dannyg1 

The 105 5600 stuff works beautifully and is one of the true bargains in current groupsets by me. O like the crankset shape so much that I chose it for a bike that has a retail price point of right around $4000. And I'm looking at it now over my left shoulder.

Lazyass

That Bianchi would be an awesome touring bike.

Prabuddhadg

Hi I am new here in this forum. I have been going through this thread and I must say, that while I have always been a fan of lugged steel frames, some of the bikes have been built up really beautifully and with modern conveniences.
I have recently got an old Olmo with an assortment of components, from Campy crank and Maillard cog to Shimano 105 derailleurs and Shimano 600 brifters and callpers.
Bike components are very hard to come by here. So, I shall dream of upgrading components on my bike while I make do with seeing so many of you here live my dream. Just keep posting these beautiful snaps.

RobbieTunes

Welcome to the forum. Hang in there, it will happen. Keep those 600 brifters loose.

ninjaman

Visit the 'Pay it forward' forum, I'm sure you'll find lots of people willing to contribute to your dream. What are you looking for exactly?

Prabuddhadg

Well, this bike rides pretty well. So there is nothing I am really looking to change. My comment was more about the absolute beauty of some of the bikes here. Speaking of changes, I can't find cogs or chainrings around here. For instance, the lowest ratio on the bike is 42 X 21 which is too tough for my legs on some of the very few ascents here. The bikes posted here are all so nice and rideable.

Spinz

Looking good. I see you have the new CF --- what kind of wheels are those? They look great --- really retro. Lp

bonechilling

At least it's a Japanese Bianchi, although she would much prefer an Italian Celeste one.

Yeah, actually the cranks are her favorite part, although she can't get her head around how they actually attach to the bike (despite multiple explanations). As for 105, it's a pretty damn good value. The group I got was a pull-off from a customer who "upgraded" everything to Ultegra. In my partner's case, I'd prefer 105 with it's slightly-stronger materials, since she's inevitably going to tip the bike over, and I'd prefer to not be replacing multi-hundred dollar shifters every time that happens. Performance wise, I honestly think that 105, when well-setup, shifts as well as anything else in the Shimano line, including DA 7800.

Yeah, that's our plan. Unfortunately, only one set of braze-ons, so it'll be tricky mounting fenders and a rack, but otherwise the geometry of the frame is perfectly suited to touring.

amillhench

Cross posted from vintage carbon. Here is my 1993 2100 I just picked up. Threw on some Dura Ace/ Open Pro wheels, 2008 Campy Veloce 10 speed shifters, and a 10 speed 105 RD. Shifts and rides like a dream. Guessing weight is right around 20 lbs.

RobbieTunes

Haven't got the new CF yet, but thanks to your heads-up, it's on the way. This is my original one, built with Shimano 600 tricolor and then switched to Campagnolo. The new CF will be the Shimano 600 tricolor. The wheels are Campagnolo Vento, circa 1989, I think. The Shamals were very similar about that time.

Has that Centaur group found it's way onto steel yet?

And to the Austin TX composite Trek above, great bike. Any chance you'll be on a leg of the Wounded Warriors ride?

Spinz

"Has that Centaur group found it's way onto steel yet?"

Oh yeah. The wheels are here however I am still awaiting the front derailleur. Maybe it will arrive tomorrow ----- photos will be up for sure. Lp


Nice TREK!! Lp

Six jours

Hopefully not a repost, but a friend sent me this link. It's an entire shop/website devoted to finding nice old bicycles and ****ing them up. Should be right up your alley. Alleys. Whatever.

mainducoyote

Have you actually looked at the site or read their about page?

''We respect the desire to keep classic bicycles original and admire the purists at Classic Rendezvous. However, the updated / customized look is more our flavor. We resist parting-out classic bicycles and instead seek to customize the “diamond in the rough”. Most of our bicycles come to us devoid of their original parts (and sometimes paint), but this makes the process especially satisfying. In other words, we are the purveyors of restomod bicycles.''

Six jours

IOW, ****ing up nice old bicycles. Excusing it because they weren't in good condition when they came in is just that -- an excuse. Hopefully they won't be "satisfying" themselves on anything especially rare or historical: I saw a rusty old Bianchi for sale the other day, purportedly once belonging to Fausto Coppi...

bonechilling

It's just a ****ing bike. Get over it.

Six jours

I think that's what the Taliban said to the Buddhists when they were blowing up statues.

Well, probably not in English, but I'm sure the sentiment was the same...

bonechilling

Wow, so you're comparing repainting an old beat up bike, and putting some different parts on it than what it originally came with, to violent religious extremists destroying two 1500 statues which violated their narrow worldview? I guess I shouldn't be surprised by anything on Bike Forums anymore, yet I still am.

You do realize that, for the purposes of your analogy, that your position has much more in common with the Taliban than with the international community, right?

Six jours

No, I'm comparing two groups of people who think nothing of trashing something that is valuable to other people.

Let me know if I can clarify any other obvious points for you!

bonechilling

Except a bike which was not ride-able, and now is, is not "trashed." It is only "trashed" insofar as your narrow world view only allows for period-correct parts to be hung on a (fairly insignificant, even by collector's standards) bike which you consider desirable because of some nostalgic attachment you have to the brand. There is nothing functionally wrong with the bike and it is not destroyed.

Please spare me the ad hominems. They only make you look desperate.

Six jours

If you take a sixties Ferrari F1 car, rip out the running gear and replace it with something Honda made last week, people who care would call it "trashed". And people who don't will say things like "Risen from the ashes" and "That old fashioned Ferrari stuff was no good" and "Stop calling me names, you elitist snob".

bonechilling

Based on their website, your analogy is inapt. Here's one which actually fits.

RFC

Wow, I missed this one. Looks like someone needs to take their medication.

kmcc2576

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that it would be pretty simple to put the original components, or "period correct" components back on these bikes if you want. I don't really see where these bikes are being permanently defaced or destroyed.

In fact, these people probably are taking just as good or better care of these bikes that someone who would keep it original and then leave it to sit and never ride it. Making a vintage bike more practical and functional, without doing any permanent damage, hardly seems like something to get worked up about.

Six jours

So, "bonechilling", is that complaint about ad hominem a general principle, or somewhat more selective? Right...

As for it being "pretty simple" to return to the original components, when was the last time you saw a San Rensho seatpost for sale? Once it's been "parted out", it's extremely unlikely to be replaced. Yet another essentially irreplaceable bicycle "improved" with modern cookie-cutter parts.

But I think the "making it more practical and functional" line sums it all up: you folks honestly don't think much of classic bikes and really do believe you're "making them better". I think you guys are missing out.

kmcc2576

It's ironic that you say that, because I know that whenever I buy a vintage bicycle I immediately strip all the classic components, melt them down, and and make them into steel cookie cutters. Really, I do.