Within the cycling community, there are enthusiasts who adore classic bikes for their simplicity and character. However, they are becoming pricier as time passes. I used to think you’d need to splurge if you wanted something functional and classy. But I was proven wrong with a friend’s retro mountain bike (MTB).
I first met Marco to sell him the pedals of my Bridgestone Eurasia. He had a classic bike, too, a Tundra Arrowhead. Apparently, he had just transferred to Metro Manila from his hometown of Naga in Bicol. Since he was used to biking to school there, he got the retro MTB as a cheap way of getting around the big city.
Based on scarce information from the Internet, Tundra was an entry-level sub-brand by GT Bicycles, sold in Canada during the ’90s (also known as Mt. Shasta in the US). Despite the obscurity, the Arrowhead is still a full-fledged retro MTB with a steel frame, 26-inch wheels, and cantilever brakes.
Marco repurposed it as a chill city cruiser. The bike may look expensive as it resembes a Rivendell. But I realized that wasn’t the case after chatting with the owner over coffee.
Grant Petersen, founder of Rivendell Bicycle Works, is a bicycle designer known for his strong opinion that bicycles should be simple and reliable machines, and that riding one should be a comfortable and leisurely activity that anyone can enjoy.
He’s also quite the “retrogrouch” with his aversion to contemporary cycling culture, and its unhealthy obsession with absolute performance, proprietary technology, and planned obsolescence.
While many adhere to his philosophy, others critique his brand. For someone who believes that bicycles should be accessible, his products are quite expensive. A frameset alone costs between $1,300 (P75,000) and $2,000 (P115,500).
Thankfully, Marco’s build shows that you don’t need to splurge that much to build something similar. In horological terms: Take an old Seiko 5; dress it up nicely with affordable mods; and it could look as good as a Grand Seiko to ordinary folk.
According to Marco, he was able to get the Tundra Arrowhead for P3,700 on Facebook Marketplace. The bike was in working condition, but it needed much restoration. Even after spending on additional parts and accessories, the total cost was roughly P13,000. How did he achieve this?
Rather than splurging on expensive components, he scoured online on Facebook, Lazada, and Shopee for good deals on components that looked the part and did the job. You won’t find anything original from high-end brands such as Nitto, Dia-Compe, Velo Orange, MKS, or Brooks.
The old Sakae pedals that he got from me were P800. The brown leather saddle—known to some as “The Brokes”—was bought on sale on Lazada for P1,200, 1/7 the price of its original British counterpart. The Panaracer Pasela tires were P1,500 for the pair. Meanwhile, the rear rack was worth P220, and the secondhand Sack It Kaban bag was P1,500.
For the aesthetics, Marco spray-painted the frame himself inside his condo, and he also designed the decals. Both the bright-orange color and the font were inspired by Rivendell. Meanwhile, the head badge that completed the look was ordered from Shopee.
Does the bike ride as well as it looks? For the most part, that would be a yes. The posture is upright with the wide swept-back handlebars and the hammock-style leather saddle. Ride comfort is supple thanks to the 1.75-inch tires and the handlebar flex, which provides cushioning.
The old bike has some minor quirks, though. The cantilever brakes don’t bite quickly when pressing the levers, and the headset has some play. Most notably, the rear derailleur and shifter are mismatched so the indexing is never in tune.
Changing the shifting from indexed to friction will solve that, and will also complete the analog experience. Personally, I’d put a front derailleur and a granny gear to make climbing hills easier.
“The best bikes aren’t at the extreme ends of the functionality spectrum, so specialized that they’re a bike-length away from dysfunctionality,” said Petersen in his book Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Bikes, Equipment, Health, Safety, and Attitude. “The best ones are boring jacks-of-many-trades, and you stretch them to their limits with skill and experience.”
Bicycles don’t need to be overly expensive. And with the prevalence of online selling, there’s no need to look far for good deals. Be creative, resourceful, and patient, and you can come up with a unique and interesting build.
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