You really don't ride anymore? That summer of 1976 did it for me. I was hooked. I've always ridden. I had a 37-year career in the bike industry. Now retired 8 years. I still ride 6000+ miles a year at age 73. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't still ride. Have well north of 100 vintage bikes to choose from.
I also have close to 100 vintage bikes to choose from . I really look at these bikes as a piece of art. The combo of riding and collecting is something I love.
Yes, I'm riding a light speed titanium Mt. Bike, flat peddles, no more road bikes, afraid to fall. I'm at about ten miles every whenever. The paramount is now a wall hanger.😢
Great story. I am a 73 year old who grew up in the suburbs of NYC and started doing 50-70 mile rides in the early 60's by heading north into Westchester County. I used a 3 speed english bike made to look like a racer from an article I saw in Sports Illustrated about the Tour De France. I did these rides with no planning and suffered mightily, but the sense of freedom was so overwhelming that I did many of these journeys. I stopped riding around '65 because 'it wasn't cool' but picked it up again in the early 70's and started to do competitive cycling. As i aged, long distance touring became attractive again and, to cut to the chase, I rode from Minnesota to California to celebrate my 50th and from California to Minnesota (much easier) to celebrate my 60th. Your story is amazing for me because of your description of road conditions, touring equipment, knowledge of food, etc. The cross country trip is hard and humbling even today.
"This was before the Tour de France .... " The first Tour de France was in 1903, and apart from during the two World Wars, has been held pretty much every year since then. It's always been extremely popular in Europe. Perhaps the news didn't make it across the pond till after 1965.
His reference to the Tour de France has more to do with the popularity of cycling in the USA in 1965, and it should not be taken literally to mean that his bike trip occured before the existence of the Tour de France. American interest in Road Racing and the Tour de France didn't catch on until much later. The author is attempting to make the viewer aware of the fringe nature of cycling in 1965 by alluding to a context more easily understood.
Mr. Hansen, I remember hearing about your trip in the newpaper when I was 16 - It impressed me. Your story is amazing and I'm glad you and Butch survived being the transcontinental bike pioneers! When I was 19 I bought a three speed and commuted for a while to work - I became hooked on the freedom bikes gave me. A young Yorkshire man going back to UK gave me a beat up Raleigh Blue Streak 10 speed on which I learned how to wrench - rode that until I broke the seamed down tube. Then I bought a new '72 Atala Record Pro with the same kit as you had, including sew-ups. I worked a lot, saved up enough to take it on Laker flight to London, and rode it solo to Copenhagen and back, using Youth Hostels as stopovers - they are only maybe 50 miles apart in most of northern Europe. Because I was well fed and rested, I managed a laden 110-mile day and many in the 80s but I have to say that sew-up repair was a big issue in western Denmark. I could manage a patch in a half hour before hitting the sack. I still have that bike, though I have graduated to a lighter 30-speed bike now. All the Europeans ridiculed my Bell Biker helmet - no one there wore helmets then. My '70s biking buddy and I still ride occasionally. It feels good to get the better of a hill under your own power! My hat is off to you Norm - you seem like a great, positive guy. There is much to be done here in the U.S. I wish people would put away their differences and get to solving real human problems instead of posturing over ideological stances and obstructing progress.
LOL, some days when i was way late for high school i’d mount my old single speed bike and head for school. but thank god i had a buddy who lived near the school and i’d stash the bike there and walk over to the high school. to add to the shame it was around 1970 and the bike had “ape hangers”. what had been the height of cool when i was 12 years old in public school was only a few years later in high school a “wear a paper bag over your head” level of squareness.
April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day. I was a junior in high school then. I had been riding my bike to school whenever there wasn't snow on the road since I was in 5th grade - the way to high school was 1.8 miles so it saved considerable time over walking, and was fun on the low-traffic streets of my small, flat city as well. About 20 of the 2,000 students in my high school rode their bikes to school usually. On Earth Day, though, over 200 people rode! The parking lot was choked with bikes. Unfortunately the number of riders was back to 20 or so by a week later.
I started doing century rides on the East Coast with one of my good friends in 1971. I was 14 and he was 13. My Bike was Schwinn Varsity and he had a Schwinn Continental. We would start our days at 3AM to avoid the bulk of the traffic and cops would almost always stop us assuming we were runaways or mentally defective. No one could believe that anyone was purposefully riding hundreds of miles for kicks. I remember the dog problem, for sure, and the bad road, trash...and the flats. We were so quick at patching flats the they often delayed us only a few minutes. Good memories from back then.
More than a very interesting story, your tale is a time capsule. More than a description, you present yourself with complete authenticity. A very refreshing experience. Thanks. Ron
What a great story. Loved watching it. I bought my first high end bike in 1973, I was thirteen years old. From 1965 to 1973 not much changed as far as bikes go. Up graded my bike to sew ups. About the single biggest up grade you could do at the time. Wool shorts with a real chamois and wool jerseys. Thanks for sharing.
This brings back so many memories of my ride on the first Bikecentennial route from Oregon to Virginia in 1976. A small group of us came over from Australia to be part of the 4000 riders that did parts or all of the ride. Loved the dialogue.
I met Mr.Hansen today at work, he was a guest I was checking in at the hotel and he is such a genuine person. He really tried to get to know me as a person and hearing about his story touched my heart. He showed me the physical book he had on himself and I’m waiting to order myself one on Amazon on my next payday 😂 but in all seriousness, this is a great story and I hope more have the opportunity to read and listen to his experience.
Congratulations for getting this out there, Norm! Your memory of all the painful little details is remarkable and make it all the more entertaining to hear! Been there, I could relate to almost all of it (only we had a tent and karrimats, thank God!). Lets hope Butch turns up and gives us his perspective, that would be fun! All the best!
My freind Bob and I rode from Georgia to California back in 1993. We had 21 speeds, waterproof tents, and much better roads. It was such a great adventure! This video was excellent, and really reminded me of our own journey!
Really loved finding your story. It was wonderful. I can appreciate your struggles. I had a direct descendant of your bike ill equipped to make an emergency run from the campground in Arches NP to Moab for a fuel pump in 100 degree heat. That race gearing was not fun on climbs. Only after years of experience and much improvement in bikes and tires did I ride from my home in NJ to Labrador and Jackson WY. I can’t imagine going on such an amazing journey w/o GPS and Cell Phones or without todays best tires and bike gear let alone not having gearing for about 1:1 drive.
Thank you for posting this fascinating story. What was done with that equipment is really impressive. Had a schwinn high sierra f/h.s. & college. Converted to a 1x5, loved it!
Fantastic! I was riveted to every sentence. I'm in awe over the tough resilience of these two young men. I'm about the same age as Mr Hansen, so I can especially appreciate his comments regarding the changes that have occurred in culture and public behaviour - not only in America, but also in my native Canada. This is a brilliant document, and I hope it gets a lot more attention. About the same time as their journey, I owned an English sports bike with a Reynolds 531 frame - but the bike was not as as rich and light as the Paramount and Bianchi. These days I'm still riding vintage bikes that are very similar to the pairs' racers. They still have 5-cog clusters and "sew-ups" . I just go for short rides, not continental triumphs.
You Tube is a wonderful thing, here I am sitting on my lap top in England browsing stuff and this gets recommended by the algorithm. Its not often something on you tube grabs me for a full 45 minutes but this did. Really enjoyable and so interesting to understand the context of doing it back in the 60's. Well done to you guys, if only you could meet up with your old Pal it would close the circle.
Great story. Brings back memories of how things used to be. It struck me how bsck then, you just did stuff. Joked maybe, complained some, looked upon things as an adventure. There were fewer choices but somehow it didn't matter.
The satellite comment rang a bell. As young kids in the 1960s we would hang out talking at night, especially in the winter months when it was dark at 4.30. We'd stare at the sky and might need all night to see a single satellite, often we would see none. Now you'll see a satellite in 30 seconds. Space was virgin territory back then. Today satellites run everything. It's a different world.
Fascinating ! I've never suffered so much listening to someone tell a story. I'm from that era and got into bikes in 69. I owned, eventually an Italian Atala, yellow and green, with a 24 inch frame (now they use cm., so I don't know what it means, I can eyeball a frame and tell what size it is by the length of the head tube),and full Campagnolo set up. I did 100 miles a week, between going to work to 46 st and 5th in Manhattan from Staten Island and back at 5. Weekends i went out all day and hit Central Pk. which closed the drive on week ends for bikes and runners . I'm 75 now and I havent ridden since that Atala, sold it in '70/71. BTW, it cost me 179 bucks, just like yours. I had to save for months for it. If I were 22 again and I heard this story, I wouldn't take that trip even for money. No way I'm gonna willingly suffer so much ! My hat's off to you and your buddy.
