Rotten

Located this frameset on fleabay and the seller accepted my offer. Got it in hand and had a little difficulty getting the original bottom bracket removed as someone in the past didn't know which way the drive side cup screwed in and had used a chisel and hammer to try to remove. Once I got the bb out I sprayed in framesaver and started digging in my storage for a groupset I picked up about a year ago. Let me tell you this, I will never again voluntarily install a new style front derailleur like the 105 R7000 one, I used all the expletives I know made up a few new ones and cursed the Shimano engineers.

Anyway I went with 105 11 speed because I have found it easier to dial in my cadence for more comfortable riding with an 11. It's all 105 except the headset which is the original Tange. It has lots of chipped/peeling paint, especially on the fork, but the only 'damaged' area is where a previous owner had a frame pump under the top tube and rubbed spots on the seat tube and top tube. I was going to wait to share but the flat black paint I ordered is slow in arriving. While digging for the groupset I ran across some Brooks leather bar tape that I don't remember buying but had never used and put it on. I had a Redshift stem that the wife never took to on her bike so I put it on the Circuit, I need to change out the elastomers but it's a straight forward process. The Surly Truck Stop Bar was chosen after installing one on the wifes bike and liking it when I took hers on a check ride after installing them. SPD M540 pedals and a Charge Spoon saddle finished things off. When the wife was looking at the frame sitting in the living room I asked what color cables it needed and without hesitation the answer was red so red it is and I like it.

Two rides in and it feels amazing and is very responsive and comfortable. I may switch out the tires for some weight savings in the future but I like the way the Conti Top Contact 28s feel so far.

Please feel free to share your Circuit if you have one.

jamesdak 

Here's my old 1987 I finally passed on a while ago to the mechanic who built it up for me. I had it equipped with Athena 11 speed and Zonda wheels.



And the pretty much original one I got for my son....he didn't like it....sigh......kids.....what do they know, LOL!



And this was actually my first Circuit, from about a decade later than the two above. Smokin' good on smooth pavement, not so much of broken chipseal.

genejockey 

Here's my 1989 Circuit. I like the Sante groupset on the 88 and 89 models, and that Candyapple Red paint! I was looking for one when I spotted this one on Craigs List. I could tell it was pretty much complete, but had a newer saddle. When I went to check it out/pick it up, the seller said, "Here, I think this is the saddle that came with it." and sure enough, it was a mint condition San Marco Rolls!

It's a bit small for me - a 22" when I really need at least a 23" - but I made it work with a longer seatpost, a 130mm stem, and a 44 cm Soma Highway One bar. It is a really sweet ride! Comfy and fast!

madpogue 

Alas, the PO of my '89 must've damaged/destroyed the Sante RD; he'd swapped in something modern/cheap. Fortunately I had a Dura Ace from at least the right period:


The Sante is okay, sort of an acquired taste. Not a fan of the brakes, with the silly release button on the lever and no cam release on the caliper. And those hoods -- I so much as look at them and they start looking dirty. But I couldn't pass up the deal; this bike PLUS a wheelset with a 126 freewheel rear, made of Sun rims on absolutely buttery Phil hubs, for $100. This bike has turned out to be my best-fitting C&V full-on road bike.

plonz 

Now that this has morphed into a show off your Circuit thread, I’ll partake in the fun. Sold off the Sante and went with DA7400 on my ‘89.

himespau 

Nice looking bike. That tire clearance to your brakes looks...tight. Reminds me of a bike I had once where, when I took it on a dirt road, the dirt added to the tire made it rub on the bottom of the brake caliper.

rccardr 

An 87 that I had powder coated in beige. Ran it with Ultegra 10 speed:


But then swapped the group over to Dura Ace 740X

Rotten

Vertical clearance is right at 2mm front and rear. Not optimal but this is strictly my road only bike as I have a build in the long term planning stages for dirt/gravel riding which as of now I do none of. I may switch out the tires to a more slick tread design at some point but having just come back from my third ride on it I really like how they roll and I know the extra tread on the TCs will help with the goathead sticker issue we have around here.

Rotten

Great color and both builds look awesome. I have been leaning towards a beige or FDE color for the gravel bike I eventually plan on building and this confirms it will look good.

Rotten

That's the smallest Circuit I think I've seen. Nice to know they really do exist. The wife really likes the way mine looks so now I have a back burner plan to keep my eyes open for a small frame one to build for her someday.