Retro road bikes

Who’s still running a retro bike as their main road bike?

Mine’s a ’97 Klein Quantum, still does everything I need. Reasonably light at 20 lbs. Nice, stiff, responsive frame. 2×9 Campag gears (Campagmano actually – Campag shifters, front mech and chainset. Shimano brakes, rear mech and block).

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Nice bike but that’s not really retro, is it? By 1997 frame tubes were becoming fatter (presumably it’s aluminium?) and STI had arrived on the scene.

This is for sale near me;

*tempted*

Well, it’s retro in the sense that it uses old style stem and headset. It is 17yrs old!

Though I know what you mean, retro could be construed as some lovely old Hetchins.
I was using a 1980’s steel Massi up until a couple of years ago, before I acquired this from my dad.

*ignores Bianchi*

*opens thread again*

My pal I go out with every Sunday on the training rides is still on an old 1953 Hetchins Curly that he’s used for the past 20 years since discovering it stashed at his father-in-laws allotment.

Always gets a double take from the old codgers out on their lastest CF machines!

It’s a bargin Jo;

http://www.vintagevelo.co.uk/2014/06/20/bianchi-specialissima-professionale/%5B/url%5D

Equipped with Campagnolo Record groupset including a beautifully drilled chainring, 3ttt Gimondi superleggero handlebar, 3ttt stem, Brooks saddle, Campagnolo bottle and the original Bianchi pump. This is a rare find and is a vintage bike that will increase in value.

lot’s of lovely pictures of it;

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the more I look at it the more I think *want*

off for a bike ride, hopefully it’ll be sold when I get back.

luckily it’s too small and too expensive

my next bike might have flint-catchers on though

luckily it’s too small and too expensive

I’ve never let that stop me in the past 🙂

excuse the patio

My one and only road bike, weighs more than my mtb, has far less gears, it’s a n effort up steep hills, but….i love it!

1994 coppi with 7 speed shimano rsx and Mavic open pro’s, the saddle is a work of art in itself!

Not sure if the open pro’s are original or not? Were they around in 1994?

Everything else, except the tyres is though I think? Originally came with green vittoria tryres, but they had had it – so hell to it throw some more yellow at it, in the shape of some veloflex’s.

The bar tape is beginning to look shabby, so that is next on the agenda, but be a shame to see the logo’d original stuff go!

I had a Coppi like that one, but mine was Fuschia (not pink!) and it was made of Columbus Genius tubing. Built by Masciagi or someone in Italy. My mate told me they also made prams.

Broke during a sprint finish in a race in Belgium. Big spiral crack nearly all round the down tube at the gear lever bosses.

I had a Coppi like that one, but mine was Fuschia (not pink!) and it was made of Columbus Genius tubing. Built by Masciagi or someone in Italy. My mate told me they also made prams.

Mines Thron tubing, so i declare it fit to ride at my usual devilish pace.

Yup Masciagi, its etched and highlighted in green around the bb, very nice it is too 😀

Yep commuted in on my 1987 Colnago Super this morn….

Colombus SL steel tubing, Re-sprayed, re-chromed forks and chain stay and lugs,newish compag comps and de-stickered fulcrum 1s.

Tis my only road bike and I love it…. Have even throw on tri-bars and done a Half-iron on it… which really upsets the “all the gear no idea” brigade that you get LOTS of at Tri races.

I don’t know it this qualifies as retro. It’s my 1993 Pinarello Treviso. I’ve had it from new but now it’s fitted with modern gears and brakes so it works properly. Still rides beautifully.

I didn’t know you had one of them Tom! I’ve been trying to find a Quantum in my size (at a sensible price!) for ages….

Got some proper retro stuff awaiting resto down at the workshop, hows about a 1938 travel tandem racer that can unbolt and pack into a suitcase?

We’ve got a few old BSA, Hercules and Peugeots, Falcons and the odd Dawes and Raleigh that need a spruce up too 🙂

Have even throw on tri-bars and done a Half-iron on it… which really upsets the “all the gear no idea” brigade that you get LOTS of at Tri races.

I watched a tri the other day, the wife was participating. People on multi thousand pound time trial bikes riding the course slower than I can do it on my steel singlespeed. I’m tempted to enter next time just to show them… Except all the transition messing around puts me right off.

1996 Trek 1400.

I know the wheels are ugly, but they were cheap and tough. 🙂

Bonded aluminium.
Harsh man, harsh.

I didn’t know you had one of them Tom! I’ve been trying to find a Quantum in my size (at a sensible price!) for ages….

This was basically free – my dad acquired it from a French triathlete about 12 years ago, and it then hung in his shed for years. I finally persuaded him to let me have it, and swapped the bits over from my old bike + some free Mavic wheels from my sister. Before I built it up the frame looked like it had never actually been ridden 🙂
To be honest it *may* be slightly in the big side for me, but it rides fine as is.

