I am restoring my old DeBernardi that had some dents in the tubing and other issues

The gent who is performing the repairs is done with the frame , but is serving as the go-between for the painter and i am waiting for the correct decals i ordered.

That said --- I cant stay off ebay and Craigslist --- i found what i thought was a similar frameset with The PRo's Closet in the same tubing (Aelle) with a BIN of 200 bucks -- there was an option to make an offer and the offer i made was accepted --- huzzah!

disclaimer for the Aelle/Thron/CroMor haters-- i know Aelle is Columbus's budget tubeset and complete bikes can be had cheap too -- but i am a Clydesdale status gent and the stiff nature of this tubeset is good for that supposedly---- My old bike really treated me right is all i know

Pics below is the new to me frame i am waiting for

I was pretty quick on the trigger on the Bay when my offer was accepted, but it was late and i didnt study ALL the pics that well --- i did not realize that it was a Tre Tubi frameset .

What the heck -- its pretty --- the tubeset suits my current body type and riding style and it will be fun to build up one of these machines to run fast, and the other to crawl up hills with a triple crankset

I have waaaaay too many projects right now though , so i need to prioritize somehow -- i'll add some pics when photobucket starts cooperating

Aelle, or AelleR?

pretty sure its straight Aelle --- not a deal killer, really --- i am a big Clyde, -- so this tubeset in a 53 frame will be about perfect , - but the TreTubi was a teensy little bit of a buzzkill

My other DB before i sent it to get repaired - i started a thread about this one a month back -- love that fastback seat cluster


N+1 right? No big deal --- except -- i have a couple in front of it --

A recently aquired Bottecchia and a Cliff Shrubb time trial frame , plus my personal 94 GT skunkworks frame and a Nishiki funny bike that needs to brought back up to original spec










BUt But ! --- photographic proof i can turn a wrench and not just troll ebay!





Granted, it needs a chain, some fresh cable housing that fits, -- and a shorter stem, -- but i should be doing a shakedown cruise on this one tomorrow !

A seldom used bike i have in inventory offered up its applicable Dura Ace 7800 parts and a Mavic training grade wheelset will have it rolling

i'm also going to fit some fresh 27mm Vittoria Open tubulars i have to replace the old and crusty blue sidewalle'd Vredestein's on this one --
I know this one is not specifically C&V -- but it is steel (mostly) and i hope for it to replace the daily driver Cannondale i mentioned




I decided after a spin on an old Ciocc that i was supremely unhappy with the geometry of my late model daily driver Cannondale carbon bike, so i thought i'd go back to what was good for me in years past --- this thinking resulted in the Bottecchia, the Pinarello, - me sending my personal DeBErnardi off for repair, plus thblue one i am waiting on

How does that happen?

I'm 6', 210 pounds, and I don't give riding a Columbus SL or Tange1 framesets a second thought. In fact, other than my '64 Atala, which is tore down, I don't think I have a straight gauge frameset. I do have to admit my current favorite ride is a Columbus SP frame............

I'm bigger than you --- i dont give it a second thought either until i knock the chain down to the 39 when i'm trying to hustle a little bit due to bottom bracket and seat/chainstay flex .

I think most of us here suffer from the same affliction(s)... 😊

I have two bikes in tretubi aelle: Mercier turbie (pink!) and MBK mirage pro. I love them, period.

I see no evidence of mental error.

This is a somewhat recent thing for me --- i was looking for a Colnago project a couple of months ago and i still have no Colnago -- but within a week i had a Bottecchia and a Pinarello --- the Pinarello is poised to be my daily driver now, so i may never need another one -


Good to hear ! --- Both the Aelle DeBErnardis are early to mid 90's as they have 130 spacing --- the plan is to bring the PEarl white one up to speed with top drawer stuff from 1995 - Chorus or Record 8 speed with a nice set of hand laced tubulars - which is what i wanted when i bought the frame back then , but instead built it up with lower tier Campy stuff and an old set of freewheel hubbe'd Record tubulars and a Sachs Aris 8 speed freewheel

The blue Tre Tubi Aelle bike i may build as a L'Eroica legal bike --- a few threads on here about such machines have the wheels turning in my head a bit --- and that way i wouldnt have otherwise nearly identical bikes just waiting for their day in the sun

My wife would argue that fact-- she called me a hoarder yesterday when she saw working on that silver and blue Pinarello -- 20 degree temps mean i havent got in a test ride yet, but i was dismayed when i tried to mount up some 27's and -- holy toledo, the rear triangle on that thing only has room for 23's.
I guess i should have expected that -- the Opera was one of their flagship framesets a decade ago so they likely didnt intend for many fat Clydesdale hoarders to use their stuff

Rita - (my wife) : "You got another bike? "
Me: "No No --- this is just a frameset - its been sitting in the garage for a month and you've walked past it a hundred times

Rita: (slightly puzzled look on her face) - "So - its not a new bike?"

Me: "No-- just a frame -- see, i took my old Litespeed apart to build it up!" (as i point to my forlorn looking Litespeed frameset now hanging on the wall)

Rita: - still looking perplexed --- "Well............ you just need to start riding these things more instead of playing around in the garage! " Then she goes in the house shaking her head


She made a darn good point there - I still feel the confrontation was a small victory though

I would call it a tie.

My Mirage pro:



I just love this frame, and the 105 group is pretty good.