That was an amazing trip and story. I had a 1967 Schwinn 10 speed that I bought from a friend after he went in the Marines. I had a 3 speed Raleigh first and we rode around in the backroads of Maryland east of DC. We had to ride in the road all the way with almost no traffic that is now jammed with vehicles starting in the 70 s. Our longest ride was over 80 miles round trip to a Chesapeake Bay beach and back home. I think we did it in less than 5 hours. A great memory. No drivers would be distracted by anything but a AM radio so it was probably much safer then.
i am 80 yrs old , I am mesmerized by MR. Hansons journey and also highly impressed by it . pity to hear that he is not cycling any more . I still cycle a little bit myself , but Ireland is a very small country , idid do route 66 bout ten yrs ago , but my wife insisted on a car [ automobile] for our American friends , and really enjoyed it . Mr Hanson my hat off to you . Denis Maher .
Man! What a wonderful story! My son just sent this my way! Made my day! I started riding in the 70s . Had alot of nice bikes! Mostly loved the old Gitanes! Stated my son riding around 4 years old and he's carried it on today! Sends photos from 90 miles away from home on his Cervelo! Really Really enjoyed your story! What a story to tell! Man experience of a life time!
I frequently used my tire pump to defend myself from dogs in the 1970’s and 80’s. Bike chasing dogs are a much smaller problem now, but it still occasionally happens. So I can understand it was probably worse in the 1960’s. I have been riding an “English Racer” since the 1970’s. Lol
Wow, what a story! In 1981 I rode cross-country from Toronto ON to SoCal via Northern BC, about 7000 miles in total, and had the best time. I was on little backroads almost the whole time, except for a few days near Missoula MT when I was on the BikeCentennial Trans-Am route, and local people everywhere would keep asking me where my bike's engine was: they couldn't grasp the idea that anyone, let alone a foreigner, would want to ride so far. I much preferred to not be on the Trans-Am route because the locals were much more generous and welcoming to me as I rode through their little towns; on the Trans-Am route nobody paid any attention to 'just another touring cyclist' pedaling by. I rode my old 10-speed Holdsworth Equipe with a flimsy Pletscher rear rack and a Regina 14-28 5-speed freewheel with Campagnolo Velox derailleurs, so the big climbs out west were tough, especially in the Cascades that were harder than the Rockies (except Berthoud Pass...). After riding in jeans for the first few hundred miles I also bought some Protogs wool shorts with real chamois inserts - ah, bliss! I smiled when you mentioned Red Hill: last year I did a little ride from Albuquerque west and went through there on Hwy.60, and the sole remaining inhabitants of Red Hill NM helped me find a motel in Springerville AZ (thank you, Dan). Lots of good memories! I'm still riding now in my retirement, and I hope to ride the entire US Pacific Coast this year to cover the parts of it that I've not yet ridden.
In 1963 I rode from Newport to Seattle the wrong way I had to ride us 101 on the wrong side against the wind that blows constantly in your face. Go Seattle down not Newport up. Big stupid mistake. Lol norm
Fascinating. Thanks so much. Greatly admire your sense of adventure and toughness. Now you must laugh like crazy when you hear bicyclists today saying how tough the TransAmerica trail is.
@@normhansen305Yes I can tell it is the truth. So nicely told. Warts and all. Greetings from Dublin Ireland. I must get myself a copy of that book. I hope all is good with you. Jeff
Am happy I stumbled across your video. What a wonderful story so nicely told. In 1972 I was inspired by a story in National Geographic about a couple that were riding to Alaska. A year later I purchased a Schwinn Sports Tourer. This rig had 3 chainrings and a 14/36 freewheel, that was administrated by a Campy Grand Tourismo derailleur. My climbing experiences were much easier than yours. I rode from Berkley, California to Boston, Massachusetts. One reason, to see if I could, just by memory, find the house that I spent the first 5 years of my life in. Great adventure and conditions were much improved over what you experienced. You were indeed, a pioneer. I rode solo and as well, generally camped off the side of the road. People were still great and surprised my bike had no motor, just pedals. Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed listening to the story about your journey. You have seen a period of time of great accomplishments. I too have traveled across the country by bicycle on multiple occasions by comparison with modern day equipment and hotels no farther apart than a good days ride we had it easier and more comfortable. I am a member of Rail to Trails (love those trails) plus now we have bike lanes and many other parks and forested trails for biking or hiking. I thank people who had the vision and want
Deep respect for you , Nowadays all stuff you need to do such a trip is available. Back then it was problably a sort of daily survival trip. Unbelievable how things changed over there also here in Europe. Hope you will find your trip partner! Greetings from the Netherlands.
Geeze ....inherited Schwinn ten speed from my older brother who rode to PA from Massachusetts with another brother in the 60's ...brings back memories both the bike and the brooks leather saddle 🙂
Last year, I got a 1986 Schwinn Paramount. By '86, the free wheel had 6 cogs and the crank was 52/42. My Chinese-made free wheel is a 14-28. Your cogs were a lot smaller - not easy getting over those mountains, I would imagine.
So cool that you have your bike and an archive! I did it with two high school friends in 1977 on a Fuji touring bike. We zigzagged east to west from New Jersey, we reached the Pacific in Fort Bragg California. We then rode to San Francisco and flew off to Hawaii and rode around Oahu, then flew to the big island where I stayed for three years. I then opened a bike shop in Tahoe, I road raced and became a semi pro mountain bike racer and at 66 I still ride every day. I don’t take any medication I can still out climb most 30 year olds, I owe my incredible health and my 30 year old body to cycling, while most of my friends are either overweight and unhealthy or just plain dead. I loved your reminiscing of your ride across the US, brings back memories. Although we had no fanfare or we occasionally contacted our parents to let them know how we were doing but it was rough going. Cheers
Thanks the book is selling on Amazon and has more details of the ride. Just retired my lightspeed Mt. Bike, titanium. Just tried the face of aspen Mt. Could not finish. Too tough. I turn eighty next month. Stay in touch. I'm a friend of Jared Fisher in Las Vegas. I might be in Reno in November doing a radio show. So I'll try to reach you then. Norm.
Good day to you! I am a senior rider on HONDA motorcycle from Japan. I am enjoying camping ,touring and upload video. Your ride video is so nice! Awesome! Full supported ! Have a nice day my friend!
My last ride on the paramount was gatwick Airport to the white cliffs of dove and on the ferry to Calais. England is beautiful green country. I got lost on those roundabouts and some farmer took pity on the yank and put me in the correct direction. Lol norm
Fascinating story and really well told. Must have this book! Every word is so interesting. Your description of American society and infrastructure back then is really something, and when you remind people of what tremendous progress has been made across so many areas of life since and the need to just 'have patience' that really hits home. Congratulations on the bike trip, on your video and on your book....brilliant!
As much as it was mainly torture and gruelling for you both this adventure is burned into your soul and maybe made the men you are today ! Just think about it your telling the story for all the world to listen and enjoy and if you look at the youths of today they are miserable and have no personality.🎥🇬🇧👍
Bravo! My first long ride was in 1983 from Montreal to Quebec and back on a yellow Schwinn Varsity. I envied my friend who had a Continental. We dared not dream of someday owning Paramounts... Today, I ride a late 90s Waterford, the next step in that evolution.
This is a fascinating story of an incredibly journey, and it’s wonderfully told. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I think the messages of perspective and appreciation for modern improvements are things the younger set needs to hear. How anyone can watch this and their biggest takeaway is a nitpick about what year the Tour de France started or who wrote the Grapes of Wrath is beyond me. It takes all kinds, I guess. Thanks again. Looking forward to your next video.
Our environment. You, my friend are so absolutely correct. Instead of people worrying about the shithole they are leaving behind, (and probably coming back to) , they worry about skin color and one upmanship.
Henry was from Denmark and wore wooden shoes. He was great and helped us through the entire as you see from the telegrams. Can you believe how far we have come in communication. There is another video in process. Thanks norm.
Seriously, you are right up there with Orville and Wilber Wright. Thank you far your daring. Lon Holdeman and Mike Sherman (of the RAAM) were my heroes back then and still are are, of course, but I've been unaware of you both until now. Wow! Love you guys....HEROES, both. Thank you for explaining your equipment and difficulties. I loved working on bikes back then. Steel frames. Braze-on fixtures. On and on. Bike equipment has come so far compared to the 60's era. Maybe to far? Lol! And, gotta say, the beauty of the original Campagnolo Record derailleur has never been surpassed. Never. (I'll probably get some push back on that, but that's OK.) Thank you, and Bravo! Multo Bravo! rocket
Great achievement, but you never mentioned the thunderstorms! You must have encountered a few, I certainly did hitch hiking coast to coast and feared for my life on one occasion. Biking it like that in 1965 was certainly epic. I found sleeping out in the desert ok but cold like you said. Great story hope you get to meet your buddy again and share some memories.
