In article <
[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:
> Ryan Cousineau writes:
>
> >>> Then:
> >>> http://tinyurl.com/a9gr
> >>> and Now:
> >>> http://tinyurl.com/a9g7
>
> >>> 30 years later.
>
> >> Gotta give you credit. You look terrific.
>
> > Never mind the rider. The bike after 30 years!
>
> > That is the same bike, isn't it?
>
> No, the early one is a Cinelli after which came a Peter Johnson, a Tom
> Ritchey, and another Peter Johnson that I ride today. I switched to
> yellow because cracks are easier to detect with light colors. Early
> Cinellis had a few failures, especially rear dropouts caused by
> flexing Campagnolo axle flex and failure.
>
> Jobst Brandt
> [email protected]
Interesting...Okay, so I'm assuming the Cinelli more or less wore out;
what governed your decisions to get the next three frames?
I know I ask a lot of these annoying questions (google back and you'll
find me quizzing Jobst on the component mix, too), but I think there is
some interesting insights to be found in a rider's decision to get a new
bike. Well, at least among riders where getting a new bike is done with
more care than picking up the most fashionable new model every 1-3 years.
Full disclosure: I'm still riding the converted Pinarello (105 6-speed
group converted with Sora right-side shifter and 8v 13-26 rear cluster;
front rings are 52(53?)-39. Rear Nisi wheel replaced by a Mavic
deep-section wheel w/RSX hub after the former got bent in a racing
incident (the replacement was offered really cheaply).
Commuter bike is a mid-80s Bianchi with an RSX dual-pivot front brake
replacing the stock long-reach Dia-Compe, and an SLR aero-lever to
match. Drivetrain is Suntour 6-speed, bound to be replaced soon. Rims
are Nisi, I think, but there may be an Araya in there too, since I have
a lot of those around.
Both bikes run 165 mm cranks, a quirk of mine with two justifications:
it might help a bit with my achilles tendonitis, and it helps me
accelerate out of corners a bit quicker in crits.
Mountain bike is a nondescript 8-speed Kona Kilauea, a steel XC hardtail
with a '97 Marzocchi Z.2 (65mm travel) with Enduro seals, which are
nice. mostly XT components, dorky riser bar which I should narrow and
change for a flat bar; I also have a shorter-than-stock rising stem.
This bike has oddly long 175mm cranks, but those will be swapped for
shorter when I get the opportunity.
All three bikes have the same style of Selle Italia Nitrox, a narrow,
thinly-padded vinyl-and-plastic thing that works superbly for me. I own
five copies, purchased for an average of about $3.
The BMX LX: a BMX with a seven-speed drivetrain. That bike was
immediately adopted by my wife.
--
Ryan Cousineau,
[email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.