View Single Post
Old 09-10-12, 10:42 PM
  #5  
Heatherbikes
Full Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 270
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Sweet bike! I wish my step daughters would ride! My poor husband! a life long cyclist, car free dad and they flat out refused to learn how to ride a bike until they were in their early teens with friends, instead of learning with dad and all that sweet bonding stuff. Their mom drives them everywhere etc, so when they come to visit we hear nothing but moans about having to bike and gasp ride old vintage bikes! When I was a teenager a bike was absolute freedom and I loved it.
The bike: french bikes are notoriously difficult with separate sizing and compatability issues. Thank goodness you replaced the rims as that would be my first concern for your daughter. Velo Orange sells the mafac brake pads. The Grand Bois 'cypres' are beautiful 32mm 700c tires, just make sure the frame has clearance. They are a bit pricy, but my husband has narrow grand bois tires and LOVES them. I believe soma has a line of supple gumwall tires that cost a bit less.
Mudflaps=yes! You do live in the pacific northwest, you know what is coming, remember(until yesterday I had forgotten), rain, rain and rain? As good and long as those fenders are, mudflaps ad that extra protection and also deflect mud and rain from cyclists riding behind.
Bar tape=a nice brown leather would be nice, black wouldn't really match the lovely tone of the bike. Fizik is synthetic bar tape and they have a honey brown, that once on the handlebars does look like leather and is super nice. fizik has a rainbow of colour choices too.
Lighting=the portland design Danger zone rear light is awesome! For front lights, I do not know about vintage looking unless you get into dynamo lighting etc, but the bike light companies are coming out with brighter and brighter rechargeable battery lights, and the technology is getting cheaper. Get something bright with a long lasting low setting. Lighting is important and if she really gets into riding, well she needs to see in the dark right?
Rack= It looks fine, and I think vintage french bikes were ideal for front racks. I do worry about stuff sliding around too much, might not be as practical as she thinks. A rear rack for panniers would be a good investment.
Lucky girl!
Heatherbikes is offline