baldyonabike
Devout Dirtbag
Hi folks, the Trekker I found fell through BUT a Traverse Elite popped up so I bought that instead - not as original as the Trekker was but it's still got a lot of original parts.
Paint is good if a LITTLE faded in places - the main problem with the paint being on the top tube which the previous owner covered with a sheet of plastic that looks ok, but is clearly hiding...something.
The Down tube decal is from the wrong period by at least ten years and the "S" decal on the top tube wasn't there in 1993 but otherwise the paint and decals are surprisingly good for a 30 year old bike.
The bar and stem are modern, as is the saddle, but the fork is, if not original, at least something someone might have replaced the original with when it dropped to bits.
I have to say I think the shifters are from early 94 ( they have indicator windows on ) but otherwise it's got a lot of the 1993 flavour.
Oh the tyres are bloody horrible.
And someone painted the chainset - I might just sand it, repaint and gloss it.
Mechanically, it's REALLY good - no loose bearings, shifts beautifully even under load, brakes are superb.
And it 's pretty light. I haven't weighed it but the claimed 26. lbs though optimistic doesn't seem far off the mark.
All that said, it's a 93 Traverse Elite and it's bloody gorgeous and it rides beautifully, and it's small enough for me. Which is practically a miracle, frankly.
I remember Steve Worland and Brant Richards used to be fairly despairing about what they saw as the Saracen short top tube, feeling it wasn't racy enough without a massive stem that sent the steering up the creek, but with a normal stem, or even a slightly shorter one, you got a lovely trekking bike with a Saracen.
Oh does anyone know if anyone does a good representation of the original foil type decals? The downtube one in particular isn't terrible but I would much rather have proper foil ones with the correct font.
Anyway, here she is:
The Baldy OA Bike plan is as follows:
Ride it.
meantime, take that plastic off and have a rummage under it, then, possibly replace it, depending on the state of things under it.
New stem and bars - Ritchey ones as per original
Bar ends - Onzas, because obviously.
Saddle: Vetta SL Cromo.
Proper tyres. Ritcheys or just some Schwalbes. Something that doesn't try and kill the ride.
Proper grips.
Thanks for reading
BOAB
Paint is good if a LITTLE faded in places - the main problem with the paint being on the top tube which the previous owner covered with a sheet of plastic that looks ok, but is clearly hiding...something.
The Down tube decal is from the wrong period by at least ten years and the "S" decal on the top tube wasn't there in 1993 but otherwise the paint and decals are surprisingly good for a 30 year old bike.
The bar and stem are modern, as is the saddle, but the fork is, if not original, at least something someone might have replaced the original with when it dropped to bits.
I have to say I think the shifters are from early 94 ( they have indicator windows on ) but otherwise it's got a lot of the 1993 flavour.
Oh the tyres are bloody horrible.
And someone painted the chainset - I might just sand it, repaint and gloss it.
Mechanically, it's REALLY good - no loose bearings, shifts beautifully even under load, brakes are superb.
And it 's pretty light. I haven't weighed it but the claimed 26. lbs though optimistic doesn't seem far off the mark.
All that said, it's a 93 Traverse Elite and it's bloody gorgeous and it rides beautifully, and it's small enough for me. Which is practically a miracle, frankly.
I remember Steve Worland and Brant Richards used to be fairly despairing about what they saw as the Saracen short top tube, feeling it wasn't racy enough without a massive stem that sent the steering up the creek, but with a normal stem, or even a slightly shorter one, you got a lovely trekking bike with a Saracen.
Oh does anyone know if anyone does a good representation of the original foil type decals? The downtube one in particular isn't terrible but I would much rather have proper foil ones with the correct font.
Anyway, here she is:
The Baldy OA Bike plan is as follows:
Ride it.
meantime, take that plastic off and have a rummage under it, then, possibly replace it, depending on the state of things under it.
New stem and bars - Ritchey ones as per original
Bar ends - Onzas, because obviously.
Saddle: Vetta SL Cromo.
Proper tyres. Ritcheys or just some Schwalbes. Something that doesn't try and kill the ride.
Proper grips.
Thanks for reading
BOAB
