The Flying Pigeon Project

All Gum Tire Install

Recently I reported on the acquisition of some All-Gum IRC Tires from Japan. Originally my intention was to install these along with my stainless Araya Westwood rims, stainless spokes and mystery hub to create a completely new wheel set for my bike.

Yan Pai: Beijing Swallow

Another one of the rarely seen minor roadster brands is this long out of production Beijing Yan Pai (Swallow Brand).

 

Score! All-Gum Tires

A couple of weeks back, I had a very pleasant package arrive from Japan. Thanks to the helpful guys at Kon's in Kyoto, and especially to Richard at Vintage Japanese Bicycles, I now have a beautiful set of IRC 26" X 1"3/8 all GUM tires.

I think these are going to look great on a certain black roadster. What do you think?

Domo arigoto indeed!!

 

Peruvian Butterfly

Artist Patricia Villanueva of Lima, Peru has a connoisseur's eye for the fine and unusual.

"That's what drew me to this bike. It seems like such a classic.  But beyond that I have a special affiliation with it. My grandmother use to call me "Farfalle", which is Butterfly in Italian. I also have a large butterfly tattoo on my arm. So when I saw this Hudie brand bicycle with it Butterfly logo, I knew it was meant for me."

"This type of bike is often used by professional gardener's here in Lima. They need something sturdy, of course to transport their tools and my bike had an extra top-bar welded in. Gardeners have girlfriends as well as tools and maybe this is how they got around. But apparently they needed a speedier mode of transport and he sold it in order to buy a motorcycle."

"Looking over the bike I knew I would have to cut that away that top bar and get the bike back to it's original style. Yes, a full restoration was in order."

Electric Garbage Bikes of Bejiing

OK. The headline is a lie.

There are no garbage "bicycles" in Beijing and they certainly are not electric. Instead there are a variety of pedal powered trikes which serve as garbage trucks. See, in Beijings tight warren-like Hutongs, a US type Mack garbage truck would never fit. But these bikes go there with ease.