For my Saturday morning ride I've been touring the yuppie neighborhoods
and scanning the yard sales for interesting bikes.
This Saturday I picked up, for free (the owner was moving and didn't
want to take it to the landfill), a bike that has piqued my interest.
It's a standard diamond frame with upright (not drop) handlebars.
Apparently it was intended as a commuter or workaday bicycle.
What caught my interest is the fact that it's *very* well made and quite
light - 22lbs without tires(*) nor chain (**). The headtube has a decal
that says "Leopard - qualite' Suisse" and features a leaping leopard.
The drivetrain is Shimano - one chainring, but six cogs on the rear hub.
Shifter is a thumb lever on the right handlebar. Weinmann centerpull
brakes. Aluminum rims with no markings that I could find.
A generator on the fork powers a headlight and a flashing taillight. The
kickstand has two legs, when you kick it down it opens into in inverted
"V" to hold up the back wheel. There is even an integrated lock that
opens to clutch the rear wheel. My favorite detail is the license tag
affixed to the rear fender, apparently for some city. No name, just a
number.
I've done the usual searches and come up empty (well, except for Leopard
cycles in California, which seems to be a maker of carbon racing bikes).
The previous owner had found it in the basement of the house when he
moved in - no tires or chain, and he had never been motivated to find
tires or a chain. I plan to make it roadworthy and keep it in my office
to ride around campus at lunch and etc.
(*) I have no idea what size tire to purchase. The diameter of the
wheels is approx 25.2" as best as I can tell. I'm assuming this is a
Swiss bike that was never imported in any number and probably brought
back by one of the number of international faculty we have in the
Triangle.
(**) Same with the chain. Any suggestion appreciated.
And, in general, any information on Leopard bikes would be gladly
received. I have a feeling they are probably quite common in Europe but
no one from my local bike club who looked at it prior to Sunday's ride
(including two knowledgeable mechanics from the LBS) had ever seen one.
Thanks in advance,
--
Strayhorn
³Excuse me, brother, who you jivin' with that cosmik debris?" - F.Z.