Very interesting story, can’t wait to hear about your father. One suggestion, add links to you website and the book. Yes, I’m aware the publisher is shown at the end of the video.
Nice stuff...me and a friend cycled from Sheffield to Scotland one summer for 3weeks....19mm wheels and 42/52 and 13 /21 gears with all the bags 🤪apart from that been riding since 13 now 50...hoping to do Sheffield to Italy next year
"... this was before the Tour de France..." That's an interesting perspective. First running of Tour de France was in 1903 and it ran every year except for WWi and WWII. I guess for all practical purposes Tour de France did not exist in US until Lemond won it. Either way, this is an amazing story!
I think the Vuelta is a better, tougher race as well. Climbing is a better measure of cycling than sprinting from near the front of a peloton. @@_MrSnrub
i followed similar stories, as grew up with bikes an early touring. NYC worlds fair mom wore Lakota buckskin dress and later family friend visited us in Rapid city sd. early 60's 2 boys left their bikes to us kids, similar as english racer, fuji , maybe motoebecane? my first road bike from department store, did ride age 15, rapid valley to Wall Drug,1973. many rides and tours ive done. but not enough. now retired i got bit too old ill sore to restart world tour. i gave dozen bikes recent years, still 5 left need fixed to do long ride. recent buy vintage english Hurcules,10 speed needs attention. i want 3 way sitting, gave away a blaze recumbent, like sit up easy but need race postition for hills and downhill. i missed the first raa. i on hiway 90 Southern tier, seen watch for cross country riders. one passed by at 3pm Marfa, but new gear lite...
I rode my bike to work today, as I usually do. About a 10 mile commute. I bought the bike at my local bike shop, the Oscar Wastyn bicycle shop. Oscar Wastyn was a '6 day racer'. He was a racer and bike builder who worked with Ignaz Schwinn, they both lived in the neighborhood I live in now. Oscar Wastyn designed the Schwinn Paramount. The Wastyn family still runs the shop today. You can see some of the 100 year old racing bikes on the walls. The wheels weren't steel or aluminum, but were made of bamboo! Kind of the carbon fiber of the 1920's.
I just talked to Richard schwinn last week who did the last restoration on the 63 paramount. I sent him a book. He was happy and always pleasant to talk with. The bike has been on the Normandy cost in 1981 and all over Europe. Richard now builds bikes under the Waterford name. He told me he was unable to retain the paramount name. I'll be putting another vide up soon as people seem to enjoy the stories. Thanks norm
Neat accomplishment. Great story. He speaks from memory about things and hasn't researched recently to make sure that he remembers everything correctly. He makes a number of factual mistakes. Somebody may get the wrong idea about a couple of things, but I doubt that it will cause any problems. I'm glad that he is telling the story.
That's not exactly true. The miles we rode that day, our approximate location and events that day are in the red diary. Next vidio, I'll show the page and the day and the approximate miles, our location, and the event that day. This video was done about a year before the book was published. I'll explain why in the next vidio.
@@normhansen305 The errors I was talking about are not related to the miles you did, etc., but to things that are related to bicycle equipment, and to some of the historic items you mentioned. I'm not going to watch it again just to find them. If you watch it with a guy your age who's owned a bicycle shop for 45 years, he'll point out the mechanical errors. He may catch some of the historic things as well. I'm about 10 years younger than you, so I remember enough about the 60s for my ears to have prickled here and there. But as I said, none of it is going to hurt anyone, they aren't big issues at all. You guys made an epic trip, and I was happy to hear about it.
@deezynar your probably relating to the rear cluster. At the time of the vidio I could not find a 28×14 cluster we called it a touring cluster, but I just found one and installed. So thats done. The original Paramont had crome lugs and front forks and rear. Chainrings were not changed. Mafac center pulls were on both bikes. Side pulls had tendency to rub on rims and needed to be adjusted frequently. The bikes were beat up until we got to st.louis bike shop.
@deezynar the bike has been sent the Waterford shop three times to be restored the lugs and stays were crome, the handle bars are not original since they were broken in a race in orange county, stays have a screw hole to put a rack on the back, the Olympic paramount did not. The brakes were Mayfair center pulls, they too were broken, hence the campy sidpulls. Third and final done by R scwinn himself had one of thier old guys put the pinn stripping on, the rims were red label fiammi that to were destroyed hence the yellow label or old label currently on the bike. The next vidio will show the bike on the Europe coast minis the pin stripping. 1981. The bike again was sent Waterford. The cluster was 13×24, changed to 14×28 touring cluster we called them in the sixtys.
This is wonderful to watch. Great stories. Touring gear actually exists now and has come a really long way. I can imagine the misery of a soaked cotton sleeping bag in the open air. My mother went to Newport Beach all the time back in the day. On her first date with my father, they rode bicycles to the beach, then went back home for a steak dinner. I'll ask her if she remembers your cyclist story. Neatsfoot oil is synonymous with baseball glove care. Of course when you use them on bicycle saddles it actually softens them up to the point that they can sag and it's considered destructive to the leather when used in excess. If your saddle is newer or in good condition, Newbaum's leather dressing is the best option, IMO. I have a vintage Brooks that I used Ko Cho Line leather dressing on because it sat in a garage loft for years and needed to be conditioned against drying out. Ko Cho Line works on mold and cracking (there are limits). Anyways I hope this information helps others restoring or taking care of their leather. I have a '61 Raleigh Trent Tourist that I restored last year. The vintage brooks is on there now and it rides great. When I take this bike out I imagine what it was like for people riding back then, and your story really helps paint the picture. Ulnar nerve pain is the worst. I'll take a little more sore butt if it means sparing my hands from numbness, so I ride more upright.
Thanks for sharing your adventure. Ordered the book. Still hoping to do the ride one day, but no way in 6 weeks. That seems incredibly fast,. Wond er what happened after that ride. As you mentioned, those were years of change. You mentioned you had an acceptance letter and a draft notice.Or perhaps the book expands a bit on your story. Will see when it arrives.
The Southern Tier route is the shortest way across, San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL. A friend and I cycled it a few years ago, He was 73, I was 65 then. It took us five weeks. Give it a try, people out there along the road and across the U.S. are still friendly and welcoming when you are on a bike.
A marvelous adventure Norman, I believe 'sew ups' or tubular tyres are pretty much confined to competition racing nowadays, tubeless is being ridden in European races by some teams. Hope you find your mate Butch.
Many vintage bike owners still ride on "sew-ups" that we have to glue onto the rims. When you own lovely vintage hubs laced into old rims that will only mount "tubs", you tend to keep on using the older tech, even for casual exercise.
Just meet u in person so cool to see everything u did just at 20 seem like a really nice person really cool that u did that people like u change the future
I took his book to Italy enjoyed it so much. Back in the time when I was that age and I was a bicycle mechanic half my life. Recommend it highly, Easy Read an interesting articles., Thanks , Kirk
I thought when I attempted Race Across AMerica in 1983 that things were very primitive but I see that I've got nothing on Norm except being from Huntington Beach and not stinking Newport. Yeah, no credit cards or cellphones save for a giant ham radio to check in with...downright Draconian if you ask me. But we had support cars and high pressure clinchers...I made my own helmet light before NiteRider was a gleem in somebody's eye. In Norm:s era they only built about a hundred Paramount's a year by the way. I know cause I own a '61 coincidentally, plus a slew of 70's ones from the bike boom decade.
