Forgive me fellow C&Vers, but I have sinned
 

Early one morning a few weeks ago, @nlerner texts me that there's a Ritchey Breakaway CX in my frame size for sale, but it's listed on Craigslist in Santa Cruz, California. Neal knows I'm jealous of his S&S coupler modded Black Mountain Cycles bike. I'm very hopeful that we'll all be able to start travelling and touring on our bicycles in the not so distant future, so I negotiated with the seller to ship it to me (it comes in it's own special rollaround case!)

Here's the thing. It's got a threadless headset. Brifters. Outboard bearings. Not terribly C&V. Have mercy on me. It does have a steel frame and fork, however.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f9282fa622.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6925a89c45.jpg
Shipping case next to my old travel bike

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cc73fec0ca.jpg
Breakaway broken down

First ride was a 30 miler. With daylight saving I had time to make it home before dark. There was some climbing, some gravel, and a good descent. Climbing showed me I needed the handebars up higher, gravel told me that it was a good gravel bike, and the descent through some fast turns showed that I needed to get used to a faster handling bike - most of my fleet is low trail. Oh, and the saddle is an a$$ hatchet.

Another 30 mile ride with @Andy_K this morning after replacing the stem and saddle. The ride was very much a success, except the chain kept skipping in middle gears. Turns out it has an 8 speed cassette with 9 speed indexed shifting.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0686da2d81.jpg
Universal Cycles Portland store moved out from Portland to Beaverton, which is much closer to my house, so I stopped by and picked up an 11-32 9 speed cassette. The chain appears to be a narrow model, we'll see if it plays nicely with the new cassette.

It has room for very wide tires. Right now I'm running 700c x 35's, but there's clearly room for more. I think I can put fenders on with 35's and still have good clearance. There's a tour idea in the not so far future that I want to do that would require getting on a plane, and I like my big handlebar bags. so I'll torch up a rack that can be broken down flat to fit in the carrying case. I'm not sure if the fork is a keeper, it's a beefy unicrown low offset model, once I put the rack and a weighted handlebar bag I'm not sure it'll handle as well as I'd like, but that's to be seen. I'm also not crazy about the stopping power of the Cane Creek cantilevers, but those are easily replaced.

So, I've got a bike with brifters. Don't hate me.

I say why not! It's fun having a bit of the old, and the new. It'll be interesting to see as you switch back and forth between the 2 setups which shifting style you prefer. I've never tried brifters, but I can see how they're probably safer and definitely more convenient.
The Global Cycling Network guys have a cool video comparing the riding feel of a classic vs a modern. They keep saying the old style is cooler, but admit that the modern one feels stiffer and faster:

I don’t even know you any more. What’s next, electronic shifting?

They say you can't have too many bikes. I think you just proved why that rule is sometimes wrong, :p

I like modern bikes as well even though I've stopped riding mine ever since I decided to spend too much time hanging out on this site.

An e-bike, perhaps... who knows?! It’s a slippery slope ;)

Hey, it's got a triple--old man gearing, ftw!

And if this is a show-us-your-travel-bike-with-brifters thread, here's mine:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...336375962.jpeg

nlerner , that's a calendar-worthy shot; really beautiful. Where was it taken?

Thanks! That’s in Medfield, MA.

I don't know, but as soon as the train comes, that carbon fork is a gonner!

Change that 11-32 to a 12-36 and put 48x45x30 on that triple and you have a super half step+.
Nice bike, I would take one like it.

:beer:

gugie , good one on the train! That cracked me up.
Hey, you're a Portland guy--do they still have the Seattle to Portland bike ride? I used to work for a photographer back in the 80s and we used to shoot that one.
I saw a lot of beautiful centuries doing that job, but the STP was probably the top. What a gorgeous ride from start to finish.

You are forgiven....Say 10 Hail Marys and leave the bike by the donation basket on your way out. :D
Best, Ben

I, for one, see no sin here. Of course, I'm a godless heretic generally, so my blessing may not be worth much

I bought a Break-Away (road model) a few years back and put Campy 10sp triple on it. It is sitting in its case as I type this. I have only ridden it a very few times because I have not traveled nearly as much as I had envisioned.

I would say it rides well. Not "it rides well for a break-apart frame" or some other qualifier, just "it rides well," full stop. Getting used to the ride is like getting used to the ride of any new ride. I doubt if you will be disappointed.

From my limited experience, the Break-Away is a very fine option for a break-down travel bike. On word of caution - the dimensions of the bag are a hair bigger than the airline regs permit without an up-charge for oversize baggage. It's by a small amount and it does not look oversized. When I was checking into them the word was that people did not have any problems with airlines due to size, although the usual hijinks about trying to charge a premium because it's a bicycle was still a thing. I have no idea if that is still a problem, but a few years back it was a significant bone of contention. If an when you fly with it, be sure to check out your airline's regulations in advance and print them out to show baggage/check-in people who have their own ideas of what the rules are.

My Bike Friday (now on eBay for sale because who needs to break down travel bikes?) was in the "doesn't ride bad for a break-down 20" wheeled bike. Two good rides in and I think you're correct. It rides like a bike. Good to know about the potential shipping charge issue. Right now the bidding on my Bike Friday will pay for the Ritchey, so it's like a straight trade. Two more days to go, maybe I'll have a net profit?

I think I tweaked my neck from averting my eyes so much. Gugie who?

low offset, probably more trail...
faster handling bike? I will buy different.
and I not too long ago removed some offset from a bike I bought as it just felt...” wrong “
too willing to dart to and fro, but explain a bit more. At lunch I have taken a number of my bikes out for a quick comparison, the one I removed offset from, even exchanged forks with different offset... so how about a more in depth commentary?

Convert an early 70's Raleigh to a 'Breakaway" and all will be forgiven...

I just don't understand how it can maintain it's stiffness and agility with couplers...you would think they would flex and stretch.

Nice score, enjoy!

You shall be forever curs-ed.

Though I prefer my vintage bikes I do not prefer them because they offer better ride quality or user friendliness. They are old, sporting dated technology and heavy by today's standards. However, I do like to find, restore and look at them. But when it is time for a serious rider, I too am a sinner. Not one of my older oldies compares to this newer oldie. I guess that that makes me a sinner or winner, depending on one's point of view...
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...998659ccb5.jpg

This thread has been hijacked by his evil twin.
@juvela will mostly likely give this person a name, he's good at that...

I've written much about the difference between low and high trail. Suffice it to say that when the front end of a low trail bike is loaded down, handling doesn't change much, whereas on higher trail bikes it does. I'll soon have a test bed for this theory.

There's plenty of broken early 70's Raleighs out there already...

One might think, but the long seatpost connects the seat lug halves together, the flange at the bottom uses the same principal of a KF flange (look it up, they're common in vacuum applications in semiconductor industry) My experience with them is that they make a very stiff connection, so I wasn't worried about it. That and Ritchey's sold a lot of these with no issues.

Thanks!

One more thing I forgot to mention...it's (cough, cough), TIG welded...

I'm a sinner as well
 

Circa 2000 Voodoo Wazoo CX and now gravel bike. TIG welded, thread less HS, and 8 speed Campy Ergo.....


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bb204d030.jpeg

When new, did that version Breakaway frame not come with a fork or is that a replacement fork?

Neat bike- serves a great purpose. When you travel down to the Bay Area, will you bring this or use your bike that stays down there?