Fat Swede's Cycl-Oasis

This is my bicycle collection.  I'm sure that there are more interesting collections out there but these are mine.  I love bicycles and working on them.  So when I come across an interesting bicycle, I'll buy it and rebuild it and maybe make a few upgrades...Enjoy!


English Bicycles

There are 3 countries in Western Europe that have historically been the larges producers of bicycles:  Italy, France and England.  England is the land of utilitarian bicycles, bicycles made for everyday transportation.  England has produced many lightweight racers and higher end bicycles but they are probably most famous for the English 3 speed, primarily the Raleigh Sports.  These bicycles are know for being reliable and durable everyday transportation.  There are plenty of English 3 speeds still on the road today.

1974 Falcon Black Diamond

This is a typical example of a ridable English bike.  There is nothing real special about this bike.  One of the guys over at a LBS remembered selling these bikes and said that the retail prices was about $150.  The reason that I purchased this bike was because it was in such good condition.  I cleaned it good and gave it an overhaul.  This is just a nice looking bike and I think that I will eventually hang it on the wall in my entry way.









1973 Raleigh Super Course

Raleigh was to England what Schwinn was to the United States.  I picked up this Super Course off Craigslist and rebuilt it with better parts.  It originally had Simplex derailleurs and shifters and cottered cranks and these parts were replaced with the parts as you can see in the pictures.  This would be considered a mid-range bike from Raleigh's lineup.

Before

After








1977/78 Raleigh Competition GS

The Competition was below the Professional and the International in Raleigh's lineup of bicycles.  This bike rides like a dream.  Every time I get on this bike I'm amazed at how nice it rides.  Everything on this bike is original except for the handlebars, stem and bar wrap.  I still have the original bars and stem but they are too narrow for me so I replaced them with Nitto parts.










1974 Raleigh Folder

In the 60s and 70s Raleigh made the Twenty, a folding bike with 20 in wheels.  For a few years Raleigh marketed these bikes under the name "Folder", which this one is.  This bicycle was rescued from a dumpster and restored.  You'll notice several similarities to Sheldon Brown's Twenty.










Italian Bicycles

In the world of cycling Italy = speed.  Italy is is known for bikes that are designed to go fast.  Italian bikes are some of the most elegant rides ever made and this shows in the demand and price.  There are certainly fast bikes from other countries but the Italians are particularly good at racing.

197? Bottecchia Professional

As stated above, Italian bikes are generally known for speed and racing.  This Bottecchia frame set is no exception.  However, when I built out this bike I was wanting something similar to a Raleigh Sports.    For some reason Raleigh never made the Sports for taller people.  So I decided to turn this bike into a 3 speed.









French Bicycles

If there is one type of bike that is associated with France it is the randoneur or touring bike.  The french are into riding their bikes for long distances and seeing the countryside.

1976 Motobecane Grand Jubile

I consider this bicycle to be the prom queen of my collection, just a beautiful bike.  I purchased the frame set with headset and bottom bracket and then built it up from there.  I spent a considerable amount on this bicycle and I love the way it rides.  I still need to do some fine tuning but it is a great bicycle.











German Bicycles

German bikes are just what you think they would be, industrious and usable.  Germany really isn't known for their bikes but the country has still produced some fine specimens.  Imagine a German frau riding her bike to the market to pick up the sundry items required to make an apple tort.

198? Hercules

I'm not sure if this is a bicycle or a panzer tank.  This thing is heavy duty.  At first glance, this bike looks like a 1980s mountain bike but that couldn't be farther from the truth.  This bike is more like the German equivalent of the English 3 speed.  In my opinion, this is one of the more interesting bikes that I have.  Old school generator, drum brakes, wheel lock and original tool set make this a really cool bike.  This is an example of a bike that isn't particularly valuable but still interesting.













Japanese Bicycles

Basically, when it comes to bicycles, the Japanese have taken the best from everywhere else in the world, made improvements and refined the manufacturing all at a fraction of the normal cost.  Just because a Japanese bicycle has a lower price tag doesn't mean that the quality is poor.  They even do things like stamp the serial number better.  When the exchange rate on the yen tanked in the early 90s the Japanese stopped exporting bikes to the United States.

1983 Fuji Touring Series IV

I love touring bikes and this is a typical example coming out of Japan.  I believe that Fuji was one of the first Japanese bike makers to figure out that Americans are taller than the Japanese so you have to make a taller bike for the US market.  I actually have an identical frame to this one that is getting repainted.  Once that is done, I'm going to take all of the parts off this bike and put it on the repainted frame.  This frame has 3 dents in it.  Even though the dents are not all that big it will be nice to have a straight frame.










1977 Fuji S10-S

This bike is an example of a very nice touring bicycle that was priced for the masses yet rides like bikes at the top of the line.  The frame and all of the components are relatively heavy but this thing functions perfectly.  This is another Craigslist find.  I purchased this bike from a woman whose husband had passed away and the bike belonged to him.  Evidently he rode this bike all over the country.  I cleaned and overhauled the bike and then replaced the tubes, tires, bar wrap and cables.  You would never know that this thing has literally thousands of miles on it.










