My 1983 Davidson Signature build.....
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,471
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 823 Times
in
532 Posts
My 1983 Davidson Signature build.....
Been going on for a couple of months now, since I got the frameset from DD....
Pretty much have close to everything I need to complete the build, except for the dust caps for the Campy Superleggeri pedals (Already on it's way in the mail) and maybe a wheelset?, but I was thinking of sharing the one on my Bottecchia with this bike, as those have the appropriate period Record hubs.....
Been quite lucky this time finding the SR seatpost, headset, pedals and brakeset at eBay, at surprisingly low prices and almost mint condition. Just watched the site really closely and jumped on them when they popped up. Yes, there is still a way to do an affordable full SR build, if one just uses a lot of patience...
The Cinelli 1R stem on the parts pile is a stand-in for the non-pantographed one on my Montello that I will trade in for the Davidson build. Was fortunate that DD included the yellow accented shifters and crankset + BB with the frame as that saved me from what was already an expensive search and buy for the main components. Was thinking of a Turbo or Rolls saddle for this build, but decided that the bike really looks best with a Ti tailed Brooks Pro that I already had in my stash.
I'm going for a mostly burgundy/black/silver theme for the build while retaining some of the few yellow accents that DD had on the bike already to address the Davidson graphics. I think it's balancing out OK. A bit more restrained than it was, but thst's what I'm looking for with this bike.
Just been too busy to button up this build, plus not really looking forward to discombobulate the handlebar and brakes on the Montello to swap out the stem, but that will also include a messy polishing session to get the pantographed one refreshed for the Montello. Plus, I will need to be super careful I don't mess up the set up on the Delta brakes on it. Maybe a couple of rainy days in SF could keep me home for enough weekends to push me to complete this build. Just want to ride it already but there's so much work still left to do on it yet! (Dang, I just remembered, I will need toe straps!...)
I've always wanted an American steel bike, and this Davidsin had so far been hitting all the right buttons for me!
Pretty much have close to everything I need to complete the build, except for the dust caps for the Campy Superleggeri pedals (Already on it's way in the mail) and maybe a wheelset?, but I was thinking of sharing the one on my Bottecchia with this bike, as those have the appropriate period Record hubs.....
Been quite lucky this time finding the SR seatpost, headset, pedals and brakeset at eBay, at surprisingly low prices and almost mint condition. Just watched the site really closely and jumped on them when they popped up. Yes, there is still a way to do an affordable full SR build, if one just uses a lot of patience...
The Cinelli 1R stem on the parts pile is a stand-in for the non-pantographed one on my Montello that I will trade in for the Davidson build. Was fortunate that DD included the yellow accented shifters and crankset + BB with the frame as that saved me from what was already an expensive search and buy for the main components. Was thinking of a Turbo or Rolls saddle for this build, but decided that the bike really looks best with a Ti tailed Brooks Pro that I already had in my stash.
I'm going for a mostly burgundy/black/silver theme for the build while retaining some of the few yellow accents that DD had on the bike already to address the Davidson graphics. I think it's balancing out OK. A bit more restrained than it was, but thst's what I'm looking for with this bike.
Just been too busy to button up this build, plus not really looking forward to discombobulate the handlebar and brakes on the Montello to swap out the stem, but that will also include a messy polishing session to get the pantographed one refreshed for the Montello. Plus, I will need to be super careful I don't mess up the set up on the Delta brakes on it. Maybe a couple of rainy days in SF could keep me home for enough weekends to push me to complete this build. Just want to ride it already but there's so much work still left to do on it yet! (Dang, I just remembered, I will need toe straps!...)
I've always wanted an American steel bike, and this Davidsin had so far been hitting all the right buttons for me!
Last edited by Chombi1; 10-20-18 at 09:18 PM.
#2
Rustbelt Rider
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Canton, OH
Posts: 9,104
Bikes: 1990 Trek 1420 - 1978 Raleigh Professional - 1973 Schwinn Collegiate - 1974 Schwinn Suburban
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 261 Post(s)
Liked 372 Times
in
177 Posts
Wait, there is a bicycle? I was too busy looking at that sweet view! The bike and parts look top notch too.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,693
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1946 Post(s)
Liked 2,004 Times
in
1,105 Posts
Lovely. Dig the seat stay caps and rear dropout finess. Where did Bill Davidson apprentice? He was on my short list when I ordered my only custom.