My Trigger’s broom- the frame’s retro I guess but just about everything else has been replaced along the way. I’d be lying if I said it was my main bike but it does get used a lot. I found it’s very good for setting downhill Strava KOMs 😈

It’s my 1993 Pinarello Treviso

I was having a conversation only the other day about when Pinarello stopped making pretty bikes – I think this is the tipping point. That is a beautiful piece of kit.

Please put 8spd Record or Chorus on it though 🙂

open pros were indeed around in 94, they may have been called something different tho iirc.
certainly i had some in summer of 92.
EDIT:open pro cd was a newish model in 92.

Think its early 80 with a mixed bag of old campy
Rides very well and gets lots of use over the summer
Was Ment to be a winter hack but turned out to be to nice when it arrived ( I bought it unseen)

It’s not my best road bike but prob the one I use the most

Here’s mine,

Shameless plug
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-retro-roadie-1986-pennine-italia-bradfords-finests

I’ve got an 87ish Raleigh Quadra stripped to raw that I commute/train on,original wheels and 105 groupset, no pics as I’m trying to decide what colour to go for ,it previously was this (repulsive) colour

open pros were indeed around in 94, they may have been called something different tho iirc.
certainly i had some in summer of 92.
EDIT:open pro cd was a newish model in 92.

thanks for the feedback 🙂

Used to ride it every day but while it was getting refurbed I bought something else. Its in the loft now (shame!)

[misty eyed]

Spev – I had that bike from new! My Dad’s friend worked for Letraset who made the graphics for Raleigh so got a trade rate for some reason. It came with a little label with the picture of the bloke that welded it up and a little message from him. Such a great bike from the days when club level race bikes came with mudguard eyes for the winter – those were the days! It was only 531 mind not 531c, so had a standard cro-mo rear triangle not 531. Supposedly a tri specific bike with a ‘special’ saddle – but called it quadra – never worked that out. Oh and biopace.

Won my first road race, time trial and triathlon on that bike.

Finally killed it by riding into the back of a stationary lorry at 30mph and twisting it to buggery.

[/misty eyed]

I rode a Ritchey Logic until 3 years ago, it was a lovely ride but I saved 600gm with a sh Felt frameset from ebay.

Convert, it’s awesome still 🙂 just having a major dilemma over the bloody colour (and the biopace rings have to go soon)

Crispycross wins

My 1986 Cannondale frame and forks now back in the USA where it was made. Fat alu tubing before Klein made them hip

Mine’s a ’97 Klein Quantum …..

I had one of those for 4 years till some arse-hat left the apartment doors open and someone got into our flat and pinched it. Lovely bike.

My only road bike, 1977 LeJeune.

Wife’s ’90s Zini. Fluoro, Italian name and Biopace.

There is something about a skinny tubed retro road bike with slammed quill stem, hand sprayed fancy paint and proper wheels that is just SO right.

After riding one for a short while you realise why they are so sought after.

In France at this very moment for the (Le) Anjou Velo Vintage! Built a 1978 eddy Merckx for it last year. One of his first bikes and actually done by De Rosa according to the frame number. Full Campag. Will post a picture when I get home on Tuesday.
It’s lovely to ride and I’d forgotten how sweet tubs are to ride.

This is a wonderful event. Perhaps the first where I felt I was missing something when I was riding! Last year rode for 100 km with Joop Zoetemeik and Bernard thevenet. Google them if you don’t know! They were friendly and humble.
Spent about an hour riding with one of Zoetemelk’s old GAN teammates, called Regis Delpine. We were going up a slight incline and we both fluffed our gears at the same time. We laughed and he said “we stop after the hill for wine”. As it was 10.30am in the morning I asked if he meant after the ride? NON! And we pulled straight over into a wine promotion and necked 3 or 4 glasses of local produce!

http://www.anjou-velo-vintage.com/en/

My 1932 Sunbeam Road Racer

Not really that much different in feel from a Pompino.

Recently updated my old Donohue

planning to rebuild this, below. Cougar Joey McLoughlin bought from a neighbours yardsale for £10. I felt like i was robbing them, but they wouldn’t accept a penny more!

According to a guy in a pub (reliable…?), it was handmade by Terry Dolan (but i haven’t been able to verify it). It’s covered in Dura Ace and Super Record components, most of which i’ll try to keep.

I really like the paint work, but it’s quite tatty. Don’t know whether to restore it (£££) or powder coat it.

That cougar is very. Nice, I remember reading a write up of their bikes back in the day in International cycle sport and they raved about them then.

We did a Classic steel club run and here are some of the pictures from the day. Ignore the cat!

My CAAD4 is practicaly retro now, it’s 10 years old and won’t die!

Also got a Cooper, a claude buttler dalesman, and a falcon that’s half turned into a fixie all in various states of dissrepair.