My name is Dick Howard and I live in Salem, Va. I am a retired oncology r.n .and currently work in out-patient mental health and hospice. My bikes ow ned in order were... Gitane Club? in 1966 (gone) Carlton team issue in '68 ( gone) Masi Gran Crit in '70 (stolen) S.W. Cotten built to specs in '72 ( am converting to a s.s. "rat bike" ) W.B Hurlow built t o specs in '74 (still have it but it's pretty funky) Paramount track bi ke '76 ( sold on eBay a year ago) Trailmaster ProCruiser in '80 ( am rebu ilding this rare first generation mtb ) Mount Klein in '86 ( it's now s ort of a 'cross bike) Litespeed Catalyst in '88 ProFlex 856 in '92 ( my worst bike ever....threw it away.) Litespeed Vortex in '06 ( still hav e) Soma hardtail '07 Plus a neat old Norman three speed as a future pro ject. I am currently converting my SWC to a s.s. rat bike. This was a bea utiful bike in it's day. A friend of Hulrow's (I don't know who) built it t o my specs and it came badged "S.W. Cotten" who was my best friend in colle ge and was a wannabee builder and importer. Fastback allen bolt design, c hrome lugs, 531 DB, chrome forks, chain and seat stays, semi-vertical ( a ctually about 5 o'clock) dropouts. Sam Cotten had a Hurlow in those days an d my "SWC" was it's equal in execution. I have had a total knee and my hip's going so I have lost some range of motion but I still ride often bu t not far.
Anyone know what became of Sam Cotten? Anyone remember Bill Vetter?
Dick Howard