#4
aka: Dr. Cannondale
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,724
Mentioned: 234 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2152 Post(s)
Liked 3,401 Times
in
1,203 Posts
That's really very nice.
Love me some Davidson....
Love me some Davidson....
__________________
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,826 Times
in
1,994 Posts
I like it. Was not sure but the background felt "Bay Area" to me... Alas, I wish I was a bit older when my great Aunties passed away, they had a house built during WWII no less, on a hill above San Leandro... later added on to, keeping the same style. Sold off before I could afford, and the buyers wrecked it visually with a bad replacement window job... and even worse color and trim choices... it was the most handsome house on the street.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,265
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,205 Times
in
701 Posts
This is one of my favorite color schemes. I almost bought a Davidson just like this many years ago, but it was way too small.
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,471
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 823 Times
in
532 Posts
Looked at the bottom of the BB, no numbers or letters. Just the Cinelli brand cast into it.
Per DD, the bike was an early 80's build, maybe 1983. I was thinking Bill Davidson built it himself?
Per DD, the bike was an early 80's build, maybe 1983. I was thinking Bill Davidson built it himself?
#11
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Greenville, SC / Asheville, NC
Posts: 290
Bikes: '74 Raleigh Professional, '73 Raleigh Grand Prix, '84 Nishiki Medalist, '85 Gazelle Champion Mondial AB, '81 Peugeot Course, '79 Univega Gran Rally, '85 Torpado Super Strada
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
10 Posts
Love the yellow accents, very nice. Well done!
Under 20 too!
Under 20 too!
#12
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,823 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Well, that certainly turned out sharp! And light; I never weighed it while I owned it, but it felt somewhere around 21lbs because I was running clinchers. You'll have to share your riding impressions with us after you've done a test ride.
Bob Freeman and Bill said it was early 80s, but could give me no more detail than that. Oh, and Bill did some apprenticeship in the UK for about 7-8 months before starting his framebuilding career in his PNW garage.
DD
Bob Freeman and Bill said it was early 80s, but could give me no more detail than that. Oh, and Bill did some apprenticeship in the UK for about 7-8 months before starting his framebuilding career in his PNW garage.
DD
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,471
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 823 Times
in
532 Posts
The yellow accents on the crankset and shift levers were expertly done by DD when he had the bike before me which he included in my purchase of the frameset, (I consider those yellow highlights on the components as now, a permanent part of the bike's "provenance"). He even passed on the yellow cable casings the bike had to help complete the build with the yellow accent theme. Only yellow item I added in was the Campy waterbottle, which I just happened to buy a few weeks before I came across DD's bike for sale. Something inside me just told me I had to buy the bottle.....I wish I could predict lotto numbers similarly....
Last edited by Chombi1; 11-17-18 at 10:55 PM.
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,471
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 823 Times
in
532 Posts
Well, that certainly turned out sharp! And light; I never weighed it while I owned it, but it felt somewhere around 21lbs because I was running clinchers. You'll have to share your riding impressions with us after you've done a test ride.
Bob Freeman and Bill said it was early 80s, but could give me no more detail than that. Oh, and Bill did some apprenticeship in the UK for about 7-8 months before starting his framebuilding career in his PNW garage.
DD
Bob Freeman and Bill said it was early 80s, but could give me no more detail than that. Oh, and Bill did some apprenticeship in the UK for about 7-8 months before starting his framebuilding career in his PNW garage.
DD
I think I got the weight down to below 20 pounds, despite the Brooks saddle, because I installed a Regina America aluminum FW and Regina America hollow pin Superleggera chain on the bike. The tubs also helped. Also, the Brooks has Ti rails (but still quite heavier than say, a Turbo saddle). I did not know it too, but the Campy SR gruppo is very light, so that helped. I was expecting at least 22 pounds minimum even with the weenie Regina components and was gladly surprised when I finally got to weigh it.
