In 1986, Coot ran across a photo of a bike unlike any he'd ever seen. The frame featured two sets of seat stays, one set of which ended not at the rear wheel, but instead stretched all the way back to the rear fender. In many ways it was the ultimate streamlined bicycle. Since that time it had always been a goal to find a Super Streamline. Exactly 20 years (and 1,400 miles) later, we added our first Firestone Fleetwood to the collection. This example features the putter stem, aluminum headlight and unbelievably rare stainless steel fenders, complete with initial holders on the front. (Thanks to Rich Edmonson for selling us this wonderful bike.)

Completed: Spring, 1995
This Hawthorne and the 1937 Roadmaster were the first vintage boy's bikes we ever bought, and thus, both received lavish attention. The V-50 has another "First" to it's credit, being the first bike we ever restored. Both bikes (and many subsequent ones) were purchased from the vast collection of old-bike aficionado Al Curtis.

Completed: Spring 1996
Coot's brother happened upon this bike in Minden, NV. Under all that orange rattle-can was the original paint, which we subsequently uncovered to match paint colors and layout. This bike is affectionately called "Milhouse", as it matches Milhouse van Houten's hair.

Completed: November, 1996
Bicycles with airplane themes are the best! If we have a love of a them within the collection, it's of bikes that emulate airplanes in one way or another. Beyond its name, this Colson-built bike is especially neat because the headbadge features an airplane in mid-loop (which is as close as Coot will ever come to doing an actual loop, being predominantly a land-based mammal).

Completed: Spring, 1997
It might have been another plain Jane-er, but we restored this non-deluxe Roadmaster anyhow, more out of nostalgia than anything. Before it received a going- over, Leaf Queen was ridden quite regularly and was the perennial favorite for fall leaf bashing in the neighborhood.

Completed: June, 1997
We once bought remnants of an old Hawthorne, but eventually gave up on it and sold it. The guy who bought it from us subsequently sold it, and then that guy sold it, and then by some act of fate, it ended up back with us. Rather than sell it again, (it had donated most of parts and wasn't worth much anyhow) we decided to restore it.

Completed: September, 1997
This bike came out of the basement of American Cyclery in San Francisco. To our extreme dismay, UPS went on strike the day after we purchased it, so the bike sat and languished until we finally gave up and drove down to pick it up. Though we normally try to stay true to the bike's original colors, Coot had always wanted a Shelby with the stock red/blue/white paint scheme, so that's what we did instead.

Completed: Spring, 1998
This long-tank beauty came from our good friend, Ron Summer, the Colson bicycle guru out of Seattle. It was completed in less than 4 months, a testament to how fast we used to be able to do bikes before the advent of little ones.

Completed: Summer, 1999
Fluff had been requesting a restored bike of her own, so this Elgin was done in her honor. It turned out so well, she's afraid to ride it very often. To this point, this particular bike is the only girl's version we've restored.

Completed: February, 2000
We think the Elgin Twin 20 is a perfect example of how beautiful a non-deluxe bike can be. You simply don't get the same feel from the more deluxe Twins. Oddly enough, these Elgin bikes were pitched as using the same engineering as a suspension bridge (God knows why anyone would want a bike that rides like a bridge).

Completed: Fall, 2002
It was a tough choice deciding if we should even restore this Shelby, as it had much of its original paint still intact. After hours of rubbing it out, it was determined that it was too far gone, though. In the end, we're very pleased we took it on, since it's now pretty obvious how far the paint had faded.

Completed: Winter, 2004
Of all the bikes we've done, this one took the longest (nearly two years). Most of the delay was due to our own schedule, but this bike really fought us along the way, as well. It took us a while to buy off on the original paint scheme, as well, since we just knew it couldn't be right ("Brownish burgundy? yellowy cream panels? and green pinstripes? Blecch!") After all was said and done, however, it has turned out to be one of our favorites, and a favorite of visitors as well.