Hi, Jim,

Thanks for the compliments on my Le Tour (Current Classics #317) and if I may I'd like to add a bike to your working bikes category.

I love your site with all the beautiful classy bikes! This is a Free Spirit 10 or 12 speed that I'm guessing is around a 1980 model. I think it is the Austrian made model by Puch. This is another "clean-out-the-garage" bike that was given to me as a frame/fork. It used to be dark red and badly scratched but almost never ridden.

Rear fender and three-speed stuff are off a wrecked '54 Dunent 3-speed bike, along with the head and fender badges. Front fender is off a '62 Raleigh-built Huffy. Rims are Sun CR18 700c (32h ft., 40h rr.). The folks at Rivendell Bicycle Works were kind enough to get these rims for me since the 40h rim is not listed in their catalog. The ALE bottle cage, cork grips, Dia-Compe S-C 7 brake levers, and Scott/Mathauser brake pads were also from Rivendell. Saddle is a Brooks B66 antique brown. Pletscher rack is from a junk Raleigh.

I love this bike and it satisfies my rack and fender fetish. It rides great and is rock solid. This one I can actually do tours on and I've taken 60+mile day trips on it in complete comfort! I got a Carridice Nelson Longflap I can use on it and I might get a wicker basket for the front (or a Baggins Banana bag from Rivendell, haven't decided yet). By the way I painted the frame, fenders, and stem a two-component epoxy. The color is called Polynesian Sand, which is actually beige with a suggestion of pink which you might not be able to tell in the pics.

Thank you for your wonderful site.

Patrick A. Murphy

Dayton, Ohio

lindamurphy814@yahoo.com