We had no alternatives other than a schwinn suburban with fengers, three speeds. I quess looking back as I mount my peddle assist things have improved. Some guy sent me a response that he had been lieing since 1976 about his bike across with his wife. It was very funny and he said thanks norm.😅😅😅
Yes it was certainly a different world back then, I really enjoyed your tale, mainly because I can relate to the primitive by modern standards, everything that was back then. Life was much simpler but, far, far, more labour intensive, & if you knew how to get along you got along, if not you got your head battered. One thing that has changed dramatically is common courtesy & in general a respectful attitude. If you were travelling on foot or by bicycle here back then, & it was getting toward close of day, quite often someone would ask if you would like to have dinner with them & stay overnight in the sleep out, which was just a room enclosed on the end of the back verandah with a bunk in it, but a hot meal & a bed was so very welcome as you might well appreciate. I've never seen a Schwinn Paramount in the metal, but I am familiar with the Bianchi because I know a fellow, now 90yo who still has his original 1952 Bianchi, its mounted full Stronglite with Ambrosio 36 spoke rims & Veloflex tubulars. It looks like its been to the moon & back, but no crash or chip damage. It was a very well cared for bike. He was in the RAAF & stationed in West Germany when he got it. His wife 84yo was an English Cyclocross rider. they now still ride, but much more sedately & enjoy the unsealed roads that run through our National Parks. Many are linked & form a 900 km bike only pathway through a majestic forest & ocean landscape. I'm a 1956 model Western Australian, so I was growing up in the 60s, & my riding addiction really began in 1973. I had come into some money & was able to afford to buy a new Motobecane Grand Record, mounted full Campgnolo Record group set & wheelset, with a Brooks Swallow saddle. It also came with the Campagnolo tools in a wooden box because I was offered a great deal on the whole. I think those tool boxes are now worth a bomb. It too was a class bike back then, & I rode the wheels off it. In 1979 I rebuilt it with the then new gen 1 Super Record, which was much the same but with titanium bolts in place of the steel. & I also got my hands on the only 70s bike that I still have today. A 1977 build number 5, Flema Campionossimo built by a very, very, very, eccentric German, Fritz Fleck in (Mannheim) at the peak of his career. I have only ever seen one other Campionissimo, a 1975 build build in mint condition, same colour but otherwise mounted full Gen 1 Dura Ace. It was such a special bike that it didn't get ridden much, so it has survived the passage of time in unblemished original condition. because it was kept in a cool dark room, the paint & decals appear as fresh as the day they were applied. It has the thinnest & finest example of lug work, seat stay fluting, & the thinnest most beautiful fork crowns that I have ever seen. The only thing that I have changed is that I finally threw away that just plain awful Unicantor saddle, replacing it with a new black Berthoud Arravais which has titanium rails, on a Cinelli seatpost. Mine is mounted with Sakai Ringkyo cranks, the beautiful Drilled SR chainrings, 53/39, Simplex front deraileur, SImplex friction down tube shifters, these were unobtaium in Europe back in the day, but much sought after for their unique design, they were the inly friction shifter that did not slip. Sugino Aero Mighty pedals with their proprietary titanium toe clips. Aero Mighty are just a Sylvan Track type at the back but they are toe shaped at the front. The wheels are Mavic GP4s, 36 spoke, on Dura Ace Uniglide hubs & I run a variety of Sachs Uniglide 7 speed cassettes, Simplex rear derailleur, Connex Whippermann stainless chains. Dura Ace headset, Cinelli 38 cm bars full Modolo brake set, levers, calipers & NOS Modolo brake pads, but the levers have the very much nicer Dura Ace gummy hoods. This then is the pearl of my 5 bike collection. The bikes I actually ride are all 1997 to 2004 aluminium, Carbon forks & in the case of my climbing bike, '04 Piave Sestrieres carbon seat stays, carbon cranks, carbon saddle etc. on Dura Ace 7600 9 speed. various gearing, Continental GP 4 & 5000 tyres with race 26 tubes. 5.2 to 5.3 kgs generally. All these bikes are on either Dura Ace C24s, or DT Swiss PR Oxic & 1400 hubs. Some '97 Cannondale CAAD 3 R1000s all on Dura Ace gen 1, 7800 10speed. around 6.5 kg minus. These are my absolute favourite dailies.
I think he meant that the Tour de France was not transmitted in the USA, or if it was transmitted then I would expect it was just tiny snippets that few people watched. Hence few people were accustomed to seeing people on road bikes doing long tours.
You were definitely a pioneer. In 65 I was riding a Stingray. I am a few years younger. I 73-74 I raced criteriums in the LA area. My Raleigh was very similar to your Paramount. My training low gear was a 45/24. On race day 45/21. How did you get a Campy short cage to work with a 28 tooth? Campagnolo was a beautiful groupe but the parallelogram was swinging at the wrong angle to work with large clusters.
Brian Campag back in the day was THE group set to have here in the UK. But it amazes me that even today the biggest rear sprocket Campag use is a 29t. They've just remained race orientated it seems.
@@2wheelsrbest327 same in California. The shifting was crisp and the brakes were strong for the day. I had to work for quite a while to afford my bike with Campagnolo nuovo record. The bike cost me $295. US.
I really liked your video. Fun to see your bicycle experiences. I'm 74, but can relate to some of your experiences. Did you ever belong to the A.B.L of A.(Amateur Bicycle League of America). That was the racing orginization that promoted cycling. We had races every Sunday during the summer. We also had an organization (forget the name) that promoted races at the Encino Veledrome. Bicycles with no brakes and direct drive, no coaster brake. It was fun riding with Ted Ernst Jr's club, South Bay Wheelmen out of Manhatten Beach California. This was probably the late 60's, also rode an Allegro with the shifts at the end of the handle bars. Later had a Rickert bicycle, that was hand made in West Germany, in a garage. I liked to set cross country goals, but never got to do the cross country thing. Rode from LA to Yosemite(4 days),Yosemite to San Francisco(2 days), San Francisco to LA(5 days). Did that with a cycling friend. The sew ups were good for those long distances, since they were so easy to change, but not to repair. One time at a race, I rounded a corner and my tire rolled off the rim and I went down. The glue was sticky, but I should have used fresh glue. Such memories, but mostly good ones!
Riding in the later '70s and early '80s, things hadn't changed much as for bicycle acceptance on the roads. But the Japanese were really making inroads with the group sets. Frames hadn't changed much except for the few extravagant unicorns. 531 was still well respected. English racers were the 26" three speed bikes with fenders like the Raleighs. I guess all drop bar bikes were racing bikes regardless of its quality.
Great story. I disagree on one aspect though. I did it in 1976. Was a leader on Bikecentennial. To me, it shrunk the country. Before it had seemed like a vast distance across the US. But I rode my bike across! No big deal. I continued on, doing 6000 miles total that summer. That was enough, and I went home.
Yes, I went home and went to work. I'll be sending the vidio of finding my father; a tragic experience no twenty year old needs to endure. The drama as some have said finally ends.!!
Sadly, there is still a bottle problem in America. During my east-west crossing, I saw countless plastic bottles (water & energy drinks) by the side of the road. (Mostly in Idaho and Oregon) What are truly gone are the bags of trash, fortunately…
@Ct “Lancearrow” Larson yes, but it was Huntington Beach. PEOPLE would camp out on the beach and would live there. Remember in the dialog that people would leave there tin cans and rubbish at the campsite. That's what happened to Huntington Beach. I SAW IT WHEN WE MOVED TO NEWPORT BEACH. NORM WORKING ON VIDIO A BOUT MY FATHER.
Yes, your equipment was not much better than we had, so you guys can relate to how tough we had with such poor equipment. I'm riding a titanium Mt. Bike these days. rides.
You really don't ride anymore? That summer of 1976 did it for me. I was hooked. I've always ridden. I had a 37-year career in the bike industry. Now retired 8 years. I still ride 6000+ miles a year at age 73. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't still ride. Have well north of 100 vintage bikes to choose from.
I also have close to 100 vintage bikes to choose from . I really look at these bikes as a piece of art. The combo of riding and collecting is something I love.
Do you have your original hips and knees? Genuine question. Sorry if it's an inappropriate question.
You guys are role models for someone like me.
Great handle you got there😂.
Maybe End Overend or Greg Hairball could join you!
Many happy miles ahead!👍
Yes, I'm riding a light speed titanium Mt. Bike, flat peddles, no more road bikes, afraid to fall. I'm at about ten miles every whenever. The paramount is now a wall hanger.😢
Great story. I am a 73 year old who grew up in the suburbs of NYC and started doing 50-70 mile rides in the early 60's by heading north into Westchester County. I used a 3 speed english bike made to look like a racer from an article I saw in Sports Illustrated about the Tour De France. I did these rides with no planning and suffered mightily, but the sense of freedom was so overwhelming that I did many of these journeys. I stopped riding around '65 because 'it wasn't cool' but picked it up again in the early 70's and started to do competitive cycling. As i aged, long distance touring became attractive again and, to cut to the chase, I rode from Minnesota to California to celebrate my 50th and from California to Minnesota (much easier) to celebrate my 60th. Your story is amazing for me because of your description of road conditions, touring equipment, knowledge of food, etc. The cross country trip is hard and humbling even today.
amen
Awesome...
"This was before the Tour de France .... " The first Tour de France was in 1903, and apart from during the two World Wars, has been held pretty much every year since then. It's always been extremely popular in Europe. Perhaps the news didn't make it across the pond till after 1965.
Exactly
😂😂😂
His reference to the Tour de France has more to do with the popularity of cycling in the USA in 1965, and it should not be taken literally to mean that his bike trip occured before the existence of the Tour de France. American interest in Road Racing and the Tour de France didn't catch on until much later. The author is attempting to make the viewer aware of the fringe nature of cycling in 1965 by alluding to a context more easily understood.
@@ParkerHansenDomaingroup I
And this was before the movie “Breaking Away”. LOL
Mr. Hansen, I remember hearing about your trip in the newpaper when I was 16 - It impressed me. Your story is amazing and I'm glad you and Butch survived being the transcontinental bike pioneers!
