This Free Spirit Sovereign comes to us from Aaron M in L.A.   Aaron, one word of advice, even old ten speeds don’t like WD-40 on their chains, but I’m glad to see it you brought this beut’ back to life.

This is my dad’s Free Spirit Sovereign ES 12-Speed that he bought some time in the 1980’s, along with an almost identical step-through version for my mother. I’ve never seen my parents actually ride either, and they have been sitting in our basement for years, so I took my dad’s with me for my first semester of college at USC. I dusted it off, tightened the cables, and fell in love with it the first ride.

It features all-original components, and although it has barely been ridden at all and kept in storage, it was a bit out of service. A little WD-40 fixed the chain squeak (as well as a few frozen joints), but the front derailleur eventually snapped to pieces after only a month of regular use.

I’m pretty sure the frame is all-steel, and its very heavy, but its solid, feels sturdy, and rides pretty smooth. The paint also has remained in very good condition, besides a few minor nicks and scrapes. I also like the shape of the forks.

It has perpetuated my interest in cycling, and so far I’ve taken it all over LA. It’s a beautiful bike, and it hasn’t failed me yet.

Thanks Aaron