Seven most elegant bicycle components
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02-06-20, 09:43 AM
#28
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In totally new to this stuff and I'm learning a lot in this thread. There's a lot of things I didn't even know I wanted 😅
Seven thing is a struggle for my now. But this stem is my favorite. It was on the bike when I found it. Maker is still unknown to me.
And about everything mafac made has a +1 for me.
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Thanks for sharing.
#jdawginsc thanks for the initiative!
Seven thing is a struggle for my now. But this stem is my favorite. It was on the bike when I found it. Maker is still unknown to me.
And about everything mafac made has a +1 for me.
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Thanks for sharing.
#jdawginsc thanks for the initiative!
02-06-20, 10:07 AM
#30
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For stems, I like the 3TTT Record stems from the early 70s. Believe that they were standard on the Raleigh Pro bicycles for at least a while. They have an interesting shape, particularly when compared to Cinelli and Nitto, for example. Here's one that could use a little attention:
These things shine up very nicely without much hard work. Not a big fan of the decals, though replacements are available.
These things shine up very nicely without much hard work. Not a big fan of the decals, though replacements are available.
An Alex Singer stem would also be a winner.
for rear derailleurs, the Campagnolo Nuovo Record and Huret Jubilee are hard to beat, the Simplex noted here already was a leading edge styling driver that was never copied.
for cranks the Campagnolo Record was copied so often it cannot be ignored. The Stronglight 93 was not sure elegant but handsome.
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02-06-20, 11:04 AM
#32
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I love the Superbe lines on the crankset, the same way I liked the Mistral (and some Campy stuff). What kills me is no engraving. Printed stuff detracts from it.
02-06-20, 12:21 PM
#33
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Joe Breeze Breeze-In dropout: compact, angles easily accommodated, and maintains round tube to max length. Great joinery
XTR M900 crankset: Beautiful lines and great finish
Ritchey forged headtube: Compact and elegant, avoids beer can headtube on steel frames
Campagnolo C-Record crankset: Beautiful lines and great finish, even in the back
Topline crankset: CNC’d minimalism
7401 rear derailleur: Great finish and elegant branding
Avid Tri-Align cantilevers: functionality at its finest.
XTR M900 crankset: Beautiful lines and great finish
Ritchey forged headtube: Compact and elegant, avoids beer can headtube on steel frames
Campagnolo C-Record crankset: Beautiful lines and great finish, even in the back
Topline crankset: CNC’d minimalism
7401 rear derailleur: Great finish and elegant branding
Avid Tri-Align cantilevers: functionality at its finest.
02-06-20, 12:36 PM
#34
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Not mine (I think obviously), but my benchmark hub.
I'll be the person to go there with these:
Neither image is mine,
I'll be the person to go there with these:
Neither image is mine,
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02-06-20, 03:08 PM
#35
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Somehow, this 165mm swaged crankset has grown on me through the years I've been using them. Small ring is "wrong" but the original 48t small ring wasn't right for my style of riding.
02-06-20, 03:58 PM
#36
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maybe not exactly what the OP was looking for, but I'll nominate anything modified by the late Jon Williams....
Steve in Peoria
Steve in Peoria
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02-06-20, 04:37 PM
#38
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Maybe it's from growing up in the Ford Taurus era... I like the 80s-90s soap bar styling the best. Fluted and pebbled looks baroque and lots of surfaces look gauche.
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02-06-20, 05:07 PM
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Really? I thought they were regarded as some of the best performing single pivot brakes ever made. I run the Chorus Monoplaners and once I tapered the pads, they perform really well.
But this thread is about aesthetics, and I agree they are beautiful.
But this thread is about aesthetics, and I agree they are beautiful.
Last edited by P!N20; 02-06-20 at 05:41 PM.
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02-06-20, 05:10 PM
#41
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I like that my Vitus 979 already has a Stronglight headset, Top Line cranks, Superbe levers, and a Suntour Cyclone M2 rear derailleur. This thread is making me feel like I have good taste.
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02-06-20, 06:06 PM
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Gran Sport 02 by iabisdb, on Flickr
FB Cranks 1 by iabisdb, on Flickr
Campagnolo Tensioner 01 by iabisdb, on Flickr
Sheffield 658 03 by iabisdb, on Flickr
FB 006 by iabisdb, on Flickr
Magistroni Senior Headset 3 by iabisdb, on Flickr
untitled4 by iabisdb, on Flickr
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02-06-20, 06:18 PM
#43
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02-06-20, 07:15 PM
#44
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Agreed on some of those already posted. Others... meh. De gustibus. Here are two that do it for me:
Otsuya seatlug, 1980s:
Art Stump dropout, 1970s:
Mark B in Seattle
Otsuya seatlug, 1980s:
Art Stump dropout, 1970s:
Mark B in Seattle
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02-06-20, 08:34 PM
#47
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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.
02-06-20, 08:37 PM
#48
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Here's mine, mostly old school Campy, but not all.
I love the Campy high flange hubs and QR. All my old bikes have them, except the Peugeot on HF Normandies.
Campy dropouts, and for some reason, I just like looking at the Gran Turisimo RD. Pardon the lint string.
Not really a component, but I love my Legnano's head badge.
Campy Gran Sport and NR 5 arm crank, my favorite set up for looking at, not so much for riding up big hills.
Believe it or not, I love these Shimano Exage Sport aero levers. The hoods feel good, the little rubber pads are nice, and I just like the looks of them.
I love the Raleigh head badge almost as much as the Legnano badge ... almost. The Capella lugs aren't bad either.
I love the Campy high flange hubs and QR. All my old bikes have them, except the Peugeot on HF Normandies.
Campy dropouts, and for some reason, I just like looking at the Gran Turisimo RD. Pardon the lint string.
Not really a component, but I love my Legnano's head badge.
Campy Gran Sport and NR 5 arm crank, my favorite set up for looking at, not so much for riding up big hills.
Believe it or not, I love these Shimano Exage Sport aero levers. The hoods feel good, the little rubber pads are nice, and I just like the looks of them.
I love the Raleigh head badge almost as much as the Legnano badge ... almost. The Capella lugs aren't bad either.
02-06-20, 09:51 PM
#49
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Don't know if skewers can be elegant, but these Simplex skewers are sort of neat and not all that common, as far as I can tell. They have little booties to slide over the lever arms.
02-06-20, 10:04 PM
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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....
And because this thread needs pics, here's a pic of a NOS sturmey, with a coaster brake :-)
