Happy day! I bought Jan Nikolajsen's former 753 Look Equipe Bernard Hinault and the new beauty arrived meticulously packed by Jan today!
I've wanted this particular bike since seeing one as a teenager, and have rued the day in 2007 (or perhaps 2005) when I lost an Ebay auction for this particular size and model.

I was hoping to make a trip to Jan's hometown, to shake the father of the bride's hand, but life has been pretty full lately, and Jan was kind enough to UPS her to me. Many thanks to Jan! He took obvious care when packaging and shipping the frame.

Here's a shot of her under Jan's diligent charge:


Many pictures to follow.

My goodness, this is beautiful. I eagerly await more pics.

Gracias JB!

Question: In my years of searching for this bike, I've seen many of this frame with two sets of bottle bosses. Were there different versions of this frame produced, or have the bottle bosses been added to these frames after the fact?

I understand Reynolds 753 is pretty finicky, but I've got an appointment tomorrow at Cyclart a few miles away from where I live to inquire about adding these, and about the possibility of getting the rear triangle spread properly to 130.

I'm also weighing a minor touch-up at Cyclart, vs. getting their Cat1 super-finish, which they claim is superior to most bikes' production finishes. (The bang-up job they did on my beloved '84 Masi Gran Criterium certainly supports this.)


Any opinions on sticking with the original finish vs. getting the full refurb? To celebrate my mortgage payoff this summer, I was planning to get a Holland Ti, but when Jan offered this beauty, the Holland plan was kiboshed. I can't stop looking at this frame up against my bedroom wall and even though her previous owners have obviously taken terrific care of her, I'm prepared to go to questionable, even humiliating lengths to make her my ultimate dream bike.

I envision her becoming my primary event day bike, with Dura Ace 7800 drivetrain & brakes, (hope that doesn't make the period-correct police wince, haha), Dura Ace 7900 C24 wheels, 3T carbon bars, and my SRM crankset.

I couldn't be happier right now. Thanks again to Jan for making this possible!

That Look (this specific example) is easily one of my favorite bikes of all time. An absolute stunner.

The only thing keeping it from being perfect is that it isn't my size (and doesn't belong to me). The paint, the saddle, the hubs, the rims, the shifters......even the bar tape. It's all perfect.

the police inform me that you will not be allowed to put a CF handlebar on that frame, sorry.
They also strongly urge you to find a Hinault-branded Turbo saddle for it...assuming you want to stay out of 'trouble" with them, that is.
Otherwise, just your usual contribution to their "widows-and-orphans fund" and all's well .

Hehe, I like how the Mondrian jersey matches the frame.

I'll employ all due shame and care to wrap the carbon bars all the way to the stem, as I'm currently doing with my '86 Schwinn Peloton. (Those Ergonovas have ruined me for anything else, sorry.)

The Prendas.co.uk La Vie Claire revival jersey has been my staple since '09, and I'm surprised (and a little pleased) that no one else appears to sport them. I've had dozens of 3D strangers approach me at centuries and events and say, "Z'at you, Calamari? On bikeforums?"

Congrats on the Look! I love mine. The frames only came with one boss, as far as I am aware. I have one of the Looks you've probably seen with 2 bosses. However, it only came with one (I am the original owner). Unfortunately my Look frame needed a tube replacement, and I took the opportunity to add a second boss and repair a broken cable guide. So don't be fooled by the two bosses on my Look.

I say definitely don't repaint. When the frame was for sale, Jan graciously did me a favor by sending hi-res photos of your new frame in case I ever wished to have my frame redone. (I did my own repaint and no longer had an original frame of reference (pun intended)). Thus, I know the condition of the frame better than most who haven't seen it personally, and it's far from needing new paint IMHO. Before you go to CycleArt, be sure to read shnibop's recent thread so you know what you are getting into.

Oh, and spreading/cold-setting a 753 frame is a no-no.

