Today my nearly 14-y-o son and I stripped down his '84 Fuji Allegro. This is a first full overhaul for both of us and also his 8th grade Independent Study project. He did most of the disassembly while I took photos. It's getting fresh grease and bearings all around, aero levers and probably an upgrade to DT shifters if one of my local C&V friends has a set hanging around in a drawer. Red bar tape too, which will certainly make it faster.

Tonight he had a party to go to, and as I was driving him through Wicker Park, Chicago's hipster haven, we kept overtaking and being passed by a cyclist on a vividly painted red and white bike; upright handlebars but definitely a vintage road bike. 'Take a close look at that bike when we pass it again.' I told my son. 'I think it's a bike called an Ironman which that guy has turned into a fixie.' As we came abreast the heaving hipster, son called out 'Cen---turion...Ironman! But it's not a fixie.' 'Because he's coasting?' 'Yep.'

Funny the things that become bonding moments.