1983 Miyata Twelve Hundred

This bike may be the best find out of all the bike that I have.  I got this at the Minneapolis police auction and had to pay $240.  I was bidding against some stooge hipster who I'm sure would have turned this fantastic bike into a fixie.  I just couldn't let that happen.  My first love will always be touring bikes but there is just something fun about hopping on a bike that was designed to go fast.










Bikes from the United States

These days most bikes made by US companies are designed in the United States but manufactured in Asia, primarily Taiwan.  The United States is arguably the most innovative country in the world.  Our free market economy promotes entrepreneurship and invention.  Most US bike makers have a full line of bikes.  However, the mountain bike is entirely American and represents the tough independent spirit that makes Americans American.

2005 Surly Karate Monkey

Another Craigslist find.  This is one of two Surlys that I own.  Everything about Surly screams U.S. of A.  The attitude of "there isn't anything that we can't conquer".  I got a good deal on this bike.  It has all high end components and is setup as a single speed.








2011 Surly Pugsley

The Pug is a perfect example of something that would only come out of the United States.  The first "Fat Bike" that is now being copied all over the place.  I got a really good deal on the bare frame and headset and built it up.  For snow, sand or just regular mountain biking.









1992 Trek 930 Xtracycle

The first time that I ever saw an Xtracycle I knew that I had to build one.  Rigid frame mountain bikes make for great urban cycling with just a few minor modifications.  The documentation for the Xtracycle states that it can carry up to 200 lbs of cargo.









1995 Trek 6500 ZX

I originally got this for my wife to ride.  She used it a little bit but now my oldest boy rides it.  A good solid mountain bike.









2007 Trek 7.5 FX WSD

This is my wife's all purpose bike.  When people ask me what kind of bike to get this is usually what I recommend.  It makes for a great flat bar road bike but has plenty of clearance in case you want to put larger tires on it for riding rough urban roads or even gravel roads.  The only draw back is that the wheels probably won't support fully loaded touring.









2011 Specialized Myka Expert

My wife's mountain bike.









2012 Jamis Xenith Comp

A great carbon fiber road bike that I bought for my wife as a gift.  We both do multi-sport events and this is what she rides.








2011 Specialized Camber Pro

My first love in cycling will always be touring but a close second is mountain biking.  This 29er has worked out well for me.  I'm still getting used to it and learning to trust it.










2008 Novara Safari

Dollar for dollar this is one of the best bikes I own.  This is one of the first bikes that I purchased.  I bought it on sale for $670 at REI.  I keep thinking that I'll upgrade to a better touring bike but then I'll take this thing out for a ride and realize how much I like it.  The only downside is that it has an aluminum frame but the fatter tires more than compensate for the rigidness of the frame.










2010 Specialized Tarmac Pro

In general, my preference for bicycles is to ride steel frames.  However, this is what I use for racing events such as duathlons.  I wouldn't have invested so much except last May I actually placed 2nd in my age group at one event and 15th overall.  I think that with a little work I can improve on that even further.









1990 Trek 930 Frame

The Trek 900 series frames that are made with lugged steel construction are some of my most favorite.  I'm not sure what I'll do with this one but I'm sure that it will ride great.


Canadian Bicycles

You don't really think of Canada a source of great bicycles but there are a few high quality makers up in our northern neighbor.  The two frames below are a late 1980s Miele on top and the one below is a 1970s Sekine.  The Miele is a very nice frame and I just built a set of wheels to put on it.  I can't hardly wait to get it put together.  The Sekine is a decent frame but not much more.  I might end up getting rid of that one.



Swedish Bicycles

The only Swedish company to ever export bikes to the USA was Crescent, at least that I'm aware of.  This is a decent Reynolds 531 frame with Campagnolo drop outs.  This frame will probably just end up being an ornament on my wall.


Dutch Bicycles

The Dutch are similar to the English in that their culture is highly reliant on the use of bicycles for everyday transportation.  There are several high quality bikes that come from The Netherlands.  I believe that the two Gazelles below are from the 1980s.  The top one is a Cross Trophy cyclocross frame.  This is the only cyclocross bike that I have.  I hope to do something with it someday.  The bottom one is a Champion Mondial AA frame.  This is one of the nicer frames that I own



Austrian Bicycles

The one word that I would use to describe Austrian bikes is elegant and the Austro Daimler Team frame shown below is certainly that.  This is just a beautiful frame that originally probably would have been built with high end Campagnolo components.  I hope to restore it to its previous state of glory someday.


Swiss Bicycles

Last but not least are Swiss bicycles.  There are a few makers in Switzerland and they all produced top quality bikes.  I got lucky with this Estermann frame.  I took a chance when I purchased this frame set because the fork steering tube was bent.  However, it appeared that the fork crown and fork blades were just fine.  As it turns out I was correct.  I had the fork repaired and it is at the powder coaters right now.


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