When I was 19 I bought a three speed and commuted for a while to work - I became hooked on the freedom bikes gave me. A young Yorkshire man going back to UK gave me a beat up Raleigh Blue Streak 10 speed on which I learned how to wrench - rode that until I broke the seamed down tube. Then I bought a new '72 Atala Record Pro with the same kit as you had, including sew-ups. I worked a lot, saved up enough to take it on Laker flight to London, and rode it solo to Copenhagen and back, using Youth Hostels as stopovers - they are only maybe 50 miles apart in most of northern Europe. Because I was well fed and rested, I managed a laden 110-mile day and many in the 80s but I have to say that sew-up repair was a big issue in western Denmark. I could manage a patch in a half hour before hitting the sack. I still have that bike, though I have graduated to a lighter 30-speed bike now.
All the Europeans ridiculed my Bell Biker helmet - no one there wore helmets then.
My '70s biking buddy and I still ride occasionally. It feels good to get the better of a hill under your own power!
My hat is off to you Norm - you seem like a great, positive guy. There is much to be done here in the U.S. I wish people would put away their differences and get to solving real human problems instead of posturing over ideological stances and obstructing progress.
god bless
First trans continental bike tours were in the 19th century, on high wheelers... Just saying :)
"If you're not riding your bike to school *visible disgust* something is wrong with you." LOL I loved that.
35:51 For those who did not watch the whole thing
LOL, some days when i was way late for high school i’d mount my old single speed bike and head for school. but thank god i had a buddy who lived near the school and i’d stash the bike there and walk over to the high school. to add to the shame it was around 1970 and the bike had “ape hangers”. what had been the height of cool when i was 12 years old in public school was only a few years later in high school a “wear a paper bag over your head” level of squareness.
April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day. I was a junior in high school then. I had been riding my bike to school whenever there wasn't snow on the road since I was in 5th grade - the way to high school was 1.8 miles so it saved considerable time over walking, and was fun on the low-traffic streets of my small, flat city as well. About 20 of the 2,000 students in my high school rode their bikes to school usually. On Earth Day, though, over 200 people rode! The parking lot was choked with bikes. Unfortunately the number of riders was back to 20 or so by a week later.
I started doing century rides on the East Coast with one of my good friends in 1971. I was 14 and he was 13. My Bike was Schwinn Varsity and he had a Schwinn Continental. We would start our days at 3AM to avoid the bulk of the traffic and cops would almost always stop us assuming we were runaways or mentally defective. No one could believe that anyone was purposefully riding hundreds of miles for kicks. I remember the dog problem, for sure, and the bad road, trash...and the flats. We were so quick at patching flats the they often delayed us only a few minutes. Good memories from back then.
A wonderful gentlemen. Great story of the old days. 100 pr cent loved it. Hello from Australia 🇦🇺 😊.
More than a very interesting story, your tale is a time capsule. More than a description, you present yourself with complete authenticity. A very refreshing experience. Thanks. Ron
What a great story. Loved watching it. I bought my first high end bike in 1973, I was thirteen years old. From 1965 to 1973 not much changed as far as bikes go. Up graded my bike to sew ups. About the single biggest up grade you could do at the time. Wool shorts with a real chamois and wool jerseys. Thanks for sharing.
This brings back so many memories of my ride on the first Bikecentennial route from Oregon to Virginia in 1976. A small group of us came over from Australia to be part of the 4000 riders that did parts or all of the ride. Loved the dialogue.
I met Mr.Hansen today at work, he was a guest I was checking in at the hotel and he is such a genuine person. He really tried to get to know me as a person and hearing about his story touched my heart. He showed me the physical book he had on himself and I’m waiting to order myself one on Amazon on my next payday 😂 but in all seriousness, this is a great story and I hope more have the opportunity to read and listen to his experience.
Congratulations for getting this out there, Norm! Your memory of all the painful little details is remarkable and make it all the more entertaining to hear! Been there, I could relate to almost all of it (only we had a tent and karrimats, thank God!). Lets hope Butch turns up and gives us his perspective, that would be fun! All the best!
I enjoyed listening to your story, especially on how the technology, vernacular and culture have changed. It brought back memories for me.
My freind Bob and I rode from Georgia to California back in 1993. We had 21 speeds, waterproof tents, and much better roads. It was such a great adventure! This video was excellent, and really reminded me of our own journey!
Does not matter how good the equipment was, you still need to be shape and push the peddles. Nice. Norm
Really loved finding your story. It was wonderful. I can appreciate your struggles. I had a direct descendant of your bike ill equipped to make an emergency run from the campground in Arches NP to Moab for a fuel pump in 100 degree heat. That race gearing was not fun on climbs. Only after years of experience and much improvement in bikes and tires did I ride from my home in NJ to Labrador and Jackson WY. I can’t imagine going on such an amazing journey w/o GPS and Cell Phones or without todays best tires and bike gear let alone not having gearing for about 1:1 drive.
Thank you for posting this fascinating story. What was done with that equipment is really impressive. Had a schwinn high sierra f/h.s. & college. Converted to a 1x5, loved it!
You did a great ride fantastic
Fantastic! I was riveted to every sentence. I'm in awe over the tough resilience of these two young men. I'm about the same age as Mr Hansen, so I can especially appreciate his comments regarding the changes that have occurred in culture and public behaviour - not only in America, but also in my native Canada. This is a brilliant document, and I hope it gets a lot more attention. About the same time as their journey, I owned an English sports bike with a Reynolds 531 frame - but the bike was not as as rich and light as the Paramount and Bianchi. These days I'm still riding vintage bikes that are very similar to the pairs' racers. They still have 5-cog clusters and "sew-ups" . I just go for short rides, not continental triumphs.
I'm still riding, no road bike. Just a Mt. Bike ans and not in the dirt. Regards norm
You Tube is a wonderful thing, here I am sitting on my lap top in England browsing stuff and this gets recommended by the algorithm. Its not often something on you tube grabs me for a full 45 minutes but this did. Really enjoyable and so interesting to understand the context of doing it back in the 60's. Well done to you guys, if only you could meet up with your old Pal it would close the circle.
Great story. Brings back memories of how things used to be.
It struck me how bsck then, you just did stuff. Joked maybe, complained some, looked upon things as an adventure.
There were fewer choices but somehow it didn't matter.
The satellite comment rang a bell. As young kids in the 1960s we would hang out talking at night, especially in the winter months when it was dark at 4.30. We'd stare at the sky and might need all night to see a single satellite, often we would see none. Now you'll see a satellite in 30 seconds. Space was virgin territory back then. Today satellites run everything. It's a different world.
Fascinating ! I've never suffered so much listening to someone tell a story. I'm from that era and got into bikes in 69. I owned, eventually an Italian Atala, yellow and green, with a 24 inch frame (now they use cm., so I don't know what it means, I can eyeball a frame and tell what size it is by the length of the head tube),and full Campagnolo set up. I did 100 miles a week, between going to work to 46 st and 5th in Manhattan from Staten Island and back at 5. Weekends i went out all day and hit Central Pk. which closed the drive on week ends for bikes and runners . I'm 75 now and I havent ridden since that Atala, sold it in '70/71. BTW, it cost me 179 bucks, just like yours. I had to save for months for it. If I were 22 again and I heard this story, I wouldn't take that trip even for money. No way I'm gonna willingly suffer so much ! My hat's off to you and your buddy.
Thanks, working on script and still riding a pedal assist mt.bike with less pain.😊
That was an amazing trip and story. I had a 1967 Schwinn 10 speed that I bought from a friend after he went in the Marines. I had a 3 speed Raleigh first and we rode around in the backroads of Maryland east of DC. We had to ride in the road all the way with almost no traffic that is now jammed with vehicles starting in the 70 s. Our longest ride was over 80 miles round trip to a Chesapeake Bay beach and back home. I think we did it in less than 5 hours. A great memory. No drivers would be distracted by anything but a AM radio so it was probably much safer then.
I rode Boston to Iowa City in 1970. Beautiful. Small roads with little traffic that are gone or made into 'stroads' now.
Great adventure. Thank you for sharing this.
i am 80 yrs old , I am mesmerized by MR. Hansons journey and also highly impressed by it . pity to hear that he is not cycling any more . I still cycle a little bit myself , but Ireland is a very small country , idid do route 66 bout ten yrs ago , but my wife insisted on a car [ automobile] for our American friends , and really enjoyed it . Mr Hanson my hat off to you . Denis Maher .
This is a great story about these two Queer guys and their relationship and ride across America.
Man! What a wonderful story! My son just sent this my way! Made my day! I started riding in the 70s . Had alot of nice bikes! Mostly loved the old Gitanes! Stated my son riding around 4 years old and he's carried it on today! Sends photos from 90 miles away from home on his Cervelo! Really Really enjoyed your story! What a story to tell! Man experience of a life time!
I frequently used my tire pump to defend myself from dogs in the 1970’s and 80’s. Bike chasing dogs are a much smaller problem now, but it still occasionally happens. So I can understand it was probably worse in the 1960’s. I have been riding an “English Racer” since the 1970’s. Lol
Soon I'm adding day forty two, the day find my father. It is extremely tragic.
