Until several years ago, I had been a constant lurker, sometime poster on this site. I had a shed full of bikes and frames, boxes of parts, and an eye on the lookout for any interesting lightweights that might come my way. A couple of years ago, a doctor suggested that in order to relieve the discomfort of years of constant seat pounding that I get off the bike. I did what he said. A year passed and I thought that I probably was done with bikes and parts and cycling and in the next year I unloaded.selling some things but giving away a ton of stuff.everything bike related except for a 1938 Hercules, some books, my tools and a couple of off topic bikes. The liquidation of my cycling possessions had several positive features. It opened up space in my studio, and it gave me time to concentrate on artwork. At first I didn't miss cycling. I collected music. I painted. But something was missing and I couldn't put my finger on it. I teach school and I had a sixth fifth schedule this year which only gave me a half hour for lunch and without an hour to at least walk around campus, I was pretty off my game. My doctor retired a month ago, and I talked to another doctor who suggested that I ride. I did. And it all came back to me. This may seem odd, but there is a spiritual component for me in commuting to work. In the last few weeks, I've ridden to work as often as I can. I'm trolling ebay for vintage lightweights. Oh, I had one of those. Oh, I gave one of those away! And I came back to reading the bike posts on CR, which brings me to a request. I need (notice I didn't say want) a vintage lightweight. Being without a classic bike has prompted me to think about what I want. I don't want a shed full of ok bikes, I want something good and interesting, something that meets my physical needs and my esthetic. My problem is that at this point, I need a complete bike. I have no parts. I bought my son a new bike and I had to search for bolts to tie on the water bottle cage! That just felt wrong. I'm looking for something 58-59 cm. Something pretty with nice lugwork. I can park my bike in my classroom so I it doesn't have to have funk patina. Five speed or so. It could be a simplex geared bike or an S/A hub, but I want a lightweight frame not a roadster. I've always been partial to English and French bikes but I am open to anything. If anyone has such a machine they would be willing to sell, I would love a change to look at it. Shoot, my wife has had two years of shoe and purse buying unchecked by me dragging anything home with two wheels. I have to start catching up!
Art Smith
Phoenix