Thanks to all, much better and more rewarding than I had anticipated, I can't believe nobody nailed me on my slightly off center front tire between the Bontrager name and the November logo on the rim!

Sced, the tape will be white. I actually feel that the frame is over logo'd, but it met my geometry and pricing needs for the build and I do like the colors. I was looking at ways to remove some of the decals but don't think I can.

Bianchi when you say rotate bars down a little do you mean the bottom of the drops down more toward the rear axle raising the hoods or rotate the whole bar down so that the drops are pointing more towards the top of the rear caliper vs. the shoes of the caliper?

Hopefully after this afternoon's fitting the bike will be repostable. I am after all a slightly older recreational rider who likes to spend long days in the saddle. If I did the measuring right during my research I may be able to lose a spacer, I'd really like to keep the stem this way vs. flipping though.

I've had a ton of fun with this build and learned a bunch. Definitely far more rewarding building and selecting every piece on my own vs. buying a complete. In my case it worked out financially as well. Cannot wait to ride it hopefully this weekend. Thanks for playing along with me and will try to post the finished product sometime soon.

Andy, not sure that I do either (or have the patience for constant cleaning), but I will say the Toupe has to be one of the most comfortable saddles I've been on.

Great looking build. HOT.

Robbyville, I was meaning rotate the bars down just a touch so that the bar end is pointed more towards the top of the rear brake caliper instead of at the bottom or just below it. The way it sits now, it appears as if your forearms would hit the top bar if you were riding in the drops and out of the saddle.

Got it thanks!

The isolated-ground receptacle (orange) in that shot of the Ridley is ruining it for me. ;)

Okay, how about this baby. 20yo machine sporting 6400, pimped up with some 7700 and Campy, plus modern wheels.

Yeah, the wheels don't match, but they look similar enough for me, and each one has some pretty cool gearhead features (love the Shimano design, and I dig the super-close hub flanges and milled rim on the A-Class). Plus, as you can tell from the brakes, I also dig front/rear specific spec. And the bike's a bitsa anyway.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=300885

Not. Dont like that saddle angle.

Well, stiff - it's determined by the seat, and it's sorted. Check out this previous incarnation, and note the same angle on the rear of the seat.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=300894 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=300885

(Slightly more aggressive position now, since the new wheels make me wanna TT everywhere :D )

I'm not a fan of the angle myself, but I prefer what works to what looks right. Although after using this seat, I'm thinking the acceptable range is level to pointing at the hoods...

It doesn't look anywhere near as wrong as angled backwards.

Question for folks running as much drop to the bars as me - don't you feel the need for something to push back against?

And another Q for anyone not totally thrown by the seat angle: should I lose the stickers on the wheels? I'm leaning towards yes...

No, on this thread the acceptable range is level to level.

Okay, maybe I should adjust my seat to take a pic, and then put it back... would that make any sense, you think?

...

There; looks better, feels like crap - this seat's too flat for me, it canes my taint like this.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=300903

So, any comments on the actual bike itself?

Perhaps if your seat was closer to level, you wouldn't feel that need...:innocent:

What, you reckon I didn't start off with it level and dial it in to suit?

Forget my bloody seat position plz! It's like that because my bike gives me a hard-on so I need to make room for it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=300903

Its nothing personal kimmo. This is the Hot or Not thread. No one is telling you to adjust your saddle flat, take a picture and then put it back. Its just, the way it sits now is not aesthetically "hot". If thats what works for you, then ride the crap out of it. I think its hard to get a "not" when you love your bike and it is appealing to you personally because it comes across like its not a good bike. Has nothing to do with that and with 4793 posts, you should know that by now. Its nothing personal. I think your bike has some potential, but its not something i would drool over if I saw it at a bike shop.

:beer:

I know all that stuff, I'm just interested in how it fares here.

It's not the sort of bike you'd see in a shop; it's 20 years old and a bitsa, and IMO the mix of parts makes it more interesting... with the worn, brushed bare ally frame and well-used parts, it has a bit of a rat rod aesthetic.

It's scraped together from this and that, and quite a weapon to boot (flexy old-spec front end notwithstanding).

It'd be cool to take some proper shots with a decent camera in a junkyard or something...

We just told you.

You just said it yourself, it is scrapped together from this and that and has a bit of a rat road aesthetic. Nothing about that says "Hot"

If you say so.

I obviously have a broader definition of hot.

Not hot.

LOL.

Got my bat and ball, seeyas.

No offence meant. It is a nice bike, but it is not hot.

Heh... it is subjective, you know.

Without doubt it's hotter than when it was rocking 32h wheels and STIs.

Aren't you guys interested in more dimensions to the equation than merely walking into a shop and dropping a bundle on all the latest and greatest?

Seems a bit... consumerist.

You can throw some sprinkles and whip cream on a fresh deuce with a cherry on top and it still doesn't make me want to eat it. Your bike is better looking than it was before for sure, but that doesn't make it a Hot in my book. But then again....you OBVIOUSLY have a broader definition of hot, so I guess it doesn't matter what I think or fa63 thinks or anyone else that will give it a not, right?

some people just cant deal with a "Not"

Less talk, more bike pictures.

I typically don't like "stock" bikes, even if they are very high end. A little bit of customization is needed to make a bike hot IMO, but then again that doesn't mean any bike that has been customized is hot.

By the way, 32h wheels are hot:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps8143eee8.jpg

Crack that whip, Jonesy, get 'em back in line.