Nice. Several of Jan's frames seem to be coming to California.

I'm sorry Schibop's experience with them was negative, but they've been terrific to me over the years. Decades, now that I think about it, haha:

I was surprised when I brought my old battle-hardened Masi in for a Cat1 restoration, when Greg (Greg's the cool guy in the back who's worked there forever) said, "We've seen this frame before!" Turns out, I had mailed them my Masi from the Netherlands to replace a dropout I'd snapped on a cobbled Belgian road, ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. Seriously, I'd forgotten sending it to them back in 90 or 91, long before the Internet. I must have seen their ad in the back of a Winning Magazine. Their admin/manager can be a little stern, and they ain't cheap, but Greg does the most beautiful work IMO:




Oh, and I have no intention of cold-setting. Just inquiring about possibly doing it correctly, with heat or whatever is necessary. My 130 hub fits into it right now without much fuss, but as I said, I'm willing to go to disgusting lengths to make her perfect.

JB does wonderful work. I am not sure if he's still there, but he painted an ICE for me a long time ago when I just quit racing. Get it painted if you want to, live is too short to worry about resale or value. Its isn't a one of a kind painting. Paint it, go and beat on and put the hurt on those guys sucking on your wheel. Hinault would have done that.

One of them didn't, His Gazelle, which I got from him a while back.

If you're going with dura ace, can I have first crack at the campy group on there? (assuming you bought it complete)

I'll echo the chorus...that is an exceptionally beautiful bike and one I'd love to try out some day. Ride it well!

My understanding is that you can't cold set Reynolds 753 because it's hardened and would crack...I do think you could likely get a 130mm hub in there without spacing it (isn't that a 130 in there now?). I would think longgggg and hard about replacing Campy Ergo with DA 7800...the Ergo is a much better gruppo imo. The front trim is better, it stays in adjustment longer and I prefer the ergonomics of the hoods. It's also a lot more elegant...DA cranks are just hideous (except 7700).

If you do part with the ergo, I'll offer you $2.50 more than 4ring!

PS - I do like the Look geometry very much...it reminds me of De Rosa actually.

1) Don't repaint.

2) Give the Campy a try.

my .02

Beautiful Masi by the way.

First of all Calamarichris, you have super nice bicycles.

I agree with all of Aaron's comments above though.

I am a fairly recent convert to Campy goodness, but I still like my DA 7400 and 7700.

So I won't wince, but I would think long and hard about a 10 speed Chorus gruppo on that hot rod.

I do believe you would love the performance and durability of the Campy goodies.

Thanks Mango. I am pretty lucky. My gf was born in '86 too.
Haha--I was expecting the ire of the period-correct police, but ended up getting taken down by the Campy Cops instead!
I bought only the frame from Jan. He kept the drivetrain & brakes (err... gruppo) so you marinara sharks can go circle around him for the scraps.

I've made peace with my perversion for 7800 and the crankset is especially the Lolita-apple of my Humbert's-eye. Perhaps it reminds me of C-Record without weighing a ton or warping chainrings if you leave them in the sun too long.
And I've already got everything in place for the build.

lovely bike, did you name it Delores?
I can't get too worked up over the campy/shimano thing but I'd
build it tout francais.
And the Masi? love it.

quimby

I think we need to see a pic of that frame and that jersey together!

The cranks...they hurt! Holy water...PLEASE...HOLY WATER! IT BURNS!

I still say calamarichris is the only fellow on this forum who has successfully figured out how to make that modern stuff look good on a old frame. That white threadless stem seems to belong on his first Schwinn Peloton, strange as it seems. Ditto for the DA7800 crank.

FYI, the DA7800 crank isn't that far off from what Campagnolo might have done had they kept the C-Record look.

-Kurt

I'd like them if they said Campagnolo

Gotta love Photoshop.

-Kurt

Gorgeous! The styling, the history! I MUST HAVE A SET!