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| Last night, I turned the above beer... |
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| ... into the above frame, through the magic of Craigslist. |
That's right. In exchange for a six-pack of
New Belgium's Red Hoptober, I am now the owner of a 1992 Trek 950 frame.
For those in the know, this frame is a prime example of the short-lived era of production mountain bikes in which high-quality lugged steel was incorporated with a 1 1/8th inch head tube; True Temper OX II tubing joined with the pinnacle production of Trek's once iconic lugs.
The frame itself, at 16.5 inches, is too small for me. However, it is the perfect size for an
Xtracycle project in the works. It is now just a matter of pulling together the right parts, and a cargo bike with a sturdy, dependable heart will be born–all thanks to American beer and ingenuity.
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| My co-conspirator Scout inspects the goods. |
Those are some nice frames for sure. There are some sweet Paramount mtb frames from that era as well.
ReplyDeleteHoly krap, when I first saw your post title, what flashed through my mind was a municipal program whereby you could turn in your illegal and unregistered bikes for beer, and be granted amnesty, no questions asked. Sweet!
ReplyDeleteAll kidding aside, nice trade. Sounds like a worthy workhouse is about to be born.
Nick: You are quite right about Paramounts of that era. In about 2001 I picked up a 1991 Paramount PDG 70, complete minus wheels, for $40 at the Denver Veloswap. It had full Tange Prestige tubing, full Deore XTII with top mount shifters, and a Rock Shox Mag 20, all in pristine condition. Unfortunately it was about a size or two too small for me, and although I tried to make it work, I ultimately stripped it of the prized XTII and rebuilt it for my brother-in-law. He still rides it and says he gets compliments from bike-knowledgable people wherever he goes.
ReplyDeletePat: I like your bike amnesty for beer idea, but wonder if it might go equally as well trading beer to receive bikes. I'm a big fan of the informal barter system, and can imagine the emergence of an alternative economy. I've made numerous trades involving various combinations of bike parts, mechanic labor, and alcohol.
When I saw an ad on Craigslist worded something to the effect of, "Will take 6-pack of hoppy microbrew in trade for mountain bike frame," I knew that whatever it was, I had to support this bold experiment into a beer/bike based economy. It didn't hurt that the frame was cool and that it suited the needs of one of my projects. If it had been my size, I'll have to admit that it would have likely been otherwise committed. However, as it is, it will become the coffee-hauling support bike for the coffee shop of some friends.
Hey, wait, I know that frame, it belonged to my friend, Greg. He was pleased with the trade as well, glad it worked out.
ReplyDeleteBeer truly is magic
ReplyDelete