It's not just a new bike, it's a whole new sport!

Presented by Velo Vermont Vintage, hardwood softgoods and Sideshow Cycles!
At the RIPM (Riders in Plainfield/Marshfield) trails, Vermont's first ever Vintage Mountainbike Rally and Klunker Jam!

What a day, the rain held off, and it turned into a beautiful evening, with many vintage bike enthusiastic neon clad folks! We had a big group ride on the trails in the Stranahan town forest, including a mix of brand new singletrack, fire roads and atv trails, as well as some dirt roads. There was skidding on the way back, a Klunker skid contest (mostly coaster brake equipped old steel cruiser/MTB frames) and plenty of vintage bike geeking. We had a wide range of vintage mountain bikes, from a 1940 Columbia Cruiser, with Power Modulators (aka, ''brakes''), to Specialized Stumpjumers (the one that formed "a whole new sport"), a Nuke Proof and Fat Chance Yo Eddy, to two Schwinn Paramounts as well as a Bridgestone MB-2 and plenty others!
Check out a ton of pictures here, and more to come. Also, stay tuned for the 2nd annual Velo Vermont Vintage Road Ride, coming up on September 25th 2016!
yours truly, as always,
velovermontvintage

Vintage Mountain Bike Rally and Klunker Jam - Tomorrow, 4pm!

Presented by HardWood Softgoods, SideShow Cycles and Onion River Sports!
Tomorrow! 4pm, in Plainfield at the RIPM Trails, leaving from 362 Taylor Farm Rd!
BYOentryfee (grillables, salad or 4/6Pack)
Get ready to shred some Vintage Mountain Bikes and Coaster Brakes!

Pedaling Through History - Vermont Exhibition

From HenrySheldonMuseum.org

2016 marks the 150^th anniversary of the first pedal bicycle patent in the world. The Henry Sheldon Museum in Middlebury, Vermont celebrates this occasion by showcasing the extensive bicycle collection of Glenn Eames with the exhibitPedaling Through History: 150 Years of the Bicycle. The exhibit traces the evolution of the bicycle from its inception until today, while spotlighting the bicycle’s golden era at end of the 19^th century. This period is often referred to as the Gilded Age, a term derived from writer Mark Twain’s 1873 The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, which satirized the era.

Father and child upon a circa 1892 Victor Model “C” cushion tire bicycle. Collection of Glenn Eames.

The exhibit’s high points include the Velocipede or Boneshaker from the 1860s, High Wheel or Ordinary Bicycle of the 1880s, Safety Bicycle of the late 1890s, and a selection of more modern 20^th and 21^st century road, off road, and fat bikes. Complementing the two dozen bicycles will be historic photographs, ephemera, and bicycle accessories, as well as documentation of the bicycle’s impact on women’s liberation and children’s recreation, health, mobility, and tourism.

During  the Gilded Age, these long-spoked bikes were the playthings for the wealthy, who enjoyed leisure time and had energy that manual laborers  toiling 12-hour days did not have.  In addition, high-wheels were expensive, several thousand dollars in today’s money.  Riding conditions were difficult. Roads at best were brick or cobblestoned, and muddy or dusty at worst. Cyclists dodged easily frightened horses, streetcars, pedestrians, and dogs. But the payoff was speed when compared to walking.

High-wheel bikes were direct-drive, much like today’s fixed-gear bikes. One turn of the pedals attached to a wheel 60 inches in diameter could propel a rider more than 15 feet. But a rider had to be tall enough for his feet to reach the bottom of that pedal stroke.  The ride was trickier for women. With their flapping skirts posing a safety risk near the spinning spokes, they began adapting to clothing such as bloomers or even pants but risked the jeers of passersby.

The inveterate, engaging bicycle collector, Glenn Eames will be on hand to answer questions during a reception on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 5 – 7 p.m. and at gallery talks on Wednesdays July 27, August 17 and October 5 at noon and on Saturday, September 3 at 1 p.m. The talks are limited to 20 people, so call to reserve a spot. Glenn will be participating in a high wheel bicycle demo/ride on Sunday, September 25, 2016 in Middlebury, joined by enthusiasts from The Wheelmen. Check back for more details about the high wheel event!

