Everybody, meet Chuck

This is, oxymoronically, my newest bike and my oldest bike.


I stopped by the neighbors' house this weekend because they were having a moving sale. They didn't have much out yet, but this bike was leaning against the side of their garage. I asked if they were planning on selling it and the neighbor said yes.



It's a Montgomery Wards Hawthorne. I don't know the exact age, but I'm guessing 50's or 60's vintage. It's a single speed with a coaster brake. Note the conspicuous lack of any cables, brake or shifter.



Dig those built in reflectors. This pic is kind of a weird angle, but there's a reflector on the head tube and one on either side of the fork.



Not only Chromage, but Superchromix as well! It sounds something out of DC Comics where two brothers that were exposed to gamma rays and one turned into a SuperHero and the other into a SuperVillan (The Adventures of SuperChromix and his archrival, Chromage!)



Sweet logo.



The neighbor asked for $5. I checked my wallet and only had $2. It was, in his words, "Good enough." Which was good enough for me. I've been referring to the bike as Chuck, named after Charles Shaw Wine's affectionate nickname, Two Buck Chuck.

The tires hold air (though they really should be replaced), everything that's supposed to move moves, and everything that's not supposed to move doesn't move (with the exception of the cracked support in the seat). And it's fun as all get out to ride.