mikemowbz

So, I got it into my head that the perfect birthday present for my girlfriend would be a nice vintage bike. To that end, I managed to source the perfect frame (and a pantographed and finely polished Cinelli IR) from Drillium Dude, a 1983 Atala. The frame has been repainted a brilliant metallic purple - a favorite color of the lady in question. On top of that, by fantastic coincidence, this frame rolled out of the factory the very year she was born!

I'm building it up mainly with donor parts from this 105-equipped Miele Lupa: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...le-Lupa-1986-7

Crankset (biopace!), brakes & levers, handlebar (a Cinelli to match the panto stem), and RD are coming over from there. A nice Shimano 600 FD came my way via the local CL, filling the need for a braze-on rather than a clamp. Threw on a new IT threaded Shimano UN-54 BB.

Here's where I am so far:



The drive-side 105 shifter, it turns out, doesn't fit properly on the boss on the Atala frame. Lucky accident! A few weeks back, I picked up some Suntour friction DT shifters from ctmullins, which were waiting for me when I returned from Xmas travels. They fit impeccably, and look brilliant. And these old Suntour shifters are always very functional - I've got a Cyclone set on my Nishiki, and am a big fan:



I'll be adding a few new bits soon: Velo Orange Grand Cru headset, new chain for sure. Not to mention a pair of good-as-new MKS Touring pedals just arrived from Orrery...I'm thinking that a double-sided pedal is best, we can try out toe-clips if she thinks that's a good idea.

I've also got a San Marco Gi-Lux 312 saddle in pretty good shape, and an aero (Campy copy) Selcof seatpost that looks pretty slick. Never rode the saddle, so I don't know about comfort. If anyone has any input on what to look for in a comfy (vintage?) saddle for a female rider, I'm all ears (though I'm mighty partial to the look of the old San Marco on this bike)...

Thinking about wheels: I've got an eye on a nice set of 105/Open Pro wheels at Velomine, maybe a new SRAM 850 cassette and chain, some Conti folding tires. The mismatched wheels from the Miele don't really suit the bike, and need some work, though I would still stand to save a fair bit respacing, repacking & truing those...

I'm trying to flex my (minimal!) wrenching skills on this one - got a Park Tool AK-37 kit recently, and that allows me to do a lot at home that I couldn't in the past. Expect I might get the headset professionally installed (I don't have a headset press, and don't want to mess it up), and get my favorite LBS to give it a once over when I get it assembled, but this Atala will be a gift with a 'personal touch'!

haddawad

Great bike for your lady. I love the panto stem!

Orrery

Looks great, and will be nice to see the final build. She's a lucky gal!

auchencrow

That purple plum looks good enough to eat!

Drillium Dude 

Man, you are making me miss my old lady...



Looking good - I can hardly wait to see your completed interpretation of this. Your build would be the third different one in three years.

Did you decide what color you are going to paint in the stem's engravings? Oh, and as far as a comfortable saddle for a woman, well...she might have to play around a little there. In the final build, my wife had a Terry, so you might want to start there (Terry, if you don't know, builds - or built - women-specific bikes and markets - or marketed - women-specific accessories).

Looking good, and now I know this little gem went to a good home

DD

Kobe 

105's are my favorite brakes, plus purple is my favorite bike Color(I have 2).

JayBlurr

very nice, i bought my girlfriend a bike also, but for christmas, its a beater Ross, lol only payed $5 but im overhauling it for her(tought that counts)

Standalone 

I grew up on my parents' '73 Atalas and built up another '73 for my father to replace his. (I let it get stolen...) That '83 is sweet. Is it really columbus? Mine were straight-gauge.

Drillium Dude 

^ Oh, yes - it has the Columbus dove on the steerer tube - rifled a la SLX at that. I originally got the frameset from a messenger in NYC and when it arrived it had the remnants of the classic decal on the seat tube.

DD

mikemowbz

I think I'm going to leave the engravings on the stem alone for now. That way, there are a few 'customizable' touches I can leave to her discretion rather than taking charge of every last detail before she even sets eyes on it. I'm still on the fence: white (match the engravings on the lugs) or matching metallic purple to match the frame color itself.

