as she's walking out the door ......


ciao

Whoa!

man, where do you come up with this stuff?!

Whoa!

man, where do you come up with this stuff?!

It's a good thing he's halfway around the world from most of us or he would have to throw up concertina wire around his digs to protect his stable. :D

That is one exquisite piece of work. Age has only made it more beautiful, like a truly elegant woman.

How does it ride? Very fast, velvity, and nimble? The Raleigh head badge and the Reynolds 531 emblem, not to mention the chromed crown, are all proofs of its pedigree. Will it to the British Museum of Art and Technology, as an icon of two wheeled locomotion.

I wasn't playing coy or going awol.

I listed the pics here as I thought some would enjoy seeing it before I stripped it down. hence my title "don't you love her madly...". I didn't respond until now as the frameset was on eBay and it would have been a little improper.

It is a very nice bike - quite fun to ride and I can only compare it to something like a current steel road frame in that it was alert and lively, yet not too punishing like track frames 10 or 20 years it's junior would be. As much as I liked it I feel more comfortable on more of a mutt fixie where I have room to add some inelegance (for practicality) or mess about with it's appearance. and not sweat about riding it till it's dead.

Originally, I had bought it with the aim of being flash and riding it in some master's category track meets but the question of crashing it and also the fact that I still dont have the speed in my legs (still can't break 12 seconds for the sprint) meant that it really didn't have much to do other than act as an adornment. Sure it's beautiful but my self inflicted rule is "use it or lose it", and I have an excellent street/training fixie currently in the works (now learning lug filing, tube mitering, silver brazing, paint application and decals 101) and will post pics when it's complete (don't hold your breath waiting). Oh ... it's gonna be a Spirito special® and will be stamped 001. If I am getting close to be competitive a NOS Masi (Italian - Alberto) track frame is waiting for me. Not as pretty as the Raleigh Carlton but probably better suited to being used for racing on, especially against some of these cats with BT's and high zoot Look's who even in their 40's are amazingly fast, in fact some haven't lost any of their speed. Who knows .... still too slow and gotta train harder.

One punter in the US is getting quite a nice frameset and what I think is a good deal. I thought it would have gone for more but can't complain as it's more than I paid for it and at least I had the joy of owning/riding it for a little while.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7116624519

yes ... I'm a man of romance but I try to not get attached to bikes too much as there are lots of them. ........ and like a good mate of mine says when questioned about chicks and the question of getting married ... "why buy a book, when you can visit the library".

ciao

That did go for a good deal.

I always have mixed emotions breaking up a bike. I like to keep parts for future use and whatnot. I stripped a nice French frame to go fixie with and offed some of the parts. I love the bike and it was paid for with the parts sales- but still.

I've got my eye on your headset... how much do you think shipping would be to the States?

btw- your ad copy is great! I need a ghostwriter...you got time? ;-)

more like I get kindy wacky after a little while and try to make it interesting for myself.
thanks for the offer but no thanks, it's fun but gets boring real quick.


ciao

just for reference:


"Don't push me, cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to loose my head ah uh huh huh
It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under"

Sounded perfect for me. Oh well: I snooze, I lose.

Just started racing on the track. Don't want to say what my sprint time is , but let's just say they use a calendar to time me, not a stop watch! BTW, by sprint do you mean for a flying 200?

hrv

Don't want to say what my sprint time is , but let's just say they use a calendar to time me, not a stop watch! BTW, by sprint do you mean for a flying 200?

hrv

I know the feeling, I thought I was fast and felt in good shape but the watch don't lie. I figure if I can't break 12 for the flying 200 without using some fancy wheels i can't afford then I might have a good shot at being a gurney rider. my spin sucks too - maybe more suited to bmx.

oh well .... more training

ciao

just for reference:


"Don't push me, cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to loose my head ah uh huh huh
It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under"

will amend soon

cheers

ciao