My 1973 Schwinn Le Tour began it’s evolution to greatness around five years ago. I originally purchased the bike for ten bucks out of the attic of Wheels and Motion. After knocking the dust off and swapping out all the wearable parts I was on the road. Later the bike saw a component upgrade to Shimano 105 adopted from a Cannondale I could not fit. Next would be the shift in both thought and bike. Less is more. I hacked the cable stays dropped the derailers, a chain ring, and the cassette for a single speed conversion. Months later I took the next step and bought a Velocity Deep V, fixed/free hub, spokes, and nipples. I laced up the wheel and have been riding it ever since. Some where in all that I found my saddle, a white selle san marco concor, flopped and chopped my drop bars, Powder coated it to match my 86’ Volvo, and fell in love with cotton bar tape. This would remain my bike for three rides to Austin and countless miles around Dallas as a daily commuter. During SXSFixed II I noticed a small crack in the top tube and did what anyone would do when something they love is injured, John Cowan and I fashioned a beautiful Band-Aid out of steel and my father and I gingerly brazed it on. Another trip to the powder coater and all was well until the repair failed and the crack was back. I hung up the Le Tour and boxed up my parts until I could scratch up the money for a frame. My father being the great pursuer of the latest and greatest had been ridding a 2001 Dawes SST AL as his “Coffee bike”. I think he was looking for an excuse to get something new when he told me put my Le Tour parts on the Dawes and ride it till I could get my own frame. The next Christmas he would get me one of the best gifts he may have ever given, well, besides life. Sram Omnium cranks. Beautiful! Later I would give Dad some money for the Dawes I was never going to give back. I added some carbon fiber to make up for all the aluminum and it’s rigidity. That’s it… for now anyway. So I may have an entirely different bike from what came out of a dusty attic that fateful day, but it has always been my favorite.