Bicycle Times on Keyesville Classic

From Bicycle Times Magazine

Evolving just as quickly is the modern mountain bike, a concept that has rocketed from balloon tire klunkers to carbon fiber superbikes in a single generation. While the new bikes are certainly fun, there’s something about the bikes from the early 1980s that captures the wild, wooly and wonderful essence of the sport’s early days. At the Keyesville Classic stage race there’s no suspension, no disc brakes and no bad attitudes as riders reconnect with their roots.

As you’ll see in these pages, a bicycle doesn’t need to be cutting edge to be a hell of a lot of fun. Whether you’re taking a trip down memory lane or cycling into the past for the first time, this issue of Bicycle Times has you covered.

Modern vs. Retro

Check out this wonderful video from the UK. Two riders comparing a vintage road bike to one from 2016.

Vintage Mountain Rally and Klunker Jam 2016!

This summer...

Presented by Hardwood Softgoods, SideShow Cycles...

... the lovely people behind Velo Vermont Vintage bring you:

Knobby tires, rigid forks, V-Brakes and neon clothing!

Vermont's First Ever:




We want you to bring out the old steel 26" Mountain bike you've got hanging around the garage/basement and come for a ride with us that's going to throw you back in time! Big time!
Proflex stems, gumwall 26" Smoke and Darts, rigid forks vs. Judys,
Bring your neon yellow - purple jerseys, big-ass sunglasses, helmets (!) and whatever you think someone 20 years ago thought was cool....
We'll do Vintage Mountain Bike Group Rides, chill and grill, skid competitions, and Klunker re-pack races down the fire road.
Get stoked!

Presented by yours truly, Velo Vermont Vintage:

 Vintage Mountain Rally and Klunker Jam 2016! 

-- RIPM Trails in Plainfield/Marshfield, 362 Taylor Farm Road, Plainfield, VT

Sunday August 14th! 

meet at 4pm for some Vintage Mountain Bike group rides, bike geeking, klunker racing etc! 

- any 26" Mountain bike older than Y2K! 

- Single speed and Coaster brakes more than welcome!

- No disc brakes (unless they're really cool). 

- Elastamer suspension forks, or rigid frigid!

- gumwall tires (Dart and Smoke, of course)

- Spandex, epic sunglasses, neon colors welcome! 

- ...

Leaving from 362 Taylor Farm Road (Park along the road if there's not enough room) we will head out for a couple group rides on classic bikes, 'interesting' single track, and then start a Repack race down a good old fire road! Heats of 3 or 4 will go off at a time, for bragging rights, and some sweet SWAG! We won't make any promises but there might just be a skid competition happening! 

We will follow the action with some drinks and snacks at Tristan's house, Taylor Farm Rd. 

We hope to see you there. Bring what you got, this an all-bikes-welcome event! (PS We might just have enough Klunkers for everyone!)
Yours truly,
Velo Vermont Vintage

And don't forget:

The return of the ring....

Check out redclovercomponents! Beautiful idea and parts!! Keep up the vintage!


 Add to Cart

Our 122 triplizer is patterned after the original rings found on Stronglight's iconic Model 93 crankset, as specified on the Peugeot PX-10, Gitane Tour de France, and many other mid- and high-end imports of the late 1960s and 70s. It's also compatible with many other 122 BCD cranks. The inner bolt circle will accommodate any standard 74 BCD inner, mounted on 3.8 mm spacers.

The currently available 42-tooth version is ideal for building into a classic 52-42-30 full-size triple. It also provides nice even half-steps when combined with a 46-tooth big ring and a 14-28 five-speed freewheel. Add a 24-tooth granny, and you have a great setup for loaded touring in the mountains.

No ramps or pins. For 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-speed chain only.