Half dead bird! 86 Swallow ptarmigan (re re model...page 11)

[Tsundere]

Immaculate.

 

[Tootyred]

Bit of an update.. I've not been riding this as much as my backs not that good. So its fallen into a category with 3 other bikes, that I'm just not using as frankly anything more than 20 mins is killing me the day after.

I covered a lot of this train of thought here.....

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/they-psychology-of-change.487945/

The upshot being i decided to move one of the bikes on..thats gone.

My marin im still debating, its probably the hardest to deal with as ive had it basically since new in 89.

The third is this Swallow ptarmigan. As it occupies the middle ground in my head, i decided to have a go at an o.a.p. makeover over christmas.

I tried a few bar and stem combos to bring the bars up, but, tbh, they all did exactly what i was afraid of....they just looked like a bodge to fix a problem. Not really a solution. Here are a few pics...its not pretty!

 

[Tootyred]

Also, to be frank, its just too much like my 26" daily drivers!

so i decided to go a bit more radical. The bikes never going to be anything but a toy tbh, im not going intercontinental touring on it any time soon for example.

So this is where I've ended up. Im really pleased with it. Its a bit different and makes it easy to ride.

Bring on the summer and its the perfect inter-pub weapon!

 

[27motorhead]

Bit of an update.. I've not been riding this as much as my backs not that good. So its fallen into a category with 3 other bikes, that I'm just not using as frankly anything more than 20 mins is killing me the day after.

I covered a lot of this train of thought here.....

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/they-psychology-of-change.487945/

The upshot being i decided to move obe of the bikes on..thats gone. One im still debating, its probably the hardest to deal with as ive had it basically since new in 89.

The third is this Swallow.

So, i decided to have a go at an o.a.p. makeover over christmas.

I tried a few bar and stem combos to bring the bars up, but, tbh, they all did exactly what i was afraid of....they just looked like a bodge to fix a problem. Not really a solution. Here are a few pics...its not pretty!

I have seen a lot worse than that @Tootyred. The Black stem & silver bars looks better to me. Could do with some better shots of the whole bike and more from side-on so can see the overall look. Amazing you've had that bike since 1989! Longer than most marriages and probably a lot happier!!!

 

[Tootyred]

I susuppose he moral is, don't be too rigid in your thinking.

 

[27motorhead]

Sorry missed your last post!!!

GO HOME OR GO LARGE! Love it!!!

 

[raidan73]

You know I'm a bit of a purist; I make no apologies for that but appreciate it's just my opinion. Having said all that, I don't hate it! Such a lovely bike and I think you should do what you need to do so that you can ride it and enjoy it.

 

[Tsundere]

Frames of this quality deserve to be ridden, if the choice of handlebar is going to affect rideability then it's a no brainer.

 

[Tootyred]

Thats kinda the thinking. Plus as its custom built there never was a "catalogue " spec for it anyway.

When i got it originally, it had a rear hub brake and u brake front.....but mounts for both at both ends! So it could have been anything.

 

[Tootyred]

Its just something else now!

The funny thing is, like @raidan73 im also in a strange way a purist. I feel bikes of a certain age, should look a certain way......

But for the life of me im not sure why! If these bars were on a 1982 ritchey junker nobody would bat an eyelid...infact there would be probably a great degree of coooing over it.

On a 1998 bike...dear god no!....my eyes my eyes!

But its just a bike..and frankly the frames are not that different really.

So on this 1986 bike? Well im say its ok...because it is...i think?!