More Vintage Raleighs on Craigslist

I am perusing CList the other day and I find this really nice looking Raleigh Super Course down in Wilton.  However, looking at the pictures something looked really familiar when it dawned on me that this is the same seller who bought my Super Course and was selling it again - I know this bike!   Comparing that ad with this one you will notice the same foundation wall and siding of the house.  While it's tempting, I don't like buying made over bikes, I would rather get them with their original components and then replace stuff myself.

1973 Raleigh Super Course. Here's the low-down: 

-Brand new tires/tubes 

-Brand new handlebar wrap 

-High quality Selle Royal Viper seat 

-Some paint scratches, but 100% mechanically 

-Currently set up as a 5-speed 

-Rare Stronglight crankset 

-High quality Reynolds 531 frame tubes 

-Fits about 5'9" to 6'0" (58cm seat tube) 

-Rides nice! 

Asking $150 

This Raleigh mountain bike reminds me of my first fixed gear, the Bianchi.  The older versions of this frame had Bianchi stamped into the seat stays like this one.  Looking through Bike Pedia last night, I think this might be a bike from 1995.

This bike could be a fun rebuild project but it's not ready to ride, that's for sure.  The owner got back to me with some pix last night and the only thing it has going for it right now is the frame from what I can tell and maybe a few other bits.  The stem is certainly unique.  I don't know what I was thinking when I sold the 'Goose.  Should have kept it.  Rusty spokes and those tires are throwaways but I have everything else I would need to rebuild it into a nice kid puller or winter commuter.

This stem is pretty wild!

Baby needs a new pair of shoes! Follow up

I emailed the Louis Garneau company on the off chance they might be able to do something for me and here is the response:

Hey Mark,

Looking at your pictures, you definitely got your money’s worth from the shoes.  The shoe you have is an entry level mtb shoe.  A nylon outsole will become more flexible over time.  My recommendation is to make the jump to a carbon or composite sole.  From the looks of your pictures you are not the entry level rider. 

 I guess this means two and half years ago, when I bought these entry level shoes I was an entry level rider.  Now what am I?

Dumbing down the trail?

At the Up-and-Over near the top of the Gussy Trail I found that someone had pulled one of the logs way and angling it in such a way to make a choke point that would line you up with the rocks that constitute a ramp and thus a smooth roll over the log.  My question is whether this constitutes as dumbing down the trail or not?

By moving the log it makes the feature a little bit easier to negotiate but not by much.  I always felt having two logs there was actually better because it provided a flatter surface on top so you had a split second more to choose the right line heading down the trail.

However coming the other way (riding south to north), the second log did make it more difficult and therefore I have to conclude that a dumbing down incident has occurred on the Gussy!  Rides, improve your skill not the trail!  The Gussy is not a difficult trail to ride in either direction.  On the other hand, this could have been a malicious act give the fact that one of the short logs that made up the ramp on the north side of the feature was out of place.  In which case, I have to say to who ever did this, to grow up!

Giving who ever did this adjustment the benefit of the doubt I cleaned things up a bit by making it a true choke point by piling the extra logs on the other side to further enhance the idea of a choke point but hey, it's not going to stop an ATV if that is what the person who did this was thinking.

Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

I noticed that there was little give on my shoe on particular climb on the Gussy Trail Sunday.

Looks pretty bad.  Looks like I am going to have to replace them but I did get three riding seasons out of them.

Gussied up for Fall

I was supposed to lead a Halloween ride Sunday morning over at Miller's Pond in Durham but had to back out because I needed to be closer to home so I opted for a ride at Upper Paugussett State Forest and I am glad I got out on the home turf because the fall colors were resplendent.  There was a bit of indecision in the wardrobe department because earlier in the morning the temperature gauge was reading 35 degrees so initially I dressed accordingly but when I got outside I realized I was over dressed because the sun was heating up things pretty fast.

Decided to do a little bush whacking and came across this chair underneath a cedar tree.  Another Inbred Tree Stand.  It commands a nice view of the Mulikin Trail.  If you are going to ride that part of the trail during hunting season wear plenty of blaze orange and bells.  Had me a little sit on it to try it out.  It was pretty comfortable.

There is an outcropping of rock behind this chain that caught my eye in the hopes of finding some nice slick rock to roll but on the back side is a ravine, so I don't think this will work.

Across the ravine there was more out croppings to check out.

Found this one to be atleast a 30 footer but a little steep.  

The run out needs a little opening up.

Wasn't what I was looking for but it's cool to know that this exists.