I know you're wondering: "whatever happened to that fabulous pink bike?"
 

I know that many of you log on daily, secretly hoping to see another photo of the Largest Pink Bike in Seattle, first chronicled here a year ago. I do not think it has made an appearance since January, but I have made a few negative comments about it (too heavy, too slow) in a couple of threads where I confessed I was shopping for a new ride (this bike is my daily commuter, 20 mi round trip, 3 to 5 days a week).

While I continue to scan the Interwebs for the ideal used bike for commuting, I decided I would perform some minor surgery on the ol' Univega to set it up for another winter (just around the corner, don't you know...). I started commuting on this a year ago, and rode it commuting and as my "rain bike" all winter...I think it has about 2,500 to 3,000 miles on it since I purchased it. As near as I could figure, it had fewer than 1,000 miles on it when I purchased it (original tires, perfect paint, etc.).


It's a terrific, smooth bike, and is super comfortable. It weighs a little less than 600 pounds. :notamused:

Changes recently:

- MKS Lambda pedals, so I can ride in street shoes and give my feet a break from the pounding they get on weekends
- Today I installed a wonderful Rivendell bar-end conversion kit (from downtube shifters to bar-ends).
- New rear light (not visible)
- New brake pads
- New bar tape.



http://i44.tinypic.com/28aupw9.jpg

Would still like to get ride of the pie-plate dork disc but two bike shops and myself have been unable to remove the freewheel - LBS wrenches both advised they might ruin the wheel removing it at this point, so advised just to wear this one out and rebuild the wheel if I'm still using the bike when that time comes.

Originally purchased from CL -- it's a 1983 (?) Univega Gran Turismo. Other changes:
- Honjo fenders
- Nitto stem
- SR Laprade seatpost
- Swap Biopace chainrings for new salsa chainrings
- New chain, cables, cable housing
- Brooks B17 saddle

Looks like a nice rider. To each his own, but I'd have to get after it with a can of spray paint. ;)

Ouch, that hurts.

My LBS owner said, "You'll save money on a lock, because nobody your size would ever steal that."

I know you're wondering: "whatever happened to that fabulous pink bike?"

I wasn't but agree with BD

Nuthin' wrong with a guy riding a pink bike. Just don't wear white shorts. I think your bike looks great, Steve.

watch it don't insult the bike. it's a grand old dame. giving you her best. classic lines and lovely choice of pink. for an '83 that ride is still shining. paint cans be gone!

I love a man who is man enough to wear pink.;)

Bike looks good and ready to go commuting; sorry it is heavy, though.

You're a tall one, aren't you? The taller you are the more inconvenient down tube shifters become because you have to reach down so far to operate them.

Uh - I even kind of like the pink. That's pretty pristine paint for a quarter century old bike. Actually, that's pretty pristine paint for a quarter century old anything.

We are all proud of you for not castrating it and turning it into a fixie.

Be strong in the face of those bicycle color police!

What is that water bottle thing on the back? A water bottle?

Spary can paint is cheap but nostalgia is priceless.

That sir is a "Cage Rocket". You use it to carry stuff in an unused water bottle cage. It is padded inside and has a cover that opens.

Note, round cages like the TACX will not work as it is somewhat flattened on the back.

+1

Very handy for commuting. I don't need 2 water bottles for my commute. The Cage Rocket carries my spare inner tube, a multitool, and a tire iron.

I don't use a seat bag on my commuter because in the winter I mount a Dinotte tail light to the seat post.

Thanks, I sort of thought it might be something like that.

I rode a pink bike for years, but I preferred to refer to it as "salmon". ("Watermelon"?) After about 10 years I decided to use touchup paint on the rust spots. I went with fire engine red from the hobby section of the hardware store. Then it looked like a pink bike with little red blobs everywhere. When I got my new LHT I gave it to my nephew. Sure enough, when bike thieves hit his apartment building they took a row of bikes from the carport, but left my old pink bike. It's just too ugly!

Many (most?) seat bags these days have a loop on the back designed for mounting a tail light. Don't know if your high zoot light will fit on one or not, though.