Classicists,
Yesterday Mike Barry sent me pictures of my new Mariposa 650B.
It's now in Toronto waiting for me to pick it up. Since the demise
of Photopoint I've not had a place for siting pictures but several
BOBs have come forward to offer a temporary space. This is one
of Mike's 30th Anniversary bikes and I think the third or fourth
he has finished. It resembles Larry Strung's beautiful bike
but for tire/rim and my choice of old French parts. Larry did
the smart thing as far as deciding on a bike for truly practical
purposes (easy to find tires, rims, ease of shifting) and I did
the thing I would expect me to do. But all the credit for the
mastery of this bike goes to Mike and his partner Tom. As for kit,
it's as follows:
Simplex 6600 long cage rear derailleur with SLJ triple front
TA Cyclotouriste crankset 50/38/26
Simplex bar end shifters with demultiplicator
Mafac Competition brakes and gumhood levers
Cinelli or TTT stem (Mike's call)
NR pillar and Brooks B17 saddle
Mavic or Wolber (can't remember, have both) rims with Maxicar hubs
7 spd Sach fw 13-26
Litespin dynamo, Lumotec headlamp
Fenders are French I think but look like Honjos
Michelin Axial Raid 650B tires
Pedals are Campy Super Record, seen on many a Singer/Herse late
in the day,
The beautiful front and rear carriers are custom Mariposa
and the leather bar wrap is the final touch.
For pictures posted I am grateful to Neale Greene of DownUnder
who has put them here:
http://neale.org/
As many who love 650B know the real challenge remains the nice tires but with some help from friends these came through nicely and I have spares. On the 650B Herse tires this narrow affect the handling a bit adversely, as Jan will attest. Someday I'd like to find the right Simplex seatpin and Ideale saddle but they are so costly these days given their scarcity and the market for them.
Kudos to Mike who is as fine a person as he is a gifted artisan and designer of bicycles! Tom's swell too.
Dale, would you like copies of the pictures for a Mariposa spot on the CR page? Truly these are classic bikes.
Douglas Brooks
Canandaigua, NY