New Road Bike!

Hey bloggers! It has been a great summer so far for me. I just graduated high school and have recently come back from a vacation to St.Lucia! I arrived in Canada a week ago and have already managed to find another road bike. Well, I guess my dad found it at a yard sale for $15.

It's a RoadKing Seville and has to be at least fifteen years old. The front wheel is a tad warped, but it doesn't interfere with the stability at all. This is a great bike because it takes no effort to peddle, and the bearings are so good you can coast for as long as you can. It came with a rock-hard plastic saddle, so I swapped that for a gel CCM. Also, the grip tape was peeling so I replaced that as well. I added the trademark cargo holder on the rear, adjusted the handlebar angle and it was ready for the road.

My dad likes this type of bike just like myself. He says it's what he grew up with. It's easy to carry, can be driven on pavement or gravel, and is very fast. He wants one now!

Original condition.

Aftermarket condition.

Jarrett

Spray paint bicycle / Dadaist anti-art machine

My bicycle

This is my bicycle that I use to get around. It's an old Norco road bike with a quick release front wheel and an aftermarket cargo attachment rack over the rear tire. I rigged up some bungee cords to hold on an old milk crate for cargo purposes. I also spray painted it tremclad fire red last week.

It was originally painted and ugly red and yellow sunburst colour, so I decided to repaint it. I was inspired by a set of pictures on flickr, called monochrome bikes of Amsterdam. They were all local spray painted bikes in the city used as free transportation. They remind me of a mix of Bohemian transport vehicle and Dadaist artwork. When I park mine, it will resemble rolling public art. It also acts as a theft deterrent because the average thief won't steal such a unique bike.

I wholeheartedly prefer the older road bike styling compared to the modern mountain bike. For one, they're faster, easier to peddle, and light enough to carry up a flight of stairs. They can also ride on other surfaces besides pavement (just watch for obstructions!). They are the superior commuter.

Jarrett