[CR]Introducing...

(Example: Framebuilders:Chris Pauley)

From: "Steve Dahlquist" <steve@velochrome.com>
To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 20:47:12 -0800
Subject: [CR]Introducing...

Hi loop members,

Having thrown out a couple of questions already, I really wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself. Hot rods were huge at my high school, and the best bicycle (second to mine of course) on the parking rack was a Sears! I sported a Peugeot UO-8, which I purchased from Greg's Greenlake Cyclery in Seattle. Down tube shifters, cottered cranks, hard leather saddle (can't remember what make it was), and a back-of-the-seat bag to carry my spare tube and stuff. It wasn't long after that I was in another shop on Capital Hill (Seattle) and began to covet a Colnago frame. Never did get that one, but in 1983 I did get an '81 Superissimo, which I built with Super Record, and rode for 21 years. Actually I replaced the SR gruppo with Record C early in the 90's. A rascal came up to me at the Death Ride (California "alps" tour near Carson City, Nevada) and offered me $1000. A weak moment, an affirmative answer, and it was gone. Had just painted it for the 6th time over the years, and it looked very good. Well, I did have the Masi Gran Corsa hanging in my shop, so I built it up with period CDA/Chorus stuff that I had and rode it for a year.

Carpel Tunnel has been a tremendous frustration for me. It has forced me to limit my riding to hills and rides shorter than 20-30 miles. With that, and the recommendation of a friend Jorge at Pace Sportswear, I went to carbon fiber (CF). It does help.

Since 1985 I've been painting bicycles also. Don't get into restoration (on-topic stuff) much, but prefer painting the modern stuff (please don't hate me 'cause they're beautiful), especially CF. I paint everything, but mostly flashy stuff, or space, or swooshes (very popular right now). Lots of graphics which I do by hand or on my computer. I do get a small number of classic frames, but don't see any pre-1970's work, but that's okay 'cause I'm not geared for that right now. Maybe sometime in the distant future.

My old painting name was Cycle Shades, but upon trying to register it for a website, I discovered that it was already taken by a cycling sunglasses company. Hence was born Velochrome. For me it's part time, and is pure enjoyment -- a creative outlet, if you will. That's all I'll say about that, as I don't want this to be an advertisement, but just to give my cycling related background.

Raced road (locally in Arkansas -- River City Cycling Association, and in Visalia -- Southern Sierra Cyclists) in the late 1980's, and did one semi-big ride, which was Little Rock, Arkansas to Washington DC (10 days/1100 miles). It was a lot of fun.

I've not picked up but a small fraction of the huge body of knowledge that I read about on the CR loop, so I'm enjoying reading the emails. Thanks for being so helpful and liberal with sharing!

Kindly,
Steve Dahlquist
Exeter, California