Originally Posted by
Paintking
And the last two "options":
1985 Vitus. Mostly Campy Record
My most recent discovery. Had to clean it up a bit, but mostly original. I've only ridden a couple times but I'm pleasantly surprised what a nice ride it is. The Simplex shifters are probably the best I've ever used. Breaking is not good. I've switched out the Modolo Equipe brake calipers, put in one pair of Kool Stops, but I think the real problem is the anodized rims. Probably the lightest of the bunch and fits me pretty well. Haven't tried 28 wide tires yet, but mespenhiede suggests, it doesn't look like they'd work.
1986-ish Pinarello Record. All original Campagnolo Record
This bike was quite the find. All original down to the cables, chain and maybe the tires. A bit of surface rust and a few nicks, but overall really nice shape. I've switched out the saddle, wheels, stem/bars/brake levers/cable housing/cables with very similar parts. I wanted to keep all that original stuff intact but also ride the bike. Rides really nicely, but a tad small for me. Might be as light as the Vitus. Might take 28 wide tires. Both this Pinarello and the Vitus share the same Campy Record drive train, and also share the annoying habit of the chain getting stuck between the chain rings when shifting. Any insights on that?
Chains stuck between the rings may be because the chain is too narrow but I'm no expert. Just want to welcome you to the forum. Like you, I had a lot of questions about what bike I 'need' for the event. Eroica CA 2022 and L'Eroica XXV were my first two ever. It turned out for me, it is not the bike, it is the ride, the preparation and the people. Once you get rolling all that all is forgotten and what's left is you and your bike grinding away and most likely you get to meet some very nice people If you're a purist, you need to ride narrow tire (25mm max or even tubular), DT shifter, toe clips and non aero brakes. Hard to be pure with modern helmet, wider tires, flat pedals, triples etc.... Moral of the story, don't sweat it, bring what resembles a vintage bike and what enables you to ride most of the route safely without walking. Hard to turn heads since there will be a lot of exceptional looking bikes people bring to the event. Bring your small bike(s) because i'm have hard time finding cool bikes my size
