Some of my favorite bikes on Cycle EXIF are those born straight from the heart: the realization of a passion or a dream, inspired by the wealth of beautiful bikes seen on this site. Florida’s Ben Kaiser had a vision the moment he came across a beat-up Schwinn Prologue and was able to see the beauty of the bike that resided inside.

The Prologue was Schwinn’s entry level, Tange Prestige-tubed road bike, equipped with SunTour components, a dilapidated model of which was found at Tampa’s Local Bike Outlet. Twenty six years since it was released, Ben proved how personally rewarding it can be to thoroughly restore an old lugged steel racer. Most importantly, he’s taken a stock, mass-produced bike and made it his own.

Ben stripped the frame of its parts, primed it and repainted it in Midnight Blue before applying a clear coat. The freewheel, clogged with grease, was removed and brought back to working order and introduced to a new chain. The cables and their housings were replaced, and matched with a complementary Brooks B17 and fresh bar tape.

Not a bad rejuvenation of an old veteran. Big thanks to Ben for the shots—see more on his tumblr.







