Search results for:

I've ridden the same 1980's Columbus SL frame with:
(a) original form: 6-speed block, down tube shifters, contemporary/mainly Campag parts, Mavic rims, classic Cinelli drops, etc. and
(b) modern group (SRAM Force), new but low profile wheels, (Nitto) compact bars/quill stem.
It's a completely different bike and a much, MUCH more enjoyable riding experience, but still maintains classic looks. (Depending on how narrowly you define "classic" of course.)

Obviously so much comes down to personal preference, but the biggest improvements for me, in order, would be:

• convenience of bar shifting, over a wide range and smaller increments
  
• braking performance
  
• comfort of compact bars/shifter set up
  
  

So my vote definitely goes for a modern component build with sympathetic aesthetics. :)

Nice!

(What is this, Rocky IV??)

...preferably not in the same font style as Ron Cooper (which I've seen) which is slightly annoying and might confuse people. :)

Defo Rauler on looks, even before I spotted the panto'd stem.

I still remember the exact wording of the advert for the C5 in the Sunday Observer magazine: "Cruising at twice the speed of a bicycle (15 mph)..."

Kinell!

I can't see any fixing either. Apart from the stem, I'd fix the down tube cable stops to be the right way round. Other than that, very nice!

Dammit! I quite like leather fucking sewn-up bartape. Good job Bike Ribbon is cheaper, so I didn't make that faux pas. :)

Cherubim wins the thread for me. Especially the white one, although I'll take the purple, blue and red ones as well.

^^ Shit the bed, this telly-wall has seen some nice bicycles.

^^^ Very satisfying Scoblebrick alignment on that Colnago's horizontal bits.

Firefly looks like a tin of Quality Street the day after Boxing Day, when the only sweets left are the coconut one and a really hard toffee.

Ooh nice. Tastefully garish if there is such a thing. I wish my arse liked a Turbo, they look mint.

Nice yellow/black photo composition on the Ritte, but not a big fan of single different colour spokes. Looks silly.

Raaa man, last time I heard a mum cuss everyone was using toe straps and had fluoro paint jobs. Oh wait...

This might seem picky but I think it's worth considering subtleties in different bar shape beyond the advertised dimensions. For example, one thing I particularly like about the Nitto M106 is the tube profile shape at the transition from top to bend; it's squared off more than, say, the Velo Orange listed ones above (to my eyes, anyway), and makes the flat transition extremely comfortable. Since the flat transition is one of the things that people seem to like in compact bars, it's probably worth considering.

Shit! I think I like that even more than his Massi. Love the decals, and bar wrap p0rn/black stem.

When are these Turkish Delight-coloured anodised bits going to go away?

(Nice Kotter!)

Stunning! Corporate schmorporate, I'm still having nightmares about BA and broken bike boxes. 70 quid return with RyanAir... Damn that's tempting!

Thanks for the write-up.

Very light gum wall + cx tread = p0rn tyre. Good work.

Yep, far too much matchy anodised hubs + headsets going on generally for my liking, which almost invariably clash with whatever else is going on. Surely just a phase?!

(That Merckx photo could do with some white balance fixing but otherwise verry nice!)

Well apart from Sa Calobra my favourite road was probably the South Western end of the Ma-10 going through Estellencs and Banyalbufar. As I was staying in Port de Pollensa this involved getting the first train to Palma from Sa Pobla, then 101 miles back home. Lovely.

Back via some nice flat roads, still getting scenic views of the mountains behind vineyards in Binissalem.

And my final stop on the first day's epic Tramuntana ride, partly to take in the view but mainly cos I spotted a shop selling Mars bars.

For the record, Sa Calobra bottom to top was about 50 minutes but that included a couple of photo stops, and being bleedin' knackered after 195 miles the previous two days...

Ah well, Ron made it eventually and we've had a lot of fun so far, even if today was rather cold and at times almost biblical rain. Ugh! For anyone not familiar with Sa Calobra, all I can say is... wow!!

Fcuking British Airways! Bike arrived exactly 24 hours after me. Arse!! Ho hum, nice stroll through the mountains today. Gagging for a bit of riding over the Tramuntana tomorrow. Pics to follow, no doubt...

Yeah, really looking forward to it. Had some fun times getting round Ibiza on a hire bike a couple of years ago, and couldn't resist the idea of getting the Ron out to Mallorca for some serious miles this time.