You mentioned how close rear brake bridge was to the wheel, you are right about that. I had to pull up the brake pad holder to the tops of the SR caliper arm slots, and it just makes it for both front and rear wheels. I ran across an old shot of the bike when you had it and noticed that you had it the same way. Actually makes brake shoe to rim alignment much easier to do.
Last edited by Chombi1; 11-17-18 at 10:48 PM.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,651
Bikes: Paletti,Pinarello Monviso,Duell Vienna,Giordana XL Super,Lemond Maillot Juane.& custom,PDG Paramount,Fuji Opus III,Davidson Impulse,Pashley Guv'nor,Evans,Fishlips,Y-Foil,Softride, Tetra Pro, CAAD8 Optimo,
Mentioned: 156 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2323 Post(s)
Liked 4,930 Times
in
1,763 Posts
That turned out so well and is quite beautiful. It's also fat shaming my portly Davidson Impulse, LOL!
__________________
Steel is real...and comfy.
Steel is real...and comfy.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 7,922
Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.
Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 630 Times
in
356 Posts
Geez, under 20 while wearing a Brooks Team Pro. This is kind of a miracle, or gravity just works different than it does in my nabe
Lovely bicycle!
Lovely bicycle!
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,471
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 823 Times
in
532 Posts
As I noted to DD, I was really surprised, but I did kinda notice that the bike was quite easy to move and lift when I was building it up....but I thought I was just imagining things and still expected about 22 pounds for its final weught.
Maybe living on top of a hill helps as I'm that much farther from the earth's core than you might be........plus the air is a bit thinner up here, so less oxygen molecules hanging on the bike....
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 7,922
Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.
Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 630 Times
in
356 Posts
Well that explains it! Even though I live at 1000ft above sea level myself, I weigh my bikes at work, where the ocean is lapping up against the foundation of the building. Much closer to that big magnet in the center of the earth
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,841
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
very nice, I have a friend with almost the same style frame and color. Nice ride, I visited the Davidson shop -Elliot bay cycles - in downtown Seattle before he retired.
#20
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,402
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,023 Times
in
989 Posts
Superbly done! Just perfection.
And darn light, too! I could only dream of that happening on a 'standard' vintage build for me. Gravity is certainly different on top of that mountain.
@jamesdak my 64cm Impulse is around 21-22 lbs, so it's certainly getting passed up by this Davidson. In its defense, it is running 2x10 7800 Dura-Ace (STIs included), and I honestly don't feel like it's slowing me down--such a fantastic ride!
And darn light, too! I could only dream of that happening on a 'standard' vintage build for me. Gravity is certainly different on top of that mountain.
@jamesdak my 64cm Impulse is around 21-22 lbs, so it's certainly getting passed up by this Davidson. In its defense, it is running 2x10 7800 Dura-Ace (STIs included), and I honestly don't feel like it's slowing me down--such a fantastic ride!
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 13,029
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4507 Post(s)
Liked 6,373 Times
in
3,665 Posts
Davidson | Handbuilt Bicycles since 1973
#22
Steel is real
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Posts: 1,105
Bikes: 40 - accumulated over 40 years
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 375 Post(s)
Liked 1,080 Times
in
303 Posts
That is a beautiful build! Nice colours and execution. The only thing I would do aestetically is leveling out the saddle - but that might be your prefered riding set up which is more important.
Are the BB axle and pedal axles SR (titanium) or steel?
Are the BB axle and pedal axles SR (titanium) or steel?
Last edited by styggno1; 11-18-18 at 02:44 AM.
#23
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,402
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,023 Times
in
989 Posts
Indeed he does. Looking at his prices for complete bikes, they are quite reasonable, especially given they are titanium.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Richmond VA area
Posts: 2,618
Bikes: '00 Koga Miyata Full Pro Oval Road bike.
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 475 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Great build. I like the proper seat to bar drop, and the right length on the cables and housing. Don't see many builds like that on BF..
And that's about the perfect geometry for a road frame, imho. Should really nice.
And that's about the perfect geometry for a road frame, imho. Should really nice.