1982 Motobecane Super Mirage

I bought this beautiful blue 1982 Motobecane Super Mirage this weekend. I'm looking forward to cleaning it up and getting it in good riding condition. Maybe this would be a good candidate for this fall's tweed ride (French, not English, but that's okay).

Speaking of French, I did some research on how to pronounce Motobecane. I knew that mo-to-beCANE, the way I'd been saying it in my head, couldn't be right.

I feel fairly certain that the correct pronunciation is mo-to-BAY-cahn. You can see the accent mark over the "e" even on the headbadge.

It has a downtube shifters, an alloy crank, and alloy wheels. The paint is a beautiful metallic light blue that I think will shine up well once I remove the layer of dust and dirt it's acquired over many years of storage. There isn't much rust to speak of. I've already used some polishing compound on the chrome fork tips and they're very shiny now. The saddle has a small tear in it but is still very usable, just a little dirty. I'll have to decide what to do with the vinyl bar tape. It's wrapped around the brake levers. I might want to change those levers and may have to remove that original tape to get to them.

I plan on putting on new tires and tubes, cables and housings, and probably a new chain. I'll wash and wax the frame, overhaul the hubs, bottom bracket, and headset. A nice, relaxing satisfying project on a bike that was neither the lowest end nor the highest end in its day, but is still a very charming retro bicycle.

7 miles on the Raleigh Sports

This weekend I rode my 1974 Raleigh Sports about seven miles total from Silver Spring to Georgetown. The bike is small but you sit up high on it because of the upright sitting position. It's a fun and stately old fashioned ride that brings a few smiles to people who notice the bike as it rolls by.

The old Brooks mattress saddle was acceptably comfortable. The Brooks label on the back of these saddles tends to break apart and mine was poking me in the bum for a while until I stopped and turned the offending piece of label downwards.

The brakes on a Raleigh Sports tend to squeak and squeal embarrassingly loudly if applied too forcefully. So braking needs to be done ahead, ideally a block ahead of a red light. And I made sure not to get going too fast for fear of the need for sudden braking. The brakes on the old steel rims do work; it's just that they aren't as effective as I'm used to with aluminum rims.

I find the geometry of the Sports comfortable. It's just a fun bike to ride. Somewhat slowly, steadily, and in style I made my way through DC on the Sports. The three gears act as follows: Hills, Flats, and Downhills. Pretty simple. I pretended to be a character on Downton Abbey just rolling over to check how the nearby farm is doing.

I didn't want to face the uphill pedaling on the return ride, though, so the Sports and I rode the Metro home without incident.

Linus Mixte 8: One Year Review

I got the Linus Mixte 8 a little over a year ago from a shop in DC. At that point, I was completely new to cycling and wanted something dependable, made of steel, and attractive, with an upright riding position. I didn't feel ready at all for a road bike, and didn't know enough about vintage bikes to feel comfortable buying one. So I researched quite a few of the modern retro styled bikes, like Public, Electra, and Linus.

I went with Linus because I decided the foot-down geometry of Electra wasn't for me, and I couldn't easily find a store where I could get a Public bike. But a bike shop had some Linus bikes in stock and on sale, and I ended up taking home the beautiful sage green mixte.



The Mixte 8 has a chromoly frame and fork, an upgrade from the mostly hi-ten steel frame and fork on the Mixte 3. It has eight speeds, which I wanted for the many hills on my commute, in an internal hub, not a derailleur system. I wanted to avoid fiddling with a derailleur, because I didn't know anything about them at the time I bought the bike. The mixte also comes with fenders and a sturdy rack.

In contrast to its somewhat delicate appearance, in practice the mixte is bulletproof and a tank. It's heavy at 33 pounds, it doesn't accelerate quickly, and it doesn't have a nimble feel. It has a stable feel. It's extremely steady and dependable. I think I could ride it almost any distance safely. The limits would be my own leg strength and stamina. It's great for carrying groceries and other loads without strain or complaint. It can be fast on downhills and when the situation calls for it.

The only mechanical issue I've had is that sometimes, the bike will be reluctant to shift into second gear if I do so at a stop. Shifting while stopped was a luxury anyway, so I make sure to shift while moving and turn the crank a couple of times. That takes care of it. Once in a rare while, there will be a slight delay in shifting into second gear.

The biggest flaw in the Mixte 8 from an aesthetic perspective is the unicrown fork. It feels out of place on the bike and is a bit of an eyesore. I'd strongly recommend that Linus consider putting an old fashioned fork on this type of retro bike. It has a heavy back end due to the eight speed internal gear hub in the back wheel. Not a problem in practice, but noticeable when I lift the bike to take it up stairs. I had to apply black electrical tape to stop the kickstand from making an annoying clanging sound when it hit the bike's underside.

I installed a shorter and taller stem to bring the bars up and closer to my hands. I have long legs and a short torso, so I like to shorten the reach on my bikes. I also installed Brooks GP1 leather grips, which widen the grip area and create a larger, more comfortable platform for my hands. I almost immediately replaced the stock saddle with a different one from Origin-8, and eventually with a honey Brooks B-17.

I have probably ridden the Linus Mixte to work (6.5 miles each way) about 50 times (plus or minus!) over the year. In all of those trips, I never had a flat tire or any other mechanical difficulty. The bike just takes you where you want to go. I've gotten a lot of random compliments on it from people who like the style or were reminded of their bikes from days long past. The paint has a few scratches in it from being locked up or bumped into things, but there's no sign of rust. Brakes are still good, wheels are true.

This was a great beginner's bike for me. I think I've somewhat progressed beyond it now that I've learned more about working on bikes and have bought a vintage road bike, which I've been riding to work. But I would have a hard time selling the Linus, because it's such a great tool, and is pleasing to the eye, if you can overlook the fork. I think, at about 5'7," I'm almost too tall for it, as you can see from the amount of seatpost I have showing.

Overall I'd recommend the Linus for someone who wants a dependable, low-maintenance steel ride, and isn't looking for racing bike or hybrid bike speed. The fenders protect you from puddles, the rack carries your stuff, and the internal gear hub keeps the chain silently humming along.

Voting machine

Yesterday my Raleigh Sports brought me to my polling place for early voting.
I got a nice compliment from someone who liked the bike and said she used to have one like it.

Coffeeneuring ride #4: Kaldi's Coffee

I took my Raleigh Sports on a ride around town today and stopped by Kaldi's Coffee. Dedicated bike parking is nonexistent but there are some railings and signs where you can lock a bike. Inside, it's an expansive, modern space with a dark industrial metal, wood, and leather decorating scheme. They serve coffee, pastries, local Denizen's beer, and food (which I didn't try). Great. I'd never been in before but I'll be back.

Coffeeneuring ride #3: Kefa Cafe

I rode my bike to the grocery store this morning and tried out my new (to me) Deuter panniers. On the way home I stopped at Kefa Cafe on Bonifant Street in Silver Spring. It was a cute, homey, small shop with cheerful yellow walls and floral tabletops. It seemed entirely too unbusy for a Sunday morning. I hope they have enough customers on a regular basis to stay in business. The shop takes only cash.

My latte was tasty, mild, balanced--very acceptable. Bike parking was basically nonexistent. I locked my bike to a sign out front.

Interesting bike sightings around the city: yellow