Road Cycling - A New Old Friend - 22 Pounds of Pure Heaven

Gone retro this summer...

I purchased a Pinarello frame as a project and while waiting for it to arrive from Poland, I took a flyer on this 1992 Giordana Spica frame. Pegoretti designed, Billato built, pure Italian with an American flare.

Columbus TSX tubing - size 57 with a 56 TT.

Then I needed parts - so I bought a '89 Bottecchia off Ebay and switched most of the parts over. Full C-Record group including headset, seatpost, hubs and Delta brakes. Omega Strada rims. I added a couple of newer items - Ritchey bars, SLX saddle, Attack/Force tires, Keo pedals.

7 speeds, downtube friction shifters. 53/42 in the front. 14/23 in the rear.

Not the lightest of bikes but that's not the point.

Total cost of the project after selling the Bottecchia frame - less than $1K.

Took it for it's maiden voyage yesterday - pure heaven. Momentum is it's middle name. Can't wait to truly dial her in.

Jakey, I now know that of which you speak.

55/Rad

http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/1125/fullwide1zp.jpg
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7025/drivetraincropped3zs.jpg
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7017/crank8hy.jpg
http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/7356/deltaplusshifter4ml.jpg
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/9382/rearderheadon5ay.jpg

Wow Rad, I looked at those pics, and looked again... You've got style man.

Beautiful. How do you feel about the braking on the Omega rims? I have similar rims on a Schwinn Circuit (Shimano Sante components), but I'm not totally comfortable on the braking surface I guess. Could also be the single pivot brakes.

That's beautiful. I'm not feelin' those brakes though, but the frame and everything else looks beautiful. While you're riding around on your classic Maserati, I'm waiting for the Fiat (or maybe an Alfa?) I just won on ebay (Bianchi Veloce) to ship.

The Delta brakes take a little getting used to - it definitely takes a deeper pull to feel their power. Getting them set up was a bit tricky but the Campy Only site was quite helpful.

As for the rims themselves - sure, there isn't a machined braking surface but it wasn't too long ago that this was the norm. I don't have a problem with them at all.

BTW - special shout out to Lotek for being so patient and helping out a ton with his advice. Thanks Marty.

sharp looking bike. I hope my project bike turns out as well. Its a old friend ive had for years and it use to be my primary bike (old 1973 raleigh granprix Im hoping to have it finished by sept 3 to ride in the stomp bicycle adventure this year (metric century).

Frames huge realy its to big for me no clue on the size but the distance between top tube and down tube is bigger than my hand with fingures against each other at the head tube. Take a look at the link in my sig the cdale is about the right size for me (never been properly fitted for a bike so dont know realy).
I jut know some of my best rides were on that huge old raleigh. I remember it handled like a dream quite a snappy handling bike.

Again very very nice bike loves those down tube shifters.

Damn, that thing is oozing w/ class. Love the white hoods and red bar tape combo.

And, just think, if you sell it to me for $1000 you can break even on the project!

Nice.

How did you take the picture? It doesn't look like there's a wall there. What's the background?

Beautiful, Rad. BTW, I've always enjoyed your bike pics, do you have a site where you post them all?
Bob

Very nice. Yes...once you ride an italian steel bike everything else is just...blah. Its like Porsche. Own one and you'll understand.

That machine is begging to be ridden. Absolutely beautiful Rad.

Oh, and have fun keeping those white hoods clean (Lacquer thinner works good). I had a dickens of a time with my old Suntour hoods. I finally gave up. :(

Looks AWESOME! :eek:

That sure is an eye candy, more then the bike i love the way you take your pictures.

ravi

Well, that rig is gorgeous. Sort of an infinitely classier version of my steel steed...I keep trying to relate to it somehow...7 speed friction downtube shifters...check...Cinelli stem...check....ummm...MOMENTUM! Yeah, I can relate. Sigh. I wanna be in Portland and go riding with you guys. Sigh...

Damn. Well done, Rad...

Nice! I wanna ride that thing!:)

Speaking of your pics...when do I get a chance for a photo shoot? My lugged bike is going to be taking a vacation from riding... it will give me a chance to get it all cleaned and purty!

Absolutely amazing bike. Congratulations!

Great! The group and frame are flawless. Was the Bottecchia NOS?

Great! The group and frame are flawless. Was the Bottecchia NOS?
No. It was the proverbial Vette in the barn though. The guy bought it new - spent oodles to deck it out in the best of 1989 - rode it for a few hundred miles, then let it sit in storage for 17 years. I would keep it but it's too small - a 55.

