Dee S’s Chimo Capri Mixte

Posted August 17, 2011

Long time reader first-time submitter, Dee S., has offered for our unavoidable enjoyment her (1 of 2) OTSG First, Chimo Capri Mixte. Let the comments suggesting touring bars and wicker baskets begin…NOW!

I’ve been enjoying Old Ten Speed Gallery for several years, but this is my first submission. I believe these two fine bike boom models have not been seen yet on the gallery. The first is a Chimo Capri, made in Hong Kong. I think it was made in 1986. It’s an entry level mixte with chrome wheels and a Suntour Honor derailleur, but a very nice ride in beautiful condition. All it needed was oiling of the rear derailleur and it was good to go.

Trailer Park Cyclist

Me, I wasn’t going to say anything about wicker baskets. Honest. I was thinking about a fistful of seat post and red wine and a loaf of bread and whatever older1 was gonna say. Maybe a checkered table cloth set on a village green in the waning days of summer…
Ryan Surface

When I first read the title I thought the bike was a “chimpo”, which A) was a brand I had never heard of before and B) found very funny. I was sorry to learn it was really a Chimo which actually sounds more like a Belgian Ale- but that’s just me. On a Serious note its a very sharp looking bike and appears to be in excellent shape- love the silvery blue color. Rather than go the touring bars and basket route may I humbly suggest dropping the lolly pop reflectors and kick stand going with some white wall tires and then go out riding and blow the doors off some Carbon road bikes. Just a thought.

Ryan
- older1
  
  It’ll definitely last longer than any c-f garbage that’s practically shoved down the throats of uninformed consumers!
  I’ll even go WAY the heck out on a limb and predict: in another 40-50 years (assuming 27″ tires would still be available), the industry is going to wistfully reminisce about the c-f period as another temporary ‘high-performance’ anomaly (as fat-tubed aluminum currently represents).
  Sensible OTS owners of a generation not yet conceived will STILL be thoroughly enjoying their ancestor’s “antique” steel bikes LONG after a more recent batch of c-f bikes and components have completely delaminated under layers of similarly-discarded useless trash; forgotten and buried in landfills.
  Wow, that was fun; you know, the nice thing about predicting events after one’s decease is I won’t be around to embarrassed by any contradictory circumstances!
  See, and I did all that without even mentioning tourist handlebars or wicker baskets, or even mudguards, luggage racks, and generator lamps!
  - Laverack
    
    The death of quality cycling gear occurred, in my opinion, with the birth of index shifting. Much in life, perhaps all, is like that. I wish I could buy a brand new Dodge Dart with a slant-6 and three-on-the tree AND a brand new Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleur.
    - older1
      
      No kidding, L; kinda like when the new beetle came out, I wanted someone to tell them: “you know, you guys are actually getting it all wrong”. The old beetle, like the model T, was a huge success because it was inexpensive and simple (to drive, repair, and own), the new one is as indistinguishably sophisticated and complicated as any other competitive passenger car.
      It’s really quite overwhelming if you attempt to consider all the currently-‘essential’ technological ‘advancements’ those least fortunate and most disenfranchised seem to survive just fine without (and apparently even thrive, according to world population estimates), all on a buck-or-less-a-day.
    - older1
      
      No kidding, L; kinda like when the new beetle came out, I wanted someone to tell them: “you know, you guys are actually getting it all wrong”. The old beetle, like the model T, was a huge success because it was inexpensive and simple (to drive, repair, and own), the new one is as indistinguishably sophisticated and complicated as any other competitive passenger car.
      It’s really quite overwhelming if you attempt to consider all the currently-‘essential’ technological ‘advancements’ those least fortunate and most disenfranchised seem to survive just fine without (and apparently even thrive, according to world population estimates), all on a buck-or-less-a-day.
- Anonymous
  
  @ryan and @older1 All this CF bashing! I’m on board with it, but in the interest of full disclosure: I’m actually shopping for a CF bike right now, simply out of curiosity! I have never ridden one! Should I have told you all this? 🙂
  - older1
    
    No, No, No…don’t do it…you’re much too young…look how much of you life is ahead of you (insert clip of water splashing your face, HERE)! Just think of the implications, man! Tell me you haven’t gone to the Dark (Carbon) Side! Living without regret requires sober decisions!
    Oh well, if you sincerely have an insatiable death wish, then why not just help the military fight the terrorists! No? Okay. Great. Alright…go ahead…throw away your health…see if I care! Just remember this, when you break your leg, youngster, don’t you dare come running to me!
    Just be prepared for an eventual, catastrophic failure without warning, and unending healthcare issues until the day you DIE…just because you couldn’t resist the deceptive marketing hype and paid good money for a bike that fell apart!
    Besides helmets, ballistic jerseys, armoured elbow and knee pads, lexan face shields, and gauntlet handwear will soon become required protective cycling gear. On second thought, just go drive an M1 Abrams, which would be in line with the military service recommendation, by the way, and you won’t have to worry about your ride falling apart for no apparent reason.
- older1
  
  Yikes, I just did a search on ‘chimo’ and you wouldn’t believe what some of the hits were. “Chimpo” actually would be a heck of a lot funnier, especially considering the proliferation of ‘engrish’, not to mention the enduring appeal of monkey-related humor.
Trailer Park Cyclist

See What I Mean? Hey, Ryan: Time to Blog Up!
Trailer Park Cyclist

Oh, and older1: would you consider a Guest Post? I don’t seem to be writing them anymore. You can e-mail me at trailerparkcyclist@gmail.com.
- older1
  
  Thanks for the kind offer, but I’d be afraid to load up yet another innocent venue with even more pretentious, gratuitous, elitist drivel and presumptuous pontification. Besides, “Familiarity Breeds Contempt”, and I’m aleady rapidly approaching the ragged edge of THAT boundary!