This weekend, a local DC area chain (Revolution Cycles) is having a show and demo event (at Occaquan Regional Park). I took some bikes down there today and handed out flyers for Cirque 2009 (cirqueducyclisme.com). Wayne Bingham will go Sunday, with some of his bikes. Lots of people really seemed to enjoy seeing the vintage bikes, even though the thrust of the event is selling new "iron." The bikes that drew the most interest? The '38 Paramount, on which everyone notices the wood rims. The '59 JC Higgins (Sears) with Campy gran sport, Weinmann rims, etc. Relates to the Schwinns and Raleighs of yore. The highly patina-ed '71 Cinelli with M71 Widowmaker pedals and bivalent wheeels. To my pleasant surprise, the area next to ours was Waterford Cycles, so I had a most enjoyable day chatting with Richard Schwinn, who keynoted Cirque a few years ago. And, I think he enjoyed all the good vibes from remarks about the '38 Paramount his shop repainted, and all the enthusiasm abou his bikes from the visitors.
It was good, and a bunch of people wanted the Cirque flyers It is just a great way to share the fun we have with vintage bikes with a larger crew. I do recommend taking advantage of similar events; Wayne did another one, in Leesburg, today. Highly recommended as we move into the cold months.
harvey sachs mcLean virginia usa' "just inside the Beltway, wondering about the politics"