This bike was a quick Sunday project that turned out quite nicely. I had nearly all of the components laying around my apartment already, but didn't have an appropriate frame to put them on. When this Andre Bertin frame popped up locally, I knew it would be perfect. Read more…
This bike was a Centurion Pro Tour originally, a high-quality Japanese-made touring bike from 1978. One of Centurion's top-of-the-line models, the Pro Tour had some cool features rarely seen on a production bike: brazed-on centerpull brake calipers and a fully chromed frame. Later iterations of the Pro Tour (from 1980-1984) had more common cantilever brakes, making the early editions quite rare.
I won this Pro Tour on eBay recently, and it arrived in fairly dismal condition. The paint had numerous scratches and rust, and the parts were a haphazard mix of original components and later replacements. I decided to strip the paint off to reveal the original chrome underneath, and while I was at it, to convert the bike to 650B wheels instead of using the original 27" ones that came with it. I also made many more changes and additions – read on to learn more…
I recently finished restoring this classic French randonneur bicycle, a Mercier from the early 1950's. It's equipped with 650B wheels and a number of rare components only seen on French bicycles of the 1940's – 50's.
I acquired the bike from a French seller on eBay, and comprehensively restored it to the original drivetrain, while also making period-correct tweaks to the wheels, handlebars, and saddle to make it more comfortable to ride. Read on to learn all about it!
This is the Surly Traveler's Check that I built up as a touring bike to replace the Surly Long Haul Trucker I was using as my previous touring bike. I wanted to see if a 700c-wheeled tourer would feel "faster" and would also be a better all-purpose bike. The Traveler's Check is a version of the Surly Cross Check that has S&S couplers that allow you to dismantle the bike and pack it into a small bag for airline and train travel.
The Traveler's Check build is a combination of parts I was using on the Long Haul Trucker along with improvements based on lessons learned. It's all come together into a very handsome package that rides wonderfully.
Read on for more details and pictures!