I'll keep an eye out for Terry saddles - not familiar with them, so I appreciate the tip!

mikemowbz

Yup, it seems so. As DD suggests, the fork has the distinctive Columbus characteristics, and from what I can tell from old catalogs (I've not seen a 1983, but '86 or '87 for reference, though it's been a few weeks), SL or SLX would be standard at the upper rungs of the Atala hierarchy. Those bikes at higher end would be the only ones in the lineup - like this one - sporting Campagnolo dropouts.

I've heard of Atala referred to as "the Schwinn of Italy" - referencing the fact that they made a full lineup ranging from economical- to professional-quality bikes. From what I understand, a lot of the Atalas brought into the US in the 1970s would be in the lower- to middle-range of the pack (though evidence indicates that they ride very nicely as well as being well-styled - and that a few top-end models are still floating around). In the 1980s, they may have made somewhat of push with some higher-end bikes - they certainly emphasized their professional team, which had some success (road & track racing) in the early/middle 1980s. This bike, it seems to me, fits in around the upper rungs of the Atala hierarchy in this period, though (not having seen catalogs for the year in question) I wouldn't venture a guess as to exactly what model this is.

Now I can't seem to find that later-80s catalog again, though I know it's online! If anyone knows where it's to be found (or any others), do let me know...

Drillium Dude 

Mike, if anyone has any doubts about the quality of this girl, just shoot a couple close-to shots of the lugwork and all will be revealed!

I'm glad I still have photos of this beauty because I sorta miss her...

Gone to a good home, though, so that makes me feel much better

DD

mikemowbz

This thread has sat dormant for a little while now, but this post marks most of the distance to having this bike complete!

Had a few kinks in the works, most notably a crown race that came with a new Velo Orange headset that wasn't quite right in its dimensions. Split race, so it's supposed to just slide on...but not supposed to be loose when it gets there, which it was. Marked 26.4, I measured it to be a bit off (the easiest explanation). Velo Orange, though, once they made sure there wasn't some kind of profound user error on my end, quickly dispatched a replacement, which showed up yesterday. So I took the frame down to the nearby LBS to get the headset cups pressed this afternoon (I don't have a headset press tool to do the job, and don't want to muck it up on such a nice frame). Which means: HS installed, fork on, stem & bars mounted, popped on the wheels (see below), cassette (8sp SRAM) and RD (the 1987 1050-series 105 from the donor bike mentioned in previous posts) in addition to the stuff that was on there already. Pics:


For the wheels, I went with Open Pros on new 105 hubs - they'll look good, roll well and last long. And they were a smoking deal from Velomine, especially with the tires, tubes, etc. thrown in.

The seat I've got on there now is an Avocet Women's Racing II (a little older than the Racing II I have on my Nishiki, but a match of sorts), and I'm curious whether the women's seat will be a particular advantage or not. Looks to keep the rider further forward than a typical saddle. I'll throw the San Marco Gi-Lux 312 or something else on it if this one's not to her taste.

Looks like I need a small spacer for the headset, as I've still got a bit of steerer. Expecting some silver braided housing in the mail, which should look sharp with all the shiny chrome. Continental Gatorskins and rim tape standing by. As is a nickel-plated SRAM 8sp chain.

Incidentally, the birthday in question was this past 26th - and the bike was presented to its new owner in photo form, as she happens to be 5000km away in Quebec for the time being (which certainly makes it easier to keep this kind of thing a surprise). She seemed pretty pleased.

Giacomo 1 

Wow, she is lookin great!

Your girlfriend should be pleased. The frame looks beautiful in purple, and the understated decals, the pantographing and those Cinelli bars really set it all off nicely. I hope the Conti's are gumwalls! Man, if it were just alittle bigger, I'd be making you an offer for her!

Drillium Dude 

She is looking mighty fine - thanks for posting updated photos!

And I for one love the looks of that headset. Heck, all the parts look great - this is going to be a super build and I have no doubt the GF is going to enjoy it

Looking forward to the completed bike!

DD

mikemowbz

Was just looking at this thread, and realized I never got around to adding some of the best shots I have of the frame: Drillium Dude's shots from the C&V For Sale ad that brought this to my attention some time ago now. Since that ad's job was done, I believe that the thread was deleted by the mods, and it would be a shame not to have these pics up somewhere. Superlative frame.

