texaspandj

Well it was 7 speed tri color and it shifted well but now it's a 8 speed dura ace (7402) and fortunately shifts just as well.
I can't really take it on a training ride for fear I'll flat a tubular. Not only can I not afford a new tubular but also those sew ups are vintage looking and glued on very well and straight. I had my eye on some training wheels on CL but they're gone now.
Ok back to the Carbon Ironman. The front derailleur is actually a DA 7700...oh well. I used the cables that came with the 8 speed gripshift mostly cause I'm cheap uh I mean thrifty... Ok ok poor. Also I couldn't get the NDS crank arm off the bb spindle so I had to remove the original bottom (I'll let C-Cat deal with that) and I'm using an Miami Vice oem bottom in its place, I thought about getting a DA bottom bracket but didn't want to wait plus you know...poor. Anyways also I should mention (and another reason I reused the gear cable) I had to use a fd braze on adapter that really doesn't fit, well it did with a slit if inner tube. Funny thing is I have 2 or 3 of 31.8 adapters and 1 in between 31.8 and 28.6 which is the one I'm using. I'll have to order the 28.6 soon. I took some of the stickers off the race wheels and thinking about removing the rest.
I would have the 600 tricolor crankset on the beater trek but as I stated the bb spindle was stuck, so I just put on a 105 however its missing a few crankbolts...oh well.
Ok enough with the I'm tired and sleepy writing but not too tired to write run on sentences. Here's a pic.

fleslider 

fleslider 

Man thats your beater.. Mr Moneybags!

i spy a American Classic Seatpost...?

texaspandj

Yeah its a beater, check out those grocery getter/ baby trailer pulling pedals. I actually have some pink bottle cages to match so it'll look more RTish.
As usual good eye, the seat post is American Classic and supposedly titanium. As I've over stated I'm poor (but it's never been a thing) but genuinely happy. Fortunately it's of little consequence to my beautiful wife who isn't poor like me. My oldest son splits his time between Austin and Houston, so I got that covered CL wise. And my oldest daughter lives 30 minutes from Dallas so I got that CL area covered. IDK, it works for me.
I have zero plans to keep this. RT might be interested in the frame and my riding buddy has expressed interest in it as a complete bike and either of them don't want I'll put it on the vintage sales. But I'll do none of that until I slip some clip ins on it, wrap the bars, flip the stem and give it a good hilly test ride. However I'm missing a few chain ring bolts on the 105 crankset (but I'm gonna borrow some from C-cats chain rings don't tell him). I did ride it a couple of blocks and the 600 levers combined with the BRS 500 calipers weren't idea. Although those dia compe calipers are Really Cool I'd rather have some shimano ones. The wheels are off my '89. Fortunately I just so happened to have a 600 tricolor braze on front derailleur so that worked out. Since I had no plans to keep it (or even test it out) initially I didn't clean it thoroughly, rebuild BB and HS. I figured I'd leave that fun for the next owner. It also had a bunch of cateye cyclemeter scotch tape everywhere. I got almost all of it off.
Next project for me, re-installing 7 speed gripshift on my '87 (Miami Vice). Then it's on to making my '89 a 9 speed. I already have the front derailleur, DA 7700 I just need the 7700 rear derailleur and shimano 9 speed bar end shifters.
In the meantime still searching for a '85 54 CM feame.
​​​​​​​Later Irongents.

RobbieTunes

I like the decals just as they are, spare but there.
If you need a black 28.6 braze-on, I have an adapter that stays on.
Really diggin' your IM Carbon bike, of course great minds think alike.
The OCLV I'm game for, and nothing rhymes with purple. (Gotcha)

seypat

That is a wicking looking bike!

markwesti

Now here is a ad you don't see often .

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...834858922.html

RobbieTunes

Somebody help that man.

People don't walk into the recruiting office very often.

and also....check the logo on the collar

texaspandj

Mr Westi, you got that SShh_ipment right.

Maybe I should put an ad for a 54cm '85 Ironman.

jetboy 

Hey! this one was my bike! thats the shop/co-op

markwesti

Well the cops showed up and I got busted , good thing they have wifi at LA County .

markwesti

Cool looking RS , love that gun metal gray .

seypat

With that jersey and matching jacket, you are going to look more suave than Ben in Blue Velvet.(I can't post the clip because there is cussing involved)

canklecat

Suave mutha.

jetboy 

it was a very pretty bike but I passed it on during my downsizing phase. tange 2 and nicely set up - a very elegant bike (for a more civilized age).

seypat

Someone just posted his own IM for sale as a new thread. Dallas area. My post should put this thread close to it till it gets deleted.

TXsailor

She likes it!


Its so smooth she says.
The wind was howling again this morning so we just rode around our neighborhood. We mainly wanted to see how it fit her and if she likes the downtube shifters. She thinks she does and loves the bike. Everything worked like its supposed to. It has my wheels on it for now but we have the set we got from @seedsbelize ready for when we switch it over to 10 speed. The triple crank @seypat donated to the project works like it came from the factory. She has the bar tape but doesn't want to put it on until she rides it a little more to make sure the brake levers are where she wants them. She still won't tell me what color it is.

unterhausen

yes, it's gone until an upgrade, maybe?

seypat

Another satisfied rider! Look at that grin. She knows.

TXsailor

Her Mom (my daughter) rides a CAAD10. She said "I kinda want mom to ride it but I kinda don't cause if she does she will want one too"

fleslider 

Shes already spreading the Ironman love.. or is it a sickness?

seypat

We can find her one.

TXsailor

Unlike her daughter mom is a very modern practical kind of gal so I would be surprised if it happened. She informed me recently that she is thinking of a Liv when I showed her a picture of the 48 cm that Centurion sold. I think the old steel bike loving gene skipped a generation

texaspandj

I put my matching cages to give it a RTish look.hehe. I'm actually gonna put white pedals, white saddle, white cages which I have. And buy some cheap white wrap since I don't have any white inner tube wrap. Btw I test rode it 17 miles with clip in pedals.
​​​​​​​So I finally took the Ole beater out for a ride. It's the trek 5900 purple people eater. So I'm posting about the ride in comparison or contrast to the Ironman.
Right off the bat the trek is lighter, (18. something by my fish scale) than the Ironman. Next it accelerates quicker than the Ironman. Lastly it climbs well but only as well as my previously owned steel '88 Ironman with regular road bars. Since I've been running more than riding I'm more comfortable standing than sitting while riding even small inclines to keep my momentum. When I climb with my aero bar setup I'm usually in the drops when standing, but being on road bar hoods when standing is really ideal and that made it somewhat easier. So I call it a draw on climbing. Next is handling, and the trek is a hair quicker but not insurmountable.in fact possibly like my '89 Master.
As far as fit, because it's 56cm and I normally ride a 54 it is a touch bigger. About a 1/2 Inch longer TT and a 1/2 inch longer stem so only 1 inch longer overall, the seat measured basically the same as my 54cm. So not much difference yet I felt so much higher on the trek. The saddle is some type of tri saddle and although it was shorter than my preferred turbo I had no complaints. Honestly it felt great overall. It felt a lot like the '88 master I sold to my riding partner. I think the road bars had a lot to do with that. However the '88 Ironman had brifters and the brifter hoods are way more comfortable.
Here's a pic. The rear derailleur, DT shifters, chain and 3 chainring bolts I borrowed from @canklecat...uh thanks?
​​​​​​​

canklecat

The real climbing test of a Trek 5900 is to give someone behind you "The Look." Jan Ullrich is out of contention right now while he gets himself back together. I'd suggest Lars Ulrich. You could beat him like a drum.