ebay, will you marry me?
Check this shit, yo.
A while ago I mentioned this notion I had to build a "crazy singlespeed contraption" for commuting. Of course, shortly after that we moved deeper into the suburban hellhole that is Woodbury and I went back to driving my car. But I am not exactly committed to this job, especially since common logic holds that it would actually be EASY for me to find a job that a) pays more and b) is not 26 miles away, so it seems perfectly reasonable to have a commuter bike ready to go when that time comes.
So this winter I am going to build a singlespeed. Myself. This is stupid, not to put too fine a point on it. I am stupid. The things I know how to do to my bike are as follows:
1. Change a flat tire.
2. Adjust the brake clearance with those little twisty things.
3. Move my seatpost up and down.
4. Take my pedals off.
As you can see, my store of technical knowledge may not be up to this task. I'm taking applications for volunteers if anybody wants to impart their wisdom to me.
Anyway, the whole point of this post is to show off what I won on eBay this morning. Ebay is friggin' cool. Nowhere else would you find this.
This, my friends, is a Pepsi bike. Apparently from 1979 to 1982, Pepsi was giving away bicycles to its employees. This bike is one of those. It is the exact same color of blue as a diet Pepsi can, it has Pepsi logos on each side of the fork, and best of all--the entire reason I had to have it--is what the top tube says:
You're jealous. I know you are. I'm just sad that it won't be here in time to ride it on this Saturday's drunken bikeblogger ride. Too bad. That honor will have to go to my big fat Raleigh. On the other hand, I seem to have a penchant for crashing bikes right after I buy them, so maybe it's a good thing.
Catch that Pepsi spirit. Damn, now I can't stop laughing.
posted by annie @ 11/10/2005 02:23:00 PM
19 Comments:
Hell yeah, I'm jealous. That bike is friggin sweet! It'll certainly make a one-of-a-kind singlespeed, too.
But wait--aren't you going to get a track bike???
I know a company that doesn't make a track bike yet, but is the process of offering a really freakin' cool one.
I will get a track bike as soon as I get a job that isn't in Woodbury. You'll notice I raced at the track exactly once this season..... hopefully by next May I'll have a job closer to home so it will be more reasonable to get home, feed the dog, and drive my ass all the way to Blaine. Alternately, someone could build a velodrome in south Minneapolis. Then I'd be there all the time.
Tim, if Masi is going to make an entry-level track bike on the level of the Bianchi or the Fuji ($500ish), I'll do it, but the phrase "really freakin' cool" sounds like it might be a euphemism for "outside Annie's budget." Jus' sayin'.
Oh, and my word verification for this comment is "foohtzlr." I like that one. Although I don't think I should have to verify comments to my own goddamn blog.
If I knew for sure you would be racing at the track next season, that would simplify this whole team-selection thing for me. Rumor has it that another female NSC 'drome racer has joined the same team you are/have...
Miranda? Yeah, she has. And you HAVE to join Birchwood. It is by far the coolest. I will guarantee that I'll race at the track at least once next year, and I will try and make it up there more often. It all hinges on me changing jobs before then, though. BUT, you and me and Miranda.... those U of M girls had better get scared!
The bike will be in that range. Not much more, if at all... but since it is going to be a Masi, that is what makes it really cool.
You girls are really making me want to come out there and race. Well, so is Smithers and Skibby. All you folks are making me want to race there this year. We'll just have to see... anybody heard yet where Master's Nationals are gonna be?
Answered my own question...
August 8-12
USA Cycling Master Track National Championships – 7-Eleven Velodrome, Colorado Springs, Colo.
October 5-8
USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships – ADT Event Center, Carson, Calif.
Cool, Tim, any idea when it might be available? I'm not actually sure when I'd actually buy one, since the rental bikes at the track have been good enough so far, but if I get back into track racing next year I'll definitely start thinking about it. And you're right, Masi is cool. ;-)
I signed in with fdeqi! I like that one...
It should be a late '06 or early '07 product. It might be ready for racing this coming season. I'll be spreading the word... be sure of that.
Su-weeet!
Oh, it's gonna be sweet alright.
If you go to our website (www.masibikes.com) and check out the Speciale, you'll get an idea of what is coming on the track bike. Take that bike, add track dropouts and remove all the icky shifters and gearing... and you've got yourself what I am developing.
I'll also have a full-on race aluminum frameset and carbon fork. I've been riding the prototype this year and it rocks. I should feel that way, since I pretty much designed it.
Anyway... enough sales pitch... sounds like the "scene" is pretty good there and I'm hoping I can't get out there this year.
I sorta kinda said I'd join a team that doesn't really exist yet. It was a tough decision, but had I known that Miranda was joining Birchwood I probably would've been swayed that way. We'll see. Nothing is final yet.
Annie, if you know how to use twisty things, then you can handle the build. I knew less than that when I started putting together my singlespeed Batavus. You'll do fine.
Hi SG. I did read your other blog about the Batavus a while ago and it sounded like you did okay without too much knowledge. You gave me hope. ;-)
My word verification for this is hglbuyts. Sounds like some Belgian bike racer. Eddy Hglbuyts, king of the northern classics.
Annie et al,
Please stop by my Masiguy blog and do a little favor for me.
http://masiguy.blogspot.com/2005/11/calling-all-trackies-and-fixie.html
Go to the blog and voice your support for a Masi track/fixed bike. I need your help to force the issue and support my efforts.
Thanks!
Tim
(Annie- as I said to Smithers, if you consider this spam, I fully understand and will not feel bad if you delete my post.)
Tim, you'll be crossing a line if you come on here trying to sell us Viagra, but I think you're ok for now. ;-)
Annie,
Thanks for your post to the blog. No worries on the Viagra. How about Amway products?
Thanks again.
Tim
Oh, yeah, the complete bike will straddle the line between full-race and road trainer. The aluminum frame is pure race and is damned fast... even with me on it.
hahaha! I have the exact.... same.... bike! My grandfather was cleaning out his barn and found it, and gave it to me. I like it but it's so damn heavy! I'm looking for a lighter bike but I don't want to give up my Pepsi Spirit - How much did it cost you? I found your site becasue I'm trying to get an idea of whether I should try to sell it to offset the cost of my new Motobecane... :-)
Word Verification "yewmm"
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