This morning I rose early and finished assembling the Sirrus. I splurged for new brake and derailleur cables but kept the vintage housings, which got a quick wipe down with citrus cleanser on the outer housings and a generous dollop of Break Free slathered on the cables as I slid them home. The chain is almost clean, which is to say, clean enough, though I will need to research how to get Shimano SIS to shift crisply without chatter. The Ambrosio bike ribbon went on smoothly and feels great under my hands, and everything works.
Between the air quality and the time constraints, all I managed was a little up and down the block to identify needed tweaks - minute tightening of hub cones, a modest adjustment of the headset, shoving the saddle all the way back on the rails, readjusting the rear brake lever to put it properly in line - but so far I think I like it. I haven't ridden Look pedals regularly in 20 years, but it comes back quickly enough I suppose.
The front tire in daylight bothers me some, enough that I am probably going to replace it (and perhaps the rear as well!) with some Continental Gatorskins that came with the Cannondale I rode earlier this year. Apart from that and adding a bottle cage, I think I'm set!
The obligatory pix -
It cleaned up well!
It looks racy, but there's only a 1.75-in drop from saddle height to bar height.
Not perfect, but absolutely presentable now.
Perhaps tomorrow morning I can get out there and start piling on the kilometers ...