Okay, I know I have a ton of bikes, but I've been dying to have a good road bike so that I might commute 17 miles to work (a steel 3speed just wasn't gonna cut it in terms of speed or the amount of effort I'd have to put out). I got super lucky being the one who got to buy this gem. It's a 1977 Schwinn Le Tour. Very excellent condition.
I will be replacing some of the parts (as I had already intended when looking for a road bike) eventually. I want to get some smaller reach handlebars (like the kind off of a Specialized Dolce) and a really awesome saddle that retails for what I just spent on the bike (lucky for me I work at a shop and can get it for under cost). And probably some nice bar tape and a new rear derailleur (the Le tour one is okay, just well worn and the pulley wheels are showing some wear.) And I'll likely recable it just out of principle due it them not being brand new. Oh yeah and add a water bottle cage or two, some lights, and maybe a rack (I've got most of this stuff hanging around already).
I'm going to spend the rest of my afternoon on the deck listening to music and cleaning it up (a bit dirty from use). Yes, I spent more on it than I probably should have, but in it's condition, it was totally worth it. And it's like my car, exactly what I wanted at exactly the right time.
P.s. when I get around to it, I'll take a photo of the sweet Raleigh 3-speed I picked up during trash out. Needs new tires and some cleaning (and maybe a bit of work on the hub), but it's a gem with nearly all the original parts.
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