Wow, what a story! In 1981 I rode cross-country from Toronto ON to SoCal via Northern BC, about 7000 miles in total, and had the best time. I was on little backroads almost the whole time, except for a few days near Missoula MT when I was on the BikeCentennial Trans-Am route, and local people everywhere would keep asking me where my bike's engine was: they couldn't grasp the idea that anyone, let alone a foreigner, would want to ride so far. I much preferred to not be on the Trans-Am route because the locals were much more generous and welcoming to me as I rode through their little towns; on the Trans-Am route nobody paid any attention to 'just another touring cyclist' pedaling by. I rode my old 10-speed Holdsworth Equipe with a flimsy Pletscher rear rack and a Regina 14-28 5-speed freewheel with Campagnolo Velox derailleurs, so the big climbs out west were tough, especially in the Cascades that were harder than the Rockies (except Berthoud Pass...). After riding in jeans for the first few hundred miles I also bought some Protogs wool shorts with real chamois inserts - ah, bliss! I smiled when you mentioned Red Hill: last year I did a little ride from Albuquerque west and went through there on Hwy.60, and the sole remaining inhabitants of Red Hill NM helped me find a motel in Springerville AZ (thank you, Dan). Lots of good memories! I'm still riding now in my retirement, and I hope to ride the entire US Pacific Coast this year to cover the parts of it that I've not yet ridden.
In 1963 I rode from Newport to Seattle the wrong way I had to ride us 101 on the wrong side against the wind that blows constantly in your face. Go Seattle down not Newport up. Big stupid mistake. Lol norm
god bless
What an interesting story you're telling. Amazing, Best wishes from Germany.
Fascinating. Thanks so much. Greatly admire your sense of adventure and toughness. Now you must laugh like crazy when you hear bicyclists today saying how tough the TransAmerica trail is.
What a great guy. Super story with no BS and an honest account of his experience.
Just happened to see your comment. Yes everything your about to hear is the truth and is verifiable. 😮regards norm hansen.
@@normhansen305Yes I can tell it is the truth. So nicely told. Warts and all. Greetings from Dublin Ireland. I must get myself a copy of that book. I hope all is good with you. Jeff
That was excellent, really enjoyed it. A great story, well told! Greetings from Scotland
Am happy I stumbled across your video. What a wonderful story so nicely told. In 1972 I was inspired by a story in National Geographic about a couple that were riding to Alaska. A year later I purchased a Schwinn Sports Tourer. This rig had 3 chainrings and a 14/36 freewheel, that was administrated by a Campy Grand Tourismo derailleur. My climbing experiences were much easier than yours. I rode from Berkley, California to Boston, Massachusetts. One reason, to see if I could, just by memory, find the house that I spent the first 5 years of my life in. Great adventure and conditions were much improved over what you experienced. You were indeed, a pioneer. I rode solo and as well, generally camped off the side of the road. People were still great and surprised my bike had no motor, just pedals. Thanks for sharing
New vidio coming soon to finish what I started to find in the first place. MY FATHER. 😊
Need to get the book on Amazon
This is a treat. A fantastic time you had. Wow. So well done. Thanks for the story.
I enjoyed listening to the story about your journey. You have seen a period of time of great accomplishments. I too have traveled across the country by bicycle on multiple occasions by comparison with modern day equipment and hotels no farther apart than a good days ride we had it easier and more comfortable. I am a member of Rail to Trails (love those trails) plus now we have bike lanes and many other parks and forested trails for biking or hiking. I thank people who had the vision and want
Quite a trip indeed! I would rather ride across the country 10x in 2023 than once in 1965!
Incredible achievement and truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing. ❤
Deep respect for you , Nowadays all stuff you need to do such a trip is available. Back then it was problably a sort of daily survival trip. Unbelievable how things changed over there also here in Europe. Hope you will find your trip partner! Greetings from the Netherlands.
Geeze ....inherited Schwinn ten speed from my older brother who rode to PA from Massachusetts with another brother in the 60's ...brings back memories both the bike and the brooks leather saddle 🙂
what a cool story, mad respect for these guys! to do something so big at a time when NO ONE was riding bikes as an adult. just inspiring
Last year, I got a 1986 Schwinn Paramount. By '86, the free wheel had 6 cogs and the crank was 52/42. My Chinese-made free wheel is a 14-28. Your cogs were a lot smaller - not easy getting over those mountains, I would imagine.
So cool that you have your bike and an archive! I did it with two high school friends in 1977 on a Fuji touring bike. We zigzagged east to west from New Jersey, we reached the Pacific in Fort Bragg California. We then rode to San Francisco and flew off to Hawaii and rode around Oahu, then flew to the big island where I stayed for three years. I then opened a bike shop in Tahoe, I road raced and became a semi pro mountain bike racer and at 66 I still ride every day. I don’t take any medication I can still out climb most 30 year olds, I owe my incredible health and my 30 year old body to cycling, while most of my friends are either overweight and unhealthy or just plain dead. I loved your reminiscing of your ride across the US, brings back memories. Although we had no fanfare or we occasionally contacted our parents to let them know how we were doing but it was rough going. Cheers
Thanks the book is selling on Amazon and has more details of the ride. Just retired my lightspeed Mt. Bike, titanium. Just tried the face of aspen Mt. Could not finish. Too tough. I turn eighty next month. Stay in touch. I'm a friend of Jared Fisher in Las Vegas. I might be in Reno in November doing a radio show. So I'll try to reach you then. Norm.
Amazing story, thank you! What an adventure this must have been back in the day.
Good day to you!
I am a senior rider on HONDA motorcycle from Japan.
I am enjoying camping ,touring and upload video.
Your ride video is so nice!
Awesome!
Full supported !
Have a nice day my friend!
I've just bought a bike. I'm gonna explore the uk. This is very inspiring
My last ride on the paramount was gatwick Airport to the white cliffs of dove and on the ferry to Calais. England is beautiful green country. I got lost on those roundabouts and some farmer took pity on the yank and put me in the correct direction. Lol norm
This was excellent! Thanks for sharing your story. 🙏🏻 I’m also from Orange County. ✌️
I had 42/34 low gear. Never walked an inch. Nowadays I use a triple most of the time.
Fascinating story and really well told. Must have this book! Every word is so interesting. Your description of American society and infrastructure back then is really something, and when you remind people of what tremendous progress has been made across so many areas of life since and the need to just 'have patience' that really hits home. Congratulations on the bike trip, on your video and on your book....brilliant!
As much as it was mainly torture and gruelling for you both this adventure is burned into your soul and maybe made the men you are today ! Just think about it your telling the story for all the world to listen and enjoy and if you look at the youths of today they are miserable and have no personality.🎥🇬🇧👍
Bravo! My first long ride was in 1983 from Montreal to Quebec and back on a yellow Schwinn Varsity. I envied my friend who had a Continental. We dared not dream of someday owning Paramounts...
Today, I ride a late 90s Waterford, the next step in that evolution.
This is a fascinating story of an incredibly journey, and it’s wonderfully told. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I think the messages of perspective and appreciation for modern improvements are things the younger set needs to hear. How anyone can watch this and their biggest takeaway is a nitpick about what year the Tour de France started or who wrote the Grapes of Wrath is beyond me. It takes all kinds, I guess. Thanks again. Looking forward to your next video.
Our environment. You, my friend are so absolutely correct. Instead of people worrying about the shithole they are leaving behind, (and probably coming back to) , they worry about skin color and one upmanship.
THIS IS GOLD - love this story
Great video! Thanks for sharing it. I love about 5 mins away from the former bike shop in Santa Ana, CA. That location is now a car stereo locale.
Henry was from Denmark and wore wooden shoes. He was great and helped us through the entire as you see from the telegrams. Can you believe how far we have come in communication. There is another video in process. Thanks norm.
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing story. It is inspiring and will help me to keep pushing myself towards my goals.
That was excellent! Many thanks 👍
Seriously, you are right up there with Orville and Wilber Wright. Thank you far your daring. Lon Holdeman and Mike Sherman (of the RAAM) were my heroes back then and still are are, of course, but I've been unaware of you both until now. Wow! Love you guys....HEROES, both.
Thank you for explaining your equipment and difficulties. I loved working on bikes back then. Steel frames. Braze-on fixtures. On and on. Bike equipment has come so far compared to the 60's era. Maybe to far? Lol! And, gotta say, the beauty of the original Campagnolo Record derailleur has never been surpassed. Never. (I'll probably get some push back on that, but that's OK.)
Thank you, and Bravo! Multo Bravo!
rocket
Remarkable. Well worth making and posting this.
Awesome story and trip !
