Showing posts with label Viscount Aerospace Pro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viscount Aerospace Pro. Show all posts

Friday, 28 March 2014

Why you can't have enough Viscounts

Viscount Aerospace Sport
It was only a few days ago when I sang high praises on the Panaracer Pasela amber-walled tyres. I've ridden mine since October and only had two punctures so far. Correction: three, including today. So you can probably imagine how miffed I was when I had a flat rear. No, don't even think about my arse!
With a shrug, I put the red flash back into the shed and pulled out the blue Aerospace Sport. Went to the shop, played with bikes and wheels all day then, on way back, I thought the squeaking noise coming from the front of my bike didn't sound healthy, so I stopped to investigate. Bugger! That stem was way too far out. How did that happen? I have no idea. Whenever I rode it it was fine. Now that damn stem has an imperial-sized bolt and, unfortunately, I don't have the right-sized tool for it (yet). I'd put it off to buy one because everything was fine. Pushed the bike home, cursing under my breath.
Note to self: get imperial-sized allen keys, woman!
I won't be able to fix both bikes until Sunday as I'm busy with other things tomorrow. But how lucky am I to
Viscount Aerospace Pro
have the Viscount Aerospace Pro still sitting in my shed? Okay, its wheels are a tad on the risky side (spokes too loose and pretty rusty), and the handlebar tape has sort of come loose but, who cares? I haven't ridden that bike in ages, it may be good to shake off some of the cob-webs. As you know, it's my restoration project and needs the wheels cleaned and rebuild as well as various parts re-chromed; I also have new cotton-cloth handlebar tape sitting here, waiting to be used.
Let's see if that bike is actually rideable--I haven't checked. If everything fails, I still have my mamachari ...
Anyway, once the special Viscount tool arrives, I'll give the blue one a proper once over, then swap the stem for a shorter SR, with blue plastic handlebar tape (not sure how it will feel), and service the bottom bracket. When I've got my other bikes built, I'll have the blue one resprayed, too. That'll be six Viscounts in total then. And one Lococo, which means I'll have a bike for every day of the week. How cool's that?

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Viscount Aerospace Pro--a dream

Life is hectic at the moment, but nothing will keep me from riding, particularly not if it's as smooth as my newest bike. In August, I acquired a 100% original Viscount Aerospace Pro (I think it's a 1977/78) which I intended to do up for my friend. Unfortunately, Noah and I got really excited about the idea of restoring it and, every time we looked at the bike, there, hanging on the shop's wall, we nodded at each other with a sigh, until he said: 'You really should keep this, it's so rare to find something this original.'
I pondered, then decided he's right. Luckily, my friend later said she'd rather have a bike being build by me, than get something I bought and just handed over to her. Phew! So, that means I'm on the hunt for another small Viscount frame (19/20 inches), but there's worse situations to be in. The best of all: I have a new Viscount for my collection. And what a stunner it is. Okay, there's quite a bit of rust, where the chrome has gone, I didn't even clean it, since it's going to be restored soon, but I took it out for a proper spin today and was blown away. Such an easy ride. I mean I shouldn't be surprised, it's an Aerospace, after all, and since I've sat on more than a few, I can safely say, you cannot go wrong with those bicycles. Ever!
And so you can also drool over this wonderful find, here are some pictures of it.













By the way: bumped into another Viscount on my way to the shop; of course I had to stop the guy and tell him that he's riding on a piece of history. He said he's been riding it every day for the past three years and is loving it. Long live the Viscount!