Vintage Bicycle: 1981 Schwinn Traveler (and the power of aluminum foil)

 

[A STORY ABOUT THIS BIKE AND ITS RESTORATION COMING SOON...]

1971 Olivetti Lettera 36

 

The Design

This typewriter was designed by Ettore Sottsass who also designed the Olivetti Valentine typewriter (three years earlier). This electric model has a spring-tensioned, pivoting service cover and cylindrical keys. The cover is black plastic. The remaining top housing (2 pieces) is cast metal and painted off-white. The bottom housing is made from a single piece of injection-molded plastic. The feet are large, circular, and made of elastomer. When you pick this machine up, it has a solid feel with plenty of heft.

What makes it special?

I enjoy this model's styling, metal housing, and pivoting service door. But what I love most is the feel of its keys. They are very small with plenty of space between them, yet they are unusually easy to type on and feel fantastic. Why? Because they have concave top surfaces, and the designer/engineers located them precisely. As a result, the keys feel like they've been tailored to your fingertips, and the increased spacing helps you avoid unintended key strikes.

You can type quickly—until you can't

These keys feel so nice—even when your fingers are resting to either side of the G and H—that you'll be tempted to type very quickly. And you can—up to a point.

The problem is, if you type too swiftly, the Lettera 36 jams. But, unlike many typewriters, you won't see two or three hammers knotted together at the top of their strokes. No, this jam happens somewhere unseen below the decks.

The "KEYBD REL" key

Fortunately, there's a built-in failsafe. Just hit the key labeled "KEYBD REL" and the jam instantly untangles, leaving you good to go.

To be clear, you can type quickly on this machine, provided you leave an instant between your keystrokes. Maybe I'll time myself someday and see how many words per minute this electric Lettera can actually handle.

My Review: Nothing So Broken by Chris Richards

 

The publisher asked me for an endorsement/quote for the cover, and I couldn't praise this book enough. Here are some of the things I said:

Wondrous and indelible. Told with the sensitivity and efficiency of a poet--every word and vivid scene deepens the book's profound impact.

This book forever altered my capacity for hope and my respect for those who persevere. Richards delivers the unthinkable yet inspiring stories of three incredible survivors in a precisely written, vividly depicted wonder.

A jaw-dropping book about hope and perseverance. Beautifully composed and vividly depicted.

As you can see, I highly recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCSHMDMW

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A Dull Bottecchia De Luxe Stirs Glistening Memories

Facebook Marketplace photo of a dull yet well-preserved vintage bike.

A Facebook Marketplace find
The pictures on Facebook appeared to show a 1970s (?) bike in unusually good shape. Time had dulled the aluminum parts (handlebars, stem, brakes, levers), but the steel frame, components, and mounting hardware looked rust free, making it a unicorn of sorts. Or at least a Pegasus. So I set up a meeting with the seller and bought it for $200. 

It reminded me of Greg LeMond's famous time trial bike
Bottecchia, an Italian brand, isn't well known in the US. But in 1989, many Americans saw news segments showing Greg LeMond racing against the clock on a red and white Bottecchia. It was newsworthy because he accomplished the unimaginable—he came back from a 50-second deficit to win the Tour de France by a scant 8 seconds. (Total time over 22 days of racing was 87h 38m 35s.)

Miracle man

Greg LeMond had nearly died from a horrific hunting accident two years earlier, so his participation in the grueling, 2000-mile race was already a miracle and ripe for news coverage.

To be clear, the Bottecchia pictured here never saw racing glory. The De Luxe was an entry-level model. Nevertheless, it's still beautiful, and it hearkens me back to a different time in my life.

LeMond's inspiring story launched my humble racing career 

I happened to be sitting in front of a television when one of the networks broadcast the final stage of the '89 Tour. I shared the experience with my girlfriend at the time and her roommate, Suzy. All three of us cheered aloud for the American racer, even though we had never heard of him and had never watched professional bicycling before.

When the broadcast ended, Suzy asked me if I raced bicycles. Surprised and flattered, I said I didn't.

"Why not?" she asked. "You ride all the time."

