Iowa10Speed that's one beautiful Voyageur II! It is so nice to see it in such original condition. Your paint, chrome and decals are so pristine.

I was gifted my Voyageur II as a frameset from Frank the Welder. I built it once as a tourer with non-original parts, fenders, racks, etc., but it basically sat unridden for years. Eventually the bits were stripped, and it was back to a frameset.

Well, about three years ago nlerner offered an early '50s Sturmey Archer AM IGH 27" rear wheel in the classified section and I couldn't resist. As soon as it arrived, I decided it needed to be on the Voyageur. Frank the Welder had also given me an old Schwinn cottered steel crankset, and this is what I built.


My paint is nicked and marred all over revealing the underlying chrome plating. Decals are scratched and sparse in places. The original exposed chrome on the fork crown and headtube lugs is pitted and rusted in places. None of the original components are present, but for me, it is a blast to ride with its narrow 3-speed gearing here on the flat coastal island where I live.

I can scoot along at an average of 14-18 mph but usually get passed by the "dudes" on their CF wonder bikes which probably weigh in at 10lbs+ less! Yet none have ever slowed down long enough to inquire about what I'm riding and listen to the "tick, tick, tick," of the 75-year-old SA IGH.