Great achievement, but you never mentioned the thunderstorms! You must have encountered a few, I certainly did hitch hiking coast to coast and feared for my life on one occasion. Biking it like that in 1965 was certainly epic. I found sleeping out in the desert ok but cold like you said. Great story hope you get to meet your buddy again and share some memories.
Need to get the book on Amazon
Need to get the book on Amazon
This guy is how we all were back then. Big gears, big legs, big dreams.
Great story! I hope there's more stories to come.
Very interesting story, can’t wait to hear about your father. One suggestion, add links to you website and the book. Yes, I’m aware the publisher is shown at the end of the video.
Nice stuff...me and a friend cycled from Sheffield to Scotland one summer for 3weeks....19mm wheels and 42/52 and 13 /21 gears with all the bags 🤪apart from that been riding since 13 now 50...hoping to do Sheffield to Italy next year
Really enjoyed hearing about your trip. Thanks for making the video.
There will be a final vidio when I finally find my father that happen during the writing of the book. The vidio was done prior to book publishing.
@@normhansen305 Nice! Look forward to it
"... this was before the Tour de France..." That's an interesting perspective. First running of Tour de France was in 1903 and it ran every year except for WWi and WWII. I guess for all practical purposes Tour de France did not exist in US until Lemond won it. Either way, this is an amazing story!
Very true. Since Lemond, then Lance, we are now back to the Tour de France not existing again.
@@cb750k1974 I guess Sepp Kuss doesn't exist?
I think the Vuelta is a better, tougher race as well. Climbing is a better measure of cycling than sprinting from near the front of a peloton. @@_MrSnrub
i followed similar stories, as grew up with bikes an early touring. NYC worlds fair mom wore Lakota buckskin dress and later family friend visited us in Rapid city sd. early 60's 2 boys left their bikes to us kids, similar as english racer, fuji , maybe motoebecane? my first road bike from department store, did ride age 15, rapid valley to Wall Drug,1973. many rides and tours ive done. but not enough. now retired i got bit too old ill sore to restart world tour. i gave dozen bikes recent years, still 5 left need fixed to do long ride. recent buy vintage english Hurcules,10 speed needs attention. i want 3 way sitting, gave away a blaze recumbent, like sit up easy but need race postition for hills and downhill. i missed the first raa. i on hiway 90 Southern tier, seen watch for cross country riders. one passed by at 3pm Marfa, but new gear lite...
What an amazing story! !
I rode my bike to work today, as I usually do. About a 10 mile commute. I bought the bike at my local bike shop, the Oscar Wastyn bicycle shop.
Oscar Wastyn was a '6 day racer'. He was a racer and bike builder who worked with Ignaz Schwinn, they both lived in the neighborhood I live in now.
Oscar Wastyn designed the Schwinn Paramount. The Wastyn family still runs the shop today. You can see some of the 100 year old racing bikes on the walls. The wheels weren't steel or aluminum, but were made of bamboo! Kind of the carbon fiber of the 1920's.
I just talked to Richard schwinn last week who did the last restoration on the 63 paramount. I sent him a book. He was happy and always pleasant to talk with. The bike has been on the Normandy cost in 1981 and all over Europe. Richard now builds bikes under the Waterford name. He told me he was unable to retain the paramount name. I'll be putting another vide up soon as people seem to enjoy the stories. Thanks norm
Wow! That's amazing! Thank you for sharing your adventure.
Absolutely Wonderful listening to your journey......
Neat accomplishment. Great story.
He speaks from memory about things and hasn't researched recently to make sure that he remembers everything correctly. He makes a number of factual mistakes. Somebody may get the wrong idea about a couple of things, but I doubt that it will cause any problems.
I'm glad that he is telling the story.
That's not exactly true. The miles we rode that day, our approximate location and events that day are in the red diary. Next vidio, I'll show the page and the day and the approximate miles, our location, and the event that day. This video was done about a year before the book was published. I'll explain why in the next vidio.
@@normhansen305
The errors I was talking about are not related to the miles you did, etc., but to things that are related to bicycle equipment, and to some of the historic items you mentioned.
I'm not going to watch it again just to find them.
If you watch it with a guy your age who's owned a bicycle shop for 45 years, he'll point out the mechanical errors. He may catch some of the historic things as well. I'm about 10 years younger than you, so I remember enough about the 60s for my ears to have prickled here and there.
But as I said, none of it is going to hurt anyone, they aren't big issues at all.
You guys made an epic trip, and I was happy to hear about it.
@deezynar your probably relating to the rear cluster. At the time of the vidio I could not find a 28×14 cluster we called it a touring cluster, but I just found one and installed. So thats done. The original Paramont had crome lugs and front forks and rear. Chainrings were not changed. Mafac center pulls were on both bikes. Side pulls had tendency to rub on rims and needed to be adjusted frequently. The bikes were beat up until we got to st.louis bike shop.
@deezynar the bike has been sent the Waterford shop three times to be restored the lugs and stays were crome, the handle bars are not original since they were broken in a race in orange county, stays have a screw hole to put a rack on the back, the Olympic paramount did not. The brakes were Mayfair center pulls, they too were broken, hence the campy sidpulls. Third and final done by R scwinn himself had one of thier old guys put the pinn stripping on, the rims were red label fiammi that to were destroyed hence the yellow label or old label currently on the bike. The next vidio will show the bike on the Europe coast minis the pin stripping. 1981. The bike again was sent Waterford. The cluster was 13×24, changed to 14×28 touring cluster we called them in the sixtys.
This is wonderful to watch. Great stories. Touring gear actually exists now and has come a really long way. I can imagine the misery of a soaked cotton sleeping bag in the open air.
My mother went to Newport Beach all the time back in the day. On her first date with my father, they rode bicycles to the beach, then went back home for a steak dinner. I'll ask her if she remembers your cyclist story.
Neatsfoot oil is synonymous with baseball glove care. Of course when you use them on bicycle saddles it actually softens them up to the point that they can sag and it's considered destructive to the leather when used in excess. If your saddle is newer or in good condition, Newbaum's leather dressing is the best option, IMO. I have a vintage Brooks that I used Ko Cho Line leather dressing on because it sat in a garage loft for years and needed to be conditioned against drying out. Ko Cho Line works on mold and cracking (there are limits). Anyways I hope this information helps others restoring or taking care of their leather.
I have a '61 Raleigh Trent Tourist that I restored last year. The vintage brooks is on there now and it rides great. When I take this bike out I imagine what it was like for people riding back then, and your story really helps paint the picture.
Ulnar nerve pain is the worst. I'll take a little more sore butt if it means sparing my hands from numbness, so I ride more upright.
Thanks for sharing your adventure. Ordered the book. Still hoping to do the ride one day, but no way in 6 weeks. That seems incredibly fast,. Wond er what happened after that ride. As you mentioned, those were years of change. You mentioned you had an acceptance letter and a draft notice.Or perhaps the book expands a bit on your story. Will see when it arrives.
The Southern Tier route is the shortest way across, San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL. A friend and I cycled it a few years ago, He was 73, I was 65 then. It took us five weeks. Give it a try, people out there along the road and across the U.S. are still friendly and welcoming when you are on a bike.
Great story! A nice movie should be made.
Thanks my fellow rider. I should have mentioned that we saw motorcycles and they too would slow and ask if we wanted a tow. Lol
It would be a great video of the Butch reunion. I hope it takes place one day.
A marvelous adventure Norman, I believe 'sew ups' or tubular tyres are pretty much confined to competition racing nowadays, tubeless is being ridden in European races by some teams. Hope you find your mate Butch.
I hope so too.
Many vintage bike owners still ride on "sew-ups" that we have to glue onto the rims. When you own lovely vintage hubs laced into old rims that will only mount "tubs", you tend to keep on using the older tech, even for casual exercise.
Just meet u in person so cool to see everything u did just at 20 seem like a really nice person really cool that u did that people like u change the future
I took his book to Italy enjoyed it so much. Back in the time when I was that age and I was a bicycle mechanic half my life. Recommend it highly, Easy Read an interesting articles., Thanks , Kirk
I thought when I attempted Race Across AMerica in 1983 that things were very primitive but I see that I've got nothing on Norm except being from Huntington Beach and not stinking Newport. Yeah, no credit cards or cellphones save for a giant ham radio to check in with...downright Draconian if you ask me. But we had support cars and high pressure clinchers...I made my own helmet light before NiteRider was a gleem in somebody's eye.
In Norm:s era they only built about a hundred Paramount's a year by the way. I know cause I own a '61 coincidentally, plus a slew of 70's ones from the bike boom decade.
We had no alternatives other than a schwinn suburban with fengers, three speeds. I quess looking back as I mount my peddle assist things have improved. Some guy sent me a response that he had been lieing since 1976 about his bike across with his wife. It was very funny and he said thanks norm.😅😅😅
Yes it was certainly a different world back then, I really enjoyed your tale, mainly because I can relate to the primitive by modern standards, everything that was back then.
