Getting back into cycling

[otto_kretschmer]

I made it difficult by doing a retro/vintage build. Any choice I make will have problems. If I bought a new bike there would be a large chunk of money that wouldn't be available for some other need.

I started a CAD model of a garage build carbon bike a few days ago. Right now I'm just copying the geometry of the largest frame I could find online. This project is an bottomless pit of problems. I have to think about the structural strength of the interface of the aluminum drop outs (I'll make them myself) and the carbon frame.

I got the Cannondale back together today. New taller stem, handle bar tape on, new front brake cable on. I can start putting miles on the clock.

But not this weekend. I'm leaving to San Diego tomorrow to visit some friends. Will be back at it Monday and maybe Tuesday I can start riding a little.

[aigel]

How many miles did you ride this week?

Talk about a rabbit hole you went down into ... deep ... and it has a ton of little branches with more holes!

I would still advocate to buy a $800 modern bike. Ride it and sell it when your project comes to fruition. The older I get the more I am going for instant gratification. At our ages, we never know if we can even still ride next year.

I found this gem on YouTube. Pretty cool test. The guy cracked me up too.

[otto_kretschmer]

Originally Posted by aigel

How many miles did you ride this week?

Talk about a rabbit hole you went down into ... deep ... and it has a ton of little branches with more holes!

I would still advocate to buy a $800 modern bike. Ride it and sell it when your project comes to fruition. The older I get the more I am going for instant gratification. At our ages, we never know if we can even still ride next year.

I found this gem on YouTube. Pretty cool test. The guy cracked me up too.

think I saw that vid...

in November I'll ride the best bike I have and that may be the Cannondale

I used the spoke calculator and I need 292.7 mm spokes for the front wheel.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by otto_kretschmer

I made it difficult by doing a retro/vintage build. Any choice I make will have problems. If I bought a new bike there would be a large chunk of money that wouldn't be available for some other need.

I started a CAD model of a garage build carbon bike a few days ago. Right now I'm just copying the geometry of the largest frame I could find online. This project is an bottomless pit of problems. I have to think about the structural strength of the interface of the aluminum drop outs (I'll make them myself) and the carbon frame.

I got the Cannondale back together today. New taller stem, handle bar tape on, new front brake cable on. I can start putting miles on the clock.

But not this weekend. I'm leaving to San Diego tomorrow to visit some friends. Will be back at it Monday and maybe Tuesday I can start riding a little.

I don't mean to be offensive if I comes across that way.

You are looking for some rare parts hoping to fit into a very rare hub (assuming?) but I am started to hear your frustration. The standards back then were weird. How does a frame mfg to have SAE pedal spindle threads and the rest of the bike is metric? Try French thread. Your problem is solved with a set of newer hubs and believe me, the newer mid level / lower Japanese made hubs are damn good products and lighter too. Oh, but they don't polish as nicely as Campy and that's important to some.

Calculating spoke length will be another challenge even though the measurements are on the net. Getting the correct spoke length will be another azz kicker because of unusual spoke length? The remedy to that issue is to cut and re-thread each and every spoke. Some people like the challenge. I restored a steel Colnago Master Light (yellow one just like George's) for my kid using Dura-ace 9 speed. Its period correct that's only because I have enough carp hanging around from 30 years of doing this siht. We finished it, put bar tape on and he took it out around the canyon once. That's it. Every time we go out, I ask if he would take the old bike. The answer is NO and he's already sitting on his Carbon Trek outside of the garage. Its that much nicer and faster.

Hope you get this dialed in soon and get some riding in.

[otto_kretschmer]

That video is sorta what I'm doing except they used a new frame and unused vintage components and I'm using an old frame with half new and half used parts.

I was in a local bike shop and I saw some prices that made me gag. $325 for a seat, $40 for handle bar tape.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by aigel

How many miles did you ride this week?

Talk about a rabbit hole you went down into ... deep ... and it has a ton of little branches with more holes!

I would still advocate to buy a $800 modern bike. Ride it and sell it when your project comes to fruition. The older I get the more I am going for instant gratification. At our ages, we never know if we can even still ride next year.

I found this gem on YouTube. Pretty cool test. The guy cracked me up too.

GEorge, did I ever mentioned to you that I really like PDK (say this quietly with one hand covering my mouth). I have a bike, full Campy super Record, with friction shifting hanging in my garage. Its the very bike I raced on starting when I was about 17 for the next 10 years after that. it ain't gettin' modern parts on it but a sunday rider to the coffee only that I never ride to the coffee houses. I drive instead in my PDk tranny Cayman. I have a lot of respect for those old steel bikes, but I know their adv and disadvantages. I have ridden my old bikes on our fast group rides and I discovered that my placing near the finish is about the same. I know its slower on both the flats and the climbs especially. But on a ride like that, I know how to suck wheels for just a tiny bit longer to make up the deficit.

You been riding much? Hope everything is well with you up there with all the rain.

Jeff

[look 171]

Originally Posted by otto_kretschmer

That video is sorta what I'm doing except they used a new frame and unused vintage components and I'm using an old frame with half new and half used parts.

I was in a local bike shop and I saw some prices that made me gag. $325 for a seat, $40 for handle bar tape.

Yeah, you want a set of brand new MKS track pedals? I bought them for 39 bucks. The plan was to put them on my road bike and pedal around the corners during crits. Sell them to you for 300 bucks Crazy how everything has gone through the roof. People had been asking me about selling my Super Record group and offer me stupid money for it. No way.

[otto_kretschmer]

Originally Posted by look 171

I don't mean to be offensive if I comes across that way.

