texaspandj

Welcome back home. Cool story. It's funny how an Ironman knocks you back to your senses. Here, insanity is the norm. R.T. has your straight jacket waiting for you in this Ironman asylum.

holden west

Coloured tires look great in the box but the always seem to be a disappointment. The colour is never a perfect match and they always look dirtier and more worn even after cleaning. I had red tires on my '86 Ironman for a while and I eventually thought the two slightly different reds were clashing. I find if you can't get a good colour match on an accessory you're better off going for a contrasting colour instead (the exception being earth tones, ie: cork colour tape and brown leather saddle, always a nice combo).

Dega1979

I will be cleaning her up some. She was all apart on floor getting TLC. Looking for aero water bottle and cage. I had and old Bianchi but can't find it

Dega1979

I had her "The Badger" out again a few more time poetry in motion. I was thinking about updates. I've considered Ultegra 11 speed does anyone have experience with this type Change wondering if cassette will work. Saw good price on full Ultegra group

revchuck 

Assuming the wheelset is original, you'd have to rebuild the rear wheel with an 11-speed hub. Everything else is a standard build.

zs3889

Thanks for getting her out of the storage! That's my first road bike ever, albeit it was merely 3 years ago when I started this whole biking thing.

If you're replacing the original 6-speed freewheel, please please please let me know. I'd love to take it off your hand, assuming that you want to get rid of it.

zs3889

I agree! That's why I never considered going the white bar tape, saddle, and cable route. But boy, they do look good before everything got dirty. I think I'm going to stick with black tires!

I'm always a fan of the brown color combination but not on the Miami Vice. Maybe someday I'll find myself a bike that would look good in cork tape and leather saddle.

Printmaker

Hey gents, the guy with a bike that is too small is back, been scouring local CL for an Ironman replacement bit no luck yet. I've seen quite a few centurions around here (San Diego) but not quite the size/color combo that I am stubbornly holding onto. Although a Miami Vice Master has been tempting me, I am not so sure I can pull it off. I've got tattoos and a septum piercing so I fear looking a bit too eclectic lol.

So, I apologize for the noob question, but what is the difference between the ironman models to the Le Mans and Elite models? I've been focused on Ironman models but have been surprised that they all sell for about the same price used.

markwesti

Septum piercing .Yikes! https://www.google.com/search?q=sept...1CCAEIk0bmTzM:
With the Le Mans/Elite you get septum piercing ie: fender cheerios . Hold out for the Master brah .

texaspandj

Haha,Funny markwesti.
True you get eyelets, the Lemans frame tubing is Tange 2 instead of Tange 1,also the geometry is more relaxed on the Lemans. Lastly the Ironman has a winning pedigree. Still those Lemans are cool. I'd probably get one if I could find one like the two @Lazyass has.

markwesti

@Printmaker consider this bike it's a Comp T/A . Comps' are the daddy of the Ironman and this one might fit you at 52cm he says 53 but I'm pretty sure it's 52. Not to far of a drive .https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/6119142484.html . Right @texaspandj ?

Dega1979

Nice just plain ole Nice!

zs3889

That's great looking bike! Can't beat that at $200.

Speaking of Comp TA, I picked up an 84 Comp TA at a gear swap organized by a local bike shop today. It was $100 and I couldn't pass it up. I played no part in the yellow parts on this bike. As far as I can tell, it's equipped with the full Shimano groupset. Looks like a 58 cm?

As much as I'd like to keep it, I'm gonna have to let it go due to lack of storage (good thing I don't have a garage...). I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to double what I paid with a little bit of cleaning on the frame and drivetrain.

fleslider 

rode the Master to work,and on the way home decided it needed some love.. so stopped off at the Bike CO-OP and gave the girl a tune up and a fresh BB and Brake pads.
Kept the original loose ball BB and installed a Sealed Bearing unit.

Zix

Found this baby in need for a little TLC

trainsktg

I've been looking at these on and off for a while and finally bit the bullet. Near-mint and 100% original when I got it including the 105 pedals with plastic toe clips and white fabric straps. I changed out the saddle and pedals to what you see here, and then the tires afterwards to 25mm Vittoria Corsas.


Keith

texaspandj

Nicely done. I really dig that color scheme.

texaspandj

So are you gonna provide the tlc? Several here have that exact color scheme, including me. Welcome.

btpdragon

Not sure if this one should get posted here first or over on the "retro roadies" thread. Gotta go with my Ironman friends first. After searching for what seems like forever and twice trying to convince myself that I could ride a smaller frame, I finally found a nice Miami Vice in my size. Did my first ever evapo-rust and framesaver treatment on this and swapped over the 5800 groupset I had on my 85 Ironman. This is how it looked right after the build up. I have swapped the saddle to a white Fizik Aliante, added some bottle cages, and a frame pump. I'll try to get pics of the current setup. So far the white bar tape and hoods have held up better than I thought. At least for 2 rides.

Loose Chain

Beautiful bike but brifters kill the look and proportions.

btpdragon

Of course just when I finish building up all my "rider" bikes, another bike that has been on my radar pops up on eBay. The asking price was low, but decided to make an offer at a price I couldn't pass up anyway. The seller countered back at a price that was still too low to pass up. It is in dirty, but overall great shape. Minimal rust for having lived near the beach, and full Shimano 600 tri-color (I think). Wheel have no stickers, so I am not sure what they are, but they have Shimano 600 hubs. Not exactly an Ironman, but a close cousin.

btpdragon

Sadly the brifters take the bike for a fun occasional rider for me to a bike I enjoy riding everyday. I have massive hands and the old style bars and hoods just don't work for me. I already have several bikes with downtube shifters and old style brake levers. If I could find 46cm bars that have a modern compact ergo shape and fit in a quill stem, I would ditch the modern stem/adapter.

rccardr 

That Prestige is actually a step UP from an IM. Better tubing, anyway.

Zix

You bet I am... Its so lovely compared to an old Free Spirit I had
Fixed it up a bit, gonna upload pictures later
Edit : Pics
Before

After

texaspandj

Wow that was quick. Nice job. Im sure you can attest to That frame is so light. Do you have TT cable guides? How much is original? Give us a breakdown.