Requiem for a bicycle

From parts to parts.

I commuted on this bike, a Trek 1200, from the early 1990s to 1998 when I started working at home. I stopped riding it in 2004. When I rode it it had drop bars. This is how it looked when Bill, my son-in-law, rode it last year in the 2015 Seattle to Portland Bike Ride.

After all that commuting in the rain it was in need of a lot of re-lubing and clean-up which I started about 6 years ago and then stopped. When I found out Bill needed a ride for the STP I gathered the parts and built it up for him with the plan being that I would ride it again after the STP as my mult-geared bike.

These pictures were taken just after the STP. Bill his taller than I am so I lowered the seat and bars and started riding it. It did not work out. It has racing geometry and was just too uncomfortable. Lots of toe overlap and it just didn't feel as solid as my Schwinn Typhoon Mark II. 25mm tires were the largest that would fit on this bike and I am now a fan of 50mm + tires. I finally gave up on it and went back to the Schwinn Typhoon Mark II and upgraded it to the Schwinn Typhoon Mark III. While I am retiring the bike the parts will live on. Some are already on my Schwinn Typhoon Mark III and the rear hub, brake levers, thumb shifters, bottom bracket, crank, and front derailleur will go on my soon to be Schwinn Typhoon Mark IV frame for my multi-speed bike.

While the Trek didn't work out a number if things on it did. The tall stem is on now my Schwinn Typhoon Mark III with a flat bar with some forward curve before it angles back. I really like this type of bar since it gives a nice upright position and a leaned forward position for the hills. More hand positions and more power leaned forward. The grips, mirror, bell, and water bottle holders are now on my Schwinn Typhoon Mark III.

This was also my first try at using cotton bar tape with shellac. A great success. the end wraps are the same waxed polyester cord we use on our camera straps.

A bike like this is worth less than the value of the parts I can use on my Schwinns so it's back to being disassembled. It was a good bike at the time but I've changed.

From parts to parts.