Simply put, "as found", the Norco Magnum Gran Touring was in exceptionally good, little used condition.  Aside from some standard items, such as handlebar tape and brake hoods, the bicycle had weathered the passing of time very well.  Though it would be unwise to do so, my guess is that the bicycle could have been ridden exactly "as found", assuming, of course, that one were to pressurize the tires.

None the less, any bicycle that I choose to ride, keep or sell, must be checked over thoroughly before being test ridden.  Failure to check things out could lead to a crash, a situation I can, personally, testify to on at least one occasion.

For the most part, the GT needed a good cleaning up.  To that, add the always present need, with any vintage road bicycle find, to replace old lubricants.  And, of course, vintage air is so hard to come by that, more often than not, the tires will need to be pumped up.  And, if truth, that is all the Norco needed.

It is my habit, these days, to spend my summer months living at my cottage on Loon Lake, a beautiful spot that reminds me to slow down - not that I was ever all that fast, to begin with.

At any rate, I keep a workshop at the cottage and, thanks to some construction work I did recently, expanded that shop to include an outdoor, but protected, area where I an enjoy working on my bicycles.  Where did I find that special spot?  Under the cottage.  Yup, once I raised and levelled the cottage, I had enough room underneath part of it to set up an out of doors workshop.  And I love it!

Since I found the Norco, at the end of the day, and at the north end of the city, it was only natural that the bicycle travel with me to my summer cottage.  I was in need of a project, anyway, and the Norco would prove to be the perfect candidate.

Over the next couple of days, I would interrupt my cottage landscaping activities, to slow down, and work on the Norco.  My intention was to give the bicycle a thorough going over, followed by a good cleaning in preparation to offer it for sale.  The bicycle would be offered in "as is" condition, but I wanted to make sure that there were no issues that would cause the new owner problems.

Actually, two bicycles were coming together, under the cottage and, pretty much, at the same time - the Magnum GT and a filthy, "as found", Apollo Custom Sport.  The Apollo, incidentally was picked up the week before and was already at the cottage.

NEXT - RIDING THE NORCO MAGNUM GT