Here is Jackie L’s one-owner 1971 Royce Union.

Hello,

This is my Old Ten Speed, a 1971 Royce Union; according to the receipt, it’s a model 7815 RU (costing $99.95, $107.95 with tax). I got it brand new from a boyfriend who worked at a bike shop; we broke up shortly after but I was told to keep it as a parting gift, so it’s always had some sentimental value. I rode it a lot when it was new before getting a car, and in later years, sad to say, I lent it out to different people who treated it poorly, and eventually it sat outside under a tarp for three years in heavy NY winters.

Since it was so incredibly rusted and full of cobwebs & bugs etc. I was going to get rid of it, but then decided to see if it could be salvaged. I still have the owners manual, so between that and various online resources I wound up replacing all the cables, tires, cleaning it up and getting it back in shape. The lettering on the down tube was pretty much worn off, but I was able to make a tracing and have new letters and chevrons die-cut out of vinyl.

Other than the seat, which I replaced long ago for comfort, new white tape, and the pedals, which I found a match for on eBay, everything else is original. The original tires were white walls but I prefer the solid black. Red nail polish of various colors worked great for touchups.

I look forward to bringing it back onto the streets of Brooklyn!

Thanks for a great web site, it was quite an inspiration.

Jackie L.