Life was much simpler but, far, far, more labour intensive, & if you knew how to get along you got along, if not you got your head battered. One thing that has changed dramatically is common courtesy & in general a respectful attitude. If you were travelling on foot or by bicycle here back then, & it was getting toward close of day, quite often someone would ask if you would like to have dinner with them & stay overnight in the sleep out, which was just a room enclosed on the end of the back verandah with a bunk in it, but a hot meal & a bed was so very welcome as you might well appreciate.
I've never seen a Schwinn Paramount in the metal, but I am familiar with the Bianchi because I know a fellow, now 90yo who still has his original 1952 Bianchi, its mounted full Stronglite with Ambrosio 36 spoke rims & Veloflex tubulars. It looks like its been to the moon & back, but no crash or chip damage. It was a very well cared for bike. He was in the RAAF & stationed in West Germany when he got it. His wife 84yo was an English Cyclocross rider. they now still ride, but much more sedately & enjoy the unsealed roads that run through our National Parks. Many are linked & form a 900 km bike only pathway through a majestic forest & ocean landscape.
I'm a 1956 model Western Australian, so I was growing up in the 60s, & my riding addiction really began in 1973. I had come into some money & was able to afford to buy a new Motobecane Grand Record, mounted full Campgnolo Record group set & wheelset, with a Brooks Swallow saddle. It also came with the Campagnolo tools in a wooden box because I was offered a great deal on the whole. I think those tool boxes are now worth a bomb. It too was a class bike back then, & I rode the wheels off it. In 1979 I rebuilt it with the then new gen 1 Super Record, which was much the same but with titanium bolts in place of the steel. & I also got my hands on the only 70s bike that I still have today.
A 1977 build number 5, Flema Campionossimo built by a very, very, very, eccentric German, Fritz Fleck in (Mannheim) at the peak of his career. I have only ever seen one other Campionissimo, a 1975 build build in mint condition, same colour but otherwise mounted full Gen 1 Dura Ace. It was such a special bike that it didn't get ridden much, so it has survived the passage of time in unblemished original condition. because it was kept in a cool dark room, the paint & decals appear as fresh as the day they were applied. It has the thinnest & finest example of lug work, seat stay fluting, & the thinnest most beautiful fork crowns that I have ever seen. The only thing that I have changed is that I finally threw away that just plain awful Unicantor saddle, replacing it with a new black Berthoud Arravais which has titanium rails, on a Cinelli seatpost.
Mine is mounted with Sakai Ringkyo cranks, the beautiful Drilled SR chainrings, 53/39, Simplex front deraileur, SImplex friction down tube shifters, these were unobtaium in Europe back in the day, but much sought after for their unique design, they were the inly friction shifter that did not slip. Sugino Aero Mighty pedals with their proprietary titanium toe clips. Aero Mighty are just a Sylvan Track type at the back but they are toe shaped at the front.
The wheels are Mavic GP4s, 36 spoke, on Dura Ace Uniglide hubs & I run a variety of Sachs Uniglide 7 speed cassettes, Simplex rear derailleur, Connex Whippermann stainless chains. Dura Ace headset, Cinelli 38 cm bars full Modolo brake set, levers, calipers & NOS Modolo brake pads, but the levers have the very much nicer Dura Ace gummy hoods. This then is the pearl of my 5 bike collection.
The bikes I actually ride are all 1997 to 2004 aluminium, Carbon forks & in the case of my climbing bike, '04 Piave Sestrieres carbon seat stays, carbon cranks, carbon saddle etc. on Dura Ace 7600 9 speed. various gearing, Continental GP 4 & 5000 tyres with race 26 tubes. 5.2 to 5.3 kgs generally.
All these bikes are on either Dura Ace C24s, or DT Swiss PR Oxic & 1400 hubs.
Some '97 Cannondale CAAD 3 R1000s all on Dura Ace gen 1, 7800 10speed. around 6.5 kg minus. These are my absolute favourite dailies.
I’m pretty sure the Tour de France started before 1965😂
1903
😂
I think he meant that the Tour de France was not transmitted in the USA, or if it was transmitted then I would expect it was just tiny snippets that few people watched. Hence few people were accustomed to seeing people on road bikes doing long tours.
@@WHS_reviews ok that makes sense
@@WHS_reviewsThat’s my guess, too.
Loved this story, what a great video!
Terrific story & a great learning for me :) Awesome video :)
You were definitely a pioneer. In 65 I was riding a Stingray. I am a few years younger. I 73-74 I raced criteriums in the LA area. My Raleigh was very similar to your Paramount. My training low gear was a 45/24. On race day 45/21. How did you get a Campy short cage to work with a 28 tooth? Campagnolo was a beautiful groupe but the parallelogram was swinging at the wrong angle to work with large clusters.
Brian Campag back in the day was THE group set to have here in the UK. But it amazes me that even today the biggest rear sprocket Campag use is a 29t. They've just remained race orientated it seems.
@@2wheelsrbest327 same in California. The shifting was crisp and the brakes were strong for the day. I had to work for quite a while to afford my bike with Campagnolo nuovo record. The bike cost me $295. US.
I really liked your video. Fun to see your bicycle experiences. I'm 74, but can relate to some of your experiences. Did you ever belong to the A.B.L of A.(Amateur Bicycle League of America). That was the racing orginization that promoted cycling. We had races every Sunday during the summer. We also had an organization (forget the name) that promoted races at the Encino Veledrome. Bicycles with no brakes and direct drive, no coaster brake. It was fun riding with Ted Ernst Jr's club, South Bay Wheelmen out of Manhatten Beach California. This was probably the late 60's, also rode an Allegro with the shifts at the end of the handle bars. Later had a Rickert bicycle, that was hand made in West Germany, in a garage. I liked to set cross country goals, but never got to do the cross country thing. Rode from LA to Yosemite(4 days),Yosemite to San Francisco(2 days), San Francisco to LA(5 days). Did that with a cycling friend. The sew ups were good for those long distances, since they were so easy to change, but not to repair. One time at a race, I rounded a corner and my tire rolled off the rim and I went down. The glue was sticky, but I should have used fresh glue. Such memories, but mostly good ones!
Riding in the later '70s and early '80s, things hadn't changed much as for bicycle acceptance on the roads. But the Japanese were really making inroads with the group sets. Frames hadn't changed much except for the few extravagant unicorns. 531 was still well respected. English racers were the 26" three speed bikes with fenders like the Raleighs. I guess all drop bar bikes were racing bikes regardless of its quality.
goddammit this is a great story
Great story. I disagree on one aspect though. I did it in 1976. Was a leader on Bikecentennial. To me, it shrunk the country. Before it had seemed like a vast distance across the US. But I rode my bike across! No big deal. I continued on, doing 6000 miles total that summer. That was enough, and I went home.
Yes, I went home and went to work. I'll be sending the vidio of finding my father; a tragic experience no twenty year old needs to endure. The drama as some have said finally ends.!!
@@normhansen305 are you going to put up a video here on youtube of finding your father? - thanks
@SAXONWARLORD1000AD yes. New vidio.
@SAXONWARLORD1000AD yes, I've decided to do the vidio on finding him. It will take another month or so.
Brilliant video and very interesting 👍
Sadly, there is still a bottle problem in America. During my east-west crossing, I saw countless plastic bottles (water & energy drinks) by the side of the road. (Mostly in Idaho and Oregon) What are truly gone are the bags of trash, fortunately…
Interesting that then there were no plastic bottles. Maybe things have not changed as much as I thought.?
Now with more juuls and elfbars
Things may be better. They use to have a beach in Southern California called Tin-Can Beach in the '60s. Somewhere near Seal Beach. It was cleaned up.
@Ct “Lancearrow” Larson yes, but it was Huntington Beach. PEOPLE would camp out on the beach and would live there. Remember in the dialog that people would leave there tin cans and rubbish at the campsite. That's what happened to Huntington Beach. I SAW IT WHEN WE MOVED TO NEWPORT BEACH. NORM WORKING ON VIDIO A BOUT MY FATHER.
Mr Hansen thank you for stopping this morning and have me borrow your pump, while I’m having a flat tire.
Interesting comments about a fascinating journey!
Thank God for evolution .... I'm thoroughly immersed with heart-felt thanks and appreciation.
Amazing video. Grapes of wrath was Steinbeck. East of eden was Hemingway
Yes, I'm taking a beating over that mistake. Lol norm
@@normhansen305 no worries! The account of your travels is fascinating. I love cycling so this was a real treat. Thank you
1973 myself and two friends rode 1000 miles Ohio to Florida I was 18
Yes, your equipment was not much better than we had, so you guys can relate to how tough we had with such poor equipment. I'm riding a titanium Mt. Bike these days. rides.
Thank-you Man