I live in Humboldt County, CA, and I don't drive, so I needed a bike. Also, I'm pretty broke. So, it took a long while of checking Craigslist every day, but I finally found a good road bike, in my size, that I could afford.
Last Sunday, I picked this up in Arcata for $200:
Side view
1985 League Fuji, 58 cm.
Powder coat and single-speed conversion were done by the previous owner, who had the rack done at the same time. The powder coat is a nice flat beige that goes really well with the brown pleather bar tape and WTB Rocket V saddle.
She also added:
Big honkin' Kona 31.8 bars and stem, on a threaded-to-threadless converter. I think they're the 48s, but nobody in the world seems to know how they're measured.
TRP RRL-SR levers... not sure why she didn't go with the brown hoods. Comfortable, good looking levers. The weird shape of the lever blades feels really good in the hand, and the drilling breaks up the shape a bit. The smooth ones look weirder to me.
Portland Design Works 700x30 fenders. These are really nice-looking aluminum fenders. They are also proving to be a titanic pain in the posterior, which will be extensively detailed, and thoroughly complained about, as this thread develops.
WTB Rocket V saddle. Nice-looking seat. 130 mm width, which is narrower than I was used to. I've spent the most time on a Rolls (148 mm) and a Concor (140 mm).I've also got time on a Brooks Team Pro and a Champion Flyer, and liked them both. But(t), since I haven't ridden in 5 or 6 years, and I'm broke, it's gonna stay for a while. I'm probably going to end up on a brown Brooks, B-17 or Pro.
Original parts are the Sugino RT crankset and 110 x 42T chainring, Dia-Compe 400 calipers, Sugino SP-KC seatpost, and Suntour LaPree shifters. (I think the shifters were not group-specific, they look like most PowerRatchet shifters I've seen, except the Superbe Pros.) I also got the original bar and stem, both Nittos. The B114 bars measure 40 cm outside at the ends... so likely 39s... on a 58 cm frame! What were they thinking??
--Shannon