July 2008

Schwinn will be reviving the Paramount line of bikes this fall. The only one of interest to me is the Reynolds 953 steel paramount that will be made in Waterford, WI. Waterford was a spin off of Schwinn before it was sold off and was the shop that made most of the steel Paramounts that you see on the road today (well maybe yesterday). Here is the info from CyclingNews:

Since there are only three contact points between you and your bicycle, it is important that they are correct. This not only relates to position but also to comfort. One of the most frequent mistakes I see new cyclists make is buying the wrong saddle. They buy saddles because they like the way it looks on a bike, or because this pro or that pro is riding it, or because it has this much padding so it must be more comfortable. But is that really the way to by something that will become intimately familiar with your nether regions?

Had a chance to snap a few more pictures of the orange SS/FG. Still no wheels, waiting on spokes to get here. I already have the hubs, rims and tires. Spokes should be here on Monday but since I am leaving town on Tuesday morning they probably won’t get built until I return.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (BRAIN)—Michelin North America will be raising bicycle tire and tube prices by up to 15 percent on products sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico. This increase will take effect Sept. 1.

Michelin North American director of public relations Lynn Mann said the increase is steeper than its other product lines because this is the first price hike this year for bicycle tires and tubes. She cited rising raw material, energy and transportation costs as the reason for the increase.

I do enjoy the camaraderie of riding in a group as much as the next guy, but it seems to me that many ‘cyclists’ are pretty thin-skinned. out on my ride today at the top of basically the only climb on the ride I was behind two other riders. At the crest of the hill the rider in front of me shifted down to start the descent. During the shift our wheels overlapped as the transition from climbing to rolling was not as smooth as it could have been. I said out loud, ‘don’t ease up just keep going.’ The rider that was in front of me took offense, although none was intended. He proceeded question me about what I said, even though he heard it the first time, then he proceeded to lecture me on how long he had been riding, as if that was germane to the occasion. I apologized and said that no offence was meant, then told him to drop it. I guess either he or I or maybe even both of us might have been having a bad day. There was just no reason to get bent out of shape about it.

The orange FG/SS is moving along. Frame has been prepped. Bottom bracket and crank have been installed. Seat post has been cleaned and polished. Stem and bars have had the anodizing removed and been installed. Brake levers and cabling have been installed. Bars have been wrapped.