Waiting for parts to arrive in the mail is like the excitement I felt waiting for xmas morning to roll around for so many years when I was a kid. There’s the feeling of anticipation – you don’t know exactly when your ill-gotten gains will find their way to you until you roll up panting to the letterbox and find that red and white parcel collection notice. And, like xmas morning, you don’t know exactly what surprises you might get. Granted, paying for something and waiting it to arrive from the US or elsewhere in the world isn’t quite the same as knowing you were going to get something, but not knowing exactly what, but hey, when can we really say we experience the same childish excitement these days?
Me, I’m waiting on the last piece of my build to arrive. There’ll be a very excited run to the post office when I get that golden ticket in the letterbox, and some feverish spanner work going down when my cranks arrive.
For now, my blue, red and white steed will do the job while the canary yellow fixed-to-be sits waiting for the heart transplant it needs to live.
Canary yellow fixed? another bike?? ah, now.. I need to see some progress pics of this 2nd bike! Mischa what size is it? Make? What are you strapping to it? Christmas indeed.. now I’m even excited!
As a quick aside, I found another Hobart fixed newbie.. Clinton is building a ‘McBains’ retro track bike using a mix of parts (mostly sourced from his Dads 30 plus year old bike) and he’s keen for the Friday night track meets and a fixed spin around town.. He managed to get out the back of McBains and score one of those frames hidden away out there.. I’ve tried sooooo many times to see ’em with no success!
Nice one Ben! There’s more than one of us posting here, so keep an eye out for the names of the people posting, hehe.
I reckon Clinton must have scored a similar frame to the one I picked up almost a year ago now – a 58/59 unknown track frame with Campy and Shimano decals attached. Cinelli stem and bars, Mavic wheels, Campy seatpost, Selle Italia saddle, Shimano 600 cranks (yet to arrive), Campy track pedals.
Great to hear there’s another person on the fixed train as well.
Hope your search for a fixed turns up some gold. Liam
Not a second bike, the canary yellow is Liam’s (check the post author!). It’s a beautiful machine, and will be even more-so when it’s alive and rolling.
The frame came from that same McBain’s haul. $50 bargains can’t be beaten. As did the chrome frame Nic rides. Unfortunately some gimp from Melbourne came down and bought the rest of them, but there’s more to come apparently (at higher prices though, as is always the way of things).
Retro’s the way to go, I love it. Lugged steel, track drops and polished vintage cranks…sweet machines.
Awesome to hear of more builds in progress. Bring on the fixed group rides I say!
Ah, I’m gutted that I’ve missed the McBains boat! I’ve hassled ’em heaps of times to be let out the back for a squiz but the reply is always the same.. The owner wants to come down and sort them out first so there’s none currently for sale..
I looked for awhile for an old frame or complete but nothing resonable popped up so I bought a Surly Steamroller from Treadlies (which should arrive in a week or two)… but being a bike slut if I see a tidy frame kicking around I’ll be sure to snap it up!
Again I concur, bring on the fixed group rides!
and finally, ‘Oops’.. Will check on authors for the posts from now on.