It's been an interesting week in the Velominati Archives of Awesomeness, after a freak discovery of boxes containing “photographs”. After conducting some research, we've come to understand that “photographs” are like pictures, except they are stored neither on the Geekbox nor on the Interwebs, but instead reside on a special kind of shiny paper that tastes funny.
It's a rough ride down memory lane, this, where I'm forced to reconcile what I remember of the past and what is shown in these photos. Here I am, roulin' dirty in my Briko Shots and longish hair, on my beloved Schwinn Whateverthefuck. I don't look nearly as cool as I remember.
It was a completely old-school steel frame with a long wheelbase, borne from the fires of innovation ignited in Marin County. When I first became acquainted with it, it was a bit of a clumsy thing with its long wheel base and tall head tube, but I slapped a road stem on it (which I drilled out for a cable stop) for some good, low-shoulder stability, and a first-generation Rock-Shox. I surmise the frame was made of sand-filled tubes, yet the long wheelbase meant it climbed and descended like it was on fucking rails. Together, we rode some of the most technical singletrack imaginable. And, it being the early Nineties, I naturally knocked on a set of LeMond-inspired Scott AT-4's to get nice and low for a convenient alternative to suicide.
My Merckx, I loved that thing.
When we merge our past and present, we turn up all kinds of delightful conflicts; little bits from the past always turn up which don't fit into the puzzle quite how we remember them and force us to relive those brief moments. Number One Bike Shop Buddy, Saul from SpeedyReedy, sent me a few pictures of himself racing: one of him on his old favorite, a GT Avalanche, and one pushing it LeMond-style at his local State Road Race Championships. After sending me his old Campy downtube shifter, our own Gianni sent me a shot of his young self, riding the Bella which housed that selfsame shifter – taken, I'm guessing, only a few days after Humans invented the Wheel. These are the moments of La Vie Velominatus; Cycling is a lifelong endeavor.
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Mate, it's the same for everyone. Thankfully no-one imported Briko Shots when I wanted a pair and I never had a saddlebag or other rule-breaking accruement, so perhaps some were cooler than others...I did have disgusting long hair for a year though
The photos are beautiful!
Are those first couple of shots in Teddy Roosevelt N.P.? Nice place.
wow...
Pic's are always a bit scary, as you mentioned, a bumpy road down memory lane. Even w/all the right goods of the day, years later, we can look back and scratch our heads wondering what in the world were we thinking. Mine was a Peugot steel clad ride. I have to admit, I was young in college, stupid and only going for the look of the bike, and the Peugot had it. The bike shop owner warned me much like my buddies before loading up that chick, because as we know, the ride may be ugly and regretable days later. Throw in a good dose of ignorance and the ride was painful, maintaining it was non-existant and I started looking at my buddies around me and learning.
Back to the photo's, I will say, there are some timelessness to the shots. I note the stems, the steel geometries, the bars, the clips, and the are all right and just as good today as they were originally, and that says alot! When its right, its right.
Great photos!
I was actually looking at a college kid the other day and thought to myself, "Wow, she is going to be pissed when she sees a photo of herself in a few years and realizes she used to go out in public dressed like that."
Interesting coincidence with finding old photos - I'm at my parents house for a holiday visit and going through some old photos, journals, and stuff, trying to organize and purge my storage.
And that Giordana jersey Gianni is wearing is awesome. I'd wear that all the time.
@Ron
A sister bought me that jersey, some knowing LBS worker must have steered her right. I still wear it. That is my locally made Bella, with matching silca pump, campy head. This photo must be about 1983. No clip in pedals yet as I bought the first generation white Look pedals as soon as I could. Toe clips sucked. But check out the shoes, pure Italian love, Marressi, the best shoes I've ever owned.
No helmet either, I was working the Eric Vanderaerden look, without the perm and ability.
I realize that these image can be found elsewhere on this site but I believe they are the very definition of "young and totally rad".
The only caveat might be the unshorn guns and the folded down tube socks with the 7-ll kit but come on, death metal hair (no mullets hiding under that helmet), hot pink leathers, Campy track hubs, bombing the big dubs at 50kph. Rad to the nth degree. I was definitely the shizzle.
I must say I love these old photos. My old man was a serious bushwalker and some of the photos and films (silent) that they took in their youth are just awesome. My appreciation of them may however have something to do with not being around to witness the fashion in person, and be embarrassed by it.
Note: Long time reader, first time poster.
Is the potato man from Idaho?
@The Potato Man
Welcome aboard. Nice nom de plume. Bodes well for your avatar.