You gotta love an old bike. This can be interpreted any number of ways, such as: they’re great because you can maintain them yourself with rudimentary tools and a basic knowledge of bike mechanics. Spare parts are inexpensive and (usually) readily available at your local bike shop. These bikes last forever and are hard to beat.

Another (and more important) way “you gotta love an old bike” is because they need a bit of love to keep from falling into disrepair and becoming far less enjoyable to ride. Steel 27 inch wheels suffer outside in the rain, as do big 5-speed drivetrains, ball bearing bottom brackets, wheel and headset bearings, saddles, tyres, bar tape, pedals, and steel cables. While this is true of any bike, it seems especially true of vintage bikes.

I had the opportunity to give this bike a second life, as one of my girlfriend’s tennis buddies was clearing out her shed and had this bike, which she wanted to get roadworthy again. Being between projects, this was a good opportunity to keep my idle hands busy.

In short, this is a fine bike, but could use new wheels (and better brake levers). Now everything’s been cleaned and regreased, it goes and stops like it should. The dynamo and front light works now too!