Wanted - New Hole In The Head
#1
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
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Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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Wanted - New Hole In The Head
I have too many bikes. I have 10 of the things, and while I love each and every one of them, there are still too many. So, clearly I need another bike like I need a hole in the head.
But what I DO need is a project. Two times now, I've started from a bare frame, and built The Bike Of My Dreams. In the first case, I wanted an Italian lugged frame made of MAX tubing, with 10 speed Chorus. The second was a mid-90s Litespeed Ultimate, which I built up 3 different ways, finally settling on 11 speed R8000 Ultegra. Both times, it was the frame that drove the process.
This time, it's the groupset. The second iteration of the Litespeed used 7410 Dura Ace - the first Hyperglide cassette, the first dual pivot brakes, the first STI levers, and the world's prettiest crankset, the FC-7410. I loved the Litespeed built that way, but I wanted that bike to be one of my mainstays, so the 39x25 low gear was just not low enough for all the riding I wanted to do on it - hence the R8000. But I still want a bike with the 7410 DA group, which is sitting in a box, carefully packaged for future use.
Okay, so if I'm going to build a bike around what was in many ways a world-changing groupset, it can't be just any frameset. It should be something that says Mid-90s, so not a lugged steel bike built of SL or SP or similar. The 90s saw a lot of changes in bikes - the last TdF won on a steel frame, for example. The advent of CF frames. TIG-welded steel. Oversize, but light steel tubesets. Oh - and it can't cost a ton of money! I have a particular frameset in mind, which I won't discuss till I've obtained one, but I'm also open to suggestions!
But what I DO need is a project. Two times now, I've started from a bare frame, and built The Bike Of My Dreams. In the first case, I wanted an Italian lugged frame made of MAX tubing, with 10 speed Chorus. The second was a mid-90s Litespeed Ultimate, which I built up 3 different ways, finally settling on 11 speed R8000 Ultegra. Both times, it was the frame that drove the process.
This time, it's the groupset. The second iteration of the Litespeed used 7410 Dura Ace - the first Hyperglide cassette, the first dual pivot brakes, the first STI levers, and the world's prettiest crankset, the FC-7410. I loved the Litespeed built that way, but I wanted that bike to be one of my mainstays, so the 39x25 low gear was just not low enough for all the riding I wanted to do on it - hence the R8000. But I still want a bike with the 7410 DA group, which is sitting in a box, carefully packaged for future use.
Okay, so if I'm going to build a bike around what was in many ways a world-changing groupset, it can't be just any frameset. It should be something that says Mid-90s, so not a lugged steel bike built of SL or SP or similar. The 90s saw a lot of changes in bikes - the last TdF won on a steel frame, for example. The advent of CF frames. TIG-welded steel. Oversize, but light steel tubesets. Oh - and it can't cost a ton of money! I have a particular frameset in mind, which I won't discuss till I've obtained one, but I'm also open to suggestions!
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"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
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#2
Reverse mortgage or whatever and get a Colnago.
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#3
Tinker-er
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Full Dura Ace Huffy AeroWind.
If you have multiple grail bikes, maybe branch off into other tinkering hobbies which don't cost a ton and take up lots of space. Manual typewriter repair and restoration is a great hobby.
I have no less than 8 bikes, one of them a large cargo bike. I have a bunch of manual typewriters, maybe 11, all of which would fit in the space that 1 bicycle can occupy. I've also got 7 or 8 working motion picture cameras and an untold number of still film cameras. These things just find me through friends, or follow me home after walking by a thrift store.
But the obvious answer is to find a perfect size Pinarello.
If you have multiple grail bikes, maybe branch off into other tinkering hobbies which don't cost a ton and take up lots of space. Manual typewriter repair and restoration is a great hobby.
I have no less than 8 bikes, one of them a large cargo bike. I have a bunch of manual typewriters, maybe 11, all of which would fit in the space that 1 bicycle can occupy. I've also got 7 or 8 working motion picture cameras and an untold number of still film cameras. These things just find me through friends, or follow me home after walking by a thrift store.
But the obvious answer is to find a perfect size Pinarello.
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#4
You might want to consider the Kestrel 200SCI or Trek 5500 OCLV. Both came with 7410 at some point.
In the mid 90’s world of mountain bikes, hybrids, and everything in between, those two stood out as true pioneers.
On the other hand, anything looks and works great with 7410. I even have it on my ‘84 Merck Pro SLX.
In the mid 90’s world of mountain bikes, hybrids, and everything in between, those two stood out as true pioneers.
On the other hand, anything looks and works great with 7410. I even have it on my ‘84 Merck Pro SLX.
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#6
Senior Member
In the SF Bay area, there are bound to be riders who have aged out of road bikes (or children of those riders) looking to sell complete bikes, often for less than someone else would ask for the frameset.
Also, keep an eye on the "Are You Looking for One of These?" thread. For every Guerciotti with Super Record at $995 (see current Craigslist SF listing), there's something similar going for half that, or even less.
Also, keep an eye on the "Are You Looking for One of These?" thread. For every Guerciotti with Super Record at $995 (see current Craigslist SF listing), there's something similar going for half that, or even less.
#7
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 19,375
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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In the SF Bay area, there are bound to be riders who have aged out of road bikes (or children of those riders) looking to sell complete bikes, often for less than someone else would ask for the frameset.
