Old 09-22-07, 06:26 AM
  #14  
John E
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,796

Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;

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To me, that Bottecchia looks beautifully proportioned.

I think older frames with relaxed geometries and large mudguard clearances look best with 700C x 28 (as on my 1959 Capo) or even 27 x 1-1/4" tires (as on my Peugeot). I even have 700C x 28s on my somewhat tighter Bianchi, although these are undersized Continentals -- "real" 28s would rub on the chainstays, and perhaps even the brake bridge and fork crown.

For general-purpose cycling, even with my non-racing club, I feel a bit safer and more secure on a slightly wider tire, in contrast to my days of being "20-something and immortal," when I eagerly migrated from 27 x 1-1/4" (32mm) to 1-1/8" to 1" (25mm) and even 7/8" (23mm).
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Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
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