Retro Bicycle

Posted on March 1st, 2009 by Dave under Bikes.

I was inspired by the Classic Rendezvous mail list to reassemble an old 70’s  531 frame that I rode for many years and always kept it around because of all the good and bad times we’d spent together.

So here is today’s starting point. (click to enlarge fotos)

The Sacred Show Case

The Sacred Show Case

This old show case from the bike store days still contains a bunch of new and used stuff.  I hit the Campy Record bits pretty hard today.  It was supposed to be an easy clean and build sort of project, well you know the saying “nothing is easy” .  I had planned on using the 50th Anniversary Group for maximum bling, except that the rear brake pivot is welded to the frame and I decided that I didn’t want that group scattered about. Next I realized that nearly all the Campy hubbed wheels I have around are sewups, which got the no vote. So after finding a suitable 6 speed freewheel, which lead to a shorter axle, which lead to re-dishing the wheel, which lead to rolling some new threads on the too long spokes I had on hand to replace the broken ones, which lead to patching tubes and swapping dried out clinchers for some newer and safer tires I finally had a plan on how to use the best stuff on hand or my cleanest dirty shirt so to speak.

So here is the pile of stuff I pulled out

Bits and Pieces

Bits and Pieces

and the frame as it looks after hanging on a hook for many years..

73 D Lang

So I removed the old rear rack, carefully saving the old Blackburn dropout adapters.. I washed the mud and dust off the frame and gave it quick coat of wax.  This frame has been repainted at least 4 times that I remember and it could use a respray again. Not this week though.

inlaid silver

I’m still searching for the box with all the discarded Campy brake blocks and wheel guides, they’ll turn up eventually.  I always liked the Haden crown. I understand they are quite scarce now days. I inlaid silver strips on the lateral edges. It may have been the 1st for my “jewelry” treatment. The lugs are Prugnat, the BB shell is Cinelli, the tube set is Reynolds 531 and the dropouts are Campy.

rear brake bridge

Here’s the brazed on brake stud and see through bridge.

Below are the unscathed brake levers (out of focus-trust me) Even the hoods are reasonably serviceable.

front end

And the complete package (I added the Binda toe straps this morning)

'74 Criterium Frame

there are a few mismatched odds and ends that I’ll deal with as I come across them in the shed.

Now comes the painful part, probably for my readers, not for me as there was a reason it’s been on a hook for 20 years.  I love steel, I love old bikes, I love the old parts, all the stuff that we grew up with and molded our impressions of what a bicycle should look like and how it should perform.

The first two pedal strokes told it all.  I knew immediately that I was on an old friend, an old friend that was, well, OLD. It handled predictably,  the gear changes were as good as Campy made in those days. But it does not begin to compare with the “connectedness” of the new frame steels and components. After 531 and SL came True Tempers and MAX another  huge leap in tubing performance and now Spirit makes the MAX seem antiquated. I haven’t tried the heat treated stainless tube sets and likely won’t unless asked to use them as I think they are a bit gimmicky but no doubt they have another level of performance characteristics too.

I can understand the nostalgia involved with these bikes of eras past, but as a builder who has seen the progression of materials and components I will not dwell very long on the enthusiasm of owning old bikes for much other than the historic value.  The performance of new steels and components is far, far superior to the old stuff. Sorry guys, but that’s my take.

In an honest attempt to give the bike a fair shake I decided to take it out on my daily ride. The best part of getting prepared to leave was lacing up the old Vittoria leather shoes. No doubt that they’re  more comfortable than the CF soled shoes with goofy latches and Velcro straps.  I almost used the hairnet “helmet” but decided I’d save that for the next parade ride.

I spent the first 75 feet of my gravel driveway trying to flip the loose pedal to get my foot in, so score one for click in pedals for stop and start safety. I managed to nick the bony protuberance Maleala (sp?) once, haven’t done that in forever! I settled into a 52 x 17 and set off on my route.

I noticed the slightly different hand position on the hoods and the less natural reach for the brake levers. Score another safety point for the ergonomic designed new levers and bars. One simply does not have the leverage with the old style.

On stopping and starting at intersections the difference is a little more subtle for me as I began doing track stands so as not to wear out the plastic cleats years ago and have carried the process over to clipless for the same reasoning. I will add, however that with toe straps there is that extra step to release the tension and that down shifting to a start off gear is another. So rather than watching for nitwit drivers, the rider is busy bending down or reaching down. Score another safety issue for the new systems.

I had a Campy alloy freewheel and chain that had been used together previously so the drive train was as smooth as the day they were removed. Shifting was smooth, quiet, and took more lever movement than I remembered at first, but the rhythm soon returned. Here is where the new stuff really shines. Shifting with 9-10 speed indexing is so reflexive whereas the down tube  shifters require a more conscious decision to reach down, break rhythm and change gears. So, an obstacle or grade change  when pedaling “in the zone” is disruptive to the mental and physical flow when a gear change is required versus powering through the obstacle.

Anyway, after I got back into the ride and started to enjoy the day and look to see if anyone else on the bike route noticed that my bike had cables that weren’t taped down (they didn’t) I found that I was enjoying the ride except for the very noticable harsher ride imparted by the thicker walled frame tubes. So, rack one up for the new steel designs.

I’ll ride it again soon. Probably a ride to the local bike store so I can come clicking in on the old cleats and wool jersey treatment…smiles all around.

Dave

4 Comments

  1. Steff Says:

    FWIW, my “best” bike is the one I built on the Dave Yates framebuilding course. It’s a very old-tech frame (fillet-brazed 631) with a Kinesis Attack full carbon fork, Campag Centaur 10-speed groupset and Campag Shamal Ultra Wheels with Veloflex Black tyres. I can’t vouch for ultimate performance as I’m not a racer, but for feel and comfort nothing else I’ve ridden comes close. It’d be really interesting to see what your impressions are of the same frame built up with a modern groupset, forks and wheels.

  2. Dave Says:

    Steff,
    It sounds to me like your frame already has very modern components as well as a carbon fork. Maybe in another ten years of component advances we could make that comparison.
    Dave

  3. Steff Says:

    Sorry – I phrased that really badly. By “the same frame” I meant the frame you blogged about rather than mine. I’m interested to know how much of the improvement in modern bikes is really down to better frame materials and construction and how much is down to the componentry. My suspicion, based on my bike, is that the components are most of the difference.

  4. Dave Says:

    Steff,
    The components don’t do a necessarily better job, but they do it more efficiently. I do think that frame materials are the more noticeable difference. If your bike is a compact design (sloped top tube) it may not be as obvious as a full size design. Having said that, if yours is something other than steel, then I’m not the guy to ask. I simply haven’t ridden enough of those to say.
    Dave



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