Going through the parts bins at an old state run bicycle shop that I like to call "The Pigeon's Nest", I occasionally come across some NOS parts. Such was the case last week when I found this chrome chainwheel guard from the 1980's or 1990s. Hard to believe, but the 1980's is already twenty years gone! And 20 years is like 100 years in China.
This week was the first time I had been to Panjiayuan antique bike meet in months. Being it was the end of spring festival, and still winter, there wasn't the usual crowd. And the crowd that was there came late. But still there was some interesting stuff to be seen. One first timer unloaded a table of bits and pieces. A fine melange for a browsing.
Frequent readers will remember past posts of vintage Fuji Brake-Rod roadsters. These are fantastic, is very heavily constructed bikes from one of the world's oldest and most successful bike companies. Dearly sought after machines indeed.
Now a funny thing happened at Panjiayuan a few months back. A gentleman brought an excellent example, maybe the best example seen yet, of a Fuji roadster....or was it? In the below pictures you can see quite clearly on the head badge and the fender logo, that although the Fuji trademark silhouette of Mt. Fujiyama is co-opted, It instead bears the letter "HAO" and not Fuji.
Hao, incidentally, means "Good" in Chinese, although the bike is clearly Japanese. So is it a copy?
Beijing is famous for it's Hutongs. These are the tight alleyways of the old city. The last 50 years has not been kind to these historic streets and the buildings around them. During the population boom of the 50's, 5 families were often allocated to a courtyard home that had previously belonged to only 1. Of course, now they are being torn down to make way for high rise apartments and offices. But still, they make for interesting little jaunt. Yes, now it is cold and bitter, but in the warm days of August I decided to go for a little ride. With streets so tight, a car is a bit of a nuisance... A bike, by far is the best way to tour the hutongs.
As we have seen in previous posts, the Flying Pigeon and other Asian roadsters make a great basis for a custom bike. Perhaps nobody does this better than Josef and Adam Ali-Bray at Flying Pigeon LA, one of the North American importers.
Right now they are offering several customs right out of the box, or spec your own. Above, you can see their "Flying Pigeon Racer". Stripped down for speed, the Pigeon loses it's fenders and chaincase. It also loses the cottered crank and the brake rods.
