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Antique of the Week
brought to you by the splatte

Antique of the Week
brought to you by the  splatter paint enthusiast @jessebillypilgrim 

I love splatter paint jobs. If it has a splatter paint job a part of me wants to own it. This beautiful Cannondale "Competition Series" mountain bike is no exception with its neon green and black paint job.

We have lovingly restored this bike with some new more comfortable and less aggressive handlebars, great gravel tires and a new comfortable saddle, but left its original Shimano LX components that were in great working order. When this bike was brand new it came stock with a seatpost that also doubled as a pump for fixing flat tires out on the trail. Unfortunately, the original pump/post was unrepairable and we replaced it. 

We have touched on the origin of Cannondale on previous posts, but for those who missed it Cannondale started in 1971 in Wilton, Connecticut creating concrete forms, bags, tents, and bicycle trailers in an office above a pickle factory near the Cannondale train station. Eventually they got into producing bicycles and this cool rare off road bike is one of them.

Luckily this beautiful bike is too big for me as I have way too many bikes as it is, though I am definitely keeping my eyes peeled for one that has a paint job this cool.

#antiqueoftheweek #cannondale #26inchlifestyle #gearhubbutter #butterbike


🔥 Hot off the press: Gear Hub’s 1st Zine!! ‘Pump it Up!’ brings the program curriculum from Bikes for All Mainers to life in a cartoon-coloring-booklet for kids and adults alike. 

We collab’d with the creative duo Rachel Kobasa and Adam King to create the cutest and coolest bike maintenance and safety zine we’ve ever seen. 

It’s available in 4 languages and will be passed out to all participants in this summer’s Bikes for All Mainers and Kids Bike Party programs. It’s also available for sale at the shop for $5! 

#pumpitup #bikezine #gearhubbikeschool #bikesforallmainers #kidsbikeparty

Youth Wrench kicked off the summer season a couple
Youth Wrench kicked off the summer season a couple weeks ago at the Bike School. This past Friday was a full shop with every bench in use and projects ranging from tire installs, new chains, replacing brakes and pads, and adjusting derailleurs. 

Youth Wrench is a FREE program every Friday in the summer months at the Bike School for kids and teens under 20 years old. The best part is that youth get to work on their own bikes and learn from peer instruction from our amazing Program Assistant and Youth Interns.

We focus on supporting the immediate neighborhood in Kennedy Park, repairing bikes for safe use, and providing free replacement parts like tubes and used components. 

This program is made possible by funding support from @martinspointhealthcare 

#morekidsonbikes #youthwrench #gearhubbikeschool

Another ✨ new ✨ Tanglefoot Hardtack built up w
Another ✨ new ✨ Tanglefoot Hardtack built up with buttery bits from the Gear Hub and beyond: custom hand built wheels, stem by @discordcomponents, wide and fast gravely tires to take you anywhere. 

This bike is fun and ready for any bikepacking adventure you can dream up. Come check it for a test ride! 

Size small likely fits riders 5’4” - 5’8”

@tanglefootcycles @analogcycles 
#bikepacking #gravelbike

HAPPY PRIDE!!!!!
We’re out here in Deering Oaks

HAPPY PRIDE!!!!! 
We’re out here in Deering Oaks hanging and tabling with fun Gear Hub swag, program and volunteer info, friends, and books/ pins/ stickers from @radical.adventure.riders 

Come say hey!! 
@prideportlandme 
#portlandmainepride #happypride

Antique of the Week with the 3-speed extraordinair
Antique of the Week with the 3-speed extraordinaire @jessebillypilgrim. Special thanks to @bikemaine for sharing this one with us. 

Most braking systems on a bicycle are actuated by a cable, inside housing which runs from a brake lever to a brake caliper. There are some modern bicycles which replace this cable with hydraulic fluid to make the system smoother and more efficient, and there are some antique bicycles that use steel rods to actuate the brake. Here at the Portland Gear Hub we work on it all. This 1974 Raleigh Tourist 3 speed is equipped with "Rod Brakes" and we think it is pretty cool. 

