tag
I hope your winter break was refreshing and that you got some miles in over the Holidaze. We’re back in 2022 with the first of our 2021 year-end recaps, beginning with everyone’s favorite: the Top 10 Beautiful Bicycles of 2021. Like years prior, I compiled this list by traffic, comments, and social media/backlink chatter, also omitting bikes from Open House/Expo style showcases. There are some real gems in here, so let’s get to it!
At some point earlier this year, I came down (again) with the vintage bug. I used to comb swap meets in search of a 58-60cm bike, NOS Campagnolo kits, hard-anodized wheels, and pantographed parts but it has been a while. Perhaps it’s because I feel so inundated with “new” tech announcements claiming “lighter, stiffer, faster, more aero” and at a certain point, it just gets to be too much. In the same way, I enjoy riding a rigid or a hardtail 90% of the time over a full suspension. Recently, I began to feel “tech fatigue” when it comes to drop bar bikes and have been looking at ways to simplify that riding experience…
When I listed the Ultradynamico Mars tires in my top ten product list last week, I received a handful of messages on IG, as well as emails requesting the “recipe” for getting them set up tubeless on 30+ year old rims. While I didn’t document the process in photos, I can give you a rundown below in an easy-to-recreate recipe so read on for more.
We’ve already posted the Crested Butte to Aspen tour numerous times over the years, but we’ve never posted Freewheelin’!
“They’re called “Mountain Bikes” or “Fat Tire Flyers” by off-road enthusiasts and these dynamic human powered machines are at the leading edge of the bicycling revival sweeping the globe today. Action-packed and instructive, this film brings alive the new-found freedom, challenge and adventure which characterizes this exciting variation of self-propelled sport and recreation. Featuring expert bike handling and astounding trick riding skills, this film is pure motivational entertainment for youthful audiences and the young-at-heart of all ages.”
Thanks for sending this video in, Stephen!
We love vintage bikes but our parent company The Pro’s Closet knows vintage bikes… and modern bikes for that matter. Spencer Powlison takes a look at the 2020 Yeti ARC limited edition hardtail and compares it to the 1992 Yeti ARC in this blog piece and what he finds will surprise you. In terms of tech, gearing, weight, price (believe it or not), and accouterment, these two bikes are closer than you’d think. If you’re into this kind of bike nerdery, give this one a read.
I’m not sure what got into me this year but I’ve been on the hunt for some vintage bikes. A few months back we looked at an Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra I built up with Dura-Ace 7400, an arguably pretty bike yet it’s nothing special per se. Now this project will be even cooler. It’s a 1984 Mountain Goat Whiskeytown racer I just picked up from Second Spin Cycles…
For something a little different this week, we’re bringing in Sam from Christchurch, New Zealand and his unique late 1980s New Zealand-built Pertini Ten Road. This one has some patina but a great story and as Sam puts it’s “all just old as hell.”
When Alexi Grewal won gold in the 1984 Olympics, it wasn’t because he was wearing spandex. Filmmaker, Ali Selim, was one of the only few keen enough to understand why Grewal won.
You know, sometimes a great bike is just a bike, and that’s enough. It could be your favorite bike of all the bikes you own or have owned. It could also just be the only bike you own. Either way, if you love it, then that’s enough for it to be good or even great. Derek loves this bike. For him, it’s a great bike, great enough to bring back from the dead and give it another life.
It’s a Merckx! On a Monday! … and it’s been a while.
During a period of frustration with parts shortages as I was trying to build up a forthcoming review bike, I began browsing eBay looking into building up a classic timepiece. I figured if modern parts are in short supply, vintage parts have to still be available. I wanted a bike that would be a centerpiece in my office that I wasn’t afraid to ride. Something that I could do easy road rides on, not pushing myself or the bike to the limit at all, but rather just a simple machine with downtube shifters, a steel fork, and 7 speeds. Kind of like driving an older, vintage vehicle; stripped-down elegance and damn sexier than anything “new” on the market. With my longtime love of Merckx frames, I knew where to begin, but I wasn’t expecting to find one of my favorite liveries, in such great condition. Check out an in-depth look below…
Today’s Readers’ Rides comes from Rokus in Rotterdam, who submitted his Specialized Stumpjumper that was built up by Studio ROOK. I know people love these old Stumpy frames and Rokus did a great job detailing the parts list with a succinct story about where he got this bike. Read on below for all the details!
Many of you are obviously familiar with the brand WTB, or Wilderness Trail Bikes. They make awesome tires, saddles, wheels, and other accessories but for a long time in the decade following the birth of mountain biking, they made all sorts of bicycle components including headsets, handlebars, bottom brackets, frames, and more. We reached out to Mark Slate, one of the founders of WTB for his thoughts on one of the most iconic bikes to leave the WTB and Steve Potts workshops: the Banana Slug, Steve Potts #45. I documented this wonderful dream bike – don’t you want one? – this was a joy to shoot for our Vintage Bicycles feature and I am honored to have Mark’s thoughts on it here at the Radavist. Read on for Mark’s words and Steve’s handiwork below!
For this edition of our Vintage Bicycles showcase, we present the unique 1989 Otis Guy mountain bike, built with Suntour, which was displayed at the Braunstein-Quay Gallery ‘Art of the Mountain Bike’ showcase. The current owner, who is loaning this bike to the Pro’s Closet sent over the story of how he acquired this unique ride, so read on below for Eric‘s words and yes, the chain is out of alignment in the photos. John blames that on the bright sun… ;) Check out the full spread below!
You might want to put on some sunglasses to look at this week’s Readers’ Rides post from Wayne in Bristol. Read on below to find out what inspired this unique Trek 6000 build!
Continuing our Vintage Bicycles feature with this cherry red Richard Sachs with a stunning Campagnolo 50th anniversary kit…
Cycling-related art prints are always fun and to help support the cycling community here in Santa Fe, we reached out to our friend Jeff Hantman to see if he’d be willing to let us sell some of his “Bike Part Alphabet” art prints in our webshop. These prints are for the vintage aficionados, dirt freaks, parts bin pickers, and co-op combers, with lots of cycling ephemera represented by each of the letters of the alphabet.
Here’s what Jeff has to say about these prints:
I started drawing the artwork for “Bike Part Alphabet” in March of 2020. The idea for the print was to represent each letter of the alphabet with a bike part.
I started riding mountain bikes in the early ’90s and wanted to include as many parts from those early days. My approach was to avoid using brands; however, there were a few letters that were challenging so I got creative with my own rule.
This is an open edition, 3 color silkscreen, printed on 19”x 25” 100# acid-free French Paper with Green Galaxy water-based inks.
These prints are in stock now at the Radavist webshop for $100 plus shipping to the United States only please!
I grew up working at a Specialized shop, and learned how to mountain bike by watching Ned Overend’s Performance Mountain Biking technique VHS. While I always appreciated the refreshing ideas of small makers, I thought it advantageous for larger brands to be able to invest more in their materials and construction. This was a time when top-end bikes were made of metal, and made domestically.
Metal Matrix (M2) composite is a prime example of this. The big S sourced a 6061 alloy infused with an aluminum oxide ceramic particulate by Alcan. Say that again, backwards now. Alcan called it Duralcan, and I am proud to display their logo on my top tube—that cool typeface!
Continuing our sporadic coverage of our Vintage Bicycles feature is this rare J.P. Weigle Ice Cycle. Due to the nature of this creation, I reached out to Peter Weigle himself to see if he could fill the readers of the Radavist in on this stunning bike. Check out Peter’s story below accompanied by a plethora of photos…
