Ultimate Bike Thread....

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Gratuitous chain pics:

Good chains:



Bad chains:



Dirty chains:



Clean chains: 9 and 10 speed Campy, SRAM, HG, and even a SACHS (I have no idea where that came from)

[greglepore]

Ahhh...you got the good three prong one.
Not much else to do with this weather. Did a bunch myself on Friday for all the bikes in rotation. I managed to sneak out yesterday and today, but forecast thru Wed is dire again.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Good! I wasn't aware there was a cheaper "not so good" one!
You aren't kidding about the weather. I got in on Jarman's on Sat. Although nothing like NC. , Va. still getting some water.
I dumped the bike in ruts on the side of the road for scale. The washouts are deeper than the wheels. Way deeper. Ordinarily this is level straight over to the woods. You can see the fresh roots.

[CurtEgerer]

If you zoom in, the bike has Ayrton on the forks and Senna on the frame. If I recall, he sold some bikes at some point. Anyone remember? Steel frame with brifters, so likely mid-90s ....

[Racerbvd]

[look 171]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

If you zoom in, the bike has Ayrton on the forks and Senna on the frame. If I recall, he sold some bikes at some point. Anyone remember? Steel frame with brifters, so likely mid-90s ....

Early 90s, Shimano DA 8 speed on that bike

[CurtEgerer]

I guess it would have to be pre-94! Anyway, this is what I was thinking of:

[Racerbvd]

When it comes to experience, I am way behind you guys, I try and contribute in the areas I can. But fact is, especially with vintage road bikes, I don't have the experience and knowledge some of you guys have. I don't fake it, but truly appreciate and love the experience you guys have and share here. I just want you thank you guys, who have huge experience, that goes very deep, for sharing. One can not put a real value on your experience, Curtis, Look, but i truly areciate and enjoy what you share and education from you guys. Huge thanks from me..

[NutmegCarrera]

Nice night here in Wi.
Old fart. Mediocre bike. Not bad landscape tho…

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

When it comes to experience, I am way behind you guys, I try and contribute in the areas I can. But fact is, especially with vintage road bikes, I don't have the experience and knowledge some of you guys have. I don't fake it, but truly appreciate and love the experience you guys have and share here. I just want you thank you guys, who have huge experience, that goes very deep, for sharing. One can not put a real value on your experience, Curtis, Look, but i truly areciate and enjoy what you share and education from you guys. Huge thanks from me..

I am only jealous of all of your racing BMX experiences at the highest level and that you are still twisting yourself like a pretzel, hanging upside down doing those tricks only the damn teenagers can do. Hats off to you. I know nothing about racing BMX but still remember all the BMX guys getting all the hot girls while us road riders or track riders were shaving our legs and wearing tights=no chicks or even dates.

[look 171]

Starting to get stronger again after my torn knee. Off the bike for 1.5 year, bad eating habits and gain a few lbs of my baby fat back is no fun. Loosing some weight, cutting down my carb intake by 50% really helped. Went out today, because I wanted to suffer a bit in this 90 degree heat wave and trying to remember what suffering was like. I blasted off on one of my loops. 20 miles in 1:05 with a one mile climb up to 850' that is home that really kick my ass. Remind me to not buy up in the hill if I am going to do this when I find my retirement home.

[sc_rufctr]

I fell on my arse about 8 weeks ago (got hit by a passing car with a wide trailer). Totaled the bike and I'm still not fully recovered.

Aging really sucks!

[CurtEgerer]

^^^ Holy crap! Good luck with the recovery. It's dangerous out there

Thanks for the comments Byron. Came across these long-lost photos recently and my brothers and I couldn't figure out who's bikes they were. Then we remembered that we were finding bikes/frames, painting, upgrading and selling them in the 70s when we were 13-14 years old! Check the one in the middle - we painted that like a Raleigh Team Pro

[CurtEgerer]

Did everyone hear that Pro's Closet is folding up? Clearance sale going on now. I don't think I ever bought anything from them, but fun to browse the inventory (edit that, I bought a titanium 9-speed Campy cassette from them a few years ago). I'm not seeing any smoking deals right now on bikes or frames. Some deals on misc components though. The Pro's Closet

Some are calling this the first big domino in the collapse of the bike industry ....

Our local bike shop here folded a few months back and we now only have a corporate-owned Trek store.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

^ I saw that yesterday and was about to share it.
Sad, although it wasn't a place I was ever going to buy anything. I remember they were selling Tyler Hamilton's used road bike. I thought, why would I want a worn out carbon team bike that he's mashed around all season?

I dunno, they did have some cool stuff. I liked the concept, even if it wasn't for me. Good eye candy.

In the same YT newsfeed there were also multiple videos of Trek being in trouble. It seems specialized dropped their prices to clear inventory a while back but trek held off, and it's coming to bite them. Saw a lot of comments chastising 8-14k bike prices getting out of hand. Even entry level pricing pushing potential new riders away.

I hope too many dominos don't fall. Worrisome. Specially for my bike shop owner friends. Also the small boutique builders/ companies. I want people like that to do well.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Some fun build dreams- I really like the "chromovito??!?!" or whatever coloring on the newer Battaglins.- and with the price of some of the newer big brand bikes, I almost think "might as well step up to this"

https://officinabattaglin.com/



Fun build video on a frame from Tapei, with various trinkets- some american sourced small brands- brakes, etc.. I hope guys like this can continue. The grey on this bike reminds me a tiny bit of the 911 slate grey.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

Some fun build dreams- I really like the "chromovito??!?!" or whatever coloring on the newer Battaglins.- and with the price of some of the newer big brand bikes, I almost think "might as well step up to this"

https://officinabattaglin.com/



Fun build video on a frame from Tapei, with various trinkets- some american sourced small brands- brakes, etc.. I hope guys like this can continue. The grey on this bike reminds me a tiny bit of the 911 slate grey.

That's a very nice electric blue on that bike. One of the guys on our ride has one and that color is very eye catching. Nothing like it out there, especially all of the plastic bike out there.

No training ride tomorrow, going to Luft instead.

[look 171]

I hear it all around the bike industry is hurting. Covid got everyone really greedy. How can a bike cost 12-14k? Someone is laughing as he drives to the bank but it can't last long yet, all the guys our on our saturday has a new bike that are only a few years old and there are a ton of Specialized. They make up about 15-20% of the bikes on our ride. Don't get me wrong, they are very nice, I had an S works. I think those cheap chinese frames are a real bargain. Their are nipping at the heels of the big mfgs. and are raced by top end riders in other parts of the world using someof the Chinese designed components. Wheels too but I am sure there are cheap ones out there that will make one lose their front teeth.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

^^^ Holy crap! Good luck with the recovery. It's dangerous out there

Thanks for the comments Byron. Came across these long-lost photos recently and my brothers and I couldn't figure out who's bikes they were. Then we remembered that we were finding bikes/frames, painting, upgrading and selling them in the 70s when we were 13-14 years old! Check the one in the middle - we painted that like a Raleigh Team Pro

Amazing you guys were doing that at a very young age.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I fell on my arse about 8 weeks ago (got hit by a passing car with a wide trailer). Totaled the bike and I'm still not fully recovered.

Aging really sucks!

Damn, Pete. You OK, didn't break anything? Get well soon.