FormerBMX'er

I've been posting this lately, not quite complete.

https://home.comcast.net/~williams.se...graded_001.jpg

yellowjeep

thats a very slick looking bike

dur4ce

That white pinarello is quite possibly the most beautiful bike I've ever seen. I currently ride both a 05 Cannondale CAAD7 (Full 7800 DA) and an 83 Merckx Track bike. I love both my bikes, but I think I might be starting to love vintage bikes more than new ones...

Guess I'll have to spend more of my bike forums times in the CV forum.

-Stve

jefpac

Thank you! I wish the reality was even close to your compliment. This bike is a survivor. It was delivered to me in this condition:

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/...20c46cfa_o.jpg

I don't know why, but for the first time ever, I was really upset by the damage done to a BIKE. I didn't even ride it for about 3 months. Every time I looked at it, all I could see was this:

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2263/...b001b0aa_o.jpg

Well I finally "got over it" and made a few changes to make it rideable. Here's a better look at the current set-up:

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/...8ac15ab3_o.jpg
https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/...83cc7d27_o.jpg

I don't know what to do about the damage. I'm eight months down the road from delivery of the bike and the shipper is STILL stalling on the payment.!!!

The gouge went right through the decal and the paint. It dented but did not penetrate the downtube. The right thing to do is to have the downtube replaced, re-spray the frame and replace the decal set. If I was still living in the US I cold probably talk myself into doing just that. Since I'm currently living just outside Paris in France, the cost, complexity and hassle factor of the repairs will increase exponentially.

So what's a guy to do? I think I'm just going to focus on the awesome ride qualities and overlook the "beauty-mark".

Don't worry, be happy!

thalluga

I had a similar thing happen to me a few years ago, I bought a Colnago off ebay and when I recieved it the wheel axel had scratched the paint off the frame the size of a quarter. The guy I bought it from was very fair and offered to give me $200 back on the bike, I ended up spliting the difference with him and used fingernail polish to cover the paint. The fingernail polish did a pretty good job of covering it up, bike still rides great and you can't even tell from 5 feet or so away.

Guess this is a common bike packing mistake.

jefpac

I think you are right. I can't help but think that if the seller had thought to turn the freewheel out or even wrap the freewheel with foam or if the shipper had not shipped the box on its side, none of this would have happened.

I think I'll give your fingernail polish trick a try once we get back above freezing temps. I hope I can find an approximate color match. If not, I guess I'll just go with a 'clearcoat' to keep the moisture out.

Oh well, its still an awesome ride.

tricky 

Wow. I like. I now know what I want my claud butler to look like.

Spinz

I have installed Ultegra 9 speed STI's and a Mavic Axium wheelset with Michelin Pro2's on my Nishiki Modulus. I am awaiting the the new 6500 FD and chain and the job will be near completion. Lastly I'll sandblast and powdercoat; although I really hate to loose the decals. Pics soon. Love this thread. Lp

redtires

It pains me to see beautiful vintage bikes ripped apart, their souls thrown out in an ebay trash bin......













.....only to have them be reborn even more beautiful! Just disgusting..er, uh...I mean gorgeous!

Six jours

Yeah, sorry, but that Benotto is crying out for a nice Nuovo Record group and some tubulars.

And what's up with all these bikes with a foot of seatpost showing? Are these people that have grown up with compact framesets and think anything else looks odd?

<edit> Oops. I apparently already made fun of the Benotto's seatpost, in response to someone who claimed "It all just fits".

Have I mentioned that you're all going to hell?

dannyg1 

I'm sorry to break this to you but there's no way that the ship company is going to take on financial responsibility for that absolutely idiotic packing job. Your claim should be with the person who packed it, and loudly. That guy is just a plain jerk.

DG1

jefpac

If I were still in the USA you would probably be correct.

Here in France, things operate a bit differently. I purchased what is effectively an 'all peril' shipping insurance when paying for the shipping of the bike. The biggest reason for the delay has much more to do with the slower pace of business here in France than anything else. The second major factor is the French obsession with documentation and the bureaucratic process. (You don't want to know how long it takes to get a driver's license for example...) Its not better or worse than the way we do things in the States. Its just different.

Actually the seller is a very nice guy. Clearly he has little to no experience packaging a bike for shipping but really now, how many people do? It was his first time shipping a bike and I am confident that he did HIS very best.

When I put this whole thing in perspective its really kinda' simple. Its just a bicycle. It will be repaired or it wont. The shipper will pay up or it won't. I'll get over it or I won't.

My game plan: Ride it like I stole it and let every thing else fall as it may.

Spinz

I just took the first spin on my newly completed retro Nishiki Modulus. I went with Ultegra 6500 components, Michelin Pro 2 tires, Mavic Axsium wheel set, Brooks B17, Eleven - Eighty One 42cm handlebars. It weighs 21.7 lbs. and rides like a totally different bike. Did I mention fast? I want a set of Ultegra pedals to complete the hardware group. My intent is to ride it for a few weeks and to either touch up the original white pearl, turquoise, and violet paint with an air brush; that would save the decals. Or take advantage of a freebie media blast and powder coat. The down side is loss of decals. I'll get a picture up this afternoon.
All smiles here!! Lp

I have attempted to get some decent sized pics up without success, here is a link if you want to look em. Lp home.triad.rr.com/mycoolstuff

Spinz

Shameless bump. Lp

dmc

free2move

^ That is so sexy.

Spinz

Very nice bike!! Lp

chiefbigtooth

Hey, I read the bikes are not yours, but do you know what year the Benotto is from? How did he get the new brakes to fit on the old frame? Thanks.

chiefbigtooth

What is the difference between 6500's and Ultegra? What year is you groupo from? Bike looks great!

justinb

[sacrilege] What kind of fork do you have on that Paramount? Looks like it's some kind of understated carbon job? I've been thinking of doing something similar, but so many carbon forks look horrible with skinny tubed frames. Yours is an exception, as is dmc's concorde w/ wound-up.[/sacrilege]

mastershake916

It's okay, that's a fairly new paramount, so whatever.


I'm sorry but with those forks it makes it look like a freaking baby giraffe.

nuovorecord

OK, I'll play. Here's my MX Leader with (mostly) Record componentry. I believe the frame dates to 1999 or 2000; I bought it new in 2002. The seatpost and cassette are Chorus, and I committed heresy by installing a FSA Compact Pro crankset and BB. The wheels are Velocity Aeroheads built on Record hubs. The headset is Chris King and the saddle is my trusty Rolls. It weighs 20.5 lbs. as you see it, but it climbs like a dream. There is virtually no discernable frame flex on this bike.

I'll post pics of my winter bike, a Merckx Corsa Extra with 8 spd Ergo once I get it cleaned up.

Spinz

Nice bike. Lp

ollo_ollo

"Since I'm currently living just outside Paris in France, the cost, complexity and hassle factor of the repairs will increase exponentially.

So what's a guy to do? "

Take it to the Alex Singer shop for a repair quote?

jefpac

I don't think I'm brave enough to even go in there!

I can see it now... I take my little Montello in for a little 'tweak' and €6,500+ later I come out with a 'slight upgrade'. Lets see how I can explain that one to the wife and kids (So, we won't have food or electricity for a few months BUT just look at daddy's new bike!)

Oh well, not in this life.
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BTW, what was Alex Singer's address again?