You are looking for some rare parts hoping to fit into a very rare hub (assuming?) but I am started to hear your frustration. The standards back then were weird. How does a frame mfg to have SAE pedal spindle threads and the rest of the bike is metric? Try French thread. Your problem is solved with a set of newer hubs and believe me, the newer mid level / lower Japanese made hubs are damn good products and lighter too. Oh, but they don't polish as nicely as Campy and that's important to some.

Calculating spoke length will be another challenge even though the measurements are on the net. Getting the correct spoke length will be another azz kicker because of unusual spoke length? The remedy to that issue is to cut and re-thread each and every spoke. Some people like the challenge. I restored a steel Colnago Master Light (yellow one just like George's) for my kid using Dura-ace 9 speed. Its period correct that's only because I have enough carp hanging around from 30 years of doing this siht. We finished it, put bar tape on and he took it out around the canyon once. That's it. Every time we go out, I ask if he would take the old bike. The answer is NO and he's already sitting on his Carbon Trek outside of the garage. Its that much nicer and faster.

Hope you get this dialed in soon and get some riding in.

I have my sister's race bike from the mid 70s to play with. I was riding it down the street. Its too small for me but its not an unpleasant ride. But I was thinking if I had a new modern bike, still in her size, and rode it I would feel the same as your son. Leave that old stuff hanging on the wall.

That spoke calculator seems to work. I did a reality check with my tape measure on my Cannondale front wheel. The Cannondale has low flange Shimano 105 and they are almost a clone of the Campy hub I have. The Wolber rims on the Cannondale are not as tall as the Mavics I got in the mail today. I calculated 293 for the Mavic/Campy and I measured 302 for the Wolber/Shimano.

very close, but I'll do the measurement again before I place an order and maybe I'll try one of the other calculators and the meathods on Sheldon Brown's page.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by look 171

GEorge, did I ever mentioned to you that I really like PDK (say this quietly with one hand covering my mouth) ... I drive instead in my PDk tranny Cayman. I have a lot of respect for those old steel bikes, but I know their adv and disadvantages. I have ridden my old bikes on our fast group rides and I discovered that my placing near the finish is about the same. I know its slower on both the flats and the climbs especially. But on a ride like that, I know how to suck wheels for just a tiny bit longer to make up the deficit.

You been riding much? Hope everything is well with you up there with all the rain.

Jeff

PDK? Bah - it is WORSE, Jeff. I bought a TESLA! No worries, only for my wife to commute, and I'll take it too, since I get free electrons at work.

Not much riding in this weather since I do mostly MTB and if it doesn't rain the trails are all still jacked. But I am running and hitting the gym ok.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by aigel

PDK? Bah - it is WORSE, Jeff. I bought a TESLA! No worries, only for my wife to commute, and I'll take it too, since I get free electrons at work.

Not much riding in this weather since I do mostly MTB and if it doesn't rain the trails are all still jacked. But I am running and hitting the gym ok.

Muhahahahaha. That's funny.

I have only ridden in a Tesla one time. That damn thing is nice but I don't know what model. It sure was fast. the tires chirp at 50 mph at full throttle. You know, I am disappointed in you for buying American. You shoulda bought a Porshee e whatever that thing is called.

[sc_rufctr]

Resurrecting a Cannondale. You're on the right path Otto.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Resurrecting a Cannondale. You're on the right path Otto.

400 lbs is a deal of century for that thing. The brake calipers are worth 100 US.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by look 171

400 lbs is a deal of century for that thing. The brake calipers are worth 100 US.

Advertised locally on Facebook Market Place... Klein Quantum (US Made frame).

- Asking A$1,700! I'm tempted

[911Ghia]

Following this with interest, though after numerous life changing surgeries including an aortic valve replacement and 73 years on the clock I no longer ride. In 74 my wife and I quit our jobs, packed up our bikes, her Cinelli Super Corsa and my Raleigh Pro and pedaled from Chicago to Monterey Bay via Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas and LA. My bike weighed in @ 94lbs and hers @ 68lbs. We were told by the experts at the bike shops the short stiff angles of our frames would not survive the extra weight and we should fly to California and ride back as the prevailing winds are west to east. Said I don’t want to pedal all that way and end up in Chicago.
I recall an incident with Oscar Wastyn when I was pursuing the last ounce/gram of weight saving, looking for a pair of super legarra pedals. He had a pair and refused to sell them to me telling there’s nothing wrong with my Record pedals. Then proceeded to tell me that the rider is 90% of the event, even if you change the bike by 50% you haven’t changed much. As he put it about like taking a good dump before you ride.

Rich

His grandfather started the Paramount line

[sc_rufctr]

Rich, How about a low powered E Bike?

[911Ghia]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Rich, How about a low powered E Bike?

4 shoulder surgeries, prostectomy, hernia, beginning to feel like the snake oil salesman from ‘Little Big Man’.
The Raleigh and my Paramount track bike are still here mocking me.
When I get the urge to 2 wheel I fire up my 919 or the 1989 650 Hawk and tool around the 2 lane black tops for a bit.

Rich

[otto_kretschmer]

First time on a ride, not including the few times I used it to take my Suburban to the shop, in 25 years.

I feel good.



Took some getting used to riding in cleats. I had to make a special effort not to fall over at my first red light.

I did ten miles and I wasn't going very fast.

[otto_kretschmer]

The forks came this weekend. I ordered spokes Monday so I can start building the wheels this week.

I need new gloves and a couple more jerseys. I'm tempted to get some BMX pedals and ride in my Vans.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Advertised locally on Facebook Market Place... Klein Quantum (US Made frame).

- Asking A$1,700! I'm tempted

Peter, did you buy the Quantam?

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Peter, did you buy the Quantam?

I called the guy and arranged a time to see it but it was sold before I got there.

Klein's a rare in Aus.