A day in the life of a Saluki

[MobileBill]

So the local magazine is looking for a pretty bike to photograph in
transit, for a story on the growing popularity of bike commuting (yes,
even in ol’ Mobile, Alabama). Someone at the local bike shop,
interestingly enough, points them to the Saluki. So we head out on our
first 9-mile leg to the office, with a photographer in tow, catching
the burnt orange gleam of the Saluki from every angle. Get to work,
and someone says, boy I’d like to get a bike like that …
Shortly before noon, I realize that I’ve been distracted by
the celebrity, and left some important papers at home. I have a little
over an hour to get there and back, 18 miles and then some in lunch
time traffic. I throw off the panniers, and the Saluki does what a
Saluki does -- bounding at 19 or 20 miles an hour down potholed city
streets on those fat 650s, flying at 33 miles per hour down the last
long hill back to work.
Six o’clock, I’m ready to head home, and a co-worker calls and
says she’s left some important mailings at the office. But then she
remembers I’m on the bike, and says, Nevermind, we’ll do it tomorrow.
They’ve got to go out tonight, and it's the other side of town to
get there. The panniers go back on the Saluki, and I wedge in
something close to 15 pounds of mailings, plus a change of clothes and
the usual trunk full of stuff. I expect some wobble from the front
end, but I just lean into it, and she runs like she’s got a keel under
her, about as fast as I care to peddle on the fourth commuting leg of
the day.
On the way home in the dark, I roll over the neck of a beer
bottle and hear the Schwalbe Marathon 37s crush it into tiny pieces. I
think I hear air escaping, and realize it’s a sprinkler in one of the
yards.
After what's pretty close to a 40-mile day, the odometer tells
me I have nearly 9,000 miles on the bike and the tires. The Marathons
haven't had a flat in 8,500 miles, but one of these days, I’m going to
have to replace that rear one. This Saluki, though … I hope I’m riding
it for a long, long time.

[Pondero]

Some of us (especially me) spend a lot of forum electrons discussing
upgrades/replacements/trades/tweaks as if there is always something
else better out there, and we are not quite satisfied.

But not MobileBill here, he's got that elusive contentment. He's done
something right. Let's give him a hand.

[rob markwardt]

Bravo! Let's see that beauty. I have a Bleriot and I concur about
everything you've written. Going on 5 years with mine. No odometer
but it is my most ridden bike so I'm guessing between 1-2k (more?) a
year. If you made me pick one bike based on practicality this would
be first. Based on emotion 2nd...a chrome Paramount will always win!
Probably the only thing I'd trade it for would be a 62 Saluki (mine's
61).

Rob

[islaysteve]

Great story Bill.  Good for you for representing Rivendell so well in your town.  I hope you can post some pix of the bike, and also the published promo photos when available.  Cheers, Steve

 

[Ablejack]

the orange Saluki is fastest.

[MobileBill]

I don't know, but I can say with great confidence that I have the
fastest Saluki of any color in Mobile.