Old 06-11-20, 02:29 AM
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randyjawa 
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - burrrrr!
Posts: 11,672

Bikes: 1958 Rabeneick 120D, 1968 Legnano Gran Premio, 196? Torpado Professional, 2000 Marinoni Piuma

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Time To Build Another Vintage Road Bicycle...

Thanks to the pandemic situation, that blankets the world and society as we know it, I got stuck in a cold desolate place for six weeks. Cold (that describes Canada during the not warm months of the year), Desolate (that describes a prairie city in the middle of Manitoba during the windy season - all year). Anyway...

We had to leave Jamaica six weeks early, due to pandemic concerns. When stuck, at my daughter's house in Winnipeg, I had nothing to do soooo...

I bought a bike. An early to mid sixties Torpado Professional...


But be careful during the bike buying phase! Look the bike over CAREFULLY. Had I not not done that, with the Torrpado, I would have missed the fact that the bike had been crashed, compromising the frame's integrity...

That frame damage, once pointed out to the seller, cut the price of the bike by two thirds. I felt that to be a good deal, knowing that the fitted components would be worth three to five times the amount that I paid. So, I bought the damaged bike, knowing that it would, at least, give me something to do (harvest and clean the components)...

Ambrosia handlebar, Universal brakes, GB stem and a headbadge (I love headbadges!)...




However, I always test ride a bike when I get one. Test ride means get it road worthy and safe to ride. The bike does not have to be clean. It does not have to shift. But it does have to roll, steer, pedal and of greatest importance, stop. With that in mind, I did my best, with what I had (bike shops were closed in Winnipeg when I started this project) to get the bike prepared for a test ride. And, I did get the old steed ready to go and go we did. Freezing my butt off as the two of us negotiated the dead flat streets of north Winnipeg, we spent the next few weeks going nowhere and back again, wearing a parka, balaclava and winter gloves. But the bike rode just fine. In fact, its ride quality proved to be a pleasant surprise....


Though I disliked doing so, I had to test ride the Torpado without a set of SPD pedals. I really like the SPD pedal system and fit the pedals to all of my bikes. Sadly, my SPD's were still in Jamaica (another story) but I managed, thanks to Kijiji, to buy a very nice used set three or four blocks from my daughter's house. Talk about luck. Anyway, with old school pedals for the test ride...


With the SPD pedals fitted, I continued riding the old Italian road bike, each day, in the Spring weather of central Manitoba, the province in which Winnipeg is situated. Though it was, at first, my intention to leave the bike at my daughter's house, in Winnipeg I decided to bring it back to the lake cottage for more appropriate attention and use.

Since I got home, I have not ridden the bike even one time (but, weather permitting, today is the day). To put it simply and honestly, my old legs and failing heart cannot push a 13-18 five cog freewheel...


Yes, I did manage to ride the Torpado in Winnipeg (really flat there) but, with a failing knee, there is no way in Hades that I could push this up the hills on the roads of the Great Canadian Shield.

Now, with some hard to find (but found them easily - got lucky again) parts on the way, it is time to get serious about the build. With that in mind, I hope to glean information, from you, and share the process that I go through, every time I build up a bike of interest.

So, I now need help from those of you who have information pertaining to this old bicycle. I know that it is a Torpado Professional...


And, I do know that the bicycle was raced, and this is the original owner during a race...


But, I do not know what the vintage is. Can anyone help me identify the year of manufacture of this old bicycle, based on the serial number? If so, I would really appreciated. I also need better pictures of the seat tube decals. Hopefully, I can make some myself.

So, if the sun's up and the bears are calm, away I go on the Pro. Pictures to come shortly.
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