnoxious stuff like the '70s, but more like the cars have now. The only new parts are the Schwalbe Marathon 700 X 32 tires and tubes, the Brooks Champion Flyer Special saddle, the two bottle cages (the plastic had degraded and cracked on my old ones), and the borrowed Shimano Deore XT pedals. Everything else is as it was when I parked it in 1994. The only non-original old parts are the small chainring (24T instead of 28T) and the off-white Paramont cork bar wrap instead of the white tape that came on it. I didn't put the Zefal hp frame pump or the Blackburn rear rack back on yet. My Cannondale tool bag won't fit under the new saddle, as it cams into the seat rails, and won't work with the sprung saddle. I have not ridden it since reassembly. I still need to lube and grease it. The saddle is just stuck on at approximately the position of the old Selle San Marco Regal. I can't get it back quite as far, so if this position isn't back enough, I'll have to get a seatpost with more offset. And I need to check and adjust the brakes and derailleurs. That's about it. I had fun refurbishing the bike. More and better photos to follow as the weather allows. Thanks for the continued interest. Steve |
Welcome! I live in Columbia Station, Ohio and regualry ride all over Lorain and Cuyahoga counites. I teach at Columbia High School, so when I am not umpiring and the weather is good, I commute to and from work. State Rt. 252 is dangerous inn the winter, and West River Road (in columbia Twp.) is not pretty either in the winter, so the bike gets put away for a while.
Tim C. |
Happy Birthday! Oh, wait, wrong greeting. Anyway, welcome to the gang.
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Beautiful cleanup job on a great bike.:thumb:
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Thanks again, gang.
It has been raining and storming all week, so no riding, nor any more photos. Tonight, just after a storm, the sun tried coming out, but not quite enough to get good contrast. So, these are better than my previous flash image, but still not what I'm after. I also need to remember to turn both pedals right side up, and take off the Rhode Gear mirror... Thanks for looking and for the comments. (Oh, and I got a pair of leather wrapped Christophe toe clips coming from a fellow over on the iBOB list!) http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...9_vZnDo-XL.jpg http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...8_zSowy-2X.jpg http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...9_pbnPK-XL.jpg http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...4_zRwMW-XL.jpg http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/54...1_ryCrP-2X.jpg A couple more and full size images here |
Man, that baby looks better than new.:beer::thumb:
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