Winter projects
 

Now is the time to finish up the winter projects and get them out on the road. Here is mine, a 1984 Chesini X Uno. I posted low res pics in the rides thread, but they went by unnoticed. I figured it needed to be represented in full res.

It's pantographed here and there with "Chesini Precision" and "X Uno". On the stem is inscribed the name of the pro rider who used this bike for the season of 1985. I covered the stem with black leather to make me feel more like the bike is really mine now :) .

I hope you find it nice. The pictures do not really do justice to the great and deep red metallic paint.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3607.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3608.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3609.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3610.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3611.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3612.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/100_3613.jpg

For some reason, the camera would sometimes rather focus on the grass than on the bike. Oh well, they turned out nicely. Post your own finished rides.

That's just gorgeous! Tell me about lacing the bar covers - I have a nearly finished winter project which is waiting only for cables and the elkhide, but it's still sitting in the envelope it arrived in, because I'm scared of it! Tell me it was easy?

I agree with Sammy, that is a wonderful looking bike... and even though I don't have any waiting installation, I had the same question about the bar wrapping, since I love the look of stiched on leather.

That bike is freakin' gorgeus! I'll bet it rides very nicely, as well.

It is very fast and responsive. It's like it is just as eager to go as I am, you know?

Sewing on the leather... It wasn't hard, but I don't know if it was easy. I'd say it was fun but tiring. The whole process took about 2,5 hours and went by without any incidents. I guess patience, a good eye and a steady hand is needed. The only really tricky part for me was to judge where to make the hole for the brake lever pin. I couldn't get it off the "ring". But the leather is so soft that you can get away with not being very precise. Just pull on it a bit, and it will obey you.

Beautiful job Henke. :)

Is the seatpost super record too? The components are beautiful and the frame is just as deserving. I love the seat stay treatment and fork crown. Just gorgeous!

Thanks for the kind words. My dream bike has always been a super record Italian from the mid eighties. Now I realise I could probably use a couple more :) .

Yes, the seatpost is super record. It is pantoed with the Chesini logo (a C in front of a ruin of some kind) and the word precision. In fact, it is the complete super record gruppo except the brakelevers which are record. I put them on because the SR ones were roughed up, and the undrilled ones look good with the chrome.

I don't know if you see it in the photos, but the "headbadge" is machined into the headtube. Quite cool.

Beautiful bike . . . especially the chrome fork and stays. Is that the original paint? Did you use the elk hide handle bar kit from Velo Orange?

It is the original paint. It does not have many scratches at all, and they are most all on the underside of the downtube. I covered them with clearcoat. On my screen it looks like there is some orange in there, but in reality the paint is only deep red metallic.

Yes, I got the handlebar leathers from Velo Orange. They feel very nice, and are not to be feared.

Wow, the leather wrap does look good. I did not know there were any stitch-on type kits out there. I've been debating what to do on my Bianchi that is supposed to have Alamac leather wrap. Maybe I'll give that a shot.

Oh, your bike looks great too. Pure mid 80's! Too me the last era of great Italian production bikes.

Would that make the early 1980s the next-to-last era of great Italian production bikes? :)

Beautiful bike and excellent detailing. Your stitching on the elk hide covers is exceptional! It looks as if you didn't draw the stitches together as tight as the example photo on Velo Orange (or as tight as I did mine for that matter), and as a result it lays flatter and looks much neater. Are you getting any movement of the hides on the bar while riding?

I looked at the pictures on Velo orange, and that was what I expected the result to look like. But when I started stitching, I had to pull really hard just to get the edges to make contact in the middle. I don't know what is up with that, but I'm happy that there isn't a lot of excess material under the seem. So it's not loose in any way. It sits firmly on the bars.

Great job Henke! Your work really proves a bicycle can be a beautiful machine. Your Italian stalian puts my winter project ('62 Schwinn Continental with Campy drivetrain) in a whole new class--- work mule! BTW, where are you located in Europe? Beautiful countryside!

Thanks! I'm in the very north of Sweden, so spring hasn't kicked in full power yet. It is a great countryside though, with lots and lots of small forest roads. I have many routes to discover still.

I'm in snowy country as well. Still quite a bit on the ground. Here's my winter project. Not nearly as classy as your fine red stead.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nentalSnow.jpg

Reverend, that bike looks very good. It will surely take you places, probably in a bit more comfort than a pure racer would. I have a couple of not exactly top of the line bikes, and I must say I enjoy them just as much as the Uno. I guess I just like old quality bikes, you know.

Thank you, but your bike is more like a Formula One LeManns race car. It has that WOW!!! factor. Happy riding through the midnight sun!