NLMDA

Oh man, I know little to nothing about bikes, but aesthetically that looks so beautiful to me.

h88711

Red and white Bottechia beauty, love the red Turbo seat

DQRider 

I've finished my main winter project bike, and here is the only photo that I haven't posted elsewhere in C&V:



This is a pre-Kabuki, Technart-framed, lower end 10-speed that I didn't really need. But it was on my way home from work, scandalously cheap, and just different enough to pique my interest.

First riding impression is that the Technart frame feels rather numb, and I can really discern the drag from the 8-speed Nexus hub in the cold weather. I guess I'll try re-lubing the hub, but there's nothing I can do about the ride. So for today's Cliche Combo: "At the end of the day; it is what it is."

This may be the first one I sell...

noglider 

It is fundamentally a boring bike, but you managed to make it look handsome in a way only you can.

DQRider 

Aw man, thanks.

What can I say to that other than to show you my other winter project?

This is the Raysport Turismo that I converted into a British-style light roadster for the Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour. Last year it was configured in the classic, upright style; with full fenders and the handlebar rightside-up:



This year I've decided to go a bit more exotic with it. So I flipped the handlebar upside-down, removed the fenders and added fatter tires (28s to 32s), replaced the saddle, pedals and grips, and added a beautiful custom wood rack deck from Woody's Fenders. I think it turned out pretty nice:


Kind of a sport-touring/path racer vibe going on here.







This one is my favorite of the 12 bikes I have rolling right now. I won't ride it on these salty roads, and I'm going to try to avoid rainy weather as well. But of course, the Lake Pepin Tour almost always features rain at some point. So I'll be sure to pack my saddle-cover and rain cape for that trip.

roughrider504

DQRider, you built Yehuda Moon's bike!

DQRider 

HAH! You may be right... I haven't visited Kickstand Comics in... it must be over a year now? Thanks for the reminder.

Yeah, now that I go back and look, there certainly is some resemblance. His still has fenders though.

qcpmsame 

That Raysport is one beautiful bike @DQRider,well done sir, very well done.

Bill

RiddleOfSteel

I got tired of waiting for bikes to sell to build up this one (I am at capacity in my place), so I did the next best thing: took components off a bike that, with that setup, was too aggressive (saddle-to-bar drop), and put all of it on this you're-only-asking-that-much? Davidson Impulse.

Tange Prestige tubing. Hand-built one of roughly 500 total bikes produced that year, yet a "production" model. 64cm CTT, 59cm TT. 10-speed-era Campagnolo Record headset. No serial number (and here I thought only the Italians did that sort of thing). Davidson is a very well-regarded local (Seattle) builder, and the Impulse was a very popular model, and for very good reason.

Picked the frameset up after it had it's full Campagnolo 2x10 Chorus grouppo removed from it. It was a rainy, dark, Wednesday night, but I was smiling. I finally had a Davidson!!

The paint and decals are in good shape overall, bearing the marks of use over decades of service. She's certainly no museum piece, but a rider through and through. So it gets a rider's setup--full Dura-Ace. 53/39T up front, 11-28T out back.

Initial impressions are very good. The ride and handling have a serene quality to them. You can push it, and it responds out of the saddle. Even over a distance of five or so consistent miles (over just ten miles that day), it gets better as you go. Maybe it's the saddle, maybe it's the frame...it's the frame.

If the components look familiar, it's because they came off of my '85 Paramount build I did late last year. Restless you are, RiddleOfSteel! The Paramount needs a rethink--the brake hood height is too low in relation to the saddle--I want to go an STI/Ergo route. At present, no solution has been reached.

BTW, has anyone started a "Show Me Your Davidsons" picture thread??? There's gotta be a few around these parts, right?

roadwing

This followed me home on Sunday. It's a '97, old enough to be vintage?

ollo_ollo

Just finished this one up a few days ago. Don

qcpmsame 

Why is it about orange bikes that makes them so attractive? That Stella is absolutely is very nicely done, makes my liver quiver

Bill

Revracer

That Stella is fantastic looking and an interesting configuration with the SLJ shifter. I too have a French bike with a rear shifter only running as a single in the front, but your use of a barcon is a great option. Was that an original setup by chance?

ollo_ollo

Not original, but I like it. I got the bike as a "basket case" project and one of its Simplex Criterium shifters was damaged. Looking for replacements on eBay, I ran across some NOS single lever Retrofrictions at a good price(compared to a standard set) and had a barcon in my parts drawer. I like bar cons & have them on another bike, but this is my only blended rig.

(edit: here's the link https://www.ebay.com/itm/SIMPLEX-SLJ...cAAOSw7aBVEwTN There were 4, now down to 2 Don)

ITALVEGA_6955

Very true, for me it is always the classic colors that do it for me, in particular the orange, light blue metallic, even the coffee brown. Gorgeous bike.

papaStrudel 

@DQRider, what handlebars are you using on that Raysport Turismo?

DQRider 

That is the ACTION Porteur handlebar. I get them from Harris Cyclery, because I like keeping bike shops in business, but Amazon also sells them. On this bike I found them to give a more balanced riding position when mounted upside-down. Good quality, lightweight alloy... you can't go wrong.

ccinnz

This is my 1989 Avanti Giro... New Zealand constructed bike with Reynolds 531 tubing and full Shimano 600 Ultegra groupset. I bought this for $95NZD, it was white with lots of surface rust and a broken saddle. Had it sandblasted and then a home shed rattle can paint job in Deep Brunswick Green, and a Brooks Swift saddle to finish it off. Needs new hoods and I think I'll also go for Brooks leather bar tape.

misctrader

Everything ties in so beautifully, I'm blown away. Thanks for sharing!

misctrader

Wow what a stunning bike, I do prefer how it was initially though, its stealthy and seems more aggressive. But I don' t blame you for wanting to add your individual spin to it.
You know, I put some yellow Benotto bar tape on my bike recently and it goes well with the bike and in general on most 80's and early 90's era steel road bikes because its not as bulky as most modern bar wrap. However, its not very easy to get a hold of and priced at a premium as well.

Nonetheless, you have a sharp bike that must be a blast to ride!

misctrader

What a great color scheme and bike in general. I just found one locally for $100, that complete but a little rough around the edges, but its the Italian tri-color iteration, do you think thats a fair price? Does it ride as good as it looks? I know it doesn't have top tier components but does that take away anything from the bike?

And I have to say gum wall tires on black rims look awesome on any vintage bike!

Redneckroofer

Johno59

Wow. What a beautiful sight. I mean just WOW!

DQRider 

Well, thank you sir! That means a lot coming from someone with a collection like yours. I always try to emulate the old classic style in my more modern builds. There are certain things that are timeless on a bicycle, one of which is the absence of plastic. I try to stay with organic and metallic materials as much as possible. I make an exception with my water bottle top-spout because I don't want to faff around with a stopper while I'm riding.

Here are a few shots of my Raysport Turismo Light Roadster "in the wild", near Hastings, Minnesota:








.

Dutch Red

Very nice DQ, what brake levers and handlebars are on there?

I just got this off of the Dutch marketplace website. Brandless/unknown 80s touring frame hideously painted with thick, rubbery feeling crap. It was dirt cheap. Found some 8 speed wheels to go with it and now I'm hunting for a nice friction derailleur/groupset and other parts to make it my touring bike. My 83 Raleigh Sirocco is too light for camping trips...