Saturday, September 27, 2008

The circle of life.

The Retard has served me well since it's inception last year. $10 for the frame, some elbow grease and a bit of imagination; it has survived hundreds of kilometres of riding (with some late night inebriated stair jumps and craziness thrown in).


However; it was a sad day last week when I was sitting in my office and saw a grease mark on the head tube. I wiped it off to find that it was in fact emanating from inside the head tube, it had cracked clean through!


On the brighter side of life, it couldn't have happened at a more opportune time; with the Wilier in need of a new purpose after it's role as training roadie had been taken from it.


Luckily it possesses a longer than usual rear drop-out, extending forward on a 45 degree angle and allowing chain tension to be adjusted. She rides like a dream and weighs practically nothing.

.....and so is the circle of life.

Frame: Wilier Triestina, Carbon Forks.
Wheels: Velocity Deep V rims laced to Velocity track rear hub and MTB Disc front hub.
Cranks: Campagnolo Centaur, 39t ring.
Cog: Dura Ace 14t. (73 gear inches).
Seat Post: Campag Record Titanium.
Bars: Truvativ Team risers.
Saddle: WTB Laser V.
Tyres: Michelin Lithion.
Brakes: Legs like steel springs.

Olmo.



Many months back I purchased a NOS Olmo frame from a particular internet action site. With a hideous colour and decal set, as well as a few paint chips and scratches, I decided to get it stripped and powder coated. After that I ordered some reproduction vintage decals from CycleMondo.

I was super impressed with the paint job and the decals, so all that was left to do was to get back onto the net and order some new juicy bits, then spend a night in the workshop swapping parts off the Wilier and creating a new monster.



This is what I woke up to the next morning.





Frame: Olmo, Dedacciai - CrMo Acciaio Legato Tubing (yes I know it has Columbus stickers, but they look so cool) Made in Italy.
Groupset:Campagnolo Centaur, '06 and '08 mixture. (With Campagnolo Daytona Brakes).
Wheels:Easton Vista.
Saddle:Fizik Pave.
Seat Pin: Campagnolo.
Headset: FSA (Will be Campag when I find one).
Stem:Nitto - Pearl 8, 90mm.
Pedals: Crank Bros.
Bar Tape:Fizik.
Tyres:Continental GP4000.
Bottle Cages:Elite Inox (48gms) as used by Chipo.



Took her on her maiden voyage today. I wouldn't race her, but I would ride her all day. So comfortable, the only way I can describe it is that it feels as though I dropped my tyre pressure by 20 PSI. More to come.....

Monday, September 8, 2008

Old Faithful.

Sometimes we take things for granted. I have eight different bikes. Mostly they are spotless and doted over, but the ones I ride the most are the dirty, raw and utilitarian machines that do the long miles day after day.

My most faithful machine is my training roadie. The Wilier Triestina.


I bought her in 2004 from a middle aged guy in Darwin who used it as his training/rain bike. It was well and truly over the hill. Fitted with full Campagnolo Daytona running gear, including hubs laced to Mavic CPX23s. I picked the bike up for around a grand and removed most of the drive train to sell on eBay. For a measly couple of hundred bucks difference I upgraded the bike to Centaur and replaced the wheels with the wheels that came on the Cervelo R2.5.


Over the years the paint job started to lift as a result of sweat and rain so I stripped it back and repainted it by hand with Killrust.


For four years it has been my training bike, rain hail or shine. Hundreds of kilometres a week.


When people say they ride a fixie because there's less to go wrong I laugh. She just keeps on going and going; the most I do to her is clean the chain and cogs, and replace the chain every time my Rohloff Caliber 2 tells me to.
Great lights from Ay-Up allow me to ride day or night, as is the way when your chained to a desk most days.



My Fizik Arione saddle is perfectly shaped to my arse bones, but has seen better days. The Campagnolo Record Titanium seat post smooths out the ride a little (or at least I think it does).


For an alloy frame she rides better than many road bikes I've ridden.


The shifters are worn shiny from constant manipulation, and show battle scars from encounters with cars and bitumen.

So why am i telling you this? Well here's a sneak preview of what is sitting in the workshop........

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Whiling away my hangover.

Was a bit under the weather today, so headed out with the 50mm and the wide angle for some afternoon and evening shots on the Strand and Castle Hill.