I replied to a CL ad for an ultrasonic cleaner. Nice guy, got to chatting about this and that and as I am about to leave I mention that I plan to use the ultrasonic cleaner for bike parts. "Oh, have I got something for you, then. The wife is telling me I need to get rid of everything, which is why I'm selling the jewelry cleaner. I have an old bike that needs to go. By the way, does anyone still use tubular tires?" he asks. "I do! Let me see the bike."

Around the corner, he reveals a Ron Kit titanium bike with a mix of first gen(?) dura ace, Campagnolo NR cranks, Suntour derailleurs, Ideale 90(?) thin-railed saddle. Anyone recognize the pedals? I didn't see any markings. Seller mentioned that he bought the bike in the mid-70s from a pro Canadian female racer who used the bike in the Olympics. Perhaps one of the earliest titanium race bikes? According to my cursory research, it is possible this bike was made by Speedwell and then branded as a Ron Kit.

So, I walked away with both an ultrasonic cleaner and nice vintage titanium bike, something I've been wanting for a long while.

Anyone know more about these bikes (beyond what's on Classic Rendezvous)?

The out of nowhere find. Wow

I'm going to start looking for jewelry cleaners.

Congrats gaucho777!
Can't wait to see it cleaned up.

Wow! Great find. Those pedals looks so much like Superbe pedals. What was that brand? Weyless? Yes! Weyless

https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=31151

https://www.flickr.com/photos/2816407...7625499131973/

they look a lot like suntour superbe
+1 Weyless OK nice find

Oh, and I didn't mention the "throw-in" wheel in the back is a nice Fiamme rim laced to a Hi-E hub. Seller is going to look for the matching rear.

A few more comments... That must have been a tall female racer. Was it normal to have eyelets in TI racing frames back then?

At any rate, it is still a great find.

PS. The pedals are Weyless

Thanks, yuyax. Yes, must have been a tall female rider. I usually ride a 56cm. Haven't had a chance to take measurements yet. Seat tube looks a bit small using an eyeball test, but the heat tube gap appears to put this within my size range. Hoping I can make it work. Seller was about my size.

I've heard it was not uncommon for racing frames to have eyelets (especially British-made frames, such as this) since racers would add fenders for winter training.

Oh no! All those extra grams...

Is the fork Ti? I couldn't tell

Yes, I think the fork is titanium as well. Appears to have the same finish. I haven't spent much time wit the bike, just long enough to snap a couple pictures, stash it in my garage and hurry back to work. I'll have to double-check when I'm home tonight.

Btw, what's the proper name for this bike? Should I call it a Ron Kit (as appears on the head badge), a "RONKIT" (as stated on Classic Rendezvous), or a Ron Kitching (as stated on Sheldon Brown's site, and name of the racer/company founder)?

Wow, very cool. Scoring a piece this unique doesn't happen often.

great score. I love that fromt rack. call it "The Kitching" it has a more snobbish air to it.


OH and whats wrong with being tall?

if that ideale saddle was in really good condition then i've seen them go for about 1000 bucks, it's the special railed ones, but unfortunately yours look like it's pretty beat up.

I was about to say, "nice $500 saddle!!"

Ron Kitching, RonKit for short. He was a British importer/seller of high-end bicycle stuff.

is it considerably lighter than a top end steel bike?

Cool score!!

The story, seems a little off...

Women cycling events in the Olympics didn't happen until 1984, waaayy too late for this bike/components. Would be interesting to get a little more info from the seller!

i need to figure out how to sort craigslist by age.

Holy crap! The score of the year, and the year just started. That thing is fantastic. I'm not often jealous, but...

Holy crap...

Thanks all for the kind words.

Oh well, I guess the seller misremembered the details about the Olympics. He said he has a letter from Ron Kitchery filed away somewhere that authenticates the bike and provides some more build info, and said he would try to find for me. Would love to see what that letter says.

Easily done, the misremembering, especially with an older bike.

Get the letter from him!!!!

Good grief, what a find!

Just weighed it. As shown (with racks, water bottle cages, rust, spiders, and all, albeit without tires) it weighs in at 18.85 lbs. For comparison, that's over a pound lighter than my Reynolds 753 Look with mix of late 80s top-end Campagnolo & Mavic parts.

score! serendipity strikes again. The second speedwell this month, after the one by non-fixie. I'm fascinated by these bikes ever since I read the article on the one in the velocipede salon.