This 'Frankenbike' puts in time as my winter/all-purpose ride in rainy Vancouver, British Columbia. The crankset (Veloce with replacement chainrings), bottom-of-the-line long-cage Shimano RD, cheap Alexrims 404 wheelset and brakes (extra long-reach Tektros) aren't very 'vintage', but the - HEAVY - lugged steel Apollo frame (a Vancouver-based brand associated with Fred Deeley - 'Deelite' - cycles, I believe) is definitely a throwback, as are the other random bits: early 80s (?) Shimano 600 levers, stem-mounted Suntour shifters, steel (WIN) stem & bars (the latter of which I cut off to bullhorns as this bike is too small for me to ride comfortably as a proper roadie), Dia Compe cable clips, a beat-up vinyl Brooks tractor seat from before everybody and their hipster cousin was dropping $150 on the nice leather ones...



No particular trouble with flexing under my 250lb load up the city's steep hills. 6 speeds only, as the gentleman who slapped this together (and clearly spent too much money on it) didn't think too much about chainline, but it does the job, rain or shine...and I don't lose too much sleep hanging it up wet when I'm home late.