Randy & Nova's Bicycle Scrapbook

Midwest Bicycle Swap

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:14:49 -0500

I'm helping a friend who is putting on this first time swap meet. This is the poster I put together for it.
More on the swap meet at MidwestBicycleFest.com

Chopped Sears 24 inch

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:42:21 -0500

Was looking on here for this photo to post somewhere else and found that I had never posted it here. Chopped the frame of this 24" Sears and extended some forks. This was a short lived project from a couple of years ago that never made it any farther than this.

Ride And Meeting

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:56:15 -0500

Yesterday I attended a meeting for an upcoming bicycle event our club puts on. I hauled my New Belgium Fat Tire bike to the big city and then rode in to the meeting place. Here are some video clips from some of the ride.

Electra, Kick Backs And The Salt City

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:04:17 -0500

This morning's coffee run was a cold one. The sun is shining so it looked warmer outside than than the mid 20s that it was. I didn't check the temperature till I returned home. Both my coffee and ears were cold when I got back. I rode the Electra New Belgium bike and noticed a clunking noise from either the crank or the rear hub. I'm wondering if they are missing grease like the headset was. The bike is no longer the perfect condition, unridden bike it was when I received it. Of course it gets ridden now but it also took a beating when we hauled it to ride in last year's Christmas parade. The rack worked loose a little and chipped paint off of the bike's top tube.

Speaking of Electra... this week I installed an "app" they have for the Iphone. Mostly just a marketing tool for them.

Last Thursday night I attended a Bendix Automatic Clinic put on for our club by a local bike shop and another bike shop in the near by town of Hutchinson. Bob who demonstrated the repair of the yellow and red band 2 speed "kick back" hubs is the owner of the bike shop in Hutchinson. His shop is the oldest bike shop in Kansas. It opened in 1922 and he has been working there since he was a teen in the 60s. It was interesting to hear him talk about his experiences in the bicycle industry over the years.

Bob also told me about a bike path in Hutchinson that I'm anxious to go ride. Hutchinson is known as the "Salt City" do to the huge underground salt mine there. Our club once displayed out bikes in "Hutch" at the Salt City Rod & Custom Show.

Bikes For Boy Scouts

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:42:28 -0500

Yesterday myself, my Dad and others from our bike club displayed our bikes for a local Boy Scout troop's Blue & Gold banquet. Pictured are scouts gathered around one of the 5 bikes I brought. I think it's the bell that has their attention. Also people couldn't seem to resist touching the glitter green banana seat of my bike on the right.

More photos from the event here.

Bike Brightz

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:10:47 -0500

Just received this light that I ordered online. Will probably attach it to the Bike Of Frankenstein.

Town Historical Tour By Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:07:00 -0500

Yard Bikes

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:45:00 -0500

Photo I took today of a "Yard bike" near our house.

I wonder how long people have been using bikes as yard decorations? Some of these bikes I spot just seem too nice to be left out to rust away.

Our "porch bike"

We once had a yard bike or more accurately a porch bike. Nova had wanted a yard bike but I insisted that it had to be protected, kept looking good, tires inflated and locked (hidden behind the giraffe pot the bike is locked to a post). This wasn't what Nova had envisioned for her yard bike so after what I'm sure was days of debate we abandoned the idea altogether. The cherished bike above was a Firestone "Warrior" and was later chopped up to make a tall bike or something.

Bicycle Commuting

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:50:00 -0500

Cleaning, organizing my hard drive I come across this photo of me from the early 90s. This photo was taken one morning before I headed off to work on my bike. There was a real brief period that I tried commuting by bike ( I say a month, Nova says a day).
Although it's a relatively short distance to my place of employment it just didn't work out for me. I envy those who commute by bike and have the resolve to overcome what are probably the same obstacles that I encountered.
I don't remember much from this period except for the following...
I had taken a liking to Nova's Centurion and was riding it instead of my Schwinn. I believe it fit me better. Also riding home one evening I had a flat and was not carrying tools or a patch kit (I can't believe I was riding without this stuff). Luckily for me another cyclist come upon me and stopped. He lent me his tools and gave me his spare tube. Once the tube was replaced we rode together till we reached his house which was right on my route. I thanked him again and continued on my way. The next day I brought two spare tubes with me dropping one of then off on his porch on my ride home.

Speaking of the Schwinn and the Centurion... We sold them as a pair once we took up mountain biking. Approximately 10 years later we seen them side by side at a used bicycle shop.

Happy Valentine's Day

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:45:00 -0500

Schwinn Traveler

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Thu, 01 Oct 1987 11:17:00 -0400

OK Road Trip

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:40:19 -0500

Today we took a short day trip to Oklahoma for lunch and to check out a couple of antique stores in a couple different towns. I'm always on the look out for anything bicycle related.
I bought this photo for a friend who collects them. It measures just 3.75" x 2.5".

Normally I buy everything I find related to bicycles. Today I managed to show some restraint. Here's what I passed up...

