Hello All,
I have been poking around this site on and off for the last six months or so, with increasing regularity and focus over the past few weeks. it seems like this is a great community in addition to being a great resource.
A bit about my cycling history and my bikes:
I've been cycling for the better part of my 30 years. As a kid I would go exploring on whatever bike I had at the time including my dad's 10 speed (I'm unsure of the brand, but remember learning about cottered cranks on that one. Raleigh comes to mind.) along with his ~92 Specialized Rockhopper -- which is now mine
. In my teens I moved to BMX / dirt jumping (I still have my mid-late 90s Giant MOSH 21").
I have been wrenching since the beginning and love it almost as much as riding (almost). A few years back I got into road riding with a wonderful '84 Centurion Pro Tour 15, which was unfortunately bent beyond safe repair riding along a mostly flat dirt trail through the woods (in my defense it wasn't exactly true when I got it...). That one still hurts and I am trying to decide which wall to hang the frameset on. I then moved to a mid-late 80s Windsor that is currently being (well, waiting to be) transformed into a light touring rig. About two years ago I added a lovely 2007 CAAD9 to the mix, which is now my daily rider. Her name is Candace (Cannondale + Dura Ace... I love puns).
My (other) current project is my first foray into Italian steel: I picked up a 1983 Colnago Nuovo Mexico frameset which I'm bringing back to life / preserving. It's a team Boule d'Or bike ridden by Danny van Baelen. I was able to purchase a few Boule d'Or pantographed bits original to the bike from the seller around the time of purchase. I cannot wait for the inaugural ride and am actively hunting mid-80s Super Record (got any parts or tips for me??). There's still quite a ways to go on it, but it's fun watching the components trickle in and to spend time expending a bit of elbow grease and focus on each. I'm sure I'll be asking advice on this project in the near future (mostly to do with preservation of the frame which has minor paint chips and surface rust in a few spots). I have already found some useful tips over on the C&V forum. I'm away from home on business for the next week and a half or so, but I would be more than happy to grab pictures of the frameset and panto'd bits from the from the time of purchase if anyone is interested.
Beyond technical tips I'm also interested in simply becoming a part of the community, hearing about any rides in my area (especially longer scenic charity rides), ogling the beautiful machines you have, and anything / everything else that comes up!
Looking forward to learning and sharing!
Best,
Sir_Name