Baby pics- Meet Fern

[mayanorange]

She's not butted steel, but the main triangle is Reynolds 531 and she has aluminum wheels. You guys are going to love the lugs. She's so dainty compared to the OS modern tubing!

Plans are (once the handlebars are where they belong) a new saddle (well, maybe a vintage if the Middlemore one I scored on ebay is wide enough for me), hand-sewn leather bar covers (oh darn, I have some extra leather sitting around), then we move on to sweet chrome fenders and bottle rack (she's going to be a commuter BTW). Can't make her look too cute tho, or somebody will swipe her! But that goes against my design aesthetics.... *sigh*

[Aquila]

As much as I love riding my aluminum bike (with a few carbon parts), I have to admit that the old steel frames are so beautiful and clean looking.

And that green! That's just one extraordinarily beautiful bike!

(Close ups, please)

[mayanorange]

[Iris616]

Wow-I love the green! She is beautiful!

[mayanorange]

PS- that's not dirt, that's original handpainted gold accents highlighting her curvaceous lugs. And there's a trace of accents down the fork and at the green/chorme lines. Can't wait to get some sweet fenders on there and maybe a Brooks.

[DebW]

Very familiar. Even the R on the seat post bolt (which is English, not metric). I worked in a Raleigh shop in the 70s. What derailleurs does it have? Huret or Simplex?

[uforgot]

I have the Ritchey Biomax bars on my Nishiki. 75mm reach and 130mm drop. I think it's the term Biomax that is the shorter and shallower part. Mine are silver and I got them on ebay. Silver isn't as easy to find as black, but they ARE out there.

[Trek420]

then we move on to sweet chrome fenders and bottle rack (she's going to be a commuter BTW). Can't make her look too cute tho, or somebody will swipe her! But that goes against my design aesthetics.... *sigh*

She's a beaut! I was going to suggest wood fenders with the green and flecks/hints of gold:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=20138

[uforgot]

You're right Trek! That green is just crying for wood fenders!

[Trek420]

You're right Trek! That green is just crying for wood fenders!

Of course I'm right (just kidding). Fern neeeeeeeds these fenders:

www.woodysfenders.com/store

[mayanorange]

I agree ladies, Fern would be drop dead gorgeous with some cherry and mahogany fenders! Maybe some day when she's not commuting with me... my dad's a woodworker, so I know he'd make her some gorgeous one of a kind shoes, but for now just going to have to give her some extra chrome. I'd love some brass-colored fenders- that would be sweet too!

Ooooooooh, look at these!!! http://store.somafab.com/tabrtrfe.html

[Trek420]

It's hard to explain the aesthetic. It's like mixing silver and gold jewelry (which I'm wearing right now so ... ).

I just feel with the rich green and subtle gold with either chrome or brass it's just going to clash.

OTOH hand hammered copper just might work, warm enough to enhance the gold.

My vote is if you want something not so thief drool magnet worthy get plain black plastic fenders. But why uglify this gorgeous bike? This is a beautiful beautiful bike and remodel, there's nothing can hide that. So why not make Fern as beautiful as she can be?

Enjoy your bike, ride lots and inspire others when they see how gorgeous a customized bike can be.

Just keep her locked, in your sight, or under your @zz.