Reminiscing about catalogs

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Kudos to all of your who kept your catalogs. I regret tossing mine but I don't save anything. I go all the way back to the newsprint Nashbar and Supergo catalogs of the '70's. Not mentioned yet; anyone remember Lickton's Cycle City (sp)?

Anyone who uses ShipBikes deals with Lickton's. The bike shop is still in business in the Chicago burbs.

[572cv]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

Last winter I rediscovered a stash that I thought had been thrown away years ago. Needless to say, the entire world was put on pause for a few hours…

I think I remember that pause from this side of the world... everything suddenly seemed calm, serene, full of promise.

[bigflax925]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Anyone who uses ShipBikes deals with Lickton's. The bike shop is still in business in the Chicago burbs.

I still have a pair of Phil Wood wheels that Lickton's built for me way back when RM-20's were the "in" thing. Some of the best wheels I've had.

[accordvsick]

Any BMX plus kids here?

[Doug Fattic]

Originally Posted by BryanE

History lesson time.
Gene Porteusi, I've been told, was the first to have a mail order bicycle catalog. He moved to Cadillac from Detroit in 1970. He enjoyed the outdoors and moved for that reason. I purchased a Puch from him in 77. I wanted a Schwinn, he said they were junk. Two 80.00 payments and it was mine. We called him The Italian.

Gene Porteusi did not print the only mail order catalog available before the bike boom of 1970. Here are pictures of another 2. I was looking for my copy of Cyclo-Pedia with a blue cover just last week. I couldn't find it. In that edition Gene wrote a description of how to build a wheel. In his catalog he sold a truing stand for $6.95 (going by memory). One day when I was in grad school 50 years ago (with evening classes), I drove from Niles, Michigan up north to his shop in Cadillac to buy some rims and spokes to fit some Campy hubs I had bought in Hong Kong on my way back from teaching English in Japan. I bought that truing stand at the same time. I still have that 1st set of wheels and stand today.

[m_sasso]

Gene Portuesi operated the Detroit Cycle Sport Shop on Michigan Avenue in Detroit before moving to Cadillac and was a business partner with Mike Walden. Gene and Mike were both US National Cycling Team Coaches. Most of my early bicycles and parts came from these two shops along with Powers Schwinn in Royal Oak, Michigan.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by DHallerman

Ah, Branford Bike. They had parts I saw nowhere else. I remember calling the guy (just looked it up, Tim Brockett) and going through my shopping list, item by item, with questions answered as needed.

A very satisfying shopping experience.

Dave

That's still pretty much the Peter White Cycles experience, though these days with fewer "nowhere else" parts.

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by Doug Fattic

Gene Porteusi did not print the only mail order catalog available before the bike boom of 1970. Here are pictures of another 2. I was looking for my copy of Cyclo-Pedia with a blue cover just last week. I couldn't find it. In that edition Gene wrote a description of how to build a wheel. In his catalog he sold a truing stand for $6.95 (going by memory). One day when I was in grad school 50 years ago (with evening classes), I drove from Niles, Michigan up north to his shop in Cadillac to buy some rims and spokes to fit some Campy hubs I had bought in Hong Kong on my way back from teaching English in Japan. I bought that truing stand at the same time. I still have that 1st set of wheels and stand today.

(X) LIKE. The level of detail, exploded drawings, small parts availability and general variety of items available from those catalogs was incredible.

[soupless]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

Gene Portuesi operated the Detroit Cycle Sport Shop on Michigan Avenue in Detroit before moving to Cadillac and was a business partner with Mike Walden. Gene and Mike were both US National Cycling Team Coaches. Most of my early bicycles and parts came from these two shops along with Powers Schwinn in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Did you grow up in Detroit? Ever roll with Mike Walden and the Wolverine crew, etc? Someone should write a book about them.

Once I've got more track time, I'd love to hit up Roger Young's Madison clinic out here.

[m_sasso]

Originally Posted by soupless

Did you grow up in Detroit? Ever roll with Mike Walden and the Wolverine crew, etc? Someone should write a book about them.

Once I've got more track time, I'd love to hit up Roger Young's Madison clinic out here.

Yes, I did, lived in Royal Joke (Royal Oak) and hung out in Mud Flats (Madison Heights). Purchased my bike parts from Mike's shop, his daughter Christine Walden Hughes use to sell me parts and is now married to Dale Hughes who built the Bloomer State Track, Detroit Lexus Velodrome and many others around the world including the Atlanta Olympic Track now being rebuilt indoors in Bromont, Quebec, Canada. Dale, Christine and their family John and Chris basically run the Lexus Velodrome with help.

I use to ride with Walden and the Wolverine crew out of the Royal Oak, Library and raced the local criteriums. Occasionally went to the Dorais Velodrome but I have become way more of a trackie in the last 10 years than I was then. Currently on the board of directors for the Burnaby Velodrome, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. If you ever get up this way and want to go for a track ride, just PM me.