Originally Posted by natterberry View Post
I just don’t feel like ****ty work is “in the spirit.”
Wasn’t the purpose to lighten, not to look like sloppy garbage?


"Well yes but the two often did not go together, power tools can be a slippery slope."
- Merziac


I beg to differ... Speaking as an early weight-weenie, there were a few wankers who did sloppy looking work, but they were definitely in the minority- we're talking about carving up the most expensive, beautifully finished components on the planet, for the most part. I did not know many folks that had the nerve to show up at a starting line, with a bike festooned with mangled Campagnolo components. The pack would not have been kind to them.Especially if the individual in question was not a regular top finisher.


Style also played a big part in drillium, even in the early seventies. Note article recently reprinted by BF member SpeedofLite Component Drilling (Two Articles from Bike World 1973-74) Many of the early examples were done by pro mechanics for pros or by really skilled "amateurs" ... We saw fantastic stuff, (I remember the first Colnago Pantographica I ever saw, at Green Mountain Schwinn in Burlington, VT 1974. I was doing jewelry (silver) smithing in HS at the time, and intensified my efforts cutting shapes, etc. It became a small cottage industry (maybe bigger on the West Coast.) Below is my Ron Cooper, rebuilt in 1976, following a 1975 crash that required replacing the top, head, and down tubes. Lugs were purchased blank from Proteus Design and then returned for brazing. The brake cable guides may be the only ever made of Reynolds 531 steel, (cut and shaped from my old top tube). Restored/repainted 2016



Jon Williams was referenced earlier. Look at his work on Flicker. Ne Plus Ultra.

Random paint infill of components. Modern replacement of: 1) Pedals-now SR ti 2)Wheelset -Weyless with Wolber Profil rims - Rovals in 2nd photo 3) Super Record headset 4,5) Regina Hollow Pin chain, Suntour Winner Alloy freewheel 6) Concor saddle Current weight, a good bit under 19 lbs.

Bitd, Racing weight - under 20 lbs. - lots of drillium, alum. nuts, bolts, Teledyne Ti Axle, Rear Arc-en-Ciel 36 spoke 3X HF tied & soldered/ Front Medaille D'Or 32 spoke radial LF. Racing tires (when I could) Clement Criterium Seta Extras.

Detail painting fail... Still not entirely resolved 4 years later but shows lugwork. I added brake cable guides, shift bosses and water bottle mounts after frame returned (unpainted) from Proteus . Now just white and green paint, ok, but nothing special. I could not match yellow saddle, bar tape, and brake cables. I gave up.