By Mike Barry Sr. Photography by Walter Lai At the London bike show in 1952, the Dunlop Company showed a movie that features all the highlights of the 1952 cycling…
L’Eroica California 2018
Toronto (Cabbagetown) cyclist, Paul Kaminski rode his 1980s Mariposa, which he restored himself in the L’Eroica California April 14-15, 2018.
Restoration Feature: c1950s Jo Routens
A c1950s Jo Routens restoration. Â A replica Routens front derailleur, the fenders stays and the rear carrier was built in the Mariposa Bicycles – Bicycle Specialties workshop by Michael Barry.…
Mercier, France. 1975
By Mike Barry Sr. Photography by Walter Lai The Mercier Company was established in St. Etienne, France in the early part of the Twentieth Century. They produced a large…
Vintage Mariposa Feature: David Harris’ 1988 Road Bicycle
This Mariposa was built for David Harris in 1988 and painted for him by an artist friend from Toronto Island. David was a filmmaker and a world class hang-glider (he held…
Restoration Feature: Cyclocross to Commuter Bike Conversion
We took a beat up 1990s Desmarais Cyclocross frame, that was ridden by two time provincial road champ Joe Guilliano, stripped it, sand blasted it, built a new fork (the fork…
Restoration Feature: Maurice Jefferies and his 1970s Masi
By Mike Barry Sr. My earliest memories of Maurice Jefferies are of him riding the Herne Hill Track in South London, England in the 1950s. He was a prominent member…
Bob’s Custom Bike
Bob Zeller, a Mariposa customer and friend for more than 40 years who currently lives in the United Kingdom, went to the Donard Bicycles, a custom bicycle workshop in Strangford Lough…
Restoration Feature: Routens
By Michael Barry Photography by Walter Lai Old bikes or just parts and frames, broken or bent, rusty and worn, often come in the shop for repair. Some require a…
Vintage Bicycle Feature: Cinelli Super Corsa, 1951
By Mike Barry Photography by Walter Lai In the early 1950s, I was a kid living in London with very little money, but an intense interest in everything to do…
Umberto Dei Milano, 1938.
By Mike Barry Photography by Walter Lai It wasn’t until 1937 that variable gears were allowed to be used in the Tour de France. The organizer, Henri Desgrange believed that…
Those Chain Gears And A Funky Bike
By Mike Barry Photography by Walter Lai In the early part of the twentieth century variable gearing became available for bicycles. In France a number of companies marketed derailleurs in…