A few new bits arrived this week, Fizik Microtex Classic 2mm bar tape and a 3.5mm allen key for the Delta brakes,
I've got some chrome bar ends on the way
, as is a 12-25 cassette.
I've not done any tinkering with the brakes yet as I am also waiting for some new brake pads. Any marginal gains in braking performance I can get for the Delta's I'll take, and I was surprised to discover that Koolstop do a pad for Campag Delta brakes, so they should arrive before the weekend.
The other hold up on sorting the cockpit is I've not been able to find any 3t Merckx bend 26.0 diameter, 42cm wide bars. The only ones I can see are NOS in Italy, and at around £90, before import duties that's a bit ouch for a alu bar.. And stuff from Italy takes ages, a cap I ordered about 3 weeks ago only just arrived, and a Tommasini jersey I ordered over 2 weeks ago has not arrived yet. I don't think I've got the patience to wait that long.....
I do really like those bars, and have them on a few bikes, but I've only ever paid £25-50 for some decent 2nd hand ones before, but that was pre Covid and pre Brexit so maybe I have to accept those days are gone forever. I may end up taking one from one of my other bikes if I can't find any soon, but that would be a bit annoying as those bikes are roadworthy and ready to go, so having to undo the tape, disconnect all the nicely set up gears and brakes is a bit of a faff and leaves that bike out of action. So sorting the bar situation is my main priority right now.
There's also been some developments in the fancy wheel department, for Sunday best I've got a pair of Campag Shamals with an 8 speed freehub, that buffed up nicely with a bit of White Lightening polish. These are the tubular version and come with some new and unused Vittoria Open Pave tubs in 25c. A very sexy wheelset and the deep rims should look good with the frames oversized Max tubes and pink accents matching the pink on the frame.
I'm a bit nervous riding tubs around London's broken glass strewn streets, so today I just been to pick up a shiny pair of retro clinchers for more 'everyday' riding. I saw these advertised on another forum but available for collection in London, so a 10 mile round trip after work and I've now got some wheels as cosmic as the frame, which as the frame has stars on definitely seems appropriate. A pair of great condition and recently serviced first generation Mavic Cosmic's
Handlebars, black Cinelli Volare saddle and some clincher tyres are all I need to get now. Coming together nicely
