Monday Blues: Rust on a Worksman...

blue (bloo) n. 1. Any of a group of colors that may vary in lightness and saturation, whose hue is that of a clear sky. 2. An object of the color blue.
blues (blooz) pl. n. 1. Feelings of sadness, melancholy, or depression. 2. A melancholic musical form 

'Blues' need not always refer to a color and its various shades. It might also refer to an emotional state of being, say when we see something unfortunate, like rust on our favorite hunk of steel. This was one of a group of five Worksman Cycles Industrial Bicycles seen at the recent Vintage show at Coates Cyclery. I would have to say that the chain, in regard to its original intended purpose, can be written off. But the chainring is still fantastic, and that diamond-cut pattern on its surface only seems to have been enhanced by the oxidation.

Worksman bikes have been made in the USA for over 100 years, tracing their origins back to 1898 when Morris Worksman converted his idea for a three-wheeled bicycle, which could replace the horse and wagon as a reliable way to move people and goods, into reality. From the Worksman website: "Our goal is to bring a more efficient, reliable and healthful transportation to modern industry." The company's original products were used to deliver products around New York City, and their bicycles and tricycles continue to perform the same functions in urban and factory settings around the country to this day.