Dan Chase

Hi Guys,
Here`s a video and review of Sean Yates`s awesome 7-Eleven 1990 team bike - real deal, not a repro or recreation, an epic super bike from the early 90`s!

Hope you enjoy - I did! Dan.

thinktubes 

Bars need to be rotated for the proper amount of “Yates”

Dan Chase

He did like a lot of rotation - Yates mentions it in his book "Its all about the bike" that he was just taking the P*ss...

DiabloScott

Why doesn't the video bike have as much chrome as this one?
Also looks like it has 36° wheels - those can't be original.

steelbikeguy

fun video!
The downhill footage was exciting... and I'm glad that no squirrels jumped out in front of you on the way down!

Cool bike, and a great story behind it!

Steve in Peoria

stevel610 

Neat video. Did he say how much it weighed?

P!N20

Given the 6mm steel, I'd say very f***ing heavy.

Keeping with the 7-Eleven team bikes, check out Alex Stieda's retro mod:

P!N20

Might have been this one:

Dan Chase

Thats correct - 1989 team bike had chrome forks, 1990 had painted (or thereabouts, would have been plenty of swopping about). Wheels are not original - this bike was re-built somewhere around 2015, not by me, would originally had single pivot brakes as well looking at some of the pics and video of the time.

Weight - as soon as I find my didgital weight hanger I`ll let you know - had it a couple of weeks ago, now...

Thanks, Dan.

nomadmax 

Dan,

I really like your videos, especially how you go over the bike(s) before actually going out and riding them. I have just a couple of suggestions:

You have a lot of subject matter knowlege, slow down on your rides so you can impart it on a conversatioinal level as opposed to breathlessly. Save the workout for your workout. If you want to add in a couple of hard pushes so you can real time account for how a bike accelerates, climbs or descends, do that, but don't make the bulk of your commentary while trying to go as fast as you can. To the viewer, there really isn't a difference between 15mph and 19mph visually.

The bike's back story. Many of us that into vintage bikes, especially vintage race bikes or replicas, are interested in the back story. How you came to have it or be able to ride it is all part of it.

That's all I can really offer, you make good videos and I generally won't watch internet videos.

Dan Chase

You make a good point - when I`m chatting to the camera I just get a bit carried away pushing the pedals with an obvious result - though I must say I`m not a fan of some bike riding videos where the presenter is really only riding at a little more than walking pace - bit of an insult to the bike.

I`ve got a few more videos coming up soon - let me see what I can do.

Where I get hold of them can be a challenge - constant ebay searching, forums, private individuals (who remain nameless by choice) and collections that get broken up - though not last years Pantani Mercatone Uno bikes - a little out of my budget at 66,000 euro`s...

***Of note - I`m currently searching for an ex Kas or Cafe Columbia Vitus team bike - real deal not badges up replica - as I`m keen to see how one of those goes - anyone know of one?

Thanks, Dan.

GrayJay

In 1990 I was train/bike touring Europe and spent a few days watching my first pro bike race in person, following the Tour of Switzerland for a few days. In the evening after one of the stages, I found the 7-11 team mechanics out behind their hotel washing & tuning all the teams bikes for the next days stage. I hung out watching and talking with the mechanics and checked out the teams bikes up close. Very likely that I saw this same bike or another clone of it !
Much to my surprise, Sean Yates (racing the tour) then showed-up on his own just to hang out with his mechanics friends and I got the opportunity to meet him. He was very down to earth and approachable, gladly answered all my dumb bike questions. I was touring on an older steel trek with campy super-record brakes and I remember Sean saw it commented how he had raced with super-record brakes for years but how terrible they actually were for braking. He much preferred the lighter feel of the dura-ace brakes that the team was then using because he could actually slow/stop on long descents without cramping his hands on the campy levers.

alexihnen 

Wonderful video and an amazing bike. I have a similarly sized Merckx 7-Eleven bike and am trying to decipher which rider it may have been made for. Anyone have a size list for the team, or know which riders were 6’2”+?

repechage

wheels were team gear - climbing stage? 32's
for a guy his size, others might be on 28/32
36's would be training or Spring Classic fare.

DiabloScott

That is a well-staged photo!
Frankie Andreu is 6'2"... he was pretty green in 1990, maybe didn't merit a personalized decal.

GrayJay

Merckx sold team replica frames to general public in the 7-11 paint scheme. See the sales brochure at;
https://www.tearsforgears.com/2008/02...0-catalog.html
brochure shows same chrome forks and team decal. If yours does not have heavy signs of use and the rider name decal (and is also missing the wolber sponsorship decals), it might have been sold as a replica frame rather than actual team bike. One factor that might indicate as an actual team bike however is presence of the number hangar braze-on beneath the top tube.

alexihnen 

FWIW - mine is a restoration/repaint. It is a team bike with the number hanger and custom geometry, and so not a stock offering. I believe the serial number indicates a team bike as well. The seat tube is 60cm and be top tube 62cm c-t-c.

This was a bit of a mess when I got it. I mean, Cyclart did the repaint years ago and it’s flawless, and the bike was an unridden wall hanger, but the seatpost diameter was too small - luckily never tightened down, the headset seals were backwards so the headset was loose but would jam when tightened. The bottom bracket (Italian) was installed backwards, with the fixed cup on the non-drive side. It’s well sorted now, just need some 7400 pedals.