[CR]More Westminster Rambling

(Example: Framebuilders)

content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 13:05:22 -0500
Thread-Topic: More Westminster Rambling
Thread-Index: AcLLrtHwm8Ea6P6ERdGZ/SbYDzzjGw==
From: "Bingham, Wayne R." <WBINGHAM@imf.org>
To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]More Westminster Rambling

While the Westminster swap was fun and rewarding, I had to keep repressing my thoughts of the beautiful riding weather I was missing. The first really "nice" day in what is seeming like a long, very cold, wet Winter in this part of the country. Nevertheless, there was plenty of distraction in the Carroll County AG Center. I think this event gets better every year, with the variety of vintage bits increasing with each staging. It's also become sort-of a mid-Winter gathering of CR folk. I'm afraid I missed meeting a few newer members, mostly because I missed a name tag in Roy's initial distribution round. I'm thinking of making up something semi-permanent, just for these events where it tends to get pretty crowded and faces become a blur. I also think we should continue to pursue the CR clothing angle, or at least a CR logo that can be incorporated into badges or clothing. The T-shirt idea is great, but Winter in Western MD ain't exactly T-shirt weather. Maybe long-sleeve T's or sweats. The cost should be fairly minimal, especially compared to custom wool jerseys. Hey, how about an embroidered patch? Something that could be stitched onto a favorite cap or jacket or something? Ah, but I digress.......

Westminster seems to be a real "buyers market". Prices are generally pretty reasonable, and sometimes downright cheap! And, like I said, cool vintage stuff keeps filtering in. Many quick conversations went something like "Wow, where'd you find that (how'd I miss that), and you got it for what???".

Humbly feeling that I'd used up all my swap-meet-karma at T-Town in October, I still managed to score some nice tid-bits, including: two NOS Concor saddles, one brown suede, one perforated white leather; a Mavic SSC rear derailleur and black RD530 rear hub; a pair of 32 hole Superbe Pro hubs (3Rensho-bound); two NOS/NIP Sugino "perforated" chain rings; a pair of early Shimano 600 brake levers with pristine (and identical) gum hoods for the early Dura Ace levers I just got from another gracious list-member; and in the true sense of "swap" meet, a trade with Dick Shwanke (wasn't he the "frizzy hair and beard that's also into model railroading"?) of my Sachs/Huret f/r ders and Sovos track hub for a pair of first-gen Dura Ace calipers. Oh yea, I also nabbed a box full of decals/stickers that revealed, along with the array of Sacco/Cannondale sponsor's stickers, a Reynolds 753 frame/fork sticker set and, coolest of cool, a pair of Pinarello and Eddy Merckx logo temporary tattoos!

Remembrances of acquisitions by others include: Larry O's early Trek tourer (620?); Karen's fluted NR/first-SR seat post; and Ben's brother's HF Campy-hubed wheelset (was that really for ($30??!!).

Best display and coolest vintage stuff, including Galli, Early Dura Ace and Suntour Superbe partial groups, as well as a Raleigh International, a Fuji Del Ray and a Gipiemme equipped Benotto: Tom Adams. (Of course, what everyone wanted to buy was his wool CR jersey and wool Cinelli "trainer" he had on display!)

News flash of the day: CR list member and all-around great person Jill DiMauro is the new owner of Proteus Cycles in College Park MD! I offered my help and support, if needed, and suggested that she might expect the same from the rest of the CR family. Best of luck to Jill on her challenging (and hopefully rewarding) new career direction.

All in all, another great day of bicycle-culture immersion.

Ciao -

Wayne Bingham
Falls Church VA