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Old 10-25-07, 12:06 PM
  #23  
mattface 
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Williston, VT
Posts: 3,991

Bikes: Bridgestone RB-T, Soma Rush, Razesa Racer, ⅔ of a 1983 Holdsworth Professional, Nishiki Riviera Winter Bike

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My favorite bike currently has mismatched wheels, the crank is campy, the FD suntour, the RD shimano 105. THe rear hub is a Dura Ace 6 speed cassette hub with a Dura Ace 8 speed cassette body, and Ultegra 9 speed cassette. 105 RD, and the rear shifter is a 9 speed DA downtube shifter, the right is a DA friction shifter left over from the old 6 speed drive train. the front wheel is Ofmega laced to a grey anodized Mavic GP4, while the rear is laced to a high polished Mavic Speciale Sport rim. The brake levers are diacompe, and I replaced the mismatched calipers (Diacompe front Campy rear) with matching dual pivot 105 calipers. All this is bolted to an 80s vintage Razesa racing frame with a Brooks Professional on a DA post, and Cinnelli stem and bars with flourescent orange tape. and SPD pedals. the tires at least are a matched set.

Overall this thing is a terrible mongrel with parts ranging from the 70s like the crank and front wheel up through brand new stuff like the brakes and cassette. Nothing matches, but everything works together marvelously. It's a responsive bike with a comfortable frame, great brakes, modern shifting, and it weighs maybe 21 pounds. It may look like a mutt to you, but it is absolutely my favorite bike to ride.

I love vintage bikes, and yes I appreciate a lovingly restored ones, or period correct ones. I also like taking great old columbus and reynolds frames and giving them the benefit of modern shifting and braking. 9 speed Hyperglide shifts SO much better than 6 speed Uniglide, and dual pivot brakes beat the snot out of anything available in 1982. This would still be a great bike if it were bone stock and in mint condition, but it's way more fun to ride in it's beat-to-snot mongrel condition.

I DO have the bug Kommisar, but apparently I have a different bug than you do. that's OK, we both really love bikes, and that's what counts.
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