Antique delivery bike.

Veloswap Denver

Felix Wong's avatar
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I was in Denver for the second time this month. This time, however, it wasn’t to see airplanes, but rather… bicycles!

Yes, it’s that time of year again when Veloswap—the country’s largest bicycle swap meet—rolls around. In addition to seeing all things bikes, I was hoping to land some gear. Cranky the Cannondale, after all, is still in pieces months after the Tour Divide, waiting to be rebuilt with parts used to replace several worn or broken ones.

I was hoping to find an 8sp cassette, chain, MTB chainrings, bar ends, saddle bag, bar bell, and perhaps some ultralight wheels and a white leather saddle (for Canny). I did manage to find a few of these things, including:

  • saddle bag: $2
  • Shimano 11×28 8sp cassette: $10
  • bar bell: $1
  • cloth rim tape: qty 2 for $2

That’s it… just low dollar purchases.

The rest of the time I admired the numerous bicycles there, including antique, randonnée, recumbent, 29er, and time-trial bikes (among the usual conventional ones). I did lament the lack of interesting presentations or celebrities; e.g., no Fossil Fool, the “world’s only bike rapper,” this year.

Oh well, it still was fun.

Bikes outside the National Western Complex in Denver.
Bikes outside the National Western Complex in Denver.
A 1993 Zipp time-trial bike, "one of the fastest bikes of its time and possibly today."
A 1993 Zipp time-trial bike, "one of the fastest bikes of its time and possibly today."
Antique delivery bike.
Antique delivery bike.
A randonee bike made by the Boulder Bicycle company.
A randonee bike made by the Boulder Bicycle company.
These "Skins" are designed to reduce lactic acid buildup by compressing the muscles.
These "Skins" are designed to reduce lactic acid buildup by compressing the muscles.
A Cannondale Caffeine 29er -- perhaps my next MTB rig?
A Cannondale Caffeine 29er -- perhaps my next MTB rig?
A restored Fuji bicycle from the 1980s.
A restored Fuji bicycle from the 1980s.
Tandem recumbent.
Tandem recumbent.
Cool fixed-gear cruiser with Cane Creek carbon fiber wheels.
Cool fixed-gear cruiser with Cane Creek carbon fiber wheels.
The mother of all bike racks (shown on a Honda Pilot).
The mother of all bike racks (shown on a Honda Pilot).
There was this very nice Honda Super Cub, perhaps from the 1960s, that looked just like the ones I saw in Vietnam.
There was this very nice Honda Super Cub, perhaps from the 1960s, that looked just like the ones I saw in Vietnam.
The stuff I purchased: gear bag, 8sp cassette, bar bell, and rim tape, all for $16.
The stuff I purchased: gear bag, 8sp cassette, bar bell, and rim tape, all for $16.