55/Rad

Outstanding example of how style and elegance are timeless.

Are you planning to keep the conti's on it, or are you planning to switch to something like Vittoria's?

Rad; Nice work. I sure do wish that you lived near me. It must be fun to stop by your place from time to time, have beer, talk & work on bike. Enjoy. Bob

What a gorgeous bike! Nice job, great pics… mmmmm…

- Wil

exquisite.

All the above. As mentioned, you have style Rad.
Maybe because I grew up in the era of that bike, but my personal view is the elegance of the old bikes far eclipses that of the new stuff.
Thanks for sharing your art...a masterpiece.
George

that generation of Campag cranks are my all time favourites!

Even better: the ones with the embossed logo. I was DEVASTED when the companies
stopped embossing :( :p

geee :) :)
I'll take this over your Lemond !!!

Are you planning to keep the conti's on it, or are you planning to switch to something like Vittoria's?
While I really wanted to keep the bike period accurate and specific, I didn't like the Rolls San Marco saddle that came with the Bottecchia. Saddles are so personal and I've had such good success with the SLX, I figured I'd stick with it. Also, I hated the bend angles of the Cinelli bars from '89. So again, I went with what I knew I liked in the Ritchey bars.

Down the road, I can see a Brooks saddle, some other standard curve bars and some Vittoria tires.

However, I can't see ever using the beautiful C-Record clips I have sitting in the garage.

55/Rad

Beeee yoooo teeee fulllll. I love it and I am not even that huge a fan of the "retro" age. Very nice job (as always).

I'm so jealious. I want a project bike.

Hey Rad.....go take that thing to the top of a nice downhill...and tell me how she descends. Thats one thing about mine... No bike I have ever ridden gives me that kind of confidence going fast downhill, it just tracks perfectly...and smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth :)

Hey Rad.....go take that thing to the top of a nice downhill...and tell me how she descends. Thats one thing about mine... No bike I have ever ridden gives me that kind of confidence going fast downhill, it just tracks perfectly...and smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth :)
I wrote to Patriot the other night claiming that this was the smoothest, quietest bike I've ever ridden. Once the thing is up to speed, she just wants to keep going. Downhill, she just flys with rock solid stability.

Trimming the friction shifters at 30+ mph takes some getting used to though....;)

55/Rad

Great looking bike Rad.

that is one beautiful bicycle.

Rad, fantastic finished product! Just... like so many others of yours... WOW.

Couple of things to comment/question on:

Which Cinelli bars did you have and not like the feel of? The model 64, 66, other? I've got the deep drop 66's on my Barracuda currently.

You're now making me rethink the idea of putting new-age Campy Chorus on my Gazelle next year and instead gathering up a C-Record group (perhaps sans-Delta brakes, those puppies are pricey on the ebay). Between this rig, and Lotek's Rues he brought to the ride a few weeks ago I'm loving the older campy gear man.

Agree on the quality of a good steel ride on decents. Well, as much of a decent as one can have around my part of the country. The bike tracks far better than I feel comfortable pushing it to, not becuase I don't think it can do it, just because, well, I'm chicken like that some times. Suppose it'll come with more experience in the corners.

As always - when you decide to do something - damn if you don't do it right. Thumbs up man.

You cold probably get it down to under 20 pounds if you switched calipers. Please don't, though.

Great work, Rad.

Cuda2K - the Cinelli's are pictured below. I like the old school curve but not the steep angle from the top to the hoods. I have them and they are in excellent condition if someone has something to trade.

55/Rad

Hard to tell what model those are from the photo, they *almost* look like a Pista style the way those drops fall off so quick! I've got the 66-40 (model 66, 40cm width) and considering moving one or more bikes up to a 42cm to try out a slightly wider bar. I've got classic bends on two bikes, the newer anatomic bend one the third.

Pic of the Cinelli 66's on the Barracuda: http://thecuda.com/tn_DSCN1730.JPG

I like the deep drop since the handlebar-to-seat drop isn't very much.

These are them - the 64's. If you want them, they are yours. Not sure of the width but I can check tonight and take a photo of the real set.

http://www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/hndlbars_jpg/m1m_cinelli_64_bar.jpg

Hey Rad - I just got my mid-80's vintage Atala via UPS. The right rear dropout was slightly askew (either LBS packing it or UPS must have dropped it) but the local bike doctor at an LBS in town (I trust steel frames to him as he used to kick my a$$ when we raced back in the 70's and the only thing we raced was Campy-equipped lugged rockets) straightened her out. The adjustment screw would not even work because the hole got pinched tight when dropout bent up.

