Mariposa

[Zen]

Here it is, I haven't heard from the owner yet, I'd like to take it to the bike shop and see what Brian thinks












I would hate to change the stem out because it goes with the bike but the angle is just too acute. The downtube shifter- I'm not sure if I'd leave them or move to bar ends...it's all a pipedream at this point anyway.

[mimitabby]

you can always get a longer stem like what i have on my bike!
It's a really cool looking bike and the price is right!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh Jeez it's gorgeous! If you buy it, please consider changing as little as possible on it!
The fenders, headlight, old fashioned brake hoods, downtube shifters, gold pinstriping, rear rack, handlebars....all perfect and original and very nice quality!
The stem is top notch and doesn't seem like an acute angle at all to me, but then I am not used to modern stems made for carbon racing handlebars.
It's a CLASSIC.

I would say the same thing I usually say to people who are contemplating buying a vintage musical instrument in original condition and planning to modernize it to suit them....better to just buy a modern instrument that suits your needs to begin with, rather than taking an instrument that has survived many years in its original state and then remove and replace parts to the extent that you are forever altering the original design and function. Why not let someone else buy the old one who wants to play it and enjoy it for exactly what it is?

I hope you don't take this the wrong way- it's just that I love seeing old bikes like that all pristeen, and I get sad when I see people toss the original parts and put somewhat inappropriate new parts on them. Then the bike winds up looking like a mish-mash and is not really special anymore.
Just my OWN admittedly biased opinion.

[mimitabby]

Lisa, i wasn't suggesting she modernize it. I have a retro stem that fits me. Bottom line you want to be able to ride the bike ... or keep it as a museum piece.

[Kalidurga]

Zen, instead of changing the stem, would you be able to install a riser or spacer of some sort to bring the bars higher? Considering the angle of the head tube, that might also bring the bars back a tad, too.

That looks like a heck of a deal for $100. But will your Trek get lonely if you start riding the Mariposa instead?

[Zen]

The Mariposa would be the utility bike for tooling around town on errands (if I ever get to move to civilization)

Do you think it would take slightly wider tires? I'm kinda thinking of it as a towpath bike too.

[Zen]

That looks like a heck of a deal for $100...

It's even a hecker of a deal at $25.
SOLD!
TO ME!

[mimitabby]

FAR OUT! enjoy.. We want blow by blow details

[RoadRaven]

Zen... thats a fabulous pipe dream!

Looking forward to hearing/seeing the next installation!

Great deal - the Scots blood in me has me really admiring a good bargain - and this one is most excellent

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, i wasn't suggesting she modernize it. I have a retro stem that fits me. Bottom line you want to be able to ride the bike ... or keep it as a museum piece.

Mimi, I wasn't suggesting you were suggesting she modernize it. I wasn't actually responding to your post when I wrote mine. I was speaking in general terms.

Yes, one can certainly change some parts to make this bike fit someone new. But it would be great to use parts that were in keeping with the traditional style of the bike. For instance, black carbon handlebars with black up-slanted stem would look out of place on this beauty.

But hey, I just wanted to give my own esthetic point of view. In the end, people are going to do whatever they want with their bikes.

It sure is a beauty, and if you left it as is you could sell it for way more than $100 on Ebay or Craigslist I'll wager.

[RoadRaven]

Zen... thats a fabulous pipe dream!

Looking forward to hearing/seeing the next installation!

Great deal - the Scots blood in me has me really admiring a good bargain - and this one is most excellent

[Zen]

I could never touch those handlebars, did you see that leather and stitching?

[Blueberry]

Yes, I think slightly wider tires will fit under the fenders without problems.

There's a chance that that stem can be raised up. It should be a quill, and might have a little more extension on it.

It's a pretty bike!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I could never touch those handlebars, did you see that leather and stitching?

You would probably have to at least tilt them up quite a bit though at least- look how awkward it would be to have your hands on top of the hoods where they are now. Whoever set the hoods there must have ridden only in the drops.

You could get the same stem but a bit shorter, and tilt the bars up, and reposition the hoods while you had the bars off.

Here's the type of stem, that you could get in any length to fit you:
http://www.velo-orange.com/nitedest.html

To change the stem you would need to remove the leather tape. Unfortunately the tape seems to have holes through which the hoods are attached. The hoods are in a less than ideal position if you ask me (you didn't, i know!)
But you could reposition the hoods to a better place AND sew on new beautiful elk-hide leather tape, and it would then look like this:
http://www.velo-orange.com/elsebarco.html
(notice the old style gum hoods with the cables coming out the top like the Mariposa has....beautiful!)
Then you could get a matching honey Brooks saddle! (drool drool.....)
It would go from black leather bars and saddle to honey leather bars and saddle....awesome.

Man, I wish that bike was bigger and fit ME!

[redrhodie]

Wow, she's gorgeous! $25?!!!! You stole her! Good for you!