I can't imagine the recipient's angst not being able to take this for a spin for 8 more months! An update on the build (or, in fact, its temporary interruption) appears below the photos.



As it turns out, I will be moving back to Montreal - where I lived for 6 years, and where my girlfriend (this bike's new owner) is finishing up school. That means that this one (along with two other projects and my trusty Nishiki Prestige) will go into a storage unit along with my furniture and books. Thus, I'm not going to proceed with the rubber, cabling, etc., until I return (along with the prospective rider of this Atala) at the end of the year. Thankfully, Vancouver can usually be counted on for at least one or two nice sunny riding days in any given January...

And, thankfully, I was able to snag this Marinoni in Montreal (which only happened with the diligent assistance of the owner of this Atala) to keep my mind off the others...

WickedThump

The paint on that bike is amazing. BTW, what is "pantographing" on this bike?

mikemowbz

It was a repaint/restoration - and couldn't be better! A favorite colour of the girl who got this bike for her birthday...

"Pantographing" refers to the milling/engraving, for example the 'A' on the shoulders of chromed fork crown, the 'Atala' on the chromed ends of the seat stays, or the 'A' on the top of the lower head tube lug. Or the 'Atala' milling on the stem. Fancy details.

kiwigem

That is going to be just beautiful.

DoubleA

It really is. I just about dying to get my hands on it and take it for a ride!

mikemowbz

OK - I'm reviving this thread, back from the dead! It's only right, as this project is coming out of extended hibernation...

Having finally made it back to Vancouver from Montreal and pulled my bikes out of storage, it's time for some projects to get a new lease on life. First up (well, strictly speaking, concurrently first up along with my Apollo Imperial 'around town' build) is this beautiful Atala. As attested by photos already posted to this thread, this build got as far as a pretty much full mock-up earlier this year before I moved back out East, stopping just short of tires, tape, cables, etc.

It's not that far along yet now, but Drillium Dude was asking recently, so curious minds wish to know...

A couple of anticipated changes: I've secured an Athena/Chorus aero post to replace the Selcof in the previous mock-up (a chance to try out khatfull's aluminum polishing techniques, as it's a bit dull at the moment), and I was thinking I might steal the 105 RD back for my 'around town' bike. I doubt the intended rider of this one will object too much, as I've replaced it with an excellent condition Super Record unit. The cursive script matches that on the bike better, (even if the Campy unit doesn't quite match the crank and brakes/levers ). Might also switch out the levers for a practically NOS Chorus (C-Record?) set, secured along with the aforementioned seatpost from an almost-local member here in BC, with whom I will be meeting up in our provincial capital early next month. We'll see.

Only two weeks until the one to whom this bike was gifted a full year ago actually shows up in Vancouver and (at long last) gets to try this thing out on the road!

Here's a pic of where the Atala is at in the stand this evening, after coming out of its box late last night:


Updates to follow shortly...

spacemanz

Very nice, your lady friend should love it, I'd think. Just a month or 2 ago, I bought a lady's Atala dirt cheap off CL, but that was the quality of the frame, LOL, the lugs were actually stamped FAKE lugs. But I got several small parts off it, and it was a great learning experience, and I still have that frame, which is actually pretty light, without the heavy cottered cranks & such. If you find that you can use another of those 105 RDs, let me know, I'm fairly sure I have one, and quite possibly other parts to that group.

VintageR

Well, not in every case.
Very nice hubs, they can cope with the best cup & cone hubs out there.
But - Shimano loved to deliver new hubs that were adjusted a lot too tightly. The result is that they roll really well when they're new, but they cease to be new after amazingly few miles.
So do yourself a favor and check the hubs for adjustment (and maybe even give then a good grease-over, because Shimano was very "tight" on grease).

mikemowbz

Appreciate the tip - the wheels are still basically new in the box they arrived in, so it's still a good time to check/adjust if this is the case.

Wil Davis

Gorgeous colour! Gotta love those drop-outs! Someone should be really happy with that beautiful gift! Lucky so and so!



- Wil