Seven most elegant bicycle components
02-06-20, 10:15 PM
#51
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02-07-20, 12:24 AM
#52
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Do handlebars count as components!?!
My introduction to vintage bikes was saving a (late 50's/early 60's) Dawes Red Feather from the dump. It was these handlebars that stopped me just turning it into a generic fixie and actually researching more about the bike.
They would be on my list of elegant components.
Not my picture. Source https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...bars-292281771
My introduction to vintage bikes was saving a (late 50's/early 60's) Dawes Red Feather from the dump. It was these handlebars that stopped me just turning it into a generic fixie and actually researching more about the bike.
They would be on my list of elegant components.
Not my picture. Source https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...bars-292281771
02-07-20, 01:11 AM
#53
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I think Art could have added a narrow amount beyond the stamping area and kept the elegance and added strength. But it is an elegant part.
I bought a set of his front dropouts long long ago- pretty clever design.
that seat lug is also Styling.
the Shimano 600 arabesque has grown on me but when it was introduced I felt a poor mimic of Nuovo Record style achievement.
the Golden Arrow? I think was more authentic.
The Aero Gran Compe side pull calipers that were quite minimalist with eccentric pad adjustment should be acknowledged. Only small cross section tires apply though.
I bought a set of his front dropouts long long ago- pretty clever design.
that seat lug is also Styling.
the Shimano 600 arabesque has grown on me but when it was introduced I felt a poor mimic of Nuovo Record style achievement.
the Golden Arrow? I think was more authentic.
The Aero Gran Compe side pull calipers that were quite minimalist with eccentric pad adjustment should be acknowledged. Only small cross section tires apply though.
I believe these do deserve a mention.
02-07-20, 01:25 AM
#54
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Zeus 2000 alloy freewheel:
Flite Evolution Carbon saddle on Campy Record titanium post:
Barelli Supreme pedals:
SunTour Cyclone:
Curved Campy gear levers:
Drillium Campy Record calipers:
First generation 8-speed Campy Ergopower lever bodies:
Most Honorable Mention: NR/SR derailleur pin setting tools courtesy of @rootboy
Less Honorable Mention: Hozan spoke wrench (because tools are elegant, too)
DD
Flite Evolution Carbon saddle on Campy Record titanium post:
Barelli Supreme pedals:
SunTour Cyclone:
Curved Campy gear levers:
Drillium Campy Record calipers:
First generation 8-speed Campy Ergopower lever bodies:
Most Honorable Mention: NR/SR derailleur pin setting tools courtesy of @rootboy
Less Honorable Mention: Hozan spoke wrench (because tools are elegant, too)
DD
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02-07-20, 01:34 AM
#55
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02-07-20, 05:02 AM
#56
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02-07-20, 08:59 AM
#57
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Zeus 2000 dropouts:
02-07-20, 09:05 AM
#58
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This is a very nice thread. It is interesting that people have such different likes and interests.
02-07-20, 09:41 AM
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Wow. IIRC, the only two 543's I've ever seen in person are the two I have; one is missing the cover and one has it but the name is just stamped on the cover. That blue/gold logo is lovely!
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02-07-20, 11:18 AM
#60
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Not much metal left...
Perty
Campy with a small flair...
Flawless lines.
02-07-20, 11:37 AM
#61
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The number one most elegant bicycle component is the ball bearing.
Photo taken while overhauling a hub this morning. Purity of form, perfection of function, lasts for decades with regular servicing, and a finish at least two orders of magnitude finer than anything else on a bike. My favorite are the 1/4" bearings in a classic bottom bracket, they make the others seem undersize.
The runner-up in this category, the humble and utilitarian bushing, gets points for simplicity but is a distant second in every other way.
My second favorite component are these old Sun Ringle peace-sign cable hangers.
(Imagine I trimmed my cable a millimeter shorter and wasn't missing one set screw.)
Simple, functional, beautiful, and playful. The arms follow the cable runs, the circle holds it all together, and the whole thing is a peace symbol! And it's purple! These cable hangers are also a great example of the affordances of CNC manufacturing, they would be absurdly difficult to make with manual machine tools. Shout out to tri-align style cantilever brakes too, mine are a tektro knockoff of the avid design, I love them.
Third favorite component is cotton bar tape.
To me, all other bar tape feels terrible, and only gets worse as it degrades. Cotton tape feels great immediately, and ages and weathers beautifully. The harlequin wrap above is a mix of Zefal and Newbaums (my LBS stocks Newbaums in many colors, but not black, and Zefal only in black
) but my favorite is the thick Velo-Orange stuff.
Possibly this preference has something to do with climate, the heat and humidity in New Orleans make foam rubber and vinyl often unpleasant to touch, and does leather no favors.
I'll have to think more about the next four!
Photo taken while overhauling a hub this morning. Purity of form, perfection of function, lasts for decades with regular servicing, and a finish at least two orders of magnitude finer than anything else on a bike. My favorite are the 1/4" bearings in a classic bottom bracket, they make the others seem undersize.
The runner-up in this category, the humble and utilitarian bushing, gets points for simplicity but is a distant second in every other way.
My second favorite component are these old Sun Ringle peace-sign cable hangers.
(Imagine I trimmed my cable a millimeter shorter and wasn't missing one set screw.)