So, I will be posting pics and telling my Atala story later. Long live steel - vintage or otherwise.

I also got a Legnano recently and rescued some parts from her, and will be selling what I did not use.

Rad - we're operating in parallel albeit on opposite sides of the Continential Divide !

It's quite old - 70's - and has cool Campy Valentino derailleurs. I'll either sell it as a frame and parts, or whole (well - what I did not use for other projects). It's Columbus but I'm not sure what type Columbus steel - that decal is long gone.

Gosh Rad, Thats almost as nice as my Gios:) I love Italian steel and the Campy stuff rocks of course but the geometry is what imidiately caught my eye. What are the angles? The angles look totaly rad, Rad.

Mark - I'd love to see the Atala and confirm exactly what parts you have on there. Thing looked beautiful from the photos you posted. Funny thing - the Bottecchia arrived with a bent der hanger as well - but nothing to indicate that it happenned in shipping. LBS squared her up right quick.

Hiromian - the whole process started several months ago when I decided I really missed the steel Lemond I gave away last Christmas. But in thinking about that Lemond, I felt I wanted something with a different geometry - a shorter top tube specifically.

Like a Gios Compact Pro. I spent a month looking for a used frame and almost won one on Ebay until I came across the Pinarello and then the Giordana - both with the geometry I wanted. You have no idea how close I was to the Gios - I love those chrome lugs on the newer ones.

55/Rad

That looks like a 52 / 39 up front. Same as mine if it is. You need a 7mm hex for that. Not so common those 7mm up here in Canada. Miche make a good casset for in back too. I think they shift better than older Campy cassets because Miche have the ramps. Great photography as always. You did not disapoint. I should get you to do a photo shoot of my Gios. The comments for decending with a bike like that are dead on. Something about the geometry and steel make for a mezmorizing ride at 70 km/h. Not that Ive gone that fast on anything other than the Gios to compare.

<sigh> Droolalitious, Rad. Veery sweet.

You have no idea how close I was to the Gios - I love those chrome lugs on the newer ones.

55/Rad
Stop it. I race the Compact Pro in the local weekly crit and commute with it to work. If I wreck it I will feel worse than crap.

That looks like a 52 / 39 up front. Same as mine if it is. You need a 7mm hex for that. Not so common those 7mm up here in Canada. Miche make a good casset for in back too. I think they shift better than older Campy cassets because Miche have the ramps. Great photography as always. You did not disapoint. I should get you to do a photo shoot of my Gios. The comments for decending with a bike like that are dead on. Something about the geometry and steel make for a mezmorizing ride at 70 km/h. Not that Ive gone that fast on anything other than the Gios to compare.
It's a 53/42 on the 170 length crank and a 14/23 on the Regina freewheel - far from the ideal setup for me but good enough for the mostly flatland riding I'll do with it. I did need to special order a 7mm hex for the crank and a 3.5 for the Deltas.

55/Rad

Infatuated with your bike I am.:love: The angles look like touring angles but the rear wheel is on the shortest stays possible. It looks like your seat is almost over the rear spindle. You can’t get a smaller rear triangle than that. The ride dynamics would be very interesting indeed. That is one very unique bike. Great find. I guess it’s almost as nice as my Gios. The Gios is 2 pounds heavier so at least I have a little more to love.:beer:

It's definitely a more relaxed ride than any of my other bikes and you're right, the KOPS on this bike is actually closer to ideal because of those angles - though I really don't pay much attention to that as far as actual riding.

I do have one issue I have to deal with. When building it, I noticed a slight side to side wobble in the large chainring - maybe 1-2 mm. I was able to adjust the drivetrain around it and proceeded to ride. Today, the chattering in the front der could not be trimmed out and the wobble is now a good 4 mm.

I immediately ordered a replacement (used) chainring off Ebay for $20. Always good to have a backup. In the meantime, I need to figure the best way to bend this sucker back into alignment.

Sounds like a question for the mechanics forum.

55/Rad

Very nice bike! The frame looks brand new. Was it used or NOS? How much of the Bottecchia parts did you switch over and what did you buy new? I just did a retro bike myself and really like it. Funny thing is when I jump back on my Lemond, I find myself reaching for the downtube shifters instead of the STI's...:D