Tim's Bikes

Tim is our head mechanic. He owns a few bikes; 12 to be exact, or at least that was the number when we last checked. He tends to add to his collection on a regular basis. We're trying to convince him he needs a recumbent, so we'll see if one gets added to the collection in the future. Here's Tim's descriptions of his bikes:

1980 Trek 414

I bought this bike new, back in 1980, from College Park Bicycles. Oddly enough, that's the last time I bought a new bike.

Everything else I picked up since then has been "previously owned". This Trek was my one and only bike for over 15 years. I've used it for recreational day rides mostly, but have also done some racing (in my younger days) and touring on it as well. One of the best rides was a four day tour on the White Mountains in New Hampshire, back in 1985, I think. Built as a "sport tourer" it is ideal for neither racing nor touring, but a good all around fun bike. I've owned it longer than any other bike, and it's got huge sentimental value, even though it gets ridden less these days. (Actually, this spring I've been riding it more, and it's been like re-acquainting with an old friend.)

This is the bike that helped me stay sane during some hard times. It's been modified countless times, so none of the parts are original except for the frame. Next step, I think I'm going to set it up as a fixed gear. (I've since changed my mind. I built up a fixed gear around an old Witcomb frame last summer, which didn't work out as well as I'd hoped. Now I have a Raleigh Competition -- see below-- that I've built up for that role.)

1986 Miyata 1000

This is my loaded touring bike these days. I picked up the frame in trade for some random spare parts I had, from a guy on the Internet BOB list.

It took a while, but I built it up with parts I had hoarded for another project that never happened. The 1000 has the reputation of being one of the best touring bikes of its era, and I have to say, it's great. It rides beautifully loaded and unloaded, on or off road. I've even ridden the C&O Canal, fully loaded, end-to-end, twice on it. And it's a fine looking bike too. Aside from the sentimental attachment to the Trek above, this is my favorite all around bike. The "if I had to pare it down to one bike" winner, if it weren't for having had so many good times on the Trek. It's set up with mostly late 80s/early 90s Shimano components, as well as some spiffy gold fenders and racks. . (I've changed the black racks to silver ones, and added a small handlebar bag rack and bag as well. Also, the bike now has lovely but expensive leather bar wrap, from Brooks, the same folks that made the saddle.)

1993 Bridgestone XO-2

This is the bike you're most likely to see parked at the shop, as it's my primary commuter right now. Bridgestones have sort of a cult following these days, especially the XO-series, and I was lucky enough to come upon this one on the BOB list last spring.

It was intended to be the Bstone interpretation of a "hybrid"� which in Bridgestone thinking was more like a road bike with mountain bike wheels than anything else. It makes a great commuter, and a fun bike for mild off road riding, as well as riding on the road. It's almost completely original at this point, aside from the tires, stem, and those "cyclocross" brake levers that I find so handy. It's a blast to ride, and somewhat collectible� only 1500 of this model were made in 93.

1978 Centurion Professional

I used to be assistant manager of a non-profit shop in Portland, OR, where we took in donated bikes and fixed them up for sale or for any of our various programs in the community. A local commercial shop would often bring us bikes that their customers wanted to donate to a good cause, and one day, waaaaay at the front of their truck, buried under a variety of Huffy's and such, I saw a bright metallic orange road bike. Long story short, I bought it for a song.

1978 Raleigh Professional

In my teens I used to thumb through the Raleigh catalogue, dreaming of owning one of the high end bikes. My first ten speed was the entry level Record, but I longed for a Competition, International, even a Gran Sport. But top of the line was the spiffy light blue Pro. Decades later, I finally have one. It's mostly original equipment, all Campy parts, except for the SunTour bar end shifters the previous owner put on it. (It now has wider bars and a set of Rivendell "Silver" bar end shifters. Nice, but I am planning to switch to a period set of Campagnolo bar end shifters when I get the chance. Also, I came into a good set of "sewup" wheels and tires, which is what a racing bike of this era would have had. They feel great on the road, but are fussy to mount.) A very nice bike� but I still want an International!

1985 Schwinn Cimarron [SOLD]

This was one of the earlier mountain bikes, with looooooong wheelbase and chainstays. Vastly different from today's mountain bike, I picked it up via the internet as a bare frame, and have built it up as a off road touring bike and foul weather commuter. This is the bike you would have seen (and heard) me on this winter. I put studded tires on it, and rode in the ice and snow on the W&OD, getting shocked and dismayed looks from folks walking on the trail. I've used it on some day trips on canal tow paths, and it's quite fun for that. I haven't loaded it up with camping gear really, except for an overnight, and I'm still playing around with the set up, trying to get it just right. (Well, I never got it to be really dialed in for long rides, so I ended up selling it a while back.)

1951 Raleigh Lenton Tourist

The most rare and collectible bike I own� also the oldest. This is what used to be known as a "club bike" in postwar Britain, and very few were sold in the US. I lucked into this one at the Portland shop, where everyone thought it was "just some old three speed". It is an old three speed, but one with alloy wheels and components and a Reynolds 531 frame. I got it for next to nothing, and just need to spend a chunk of time getting it road worthy. A project that keeps getting put off, but I hope to get it rolling soon. It's just too unusual to not get it up and running! ! (The best laid plans and all that� despite my best intentions, I've made only incremental progress on this one.)

1992 Bridgestone RB-2

Frameset, waiting the time to build it up. (Still waiting�)

1994 Bridgestone RB-T

Frameset, waiting the time to build it up. Ditto.

1987 Bridgestone MB-1

A classic older mountain bike, seen by some as one of the first generation of modern mountain bike design. I don't find I do a lot of real "mountain biking" these days, so it's sitting in the attic in pieces for now.

1965 Raleigh Sports

The classic black British three speed. Heavy, sturdy, and practical. Doesn't get ridden much, but I've always had a soft spot for this style of bike.

New Additions!

1973 Raleigh Competition

Another one of those bikes I used to gaze at in catalogs and bike shops when I was younger. I briefly owned one in late high school/early college, but it was a 22.5" frame, and I typically ride a 24" or 25" (61 - 63 cm) frame. Now after many, many years, I have one that fits me, and so far, I really like it. I built it up as a fixed gear (one gear, no coasting), and it seems ideal for that. Eventually I'd like to build it up with most of the original parts, because it was an interesting mix of French parts on a British bike.

1973 Schwinn Paramount P-15

You might see a theme here� The Paramount is another one of those "dreams of my youth" bikes. Back in the 60s and 70s, before the "bike boom" made adult cycling acceptable again, the lone high quality, professional grade racing bike made in any numbers in the US was the Paramount. Mine is the "touring" model, which today would be considered more of a "sport tourer". Interesting mix of Campagnolo and early Shimano parts, along with the venerable DiaCompe centerpull brakes so common back then. Chrome finish overall, looks really sharp, although it's missing the decals, which I hope to correct one day. I picked it up from Adam Ward, our former head mechanic, who warned me "If you ride it, you're gonna want it." He was right. Luckily for me, he wanted to sell it.

1980-something Miyata 210

This was the bargain version of my 1000. Same geometry, and the main frame triangle is the same tubing, with a cheaper fork and fewer brazed on bits. I picked it up from Bikes for the World, and built it up as my winter commuter, then this spring decked it out with a basket and different tires for commuting and knocking around. I've stuck a bunch of stickers on it, and am studiously allowing it to get dirty and acquire patina, so it might be safer to leave it outside stores and such. I realized at some point that I no longer had a bike that I didn't' worry about leaving locked somewhere for a while, and this should take care of that.

Articles