My bike activities took a different turn this summer. I usually remake or restore 2 bikes each summer but due to extensive travel I have completed only one project this year. We left Florida for home on April 20th last spring only to return for 6 weeks on May 10 for the birth of our first grandchild. After a short stay at home we went to Indiana for 3 weeks, returning home Sept 14th. In the short time at home before returning to Florida I started building the Fuji Design Special hybrid. I finished it in July before leaving for Indiana. Building the Fuji from a new frame and forks was a fun project and a lot easier than restoring a bike although my first love is restoration. For one thing, all the parts are new or good used requiring little effort to look new again. After completing the Fuji project I cleaned and performed maintenance on a few new acquisitions just to get my hands dirty. I didn't ride nearly as much as I would have liked to this summer but will get back in the groove this winter. I usually ride 10 to 15 miles a day in Florida. |
After building the Fuji I started thinking about my next project. I have many bikes to choose from but wanting to do something different, decided to restore my wife's 1949 Dayton, an exellent example of that era's balloon tire models. This one will be a challenge to get the paint and striping right. I have decided to replace the chrome plated parts since it is less expensive and chrome restoration can be dissapointing. Fortunately replacement components are available. I have purchased a few components and will complete the purchasing over the winter. The rest of this season will keep me busy preparing for the move south for the winter. I am looking forward to lighting up my Christmas bike which I mount on the porch roof of our mobile home. It was a big hit last year. This year I'm going to make the wheels appear to rotate. I do a lot of "pro bono", i.e., free bike repair and maintenance for the folks in our RV park. There are usually 3 0r 4 "patients" waiting for my ministrations. Then, there is the weekly group ride participated in by 30 to 40 residents. I ride caboose and help anyone having bike problems. |
