Almost immediately driving into Pennsylvania to pick up the bike, I realized this vintage bike needed some refurbishing. The tires were flat, frame scratched up, and shifters bent. Once home I started planning a complete overhaul.
About a month later, I had finished the work including new tubes, tires, brake pads, chain, cassette, all cables, shifters, bar tape and touch up paint. The bike looked and performed as if new again.
With the rebuild finished, I wanted to set out for some rides worthy of this amazing road bike. The 1999 Porsche Bike R has a lightweight aluminum frame and top-of-line (for 1999) Shimano Dura-Ace brakes and gears. And the bike listed for $10k back in 1999.
Researching fun rides, I found the Sea Gull Century in Maryland and the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. I liked the sound/theme of the Coast & Coast Sea Gull and Sea Otter bookend rides to celebrate this new Porsche Bike in my garage.
Last fall I completed the Sea Gull Century … a 100 miles mostly in the rain! Here is the complete story.
And last weekend on April 20, 2024, I was able to complete the 48-mile Sea Otter Classic Gran Fondo Pacifico to wrap up the bookend Coast & Coast Adventure.
The Sea Otter Classic is an amazing cycling event, with professional road, dirt, and gravel races, fun rides, bike vendor exhibits. food, camping, and anything and everything that has to do with bicycles. The event is located at the Laguna Seca race track … my home track growing up and also the location of last year’s Rennsport Reunion hosted by Porsche. I signed up for the Pacifico because I love the California coast and have long wanted to ride along the Pacific Ocean.
The Gran Fondo Pacifico started on the Laguna Seca race track, rode down the famous corkscrew, exited the track by pit lance, down to the coast on backroads, along the ocean to 17-mile drive and returned to the track for 48 miles total. The weather was great and views of Monterey Bay were spectacular. The ride back up the hills to Laguna Seca were super challenging though.
The ride was amazing and at the finish line, I got a Sea Otter medal which felt like a reward for completing both Atlantic and Pacific coast rides. This effort was nearly a yearlong activity, with the bike rebuild, many hours of training, the century ride, dragging the Bike R on the plane to California, and of course, riding the Pacifico Gran Fondo. What an amazing time I had!
Not sure what's next or how to top this experience!
And I must mention that during all of the training and these two epic rides, the 1999 Porsche Bike R performed perfectly! Fast, smooth, reliable and fun to ride. Porsche makes some great bicycles.
