Scott Bradford: Off on a Tangent

Vehicles

Updated

Automobiles

Honcho 2

Jeep J-10 “Honcho”

I own a classic Jeep J-10 pickup, which has undergone a major rebuild and restoration. It has been built to be be a reliable workhorse, not a show-car. After it finishes its shakedown period and final restoration steps, it’ll be cruising the highways, back-roads, and trails around Virginia.

The Mazda

The new daily driver is a fun little Mazda sedan in white, which brings us ‘up to date’ on modern safety and connectivity features without sacrificing driving feel or style. It’s practical and fun all at the same time and is proving itself to be a versatile and reliable member of the family.

The Big Mini

Countryman Side
Mini Countryman S All4

Our aging family/secondary car is the moderately versatile (and very fun to drive) Mini Countryman. It’s a nice little car and, unlike most of the rest of the Mini product line, it has all-wheel drive and enough space for four human beings.

Bicycles

2008 Trek 7100

Trek 7100
Trek 7100

This ‘hybrid’ is designed for road and paved trail but is more upright and comfortable than a traditional road bike. At a glance it looks basically like a mountain bike, but it has narrower/smoother road-style 700c tires and a more road-oriented geometry.

  • Model: 2008 Trek 7100 Hybrid
  • Frame: Alpha White Aluminum, 17.5″
  • Color: Blue and Silver
  • Tires: Bontrager Select Invert 700x35c
  • Drivetrain:
    • SRAM 3.0 Comp 7 speed Shifters
    • Shimano C102 front dérailleur
    • SRAM ESP 3.0 rear dérailleur
    • SR Suntour NEX-208 48/38/28 crank
    • Sun Race 13-34 cassette
  • Assembly: Spokes, Etc. in Ashburn, Virginia

2007 Schwinn Mesa

Schwinn Mesa
Schwinn Mesa

My Trek hybrid has served me very, very well, but it’s not designed for unpaved trails like the C&O Canal trail, Cross County Trail, or other unpaved paths in the D.C. metropolitan area. I decided, so I would have access to those trails, to pick up a decent, inexpensive mountain bike as a secondary bike for rougher riding.

  • Model: 2007 Schwinn Mesa
  • Frame: Schwinn Aluminum, Medium
  • Color: Navy Blue
  • Tires: Kenda Klaw XT, 26″ x 2.1″
  • Drivetrain:
    • SRAM SX-4 Dual Trigger control shifters
    • SRAM 3.0 front dérailleur
    • SRAM SX-4 rear dérailleur
    • TruVativ X-Flow 42/32/22T crank
    • Shimano CS-HG30, 11/32T, 8-speed cassette
  • Assembly: Performance Bicycle in Fairfax, Virginia

Vehicle History

Automobiles

Bicycles

  • Cheap big-box store bicycles.

Scott Bradford has been putting his opinions on his website since 1995—before most people knew what a website was. He has been a professional web developer in the public- and private-sector for over twenty years. He is an independent constitutional conservative who believes in human rights and limited government, and a Catholic Christian whose beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. He loves Pink Floyd and can play the bass guitar . . . sort-of. He’s a husband, pet lover, amateur radio operator, and classic AMC/Jeep enthusiast.