Also, keep an eye on the "Are You Looking for One of These?" thread. For every Guerciotti with Super Record at $995 (see current Craigslist SF listing), there's something similar going for half that, or even less.
Also, keep an eye on the "Are You Looking for One of These?" thread. For every Guerciotti with Super Record at $995 (see current Craigslist SF listing), there's something similar going for half that, or even less.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
#8
The Huffmeister
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#9
The Huffmeister
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#10
Tinker-er
Join Date: Oct 2007
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#11
Senior Member
Unique?
Slingshot road bike. Done.
Slingshot road bike. Done.
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#12
Merlin Extralight Titanium
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Bianchi EL OS
Fat City Cycles Slim Chance
Colnago C40
Fat City Cycles Slim Chance
Fat City Cycles Slim Chance
Davidson Tange Prestige
Bianchi EL OS
Fat City Cycles Slim Chance
Colnago C40
Fat City Cycles Slim Chance
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#13
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
#15
Senior Member
I loved the Litespeed built that way, but I wanted that bike to be one of my mainstays, so the 39x25 low gear was just not low enough for all the riding I wanted to do on it - hence the R8000. But I still want a bike with the 7410 DA group, which is sitting in a box, carefully packaged for future use.
Before any of that came to fruition, a 9sp Campagnolo group with Racing T and triple crank feel into my lap. As a result, I now have a 7410 rear derailleur sitting disassembled in a box.
Shimano seems to have had a "tendency" to make Dura-Ace stuff incompatible with all their other gear. Still, you might get lucky and find some other derailleur with a medium or long cage which will swap into place without a ton of effort. Either route would be "a project."
#16
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
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Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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Agreed, very pretty group. I assembled one which I intended to use on my custom. The not-very-low gearing was problematic. My intention was to have a long cage 3D printed for the derailleur, then maybe have the DA crank triplized.
Before any of that came to fruition, a 9sp Campagnolo group with Racing T and triple crank feel into my lap. As a result, I now have a 7410 rear derailleur sitting disassembled in a box.
Shimano seems to have had a "tendency" to make Dura-Ace stuff incompatible with all their other gear. Still, you might get lucky and find some other derailleur with a medium or long cage which will swap into place without a ton of effort. Either route would be "a project."
Before any of that came to fruition, a 9sp Campagnolo group with Racing T and triple crank feel into my lap. As a result, I now have a 7410 rear derailleur sitting disassembled in a box.
Shimano seems to have had a "tendency" to make Dura-Ace stuff incompatible with all their other gear. Still, you might get lucky and find some other derailleur with a medium or long cage which will swap into place without a ton of effort. Either route would be "a project."
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
#17
Junior Member
I'd highly recommend one of the 853 tubed LeMond bikes. I have a Buenas Aires from that era and the handling/ride feel is sublime. There were also quite a few of them made, so they won't be unobtainium.
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#18
Senior Member
Try a Condor!
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#20
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
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My biggest problem is that I need basically a 58 or 59 cm frame. I went through the geometries on my current bikes, and the TT's are all in the 57-58 cm range, with HTs about 150-170mm. That allows me to get the bars where I want them. I am surprised just how few 58-59 cm frames there are out there, compared to 55-56. I already tried making a frame that size work, and much as I LOVED the bike, it looked a bit odd - an 80s bike with a ton of exposed seatpost and a 135mm stem, and then the bars were about a cm too low, even with the stem at minimum insertion. I keep finding luscious bikes and frames that would fit me if I were only 2" shorter. It's frustrating.
The second biggest problem is that on the one hand, there are SO MANY choices, while on the other, for each choice, there are only a few examples - see size problem above. One choice I was looking at, there are only two examples in my size. One is a complete bike which will cost way more than I want to invest, what with shipping and all, PLUS then I'm simply swapping "Dura Ace In A Box" for "Chorus In A Box". The other example is a frameset only, in great condition, with a totally doable price, but it's painted/decaled for a TEAM, not for the maker. I looked into prices for repainting, and they're prohibitive - I'd end up spending more than if I bought the complete bike!
Ah, well. There are worse problems to have!
The second biggest problem is that on the one hand, there are SO MANY choices, while on the other, for each choice, there are only a few examples - see size problem above. One choice I was looking at, there are only two examples in my size. One is a complete bike which will cost way more than I want to invest, what with shipping and all, PLUS then I'm simply swapping "Dura Ace In A Box" for "Chorus In A Box". The other example is a frameset only, in great condition, with a totally doable price, but it's painted/decaled for a TEAM, not for the maker. I looked into prices for repainting, and they're prohibitive - I'd end up spending more than if I bought the complete bike!
Ah, well. There are worse problems to have!
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
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#23
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It's a nice looking bike, but kind of the opposite of the '90s vibe I'm going for to match the 7410 groupset.
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"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
#24
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
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Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
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I took your advice. Just found a 1997 Zurich frame in my size, and for a reasonable price, so I grabbed it. It's got the silver to blue fade, rather than the later pseudo-traditional paneled paint job, which I think will work well with the 7410 groupset for that 90s vibe. I'll have to get some hubs, and build some new wheels...
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"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
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#25
Junior Member
I took your advice. Just found a 1997 Zurich frame in my size, and for a reasonable price, so I grabbed it. It's got the silver to blue fade, rather than the later pseudo-traditional paneled paint job, which I think will work well with the 7410 groupset for that 90s vibe. I'll have to get some hubs, and build some new wheels...
Hope that you enjoy the LeMond!