Child of the 90s
01-27-22, 09:37 AM
#1
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 15,640
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8929 Post(s)
Liked 9,994 Times
in
5,085 Posts
Child of the 90s
Last month, I bought my own Christmas present - a 1995 Litespeed Ultimate! It came to me as, shall we say, a well used bike....
Campagnolo Chorus, mostly, with a Racing T triple crank. But the Ergo hoods were torn, and the NDS crank was cracked (seller made sure this was known), plus the seatpost, stem and bars needed replacing. I stripped it down, used acetone to remove the decals, and buffed it all up with strips of red Scotchbrite.
Then I applied new decals, obtained from Litespeed, and started building it up with a Racing T crankset in 175, plus a Sachs New Success Ergos and RD, which I'd taken off another bike last year.
I started out with a Centaur seatpost, and 120mm 3T Chrome Corsa stem, but when I measured it for fit, I couldn't get the saddle far enough forward, and the bars were just a bit far, so I substituted a Thomson zero setback post, and a 110mm Nitto Dynamic. Here's the bike after I completed the build, on its shakedown cruise....
Between the shakedown and the second ride, I spent time carefully tweaking the shifting, so that I had everything working just right. BUT, I decided the triple wasn't what I wanted. So I stripped it down AGAIN, and ordered a couple bits I needed for a 7410 Dura Ace build - which would make it the bike I lusted over, back in 1995...
Here it is, all built up, after its shakedown cruise....
That's much more what I wanted! That beautiful 7410 crank, the flawless shifting of the first generation STIs with the 7403 RD and 7410 FD, and those lovely first gen. dual pivot calipers. I even had a pair of PD-7401 pedals for it - the ones Look made for Shimano, which take the Delta cleats.
Campagnolo Chorus, mostly, with a Racing T triple crank. But the Ergo hoods were torn, and the NDS crank was cracked (seller made sure this was known), plus the seatpost, stem and bars needed replacing. I stripped it down, used acetone to remove the decals, and buffed it all up with strips of red Scotchbrite.
Then I applied new decals, obtained from Litespeed, and started building it up with a Racing T crankset in 175, plus a Sachs New Success Ergos and RD, which I'd taken off another bike last year.
I started out with a Centaur seatpost, and 120mm 3T Chrome Corsa stem, but when I measured it for fit, I couldn't get the saddle far enough forward, and the bars were just a bit far, so I substituted a Thomson zero setback post, and a 110mm Nitto Dynamic. Here's the bike after I completed the build, on its shakedown cruise....
Between the shakedown and the second ride, I spent time carefully tweaking the shifting, so that I had everything working just right. BUT, I decided the triple wasn't what I wanted. So I stripped it down AGAIN, and ordered a couple bits I needed for a 7410 Dura Ace build - which would make it the bike I lusted over, back in 1995...
Here it is, all built up, after its shakedown cruise....
That's much more what I wanted! That beautiful 7410 crank, the flawless shifting of the first generation STIs with the 7403 RD and 7410 FD, and those lovely first gen. dual pivot calipers. I even had a pair of PD-7401 pedals for it - the ones Look made for Shimano, which take the Delta cleats.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
Likes For genejockey:
01-27-22, 09:56 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,489
Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 955 Post(s)
Liked 820 Times
in
605 Posts
I think the sachs is the nicer build but either is a true classic. I had one of these in pearl white with a record build and it is one of the few bikes I truly wish I could have back, the ride is just sweet.
Likes For Russ Roth:
01-28-22, 03:38 PM
#3
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8183 Post(s)
Liked 9,077 Times
in
5,047 Posts
Careful, that bike is so sharp-looking, you might cut yourself.
Likes For livedarklions:
01-28-22, 04:35 PM
#4
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 15,640
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8929 Post(s)
Liked 9,994 Times
in
5,085 Posts
I did, in fact. Several times during the build. It's got my blood in it, so I guess that makes it REALLY mine!
Then again, this is true of all my bikes - old man, thin skin, clumsy.....
Then again, this is true of all my bikes - old man, thin skin, clumsy.....
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
12-12-22, 12:13 AM
#5
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 1,797
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 524 Post(s)
Liked 668 Times
in
446 Posts
the duraaace fits the bike better and very nice bike btw
Likes For georges1:
