Dean7

What should I do with it? I have a tempo that I'm currently using as my daily rider so I was thinking maybe I'd build the circuit up with the nicest vintage components I can find and use it as my fair-weather commuter. Thoughts?

By the way: this thing looks beautiful!

stien

Can't read your post until you post pics

miamijim

The Circuit is much nicer than the Tempo.

Tempo: Columbus Tenax w/ Tange forks and either Tange or no name stays depending on the year. Panasonic made w/ JIS headset
Circuit: Columbus SL w. Tange forks and stays. Mississipi made w/ normal headset.

Dean7

bike..jpg
There's a picture for you!

Dean7

How did you get that more modern-looking hardware on yours? (assuming that's a Circuit even though it doesn't have that chrome front fork)

kirke

I vote for keeping the Circuit and building it up with (more) modern stuff for longer weekend rides. Brifters, 9 or 10 speeds, etc.

Oregon Southpaw

^This

The Sante stuff is very cool looking but good luck finding it. I've been searching high and low and the closest I got was someone here offered to sell it to me for less than they paid for it. And that was still way too high.

I'm stalking a donor bike with Suntour's Ole, since it would look right and it is out there (at least more than Sante).

I kicked around the idea of putting this on it until I found a nice 105 or above modern briftered group, since it would totally be in "colourway" spirit of the original gear.

Edit: Here's mine:

Oregon Southpaw

I am happy any time Jim posts his.

Dean7

Nice. Well, I wanted to go modern but I was under the impression that I'd have to get my rear dropout width widened in order to get a 9-speed cassette / wheel on there. This bike came with the sante headset and it seems nice.

wrk101

The Sante would be my top choice. Its what came on the Circuit, and it really looks good on that frameset. But the tricolor 600 stuff looks pretty good, and add a set of 600 brifters, and you are set. Of course, I ended up putting Ultegra 9 speed on my 1987 Prologue, after starting with 600 tricolor and then moving to Sante.

Want to go modern? Go for it!

If you attempt to buy a full Sante group via ebay, be prepared to spend quite a bit. The last couple of groups that I saw on ebay went for over $300 each. Sante was made for a short period and is highly sought after. I was fortunate to find a couple of Sante donor bikes, but I look all of the time (and I am talking finding a whopping TWO Sante donor bikes in two years). I have seen full Sante bikes going on ebay for a similar price as just the group, so its like getting a free frameset. I would get to know which models came with Sante, and keep an eye out for them. My two Sante donors were a 1988 Cannondale SR1000 and a 1988? Falcon Sterling.

The Circuit of course came fully built (Sante). The Prologue came as just a frame set. The Circuit, like my Prologue is a steel frame, and a lot of people have put 8/9/10 speed stuff on these frames.


FWIW: I am also collecting Ole. I see it rarely, much less frequently than Sante. It doesn't command Sante type pricing, but it just isn't available. So far, I just have an Ole stem, RD, and DT shifters. Still short brake calipers and levers, FD and hubs.

RobbieTunes

afilado and Otto Rax, if I'm correct, have done nice things with their Circuits.

RobbieTunes

The Sante is, indeed, quite nice. It's hard to find it in really good shape, because every flaw shows.

As far as your rear dropouts, no real need to pay to have them widened. That frame will spread with just a little more effort than normal, or see Sheldon Brown's technique on www.sheldonbrown.com

Dean7

Cool. Thanks for the info. Nice looking prologue.

Anyway, it sounds like I should track down some sante or go with ultegra.

miamijim

I wont get into that debate but if you want to go modern.......go modern. It's your bike!!!

Scooper

IMHO, the Circuit frameset is worthy of higher end modern components like Ultegra 10-speed STI or Chorus 10-speed Ergo. 126mm rear spacing can easily be spread enough to slip in 130mm O.L.D. hubs.

tmh657

What Stan says... I got a '89 Circuit a year ago. Sold all the Sante group on ebay as well as the white Concor saddle and that almost paid for putting mostly used 9 speed STI components on it. I kept the Cinelli bar and stem. It's a mix of Shimnao from DA to 105 but it all works together and is a really sweet ride. I go with a group on Sunday morning for 45 miles. I am the only one with a steel bike but still do just fine.

The rear wheel popped right in, no problem so to the OP I hope it fits you right and you ride the tar out of it.

wrk101

Someone sold a complete Circuit about a week ago, full Sante with the Condor seat, for $300 plus shipping. Someone will be getting a "free" frameset out of that deal....

due ruote 

As it happens there's one with Sante on Chicago CL:

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/1836453809.html

Dean7

Nice looking bike. I had to see these in the flesh to appreciate how amazing they are. IMO they kind of rule in the looks department.

And yeah... I'm tempted to go 100% modern. Only thing that scares me is the possibility of weakening my frame. I had an 80s trek aluminum frame snap at rear chain stay and I'm paranoid now.

tmh657

I am not 100% sure but this graphic might apply here.

Oregon Southpaw

^a somewhat legitimate fear as these bikes were produced in the oft-maligned MS factory at what might not be considered the peak of American workmanship. Then again these got extra care, and according to Richard, were "very nice".

Mine's been ridden in anger many times, raced once (that I know of), and there are a surprising number of them in BF members' hands, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Oregon Southpaw

Also for those who know:

How hard are the original bars/stem from this bike to come by? I have not seen any online or on eBay, so I'm guessing...not easy.

miamijim

Its just Cinelli stuff? Right?

wrk101

+10 Its just Cinelli stuff, I run across it all of the time. The only "hard to find" parts on the bike are the Sante parts, and they are relatively easy to find, but pricey.

Dean7

Thanks for all the info, guys. Riding road bikes and reading about them is about as addictive as crack.