The little man and his bike had a broken pedal. The book wasn't in the greatest condition. Don't need another blue girls bike. The Keen Kutter photo I had reason to believe was a computer reprint. Not pictured was a gaudy mug/stein with a tandem and riders on it.

Muppets Glass

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:16:11 -0400

Al's Bicycles

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:20:57 -0500

Christmas Ornament & Santa Trike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:12:00 -0500

Tandem Bicycle Lighter

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:28:12 -0500

We Can Go Up

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:45:20 -0400

Bikes On Paper

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:44:38 -0400

Went Shopping Today

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:15:40 -0500

Christmas Bike Build Off Mug

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:35:23 -0500

My First Barbie

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:47:15 -0400

Fat Tire Stuff

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:48:10 -0500

Crank Magazine

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:30:47 -0500

Ordinary Riding Santas

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:50:23 -0500

GrandKids Christmas Presents

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:48:00 -0500

Christmas Gift

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:23:45 -0500

A friend of ours surprised me with this unique Christmas gift.
It's an old photo which he added a caption to.
The caption is a quote from the MC at last years bike fest.
I received it at the Bikes For Tots parade but just now getting around to posting this.
Thanks again Mitch.

Bicycle T-Shirt Quilt

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:09:04 -0500

A quilt my Mother just finished. It's made from some of our bicycle t-shirts.

Coffee Ride

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:17:33 -0500

I like coffee. I like it even more with cream (artificial flavored creamer). I'm trying to quit the creamer and drink it black. I quit keeping creamer at the house and drink it black during the week. On the weekends if I want creamer I've told myself I have to ride to the quicky mart to get my coffee with creamer. This morning I made the short 2 mile run. Stopped in the park briefly to watch a goose fight.

August Trip Photos

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:15:25 -0400

Extra Hour Ride

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:30:39 -0500

Old Test Ride Video Clips

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:26:50 -0500

A few old videos of test rides on the of my homemade bikes a chopper, tall bike and tandem.

Santa Cruz California 2002

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:15:00 -0500

Just came across these old photos of Nova from a October 2002 trip to the west coast. I believe this was in Santa Cruz. We toured the city on it's bike routes. I remember eating the best salmon sandwich at this place out on this pier. Later in the trip on our way home we stopped off in Vegas for a night and Nova's bike was stolen from the back of the truck.
On this trip we also rode in Moab, Utah, the Bizz Johnson rail-to-trail in California and around South Lake Tahoe.

High Roller

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 09 Aug 2003 20:46:00 -0400

1962 Schwinn Hollywood Kustom

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 22 May 2005 20:58:00 -0400

Schwing Swing Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 24 Apr 2005 21:14:00 -0400

John Deere Schwinn

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 06 Oct 2004 23:18:00 -0400

Grapette

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 01 May 2005 20:39:00 -0400

Black Pearl

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 28 Mar 2004 18:18:00 -0500

Greased Lightning 53 Schwinn

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 06 Mar 2005 20:55:00 -0500

Army Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 26 Sep 2004 18:15:00 -0400

Kustom Western Flyer Muscle Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 21:43:00 -0500

Haysville Bike Path

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:50:09 -0500

Me Tall Bike Jousting

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:18:13 -0500

On the Iphone.

I enjoy riding a tall bike but have no interest in jousting. I believe tall bike jousting was made popular by the Black Label Bicycle Club.
Ok here's what Wikipidea says...

Tall bike jousting is a popular sport among bicycle hackers, and is commonly considered to have been introduced by Jake Houle and Lil' Bob of the Hard Times/Black Label Bike Club.

Tall Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 20 Oct 2003 21:24:00 -0400

Jason's Tall Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 12 May 2004 19:13:00 -0400

Sometime in 2004 after riding my tall bike my bike building buddy/neighbor kid wanted his own. It had to be taller of course. We built this one together for him that year. Another one he put a ton of miles on.

More photos here.

Swing Bike 2

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 21:18:00 -0400

Clown Wheel

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:19:49 -0500

Bronco Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:48:51 -0500

Finally got the rear eccentric wheel finished and put a bike together using the wheels. The wheels are 16" rims welded inside of 20" rims. The frame is a Stingray which I removed the fender bracket between the 2 rear stays to make room for the tire when in it's longest position. I replaced the front fork with a 26" fork to give clearance for the tire. Put on a really short crank, seat and bars from the parts bin.

Video...

Bronco Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 18:21:00 -0400

This is an eccentric/offset wheeled bike. The wheels are 16" rims welded inside of 20" rims. The frame is a Stingray which I removed the fender bracket between the 2 rear stays to make room for the tire when in it's longest position. I replaced the front fork with a 26" fork to give clearance for the tire. Put on a really short crank, seat and bars from the parts bin.

More photos here.

3rd Swing Bike

nospam@example.com (Randy) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:18:11 -0400

I was supposed to be hauling off some of the scrap bikes and tubing I've got stashed around but while digging through my scrap tubing box I got sidetracked and instead built another swing bike. I don't need another swing bike. I guess when I found the 2 head/down tubes from the girls bikes I couldn't resist. Used the rear triangle off of the tandem MTB I made years ago.