finding a bike
 

After missing out on a great CL deal months ago, I still have a strong itch for a Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, men's or women's frame. One popped up yesterday, but in the 22" men's size. I really need a 24" for the men's frame, but would love to find a 22" loop frame. Every few minutes I talk myself out of calling on the smaller frame one.



Anyway, to help keep me busy so's I don't buy a too small bike as a stop gap measure, does anyone have any good "bike hunt" or "bike find" stories?

I saw your ad at Austin CL.
Grab that 22" one for me, ok? I'll come get it.

Just keep looking. Austin CL is insane in both pricing and bikes for sale. I would try local shops, But the only one I have been to is " Bike Farm". I wish I could help you out, But I only have a ladies Raleigh Sports. I will talk to some people in Dallas.

serious?

well I called and left a message on the 22" one, we'll see what happens there

Raleigh Lady's Sports, 1969, Brooks leather saddle, direct from the original owner. $20 at our neighborhood garage sale, it was supposed to be $15 but she didn't have change and I forgot to come back for it. There was a bathrobe or something obscuring much of it. I met a bike flipper later in the neighborhood and asked if he'd seen it; he said yeah, but he had too many Sports models! Keep looking, they are out there.

I just spent a couple weeks in Chicago last month, and saw a bunch of lady's Sports locked up on the streets - nearly as many Raleighs and there were Scwhinns about town




the Tourists weren't as plentiful as the Sports type models, though







at the Chicago History Museum


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/...8fc07ea1_b.jpg





from the saddle on Milwaukee



http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/...5a9968c7_b.jpg

y'all suck at sharing stories




I'm supposed to pick the 22" up tomorrow after work - somebody walked because they wouldn't take $40, so I'm up next

<serious?>

Yes.
PM sent.

How I find bicycles and many of the bicycles I have found. For more, and detailed information, visit MY "TEN SPEEDS". Probably the most interesting "how found" story rests with my 1958 Carlton Flyer.

well, DavidNewton is getting a bike out of this deal at least

I get that itch for some different bike thing every now and then... not being able to find it usually takes care of my urges. This year my two main itches were a 3 speed in my size and a road frame with a fastback seat stay, somehow they both happened this week out of thin air.

That is the only way it really happens for me, when I don't look for it.

Something about these bikes just makes them rust. Mine is a 72 and it's got more rust than any road bike I have ever owned of similar age. Maybe the roadsters are thrown around and kept in damp garages while the road bike is coddled and shares a bed inside.

the wheels and chain are really the worst - the frame is not bad at all


I want to know how the Brooks got to be in that shape though - it's just pulled back off the frame



I wanna slap some coasterbrake wheels and new stem/bars on that thing, give it a foot and a half of seatpost and hit the street!

Always enjoying seeing your photography.

I have a few dramatic tales. Helped a fellow BF'er pick up a '50 Norman Rapide, story here. Chased down an elderly, hearing impaired man to buy his Cenutrion Cinelli Equipe. Initially I thought he was a buyer at a garage sale taking it for a test spin, but it was the seller rolling down to the supermarket for something or other. I waited outside by the bike and accosted him when he returned!

Then just a few weeks ago at an estate sale, I was laughing aloud at the pricing the sale organizers had assigned to a gaspipe Gitane mixte. Overheard by another shopper, I was offered a bike that sounded like an Italian 70's era boom bike. It was, and though it was pristine, I passed on it. I did buy his two Masi bikes, however.

that Norman thread is cool - nice job

I owned a lady's DL-1 for a few years (and commuted on it until the rod brakes had me considering early retirement), and I found that one put out with someone's trash as my wife and I were on the way to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. I hustled the bike back into the car, and we went and enjoyed our game. Years later, I sold it off on eBay.

Neal

Stop the dog from chewing on the saddle, he's going to leave you nothing but springs.

I'm wondering why you haven't made your own Tourist out of a Schwinn Varsity carcass; you've womped up so many other cool bikes out of Varsitanium that I figured it'd be a shortcut.

So that's the bike JJ? PM sent.
I wonder if anyone has mounted a set of 27" alloy wheels and mounted rim brakes to one of these? I have a heavy duty set with a single speed freewheel that I am going to try, if and when. I'll start out with a set of those long reach bmx brakes.

I'm guessing it's the iron content in the frame material. It oxidizes when it comes into contact with water.

Snort!

MY "TEN SPEEDS" if filled with great how I found each bike stories. Some are hard to believe but every word I wrote is true. Click, if you want to know how to find bikes.

Hope this is a help.

I'm reviving this thread to give a big Shout Out to JJPistols for collecting this DL1 for me.
My son and I did the road trip to Austin today and saw tons of bikes on the street, and what's better, two great vintage guitar stores, and played some sweet wood.
Thanks JJ, I owe you one!

Hey David, I was glad to do it. That's gonna be a great bike, and it was cool to have it around for awhile, made me smile. I told the neighbors it was the "first bike ever made." Mostly, they believed it.


It was cool to meet y'all, and thanks for bringing your guitar. It was a beautiful instrument, Did y'all track down any Jack WHite gear?