Simple, functional, beautiful, and playful. The arms follow the cable runs, the circle holds it all together, and the whole thing is a peace symbol! And it's purple! These cable hangers are also a great example of the affordances of CNC manufacturing, they would be absurdly difficult to make with manual machine tools. Shout out to tri-align style cantilever brakes too, mine are a tektro knockoff of the avid design, I love them.
Third favorite component is cotton bar tape.
To me, all other bar tape feels terrible, and only gets worse as it degrades. Cotton tape feels great immediately, and ages and weathers beautifully. The harlequin wrap above is a mix of Zefal and Newbaums (my LBS stocks Newbaums in many colors, but not black, and Zefal only in black
) but my favorite is the thick Velo-Orange stuff.Possibly this preference has something to do with climate, the heat and humidity in New Orleans make foam rubber and vinyl often unpleasant to touch, and does leather no favors.
I'll have to think more about the next four!
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02-07-20, 01:00 PM
#62
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For me, my favorite bike part of all time for functional elegance, will always and forever be the Sturmey Archer 3 speed. The fact that the first operating model was made in 1902 is mindblowing. The semiautomatic nature of upshifts, the virtual complete absence of any maintenance. The absurdly long life span. The shiny chrome. The little indicator chain that shifts the gears. The bar mounted indexed shifting 7+ decades (?) before anyone else had it figured out. The fact that nowadays everyone thinks you're riding a single speed LOL. The tick tick tick in 2nd and 3rd gears....
That's not to say I haven't been through one and appreciated its internal elegance, though! I think I've overhauled three in the past year, for various friends. I'm forever amazed. All of them Sturmey AWs were at least 40 years old and ticking along fine after some cleaning and a proper oil. I also autopsied a SRAM i-Motion 3, which had "grenaded" after four years of use. Proves that you just can't make a better 3-speed than the old Sturmey Archer.
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02-07-20, 01:50 PM
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Love this thread
All time favorite = C Record cranks
Flite Saddle with C Record post
Delta Brakes
C Record RD
Super Record RD
Avid Ultimate Levers
All time favorite = C Record cranks
Flite Saddle with C Record post
Delta Brakes
C Record RD
Super Record RD
Avid Ultimate Levers
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02-07-20, 01:56 PM
#64
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02-07-20, 02:16 PM
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My love of steep hills means Sturmeys aren't the right choice for all my rides, but I'm fine on anything up to %7 on an AW equipped bike with 53/24 gearing, that still gives me good top speed performance too.
That's not to say I haven't been through one and appreciated its internal elegance, though! I think I've overhauled three in the past year, for various friends. I'm forever amazed. All of them Sturmey AWs were at least 40 years old and ticking along fine after some cleaning and a proper oil. I also autopsied a SRAM i-Motion 3, which had "grenaded" after four years of use. Proves that you just can't make a better 3-speed than the old Sturmey Archer.
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02-07-20, 02:45 PM
#67
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02-07-20, 02:45 PM
#68
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I don't keep score, and many nice parts have already been posted. I do, however, tend to buy stuff just because I fall in love with it. Whether I need it or not. A few examples:
ALE bottle cage:
Unidentified brake levers:
Unidentified touring chainring set:
Pump clamps:
More unidentified brake levers:
Two Sprinter 70 front track hubs:
Butchered Brooks saddle:
Cottered aluminum crankset:
ALE bottle cage:
Unidentified brake levers:
Unidentified touring chainring set:
Pump clamps:
More unidentified brake levers:
Two Sprinter 70 front track hubs:
Butchered Brooks saddle:
Cottered aluminum crankset:
02-07-20, 03:23 PM
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A few of my favorites "elegant" components over the years:
Nitto "Crystem" stem
Brooks "Cambium" and a Suntour "Superbe" seat post
Suntour "Superbe Pro" brake calipers.
1st. generation Campagnolo "Super Record"
Italian water bottle.
SR "Royal' seat post
Nitto "Crystem" stem
Brooks "Cambium" and a Suntour "Superbe" seat post
Suntour "Superbe Pro" brake calipers.
1st. generation Campagnolo "Super Record"
Italian water bottle.
SR "Royal' seat post
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02-07-20, 06:04 PM
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02-07-20, 06:43 PM
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02-07-20, 07:32 PM
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Simple Elegance", design, engineering and execution that isn't excessive in any aspect. Probably what has so attracted me to C&V cycling and the multitude of beautiful components out there.
OP, that is going to be the crankset for my current build, '72 Schwinn Super Sport.
Bill
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
02-07-20, 09:31 PM
#73
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non-fixie I love those butchered saddles too - as much for their minimalism and panache as for the rough authenticity they exude. Some guy made those things, with a hammer and a knife, in a poorly-lit, dirty shop somewhere in Europe, and by some miracle they have found their way to us. I've never seen one for sale, the only reason I even found mine is because it came on an old French frame I bought.
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Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
02-07-20, 10:02 PM
#74
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Tanks
Gothic fenders with triangular tips and striping
Delta Rocket Ray and Rocket horn
Schwinn handlebar grips, teardrop and script or glitter grips
Colson chainguard
later Trek frames
Peugeots in general
Gothic fenders with triangular tips and striping
Delta Rocket Ray and Rocket horn
Schwinn handlebar grips, teardrop and script or glitter grips
Colson chainguard
later Trek frames
Peugeots in general
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02-08-20, 07:17 AM
#75
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Off a I-beam Nitto stem that was badly oxidized when I got it. I sanded off the blemishes with emery cloth, painted black and re-sanded. I'm thinking about using it with this "beausage" worn look if I don't repaint to all black.
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