Chuck (Schmidt) wrote:
<There is a Vintage Lightweight and a English Roadster discussion area there. A couple of weeks ago on the English Roadster forum Peter posted about Yahoo cutting RollBritannia. Sad, as there was lots of great Raleigh info there.
I guess you remember Peter being a rabid British bike supporter on the CR list ("I'll take on all comers on my Sturmey-Archer equipped '48 Raleigh")? He posted on OldRoads Vintage Lightweight forum about buying a Italian CINELLI and a French PEUGEOT and how much he is enjoying riding them. I guess that's why he no longer posts on the CR list?>
. . .unquote! Here's what came to me--all said with a sincere ;-) winking smile.
I miss P.C. though I often felt worried for him! Whenever we collectively get a bit far into comparing and contrasting our conflicting agendas, I always feel like chewing my fingernails. I suspect he's just taking a break--probably exhausted from the effort of struggling against 'the Italian mystique', which I think looked nearly hegemonic to him. Now I'm hoping he's seeing it all "From Both Sides Now" (pardon the extraneous pop culture reference)--which he may have helped others do as well. Regarding P.C.'s new wheels, I think what he went for was a '73 Cinelli--can't beat 'em, join 'em (at the top level)?--AND a n.o.s. Berthoud touring machine--which I badly wanted! I suppose I just will have to learn to save and order a new one for myself. Blue isn't my first pick of color anyway.
I could be wrong on these bits of gossip, but I do think I'd recalled his eBay handle, and I was watching those auctions closely. P.C., if you're out there, monitoring, chime in and tell us about these fab acquisitions--and your road impressions--and if as a result are adopting a more Wilsonian doctrine . . . meant as the gentlest of teasing. What wheelset did you put under the Berthoud, and did you make any other changes? I would've backdated the components a bit, as that's the kind of fool I am.
Actually, while mentioning Berthoud, and having just missed blowing my rent money on the Herse frameset that came and went at auction this past week, I hope it is not too much of an "attaboy" to say that I really like the look of Phil Brown's french-influenced work. Also, I think his graphics must be giving a slight nod to the Fender "spaghetti logo" of vintage guitar fame, in a tasteful way--works for me!. No relation to Phil, other that he's in California, and that's where I was born. Can't (that means, am not disciplined enough to) afford one yet--so don't go changin'.
The "touring" machine (well, frameset) that I *Did* manage to acquire recently is a Geo. Elrick / Stirling (the name was mentioned here recently), built out of 531 and with craftsmanly lugs (and with concave seat-stay caps) for 26" wheels. It has a "quick release" triangulated bag support attached to the rear stays via brazeons. Now I just have to choose and acquire appropriate parts. See you in six months! Anyone have serial # info for Elrick? I suppose this is the right moment to join the VCC and find the 'marque enthusiast'. Also, if interested, there is a page attached to the Flying Scot site that tells a bit of the Elrick story.
Chuck, that match race would be all the more dramatic if You took the S-A equipped RRA, and let P.C. ride the "new" Cinelli . . . .
I may have to leave you all soon myself in favor of the touring group (haha). You see, I am also building up an example of the other "Sterling"--a black "Midlands Custom" model (Haden lugs, 531 tubing) meant for loaded touring . . . definitely a "KOF" frameset, built in 1989 in Pennsylvania. So no Berthoud for me, sadly, but perhaps some Berthoud bags before long.
All Best,
Tom Ward New York, NY . . . where I too had looked for and missed the RollBrittania pages. P.C., I'm sorry that yahoo pulled the rug out from under you like that.