I didn't have a good answer for her. The truth was, I'd never considered competing. I wasn't even sure bike races came to our corner of Ohio.

But that exciting broadcast had made anything seem possible, so I asked myself, Why not? Why don't I try racing? And a few weeks later, after some research and sleepless nights, I entered my first road race on a sport-touring bicycle I'd bought from Sears. And that was all it took. I fell in love with the sport.

They say, "Never meet your heroes"
Several years later, I met Greg LeMond and shook his hand. I was so star struck, I barely got my name out when he asked for it. He apparently understood my nervousness; after he signed a poster for me, he gave me a kind smile and a knowing nod. Despite the old adage—Never meet your heroes—he was a really nice, down-to-earth guy.

I was honored to have met him and delighted when he spent an hour telling old racing stories.

I never made the headlines, but...
A decade of here-and-there racing, sandwiched between real responsibilities, never earned me more than a few medals and trophies. But those little victories were some of the most confidence-inducing accomplishments of my 20s and 30s; in part, because I hadn't participated in organized sports as a kid (and regretted it); and, in part, because the fast and dangerous sport of bicycle racing allowed me to momentarily escape my cautious and quiet personality. Racing enabled me to see a more daring side of myself, a side I liked, in moderation.

Back to this old bike
After 50+ years, the Bottecchia's grease and oil had dried up completely. So I disassembled everything (except for the bottom bracket—a local bike shop took care of the cotter-pin assembly for me). I was delighted to find all the cones and races were pit free. Even the bearings appeared pristine under an inspection microscope. So I reassembled everything with new grease and patiently adjusted the load on the bearings. Afterwards, I polished all the chrome and aluminum parts (except for braking surfaces) with Turtle Wax All-Metal Polish and buffed the paint with Meguiar's Cleaner Wax.

Restoration challenges
The rear derailleur's pulleys (brittle, old plastic) were cracked and missing teeth. And Shimano replacement parts wouldn't fit the vintage French derailleur because the bolts that held the original Simplex pulleys were too large in diameter.

 

After searching online forums, I learned of a place, Love City Cycles, that manufactures conversion kits with wider bushings and drilled out caps. They sell these kits on Ebay, and those modified pulleys fit perfectly.

I also had some issues maintaining the correct tension on the rear friction shifter. It would loosen slightly after several shifts, resulting in chain noise. I read recently that this can be fixed by applying blue Loctite to the bolt threads, and I'm eager to try that in the spring. Note: later Simplex shifters (1971, for example) came with thumbscrews to help with this problem.

Specs as pictured:

 
Weight: 30.1 lbs / 13.65 kg
Frame: lugged steel, fully chromed then selectively painted (no decal declaring metal composition)
Wheels: 27-inch, 36-spoke, steel rims with textured braking surfaces; aluminum QR hubs
Crankset: 3-piece, steel, cottered
Chainrings: steel, 52, 44
Freewheel: steel, 14, 17, 20, 24, 28
Shifters: Simplex, friction, pre-1971 (no thumbscrews to adjust/hold tension)
Front derailleur: Simplex
Read derailleur: Simplex
Pedals: MKS AR-2 (replacements; original steel rat traps were not serviceable)
Seatpost: Origin 8 (replacement; original clamp had nonstandard rail width)
Saddle: Origin 8, Sport Uno-S (replacement; original "Grand-Prix" no longer had padding/cover, only a timeworn plastic base remained)
Stem: aluminum, 90mm
Handlebars: aluminum, 37 cm (c to c) at drops, 39 cm at hook ends
Brakes: Universal, brake pads are replacements, same color
Tires: 27 x 1 1/4, Carideng (made in Belgium), reinforced nylon, original and still hanging in there

Bell: Crane, Suzu mini copper (new, and wondering if I'll still like it after it patinates)

 

What year is this bike?
I'm not sure. I searched images, forums, resale sites, and interest groups (foreign and domestic) and narrowed it to 1970-1971, based on catalog photos from other years and educated guesses.

Please help if you can
If you know vintage Bottecchias well and can pinpoint the date of manufacture, please enlighten me (and others) in the comments below. Thank you so much.

