One of the themes that has interested me since I got back to bikes, was what was the "best of" it's time . When I was younger, I raced. I worked at it, and was eaqually fascinated by the rapidly changing technology. So , I've played with the idea of "best of the period" bikes, (Yes, I realize that selecting for a particular purpose, and paone of the themes that has interested me since I got back to bikes, was what was the "best of" it's time . When I was younger, I raced. I worked at it, and was eaqually fascinated by the rapidly changing technology. So , I've played with the idea of "best of the period" bikes, (Yes, I realize that selecting for a particular purpose, and particular rider, or at least, a particular type of rider, will change the answer...) But I'm not going to nit-pick too much. A bike has fallen into my lap that will work for me. Unlike the NOS version I had, and could not do justice to, I now have a dented and dinged, earlyTeledyne titan. One that I can "frankenbike" with components that are less than perfect. As a non-recovering weenie, weight is going to be a big consideration. So is my past belief in the innovative American shops of the era.
Luckily, the bike started me ahead of the game. Note: this was the end of my racing, and when I gave it up, I walked away completely. What I remember of Teledyne, was the Stetinas, fast as heck, wearing those goofy bell helmets, and Wayne(?) setting a crazy speed record in that huge fairing. Which definitely pointed the way towards the development of aero design for those able to see it.
Here it is newly arrived, and stripped down.
Now a photo gone, and text chopped to hell, but still, for me, pretty good.
It is stripped down, the BB, headset, and RD cable stop are all that's left. I'll open them, but they seem remarkably grit free, as do the wheels.
Not going to win any beauty pagents, ( worst dings/dents under foam) But nevermind that, wahoo!!! Picked up from the second owner who bought it used - in 1977, at Daniel Boone's, in Houston,Texas.
#000075...Early Days (brilliant photo, got the zeros perfectly)
Sweet, though they may get sold to help pay for the build, as I'm not too keen on the gold for this build.