This bike is in really good shape for its age and surprisingly rides pretty smooth. We determined its age by looking at a small stamp on the rear hub that was marked "74." This indicates that it was built in 1974. Some of its other funky features are a Brooks Leather B72 saddle, original 28inch (635 ETRTO) tires and super slack relaxed geometry.

Raleigh had a long heritage of being built in England, and exclusively built there until demand outpaced production in the 1970's. They then produced some of their cheaper models in India and Hungary and eventually moved production to Canada and China. This Tourist Model was built in Nottingham England and it is VERY heavy. Everything that is not rubber or leather on it is made of steel, which they prominently advertised. They had a campaign for decades boasting that they were "The All-Steel Bicycle." 

While we may not recommend this bike to someone who lives in a top floor apartment it would make a great cruiser for someone who has ground floor storage, or loves weight lifting.
🏋️‍♀️

#antiqueoftheweek #raleightourist #steelisreal

If you’re looking for a fun summer ride, this bi
If you’re looking for a fun summer ride, this bike is a top contender. Simple, fast, ultra light single speed build that weighs a breezy 15lbs. 

It was also donated by a family member of someone here at the shop, so you know it’s got good energy. 

50cm frame likely fits riders 5’3” - 5’6”

Easy to carry upstairs to your apartment! 

#gearhubbike #getoutthere

The Portland Pride Parade is this Saturday and we
The Portland Pride Parade is this Saturday and we will be there! The Gear Hub will be marching and tabling with all of our most vibrant goodies, program info, and tube tassels for your bicicletas. 

🐸FYI - the shop will be closed all day Saturday so that we can celebrate in full at Pride 🦋

If you’d like to join us, please fill out the form linked in our bio so we can connect. 

~~~~more info ~~~~~
For the first time in 2 years Portland is doing its annual PRIDE parade, so naturally Gear Hub had to be there. It's easy to say something trite like "now more than ever we need..." the truth is this year is important to our LGBTQIA + community. Through the covid-19 pandemic we learned that community events, especially LGBTQIA+  gatherings cannot be taken for granted. Sure we are ourselves everyday with or without PRIDE, but positive, supportive, engaging, fun and euphoric community events where we can be ourselves + together are special. To honor this homecoming, all the LGBTQIA+ community who work, volunteer, patron and play at the Gear Hub we are going to take our bikes to the parade. Plainly, queers we see you. We love you. Got a bike? Join us! 

#portlandmainepride

Antique of the Week from the champion of the ‘Go
Antique of the Week from the champion of the ‘Goose @jessebillypilgrim :

A few weeks back I wrote an Antique of the Week about a 1988 Mongoose Switchback All Terrain Bicycle that was in immaculate shape. This week we restored a 1988 Mongoose Alta in Ocean Blue and Grey that was not quite as pristine, but was a perfect candidate for a full rebuild. 

The Mongoose Alta was a mid level mountain bike in 1988 and I don't think I could do better describing it than they did so I will quote from the original 1988 catalogue:

"The All New Mongoose Alta has been completely re-equipped for 1988. Featuring an all chromoly frame and fork for optimum response and reliability." Features include, "elliptical Ovaltech Chainrings (computer designed Ovaltech chainrings increase your pedaling efficiency), a 14-28 Shimano freewheel and a uniglide chain comprise the wide ratio drive system."

We retained many of the same period correct parts on this rebuild, but added a little bit of Portland Gear Hub flair with colorful housing and new grips and tires. These All Terrain Bicycles are always my favorites because they can go just about anywhere and be ridden by just about anyone, so if you want to go "anywhere" and are "anyone" we might have an "All Terrain Bicycle" for you.

#antiqueoftheweek #mongoosealta #26inchlifestyle


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