Alter angle

Angle 2

Monarch Star

This frame and wheels were found on the verge and given to me for my birthday last year (cheap family). Call me weird, but I LOVE this bike. . I do get some disturbed expressions from strangers (and acquaintances alike) when I ride it. It's not like I'm wearing a dress or anything....not that there's anything wrong with that either, but I don't get this girl-bike/boy-bike thing. Sure 70 years ago when girls were girly, having a cross bar may have resulted in the odd undy flash. 

Anyhow, if you ever scour Ebay for old bike bits, you may have noticed how many girl-bikes there are.....ZILLIONS. Any theories? Is it because the fems are inclined to tuck their tredlies thoughtfully under cover with a blanky, or is it just that blokes trash the poop out of theirs and then just leave them on the verge for the vultures when the tyres get flat? 

Now having  managed to work through a few issues, I feel it's time to announce that this bike is actually for sale. Truth is, I can only fit so many bikes into his shed. My mum told me once that "A man can only wear one shirt at a time." I take her point, but I'm sure I could wear two at once.

 I scored the seat (Bell) from a bloke from the Western Australian Historic Cycle Club. More on them later.  

Shogun zoom

New project

This frame is off at the powder coaters. Doing this one on the cheap for Aidan (Check his blog for skate pix!  http://www.photaidography.blogspot.com/ ) . 

Will have my first go at a wheel build - installing a coaster hub.

6160

First fixy by sixtyonesixty

The result

So I built this for my son with his assistance and advice. 

Santa stuffed a couple of Velicty wheels in the stocking this year. 

The bike has already been modified since these shots. The boy has dropped on toe clips and some flat bars (told him to at the outset...) He's planning on a pair of white BMX grips. 

It's still a work in progress. When I smash the piggy bank next, I'll invest in a fancy crank set.

Got the bike on http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/    number:  8,823

Lumps and bumps removed

$10 frame

This is my first go at a blog, so this upside down thing is doing my head in! I'll get a web site up eventually.

So I spent $10 on this Ricardo frame and removed the cable-stays and the bits that hold on the mudguards.

Modified single speed...too many lumps and bumps

Taking tentative steps towards fixed-wheel, I bought this free-wheeler for my son. The bike was restored by a bloke called George who has 'got it bad'. He's retired and has pimped out bikes for his neighbours, local kids, couriers and hard core racers.  It was cheap!  I made some modifications including replacing the hand brakes with a coaster brake and chomping down the bars. Still had too many bumps on it though. This convinced me to have a go at one from scratch.

The bike during renovation

Raleigh decal

531

My Raleigh - 5 speed

Welcome cyclists and bike-perverts to this newly born blog. 

This will be a trail of bike stories & pix.

First cab - my bike. 

It started life as a 1981 Raleigh touring model, 10 speed. It was given to me by a friend. I forgot to take B4 shots. I knocked it back to a 5 speed and realistically, I only use 3 of those.  I powder coated it (was originally an olivey green) and flat-barred it. It cost me $200 to do up, not including a leather San Marco seat.