"Helen Wheels" : ...Farewell, Good Summer...pg 7

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HWFP10....reshot this evening in the shade, with the phone, no mustard was involved.

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9/10

I think KF is right in that you will need sunlight to illuminate the fade...otherwise it takes some effort to realize it isn't just a green bike. I think you will need a good contrasting background (why 9 & 10 work), and be very aware of shadows.

Cool bike, story, and history :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
9/10

I think KF is right in that you will need sunlight to illuminate the fade...otherwise it takes some effort to realize it isn't just a green bike. I think you will need a good contrasting background (why 9 & 10 work), and be very aware of shadows.

Cool bike, story, and history :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Thanks RG! Your statement, "...it takes some effort to realize it isn't just a green bike." , confirms that my fade job turned out well! :grin:

I decided to use this photo. The sun seems to highlight the fade a bit more, but also doesn't have the 'balanced' look that this shade shot does.

This bike build brought back many great memories of my childhood, and my grandma Helen!
 
The bike looks better in this shot than any of the other ones. The fade shows up beautifully and all of the neat and clean details show up nicely. The can see the seat and how well it matches the rear dark green.
 
Ps-Cycle-logy 101:
"How the bike makes you feel"

As kids, the bicycle was the introduction to a bigger world. It gave us mobility and range. It increased our social network (an unfamiliar term in the early '60s).

The bike represented freedom. At least until the dinner bell rang, or it was time to call it a night. I distinctly remember my dad's booming baritone hollering "LEE ALLEN !" , covering nearly a quarter mile across the 10 acre field in front of the house. I was the oldest, so it was always my name that got called. Then it was my task to round up my brothers, hop on the bikes, and hightail it home. The use of my middle name meant "You're already late".

As a first grader, I got my first bike, a Schwinn Tornado, 24" wheels. Yeah, I was tall for my age. And my parents' motto was like many others back in the day, "He'll grow into it."

I still get a thrill exploring new ideas, and parks, and using the bike for social networking. And sometimes; just plain fun.

Me back in 1962.

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And earlier this month.

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RiDe oN~!
 
Cool bicycle story from Welcome to Mr OddJob's Neighborhood!!!

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I was already leaving high school and in college by the time BMX hit the Midwest. Many of the Schwinn Sting-Rays were being modified with new parts to take part in this new fad. In fact, Schwinn itself didn't miss a beat, and manufactured parts to enable kids to move their Sting-Ray into the next bike craze.

My Helen Wheels was first a Columbia kids 20" cruiser, and then was modified by a kid in the mid-'60s into a sting ray styled bike. A couple years ago, I returned my friend's original '68 Schwinn Sting-Ray back to it's glory; after he had made the move to BMX styling in the early '70s (he's 10 years younger than me).
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This cartoon kind of says it all. Thought a 'funnies paper' post this Sunday morning might be appropriate. RaT oN~!

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Saving old bikes one nanner seat at a time!
 
Just now catching up on the latest stories. Some great reading with the Sunday morning coffee.

So remember the yell to come in. My neighbor's sister used to call for him and had a very operatic yell. Another neighbor's father had a whistle you could hear for miles.

Now we just text our kid to come up out of the basement....:21:
 
Just now catching up on the latest stories. Some great reading with the Sunday morning coffee.

So remember the yell to come in. My neighbor's sister used to call for him and had a very operatic yell. Another neighbor's father had a whistle you could hear for miles.

Now we just text our kid to come up out of the basement....:21:
Hahaha! My boys were pretty good about keeping time. There were times when I had to jump on my bike to make up the distance, and in town my voice just doesn't carry like my dad's did across the fields. To many houses in the way.

My neighbor had a whistle too. Cut through the night like a knife through butter.
 
It's been another great summer building bikes with y'all. I have really enjoyed the comradeship we share here on ratrodbikes.com and especially the summer build off!

Summer is waning here in the north country. Our namesake tree to our city, the Maple, is already changing into the brilliant red and orange hues of Fall.

Looking forward to seeing the completed builds in the Voting Thread next week!
 
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