I rest my case.

like i said in another thread - burning man material. don't make fun of Art.

Now somebody could do that to a Record, and I could give a crap. But a Super Tourer!?

I don't get it. What's wrong with it? (Ugly, yes, but...)

The crank looks nice -

Okay, I give. What's wrong with this picture?

(You may all laugh at my expense)

I'll go along with the dissenters. I think it's pretty cool.

It's just that Super Tourers are pretty rare, and even worse -- I don't have one.

Uh-oh, I may be on Mswantaks hit list. Good thing I live on the other coast. Here's a Gitane TDF converted into the Gitanabation (can I get some decals w/ that on 'em?). Disclaimer: When I got this bike all it was was a frame in rough condition. Sometimes it's fun to build a beater; if it had been complete I wouldn't have hacked it quite so throughly. Kinda like the bike in the original post, too.

No, seriously.

What's wrong with that bike? Did somebody take an expensive high-performance frame and make a grocery bike out of it? Is it wrong to have a basket AND a rack? Did they forget to lock it up?

Honestly, I never know WHAT to look down my nose at.

My wife's Peugeot is very similarly equipped, including the sprung Brooks saddle. long stem, upright bars and the basket. Mike is making the decals for it. My Gitane TdF has Northroad bars and a chainguard. I guess some of us just like to be different.

Kona -- It's Reynolds 531, Campagnolo components; it kinda falls between a Super Course and an International. Unless like Pogue was saying, it was a rough frame to start with it seems like pretty shabby treatment of a thoroughbred.

And Dave, your wife's Pug is tastefully done (especially the decals ); this Raleigh's had the ugly stick broken over it.

Even a bicycle can change as it ages... Perhaps it should be viewed as complimentary that the frame and components are able to perform such a wide range of tasks!

Or perhaps the real question should be, why should someone have to limit themselves to lesser components because their view of cycling is different?

BTW - I miss riding the Bay Trail since moving to PA... I used to live in Hayward. Do you ride the Bay Trail? How about the Alameda Creek trail?

Editted to remove offer of free maps, as they have been claimed. (9/12/2005)

I like it. Maybe, in their own inexpensive way, they are trying to emulate this:

https://www.vanillabicycles.com/bikes...e_c/index.html

Bob Hufford
Springfield, MO

Relax Mike. It's too small for you.

But I have to say I don't quite get the reasoning behind a fixed gear touring bike with pedals the size of Rhode Island.

I've just added a Vanilla bicycle to my list of things to buy when I win the lottery.

Good save, Mike.

I think the bike is prolly a single speed (BMX freewheel), not a fixie, given the front and rear brakes. Them big platform pedals work good with sneakers. The crank is Stronglight, not Campy, so maybe the builder found the frame and built around it.

I do kinda like the build and certainly understand it. Quirky, not bad, plus they didn't hack off the rear mech hanger, so it's not like the build can't be redone back to original.

Nope, I don't see nothing wrong with re-cycling ANY bike into a
grocery getter 'cuse it will get used and not hang in a garage
as an expensive wall ornament.

I really DO get p!ssed when some barbarian carves up good bikes
into............Frankenbikes. Such a waste.

Oh, well; I went out and got an old Fuji Touring Series III today -- and for nuttin' -- so I don't feel so bad about the Super Tourer anymore.

You should see what he hauls it around in.

https://www.corvette.at/galery/corvet...ette_truck.jpg

Not the greatest picture, but yes, I missed seeing the brakes. Not what I'd do with it, but oh well.

Like I said, Art. And good art. Good art always provokes controversy.

Hmm, my two cents. !IMO! people that feel there is a "right" way to use any frame or component or combination thereof should be Smacked over the head with a Brooks Saddle repeatedly untill they let others do what they like with their gear.

I have Spoken.

Sheldon would be pleased i think.

I would certainly never try to prevent anyone from using their bicycles as they see fit -- even when it contravenes my template for the Universe. I do however, reserve the right to make sport of them for doing so.

Ah... then we are in agreement, and no harm was done.

Except to that poor Super Tourer.