On getting rid of bikes, and not building the same bike again and again

Schwinn Heavy Duti at Laurelhurst Park, 1 Sept 2021 Camera: Minolta SR-T 101. Film: Fuji Velvia 50 (expired) It's springtime, the season to sell a bike. I tried to sell my Schwinn Heavy Duti right around Christmas. I knew that it would be a tough sell for winter, but I hoped that maybe someone wanted...

A state of the bike fleet at the end of 2021, and what the future might bring

The current fleet What a year for my bicycles. What an unexpected year. When I filed my "Looking ahead to 2021" post at the end of last year, my take on the fleet was this: My fleet of bikes is as good as it’ll ever be, so no major upgrades. And probably no new bikes...

On the number of bikes I own

You may have noticed that over the past few months I reduced the number of bikes in the stable by two. First, realizing that after almost nine years of tweaking, my Raleigh Crested Butte was never going to fit, so I sold it. Then the issues of using a "donor" frame bore bad fruit with...

Raleigh Crested Butte: The exit interview (of sorts)

The Raleigh Crested Butte has left the stable. This top-of-the-line in 1984 mountain bike served me (mostly) well for almost nine years. It was the bike that made me love vintage mountain bikes and plush 26" tires. It's also been the bike that I personalized and modified the most over the years, though its last...

Still for sale: Raleigh Crested Butte

UPDATE 16 JUNE 2021: This bike has been SOLD. Hello friends. My 1984 Raleigh Crested Butte is still available. I'd really rather sell this bike through Instagram/tumblr/my blog than go the Craigslist route, so I'm relisting it again in the hope that happens. Otherwise, I'll be putting it up on Ye Old Craigslist next week....

Raleigh Crested Butte: Eight Years On

As seen on Mount Tabor, 30 October 2020. Note the new leather grips. Camera: Minolta SRT-101. Lens: MC Rokkor-X PG f/1.4 50mm Film: Kodak ColorPlus 200 Ah, Raleigh Crested Butte, the bike I can't quit. I purchased it back on October 14, 2012. The previous month I bought an old mountain bike, a Raleigh M-40,...

Crested Butte: Re-entry

Taken with an Olympus XA2 camera. Film: Kodak Ultramax 400. Oh, Raleigh Crested Butte. We've been through so much together for what? Almost eight years? And yes, I tried to sell you once or twice. And while deep down I love you, you make it difficult sometimes. Why, I wrote you a big love letter...

A state of the fleet: 2019

Hello, folks! Now it's time for me to reflect on My Year In Bicycles. (Stasia, you can skip this post. 😉 ) 2019 was another year of stasis. Since 2018, I've had the same five bicycles. Five's the most I've ever owned. I don't have a hard "can only own five bikes" mantra/mandate like some...