Bikes
Background:
I have always loved bicycles but until recently I only have owned one bike at a time. My fiancee Monika wanted a bike because she didn't have one out here in Tennessee, so for her birthday this year - all the way back in February - I told her to pick out a bicycle and I'd get it for her. She chose a sweet pearl green and white Electra coaster 7 (seen below) it has big swoopy fenders, balloon tires, nice wide handlebars, and you ride it in a very comfortable upright forward pedaling position. It has the look of a retro beach cruiser with the advantages of a 7 speed rear cassette with grip shift, V brakes, and a frame made of aluminum (very light weight for its size)

Now:
Since our engagement (May 31) we've been busy planning our wedding, carefully picking a location, our attendants, food, etc. Let me tell you, there is a lot that goes into planning a wedding. Anyway, when we were looking at various invitation designs and photos from other weddings, we saw the bicycle theme incorporated and loved it. Enter my craigslist find. Browsing cl the other day I found a single line listing "columbia twosome two person bicycle turquoise" no number, only the cl address to reply to. I replied. 2 hours later i got a response, called the woman back and drove up to signal mountain to check it out. When we got there all I could think to myself was "this bike has potential". I paid her the $75 she was asking and carefully put the tandem into the back of the van. Here it is partially disassembled, started sanding and very far from completion (moni's bike in the background)

We picked yellow as our primary wedding color so in my refinishing of the bike I decided along with Monika to paint the bike yellow. Searching the stores I was only able to come up with John Deere yellow. good choice. its a very happy shade. After MANY hours of 1. sanding 2. sandblasting 3. chemical strip 4. wire wheel 5. power sander, I had this beast down to bare metal. a huge accomplishment if I do say so myself. Two coats of primer sanded, two coats of color (awaiting wet sanding and clearcoat - the bike still has to dry) Here's the frame now *(headtube of fork not painted cause it doesn't need to be - you won't see it - it was the only part of the bike not rusted I might add)

More posts about this thing as more work gets done :) up next, new seats, grips, pedals, chains, fenders. I also have plans to make my own decals with my plotter :) maybe something about our wedding since I think it would be very cool to ride this thing away from our wedding... just a thought.