From Soho down to Brighton?

Regarding Campy, when I first got into cycling circa 1984, I was a starving college student and rode a budget Japanese Steel road bike (Shogun, the poor man’s Miyata). I read lots of “Bicycling” and “Winning” and was aware of campy, but it was not in my budget.

When I finally had a real job and enough cash to get a high quality bike, circa 1988, all the cycling press was Gaga over the Dura Ace 7400 groupset, so I ended up choosing that. I have pretty much been a Shimano guy since then.

I must have played them all.

My first road bike (around my BF join date) was a Centurion Dave Scott, powder coated eggplant purple, with Shimano 600 Arabesque, indexed DT shifters. anodized Araya rims. Man, that was a great bike! Bought it used (w paint and all) from a local, new/used, janky, frankenbike kinda bike shop in my home town. Good times.

That shop ruled, they took care of me when I was home as a collegiate racer and kept me operational and riding on a cheap collegiate budget. Glory days stuff.

My friend who I met while doing laps of the bike path at Sepulveda basin, a 5 mile lap around a flood control basin, had an ugly purple Cannondale 3.0, I think. He had acquired it at a lawnmower shop where he took his lawnmower for repair. Someone had traded the bike for something and my friend traded his lawnmower for the bike.

He is the guy who introduced me to club riding. He later bought a Cannondale 2.8 in the same hideous purple color.

(Slight "Well, actually..." quibble here. "Arabesque" usually refers to the 6200 series 600 components, with their fancy "engravings" on the parts. The Ironman bikes got the 6207 and later 600 series components, which look more like the first generation of the 7400 Dura Ace. Indexed shifting come out with the revised 6208 shifter and RD)

Arabesque crankset:


6207 Crankset (on my 1985 Ironman)


My 1985 Ironman came originally with 6207 friction shifters and RD, but was updated somewhere in the last 40 years with 6208 indexed shifters and RD. But as happened to most 6208 shifters, the indexing tabs all broke off an it shifted badly either indexed or friction. SO I found 6207 friction shifters and RD.

We recently had to remulch so picked up 10 bags to use while planting. Had Lowe's deliver another 80 bags. Hired some high school kids to spread 50 of the bags. And we did the rest. Bought some more for filling in a few spots. Saved about $400-500 versus having the lawn crew do it.

#thrifty

oh youre right, I think it was tri-color. Shimano 600 tricolor. And it worked as well as (or better) than any other groupset I've ever owned, road or mountain

Where else can you see the bed where Lawrence Welk was born, not to mention Wally, the world’s largest walleye?

It’s actually a fun place to ride for a while. Lots of nothing with very little traffic in many places. One morning we rode 10 miles on I-94. Got passed by maybe six vehicles. You know you’re finally coming to a town when you see a cluster of trees and possibly a water tower off in the distance. The sunflower and canola fields are beautiful. We were told that when the flax fields are in bloom they often look like lakes rippling in the breeze.

Life was rough there early on. Older cemeteries had a good number of graves of children who had died very, very young.

But it’s not for those who fear headwinds. During a week long supported tour in 2006 it took the GF and I an hour to cover 9 miles of moderately rolling terrain riding road bikes. I remember hitting only 12 mph going down hill in a tuck. While at the next rest stop, the SAG bus pulled up. It was full of riders who had succumbed to that 18 mile stretch.

I finally convinced Mrs. tm, an omnivore, to make some vegan cookies.

Her first result: oatmeal + banana + dried fruit + walnuts. No added sugar. No flour. No milk/butter/egg (obv).



I think they are sooooo yummy. She thinks they taste awful. More for me.

Tricolor's nice! I obsessed over a 1989 Ironman Master on the local Craigs List for weeks. It had early Tricolor (6400), with 7 indexed speed and DT shifters, single pivot brakes, and all in that gray color. The thing is, I already HAVE an Ironman with 600, even if it was 6207, and so it wasn't different enough to be unique within my collection. It was white with the the gray marble paint on the head tube and fork in front, and the stays in the back. It was a pretty bike, but again, not different enough.

But, I ain't seen nothing like him.

What about during the fracking boom?

What do they look like after you bake them?

Televised? I miss all the neat car racing stuff like rallys and stuff.

I am laughing on the inside.

I suppose you don't even have to cook these, but cooking makes them less mushy.

Good work and I like the way you think. My name around the house is Mr FixIt. I feel for people who call professionals for everything. Little do they know about YouTube ‘University’ - where I learn most home repair methods/hacks. Perhaps I can tell MrsRSbob that I paid for my new bike several times over with the money I have saved on repair and upgrades - my biggest saving was putting down LVP through the kitchen, eating area, family room, main hallway and office. It took a couple of weeks and was a real PITA because there is no such thing as a square room. Yeesh.

You do a good job selling it, but think it’s a hard pass for me.

Unfortunately Le Mans will likely be in-car cam feeds on YouTube, as I imagine you'll need some sort of subscription somewhere to see a live presentation with commentary and multiple cameras.

The Japanese Le Mans series had races races on YouTube live last season fingers crossed it's the same this season. Just last week my evenings became free enough for me to watch.

I observed Memorial Day in Prescott this year. The one in the Valley is just too much of a zoo, and they play that lame Lee Greenwood song super loudly.

The ceremony up here is much more somber and respectful IMO.

We can say frack? As in what the frack is this thread about?

My sister told me she is chatting with a guy on Hinge who lives in kennett square, which is not far from me. I asked her to be sure the guy is not unhinged. I don’t know if she appreciates my sense of humor.

decided against the Surly Preamble. I think I want a Soma Double Cross instead. Sportier frame, something I'd enjoy riding more. Either bike is infinitely configurable, but I think there is a good chance that the Double Cross could last me a long time.... maybe forever?

rn I'm thinking 1x gravel group set with mechanical disc brake, and either a 44-46t front ring. tires that are more on the road side of the road/gravel continuum, but just enough bite for me to ride the odd path with it. rack on the rear.

end-game is a backup road bike / commute / grocery get / take Lily out / casual goof off ride bike. and daily driver training bike on the trainer before work, where it would get most of its use tbh

No fracking way! Now hush your fowl 🐓 mouth.

Frakkin' toasters.....