Sunflower Bike
I picked the Tournesol up from Steve Hampsten’s shop this afternoon and rode it home as an extended test ride before final tweaking and wrapping and shellacing of the bars.
Two words: “like buttah!”
And four more, “I am not worthy.”
It’s arguably the handsomest bike I’ve ever seen and without a doubt, the finest riding rig I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience. It tracks like a dream, rides no-handed magically; climbing, it’s a mountain goat, descending, I feel like I’m going slow it’s so stable.
On my commute home from Hampsten, I actually broke a sweat, something I rarely do on two wheels; the bike just wants to run, though, and far be it from me to hold it back.
I envision all sorts of rides in the future—daily commutes, weekend rambles, maybe an extended tour or at least an S24O in the near future.
The component mix seems just right—it’s includes some really nice names: Chris, Paul—and the TA cranks complement the vintage look of the bike just so.
There’s this Youtube video making the rounds called the Cyclists Special; it features a rail trip by British cyclists in the 1950s; with its Nigel Smythe bag on its custom Dan Boxer mini rear rack, the Tournesol looks like it would fit right in with their classic rigs—only my bike is so much more stunning, while still being beautifully understated.
I can tell already I’m going to have a long and storied relationship with this bike; insofar as an inanimate object can teach a person, I may have much to learn from this two-wheeler.
I’ve already had a lesson in patience in waiting for it; seeing it has offered me insight into aesthetic appreciation; riding has already taught me something about joy.
And get this: locking it up in my shed, I dropped the lock and chipped the beautiful Tournesol decal on the downtube; if that’s not a lesson in letting go of perfection, what is?
Two words: “like buttah!”
And four more, “I am not worthy.”
It’s arguably the handsomest bike I’ve ever seen and without a doubt, the finest riding rig I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience. It tracks like a dream, rides no-handed magically; climbing, it’s a mountain goat, descending, I feel like I’m going slow it’s so stable.
On my commute home from Hampsten, I actually broke a sweat, something I rarely do on two wheels; the bike just wants to run, though, and far be it from me to hold it back.
I envision all sorts of rides in the future—daily commutes, weekend rambles, maybe an extended tour or at least an S24O in the near future.
The component mix seems just right—it’s includes some really nice names: Chris, Paul—and the TA cranks complement the vintage look of the bike just so.
There’s this Youtube video making the rounds called the Cyclists Special; it features a rail trip by British cyclists in the 1950s; with its Nigel Smythe bag on its custom Dan Boxer mini rear rack, the Tournesol looks like it would fit right in with their classic rigs—only my bike is so much more stunning, while still being beautifully understated.
I can tell already I’m going to have a long and storied relationship with this bike; insofar as an inanimate object can teach a person, I may have much to learn from this two-wheeler.
I’ve already had a lesson in patience in waiting for it; seeing it has offered me insight into aesthetic appreciation; riding has already taught me something about joy.
And get this: locking it up in my shed, I dropped the lock and chipped the beautiful Tournesol decal on the downtube; if that’s not a lesson in letting go of perfection, what is?
posted by Professor Dave at 7:11 PM
3 Comments:
Let's see some photos!
oh, there will be photos
just you wait
when?? I need visual gratification.
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