in case anyone is interested, while we decide whether my brother ever gets to ride the Puch Vent Noir, here's the lovely (but not pristine) Pinarello that I AM allowing him to ride.

Riding vintage was a kind of funny transition for him. Since he only started cycling about 2 years ago, he started off with a recent Specialized aluminum framed. His first few outings on this Pinarello I got for him, he had trouble dropping his hands down to shift.

But after a few weeks, I got this email:

"I changed the stem and moved the seat forward, and it is a very comfortable ride. I took it out last weeks for a few 50km loops. It rides beautifully.

On Thursday I pulled up to a group of shaved legged, Cervello riding weenies, who looked at me on my antique dismissively. As we approached the first big hill I said something about the bike not really being geared for hills. Half way up the hill I stood up and blew them away. I didn't see them again. Dropping people is so much fun, especially on a 30 year old steel bike.

I swear it rides better then the Specialized."

In addition to a few select photos attached here, a full complement of photos is here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/TOcycles...ecordBlue56cm#

Peter