Greetings from Icy Minnesota!
03-05-11, 05:30 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
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Bikes: 1971 Raleigh DL-1, 1979 Raleigh Cameo, 1980's Raleigh Rapide Mixte
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Greetings from Icy Minnesota!
Hello!
I'm kind of a lurker at these forums who decided that she really needed to join this forum to a) ask some questions as I grow in my knowledge of all things bicycle and b) to commiserate with other people who are also woefully snowbound and c) perhaps find some people who share my rather specific type of cycling affections.
Anyways, as the title says, I'm from Minnesota and I split my time between there and Nottingham, England. Unfortunately, I can't return to Nottingham until Spring, so I've got to tough out the unforgiving Minnesota winter.
My foray into cycling began when I acquired an old, Raleigh Sports somewhat by chance. I was looking for a beater and this one fit my specifications, frame size and, most importantly, price range.
I later found out that the bike was an early 1950's model (the original SA hub had been replaced with a newer Sears brand hub which made the exact date somewhat difficult to determine). Since then, I've gone through quite a few bicycles. They tend to live with me for a while before being passed to a friend or a family member. I love 3-speed cycling and since a lot of people in my area don't know anything about it, it's fun to share the enthusiasm!
Today, I own 3 bicycles, a 1971 Raleigh DL-1 loop frame which is probably my favourite bike for rambling about town. My other bike is a purely emotional attachment, my 1979 Raleigh Cameo ladies' bike travelled back with me from Nottingham and we have had many adventures together from the everyday, mundane commuter cycling to rambling across the English countryside and adventuring through Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Ireland and as far as down to Brighton. Too many good memories attached to that bike! Finally, I just acquired a (I'm guessing) 80's model Raleigh Rapide Mixte. Kind of an ugly, brownish-red tomato colour, but the frame fit is perfect and I expect that it will fill that all-important "longer" ride spot that somewhat slower 3-speeds cannot.
Anyways, hopefully I can find some other enthusiasts here as well because the winter is just too long! And, what's worse, all the bike shops in my area (twin cities suburbs) are really more interested in seasonal, lycra-clad road cycling and trail riding (nothing wrong with that!) but there aren't any geared more towards transportation cycling or vintage bicycles. So, online I go.
Cheers,
Onegin
I'm kind of a lurker at these forums who decided that she really needed to join this forum to a) ask some questions as I grow in my knowledge of all things bicycle and b) to commiserate with other people who are also woefully snowbound and c) perhaps find some people who share my rather specific type of cycling affections.
Anyways, as the title says, I'm from Minnesota and I split my time between there and Nottingham, England. Unfortunately, I can't return to Nottingham until Spring, so I've got to tough out the unforgiving Minnesota winter.
My foray into cycling began when I acquired an old, Raleigh Sports somewhat by chance. I was looking for a beater and this one fit my specifications, frame size and, most importantly, price range.
I later found out that the bike was an early 1950's model (the original SA hub had been replaced with a newer Sears brand hub which made the exact date somewhat difficult to determine). Since then, I've gone through quite a few bicycles. They tend to live with me for a while before being passed to a friend or a family member. I love 3-speed cycling and since a lot of people in my area don't know anything about it, it's fun to share the enthusiasm!Today, I own 3 bicycles, a 1971 Raleigh DL-1 loop frame which is probably my favourite bike for rambling about town. My other bike is a purely emotional attachment, my 1979 Raleigh Cameo ladies' bike travelled back with me from Nottingham and we have had many adventures together from the everyday, mundane commuter cycling to rambling across the English countryside and adventuring through Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Ireland and as far as down to Brighton. Too many good memories attached to that bike! Finally, I just acquired a (I'm guessing) 80's model Raleigh Rapide Mixte. Kind of an ugly, brownish-red tomato colour, but the frame fit is perfect and I expect that it will fill that all-important "longer" ride spot that somewhat slower 3-speeds cannot.
Anyways, hopefully I can find some other enthusiasts here as well because the winter is just too long! And, what's worse, all the bike shops in my area (twin cities suburbs) are really more interested in seasonal, lycra-clad road cycling and trail riding (nothing wrong with that!) but there aren't any geared more towards transportation cycling or vintage bicycles. So, online I go.
Cheers,
Onegin
