Metric Man

In 1970 I bought my first 10 speed...a Strudee from Pep Boys.


1973...it's all a blur after this. About the time I found drugs and alcohol.

First Car.jpg

Wildwood 

The 1970's = join the Navy & see the world. Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean - oh and Guantanamo Bay a couple of times to boot.
Nothing quite like the expansive ocean! the sea air! and the mid-watch??? At least the govt shut down Vietnam in the 70s.

I got a late start, first real bike was an '84 Centurion ProTour. Still ride it often.

t4mv

Curtis, that sir is a great pic (well, couple pics, actually), and I salute your accomplishment on today's ride. And to be within 7 lbs of the pic from 1975...

qcpmsame 

Curtis,
Your riding kit has improved considerably just should have been in the 50+ jersey and riding shorts!

Bill

Sluggo

One reason for this discrepancy is that with a level top tube, a bigger frame (and less seat post) means that the handlebars are higher relative to the seat. At some point, racers realized that a smaller frame and more seat post means better aerodynamics because the rider is bent over farther. However, many of us prefer a little higher handlebar position for comfort. "Compact" frames with sloping top tubes provide standover clearance and comfortably high handlebars.

Here is a picture of me in '79...I was no longer a teenager then, but I am still riding that bike.

PomPilot

Ah gee. I still have my first ten-speed. A 1971 Schwinn Suburban, in brown (metalflake). These days, it's my "going to market" bike.

Bare Feet

Much applause to Curtis for completing his Christmas Eve Mission to complete this thread's photo challenge, even though he wasn't feeling well! His side by side photos are awesome!!

I'm posting my first backpacking trip photo. I didn't start cycling for another 6 years.

NOS88

Oh, crud. That photo just made we spray a mouthful of coffee all over my desk. I remember my 1st VW Beetle and trying to get that much stuff into it too; including one trip where we got three people, a 90 lb. Labrador Retriever and two bikes in the car for a 1200 mile trip. I'd forgotten how resourceful we had to be. The front passenger had to hold 4 wheels between their legs. Hence, we all took turns rotating seating postions... well, except for the dog.

momule

Me in 1973 living in Omaha the year after H.S. graduation. I took lots of pictures back then but I have none of my bike from that time.
I guess I was too busy doing other things. Those are some blurry days...

miss kenton

I remember going on camping trips and being able to pack everything we needed for a long week-end, including a bag of ice, into the trunk of a Triumph TR6. Currently, the purse I carry daily is bigger than that trunk! Ah, good times!

miss kenton

Wow! Nice picture! Kind of Eric Claptonish.

Retro Grouch 

Gee. When I was a teenager it was the MCMLX,s.






Math was a lot harder back then.

tpelle

One of the issues with the "compact" frame geometry, in my opinion, is that the exposed long seatpost is kind of like a big prybar trying to pry the frame apart at the seatpost clamp, as well as introducing a lot of flexing of the seatpost. I keep having visions of the seatpost breaking, prompting a subsequent visit to the proctologist for a seat-post-extraction.

As stated earlier, the big benefit to the compact frame geometry was to the manufacturers, who could now fit nearly everybody with a S, M, L, and XL selection of frames.

You don't buy your pants or your shoes that way, do you?

One of things I demand when buying a new bike is that if have a flat or nearly flat top tube, so that I end up with a minimum of seat tube exposed. I usually ride on the tops or the hoods anyway, and by setting the stem lower I get all of the "aero" profile I need.

jdon

All socks and attitude there Bare Feet!

gitarzan

Here 's my buddy Steve and me by the side of my parents house in 1971 to my best guess. 1972 had blue car plates.

I am on your right. That's Steve's bike in the back and my red 1963 Rambler Classic in the way back (AMC content!).

Yes that's a white belt. They were in style about 5 minutes back then.



Steve and I still ride bikes together!

DiabloScott

I think I was 20 here... probably 1979, home for X-mas. Interesting side note - I got a PeaCoat for X-mas this year, feels great!



I've got a guitar-playing photo similar to Cowboy Curtis's somewhere... but it's more of a Dylan look than a Haight-Asbury thing.

missjean

The pictures a just great! Loving the hair styles - everybody had lots & lots of hair back then.

Edit: Except you DiabloScott!

mkane77g

I have one for sale. A model 135, modded for AHRMA racing.

Bare Feet

I still crack up at that picture every time I see it

You think my sock attitude is funny . .here's all hat and attitude . . lol!!

Barrettscv 

When I was 15 years old, I purchased this;



1973 Road Race Paramount

At the age of 15, I graduated from cutting lawns to start my first real job at George Garner Cyclery in Northbrook, IL. George Garner Cyclery was a performance oriented shop with a large volume of racing bikes sold.

Northbrook has a Velodrome. A wide range of competition fixies, road bikes and touring bikes were always available to demo. I worked with frame builders & racers including Ron Boi. It was demanding but fun, I was very lucky to be there.

I spent 80% of my summer & weekend income on a Road Race Paramount bicycle. Fully lugged, Reynolds 531 tubing, full Campagnolo Record group, wood filled tubular rims.

I still have the bike, its now 37 years old. New in 1973, I had the bike rebuild at the Chicago factory in 1983. I updated the 30 year old rims with new this year. The saddle, seatpost and pedals are modern.

t4mv

^^^
Beautiful bike! What happened to the brakes?!

Barrettscv 

Yeah, I should have adjusted them before I took the picture. Those are the OE brakes, Weinmann center pulls.

qcpmsame 

These are great, I wish I had some of my old pictures on the bicycle and in MX racing back in the early 70's. Hair to my shoulders and always in jeans and a dirt bike t-shirt. Wait....... I still dress like that now unless I am bicycle riding. Not even a USMC picture to post here, rats.

Bill

t4mv

'Sorry, I should have been a little more specific; I was thinking that Campy had released a full road group by '73 and I was surprised to see a Weinmann cp on a Paramount. I'm not intimately familiar with how Schwinn spec'd their bikes, so I'm sure there's some reasoning behind the (OE) parts selection.

qcpmsame 

I remember the RR Paramounts well. The Bottecchia dealer was primarily a Schwinn dealer and I drooled over them. Every one I ever saw on the floor had Weinmann center-pull brakes on them. I didn't see a Campy brake set until I got into Raleighs in 78 and the Pro had the NR brake set on them. I had an International with the same grouping as the Paramount BarrettSvc has. Those Paramounts were so beautiful and so out of my reach since I had to support my dirt bike habit on my paper route earnings. One of my friends had a matched chrome framed set for he and his wife from his discharge money from the Marines.

Bill