 

How to Write More Creatively: Easy Brainstorming for Writers

Once upon a time, I struggled with creative writing

Years ago, I earned a degree in psychology. The coursework and research provided insights into my own and others’ thought processes. But those countless hours of studying and observing taught me very little about creativity.

 

Back then, when I wrote stories, I found it difficult to think of things that didn’t feel familiar or cliché. My struggles with creativity were so frustrating, I nearly gave up writing. 

 

Then came brainstorming

I eventually changed careers and attended design school, and my creativity flourished!

Why? Because I learned how to brainstorm, how to reach beyond the first ideas that popped into my head. From that point forward, I could generate many creative solutions to all sorts of problems. It was like I suddenly had a new brain, one capable of so much more.

This book can help you in a similar way

This short book, fewer than 40 pages, will show you the brainstorming process I have used most often and refined over the years. Clear examples and strategic exercises will lead you through it.

 

Learn the simple steps of this technique, and you could be writing more creatively today.

 

 Download a sample or purchase the eBook at Amazon.

 

 

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Marbles in Sunlight

 

A mix of giant handmade and machine-made marbles in a glass vase. Photo from above.

 

I keep these marbles in a glass vase and occasionally stare at them while choosing the best word in a poem or making other writing decisions. Dust collects, so I periodically wash and reset them. I took these photos the last time I did. The dramatic lighting in the pic below was more accident than plan. A lucky moment. Maybe a prompt for a future poem.

 

Marbles in a glass vase and the morning sun saying hello.

Poem: Different Lenses

 

Different Lenses as typed on a Smith Corona, Daisy-Wheel typewriter.
 

 

Find this poem and others in  I'm Not a Kung Fu Badass.

 

 

 

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My Review: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

 

 

I recently started streaming Young Sheldon, a good-hearted, hilarious show. This book had a starring role in the second episode. I remembered reading the book, but I had forgotten reviewing it. Here's my review--a bit dusty but still relevant, I think.

When two different friends in completely separate settings mentioned Dale Carnegie to me, I decided I needed to learn more about him. I discovered that many business majors are exposed to his writings in college or later in manager training.

I found the book interesting, and I really enjoyed the first few chapters. However, as I continued reading, I began to worry about the "How to" part of the book and the idea that some individuals might use it to learn persuasion techniques while discarding the richer message--that you get the most from relationships when you genuinely treat others the way you want to be treated and when you make sincere efforts to understand and appreciate others' viewpoints, motivations, and needs.

Overall, an interesting and thought-provoking read. If people walk away from the experience more self-aware and more considerate of others' feelings, great. Awesome! However, if people try to use it as a roadmap for successful sales and employee management without also absorbing the wider message, I think most of us will see through their insincere efforts--or I hope we will!

 

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Old slide from my braver days.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to crawl under a random semi without permission these days.

 

 .

1935 Royal "O" detail shot.

 

 Love this old machine.

 

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Olivetti Lettera 36 electric

 

 

 Thank you, Sarah, for taking this fun shot.

Thinking about this one again today...

 

A poem from my book, In Inks of All Colors. This one was inspired by my experiences at different corporations, where the sun shined so long as the numbers were up, and the ground crumbled the instant profits dipped.

My Favorites (Classic Books)

Three of my all-time favorites. These books continue to inspire me as a writer and as a person who hopes for a kinder, more empathetic world, one governed by high ideals.

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Midwestern Morning

It was so beautiful this morning that I had to pull over and enjoy it. Unfortunately, I only had my phone camera with me...

My Review: The Long Line Of Elk: Poems and Artifacts by Steve Saroff

 

Exceptional. Emotionally Embossing. Full of sincerity, impactful imagery, and powerful metaphors. The storytelling is so good that I feel like I went on a long journey with the author and learned all his secrets and regrets. I also came away with great respect for his compassion, painfully earned wisdom, and Thoreau-like connection with nature. Very moving and provocative. Exceptional book in many ways.

Published by Flooding Island (March 2022)

Here's link to Amazon if you want to read a sample or purchase it yourself.