In the seventies, we had a good number of regular visitors to our shop on King Street in downtown Toronto. One of the regulars was a Frenchman, named Jean, who visited…
Restoration Feature: Provenance Of A New/Old Bianchi
I decided to get a bike to go on my smart trainer when I take my 2017 Mariposa gravel bike off to ride it outside. About 2008 or 2009, I…
Shifting Gears: A brief history of derailleurs
Multiple gears, whether they are the internal hub variety or the derailleur, are the most complex mechanisms on bicycles. An internal hub gear can be interesting enough, but to fully…
Cinelli Laser. Italy, 1984
A short time after Antonio Colombo took over the management of the Columbus bicycle company, he introduced the Cinelli Laser, the design of which is revolutionary. Although the changes were…
Vintage Bicycle Feature: 1965 Hetchins, England
This frame is an excellent example of the ornate lugged Hetchins. The Hetchins “Vibrant” stays were claimed to make the bike more comfortable and resilient. Campagnolo Record derailleurs, hubs and…
Vintage Bicycle Feature: André Bertin “Type Special” French Racer Vintage Bicycle
This circa late 1940s André Bertin “Type Special” French Racer was built by André Bertin, a former professional cyclist. At Bicyclesport and Bicycle Specialties, we sold Bertin over the years…
A Life With Bicycles Book Launch Party Photo Gallery
Photography by Timothy Austen Thank you to everyone who attended “A Life With Bicycles” book launch party last week at Amsterdam Brewery. It was a wonderful tribute to Mike Barry and…
Vintage Bicycle Feature: c1988 Kirk Precision Magnesium Bicycle
Frank Kirk thought up this remarkable bike while working as a designer at the Ford plant in Dagenham, England. The frame is made of cast magnesium, and was a dramatically different approach to frame…
Turas Mor 2018
By Dede Barry Last weekend’s Turas Mor gravel event / vintage cycling celebration was a great way to kick off summer in Ontario. The event was created by Creemore Springs Brewery. …
Vintage Bicycle Feature: c1958 Cinelli Model B
As a young teenager in the fifties I spent most of my spare time riding my bike, hanging around the local bike shop or visiting as many as I could…
Bartali, Coppi & Derailleurs in the 1949 Tour de France
By Mike Barry Sr. Photography by Walter Lai Following the Italian Gino Bartali’s second victory in the Tour de France in 1948, he decided that for the 1949 Tour he…
Weekend Dispatch August 31, 2016
Bobcaygeon Tandem Tour By Dede Barry A family adventure. Over the last two years we’ve done a few rides as a family on the tandems. Those rides were a success…