Check out the new ride...pure italian steel

[roknroll]

Any of you guys into vintage bicycles?

I've been toying with the idea of buying and restoring them for a while now...

This one doesn't need any restoring though...The frame is a Bianchi Mondiale with SLX tubing...and get this...it's new old stock from 1989

Those aren't the parts that are coming with it...i'm building it up into a singlespeed with a freewheel...it's gonna look very  simplistic and clean without any derailleurs, shifters, less cogs, minus one brake...I was thinking about making it a fixie, but then thought it would be a shame to not be able to coast on that baby...this was bianchis top of the line model in 1989, well, they had a track bike made from C-4, but it this one was used by more pros...It's gonna have shimano 600 all around, itialian saddle,...I'll probably put campy on it all around eventually, just to make it all italian...

[Tycho]

Speaking of which...sorry to hijack the thread so quickly, but if anyone knows of someone who restores 10-speeds in the Toronto area, please let me know, either by post or PM.  Since my move, I need to get rid of my beat-up 25-year-old 10-speed.  It's a Rampar, which was a Raleigh budget line, but it was quite a serviceable bike in its time.  I got lots of use out of it when I was in grad school in New Jersey, but didn't use it much after I returned to Canada.

It's in pretty bad shape (I stupidly left it out on my mother's balcony for about five years), but I'm sure it could be restored to good riding condition with some TLC.  If I can't find someone to take it off my hands, I'll just have to dump it out with the trash, which seems a shame.

I already tried a couple of the well-known bike recycyling places in Toronto, but their policy is that they won't take bikes with any rust on them.  And this one has, um, a bit of rust.

Back to your regularly scheduled program!

[roknroll]

Tycho, I LOVE finding old bikes in the dumpster...old peugeuts, raleighs, schwinns, bianchis, other european steel bikes...there's always SOMETHING that can be salvaged.

[Tycho]

Too bad you and I live so far from each other!  This one would make a good project for a fixer-upper, and I'd gladly drop it off to anyone who could give it a good home.

[Randy_R]

Hmm... I was expecting pics of a Motoguzzi motorcycle...  :WNK>

[prof_stack]

Nice find.  I kick-started my back-to-fitness campaign after buying a beat up Schwinn mountain bike recently at a garage sale.  Another garage sale got me two new street tires ($2 for 1.5x16 size) and after a month my waist size is down one inch with more coming off.  The hills aren't as steep as they used to be.  Nice.

Good stuff, just what this AARP-eligible guy needs!   :GRN>

[Tycho]

In addition to my beat-up 10 speed, I have an old Raleigh touring bike that I wish I could use more than I do.  But I'm afraid to.  The traffic in Toronto has gotten really crazy, and I'd be afraid to ride my bike any time other than on the weekend.  Every year several adult cyclists get killed or seriously injured here.  Too many drivers talking on cell phones, ignoring speed limits, trying to beat red lights, failing to look in their mirrors before opening doors, etc.  And too many giganto vehicles on the road hogging up space.  We've got bike lanes, but not enough.  And some drivers ignore them.

That said, my new neighbourhood is a bit quieter, so I'm hoping to do more riding.  The Raleigh is in the shop being tuned up right now.

[roknroll]

Those cyclists that get killed are probably bike messangers...then again, although they are risky, most of those guys have some amazing cycling skills...

Raleighs are good bikes...what model is it?  I live in a smallish town of about 12K, with country roads all around for miles and miles...traffic isn't an issue...

I definately didn't find this baby in a dumpster...I paid the price of a used larrivee 03 for it....that included shipping, and a build, and tune up...I'm told I got a really good deal...This bike built up with full campy parts would probably bring in about $1200, and maybe $1500-$1600 for those truely bianchi crazed collectors.

Also, notice my profile now has 1 less guitar? hehe

Here's a picture of it from an 80s bianchi catalog..that one is an 86 I believe, with SL tubing not SLX...SLX wasn't around yet...basically the same bike with full campy...check out the time trial bike

[Tycho]

Raleighs are good bikes...what model is it? 

I'm not sure.  It's in the shop right now so I can't check.  I just had a look around the web but couldn't find any info.  It's just a basic five-speed touring bike from the mid-80s, though.  Nothing very special.  It didn't cost too much, as I recall.

That's beautiful.  I love the colour.

[Tycho]

I'm beginning to realize though that bike guys are kind of like guitar guys.  I brought my old Raleigh into this cool hole-in-the-wall bike repair shop run by a couple of bike hippies last week and I said, "I've got this old Raleigh and it's kind of beat up..."  The guy looked up, took one look at it and said, "It's in great shape!"

[roknroll]

lol...Yup, he was probably hipsterish, right? lol...anyways, be proud of that raleigh...they seriously make excellent stuff...even there frames that are outsourced make awesome stuff because the quality control is unreal.  Mid 80s you say? It's probably a lugged steel frame. I'd love to see some pictures of it...I love bikes and guitars, probably guitars a little more, but bikes come in a close second...

thanks for the compliment.  The color is "celeste" and is sort of bianchis trademark color...they've changed the celeste to slightly different shades over the years, but it has basically remained the same...It would probably look cheezy on any other brand besides bianchi :TON>

I prefer vintage way over the new stuff out there.  There's something very timeless and simple about a bicycle.  Screw carbon frames and all that hyped up crap you see on bikes these days.

[Tycho]

I live in a smallish town of about 12K, with country roads all around for miles and miles...traffic isn't an issue...

That brings back fond memories of the heyday of my 10-speed, in the early '80s.  I was living in central New Jersey, in Princeton, and you could ride for miles and miles in almost every direction on flat country roads.  It was really incredible.  I'm sure it's more built up there now. 

But to find anything comparable in Toronto, I'd have to drive 30 or 40 km into the country.  There are some great bike trails and parks within the city, but it's not the same.

[roknroll]

yeah, riding and soccer are about the only things that will always keep me thin and in shape...I'm kind of worried what's gonna happen to my body when I can't do those 2 things anymore...I try not to think about it.

[ronmac]

From the Ultimate Beer Gut Contest (is there a contest for everything?):

[Tycho]

Don't worry about it too much.  I'm 49 and I can still ride, even though I probably weigh about 45 pounds more than I did when I was 22.   It makes a difference that I started working out 10 years ago.  I'm not very good about doing it regularly, but I'd be in far worse shape if I didn't do it at all.

I work with several guys who are five or ten years older than me and are in great shape -- not just for their age, but for any age.  It really amazes me.  They're just really rigorous about working out or running, not overeating, trying not to drink a lot, etc.  Some of them run into work every day. 

I can't run because I have some issues with my feet.  Besides which I hate it.  I use the stationary bike at the gym for cardio.  So far, so good.

Ouch, ronmac slipped with that lovely jpg.

[Randy_R]

looks like a silicon implant to me....  :rolleyes:

[roknroll]

wow, that's disgusting, thanks ron!

Yeah, right now I'm about 6ft tall, and I weigh 150lb...I'd really like to stay this size until I die.  Life really is about moderation, and that dude in the picture obviously had none.

Biking is more than just exercising to me, it's so awesome to just be out on a country road, just you and the road, livestock, corn. 

ok gotta go, just got some chili powder in my eye.

[dberch]

Is it just me, or does that beer-gut guy look just a bit like James Hatfield from Metallica.

ok gotta go, just got some chili powder in my eye.

Yeah, right, rok.  You're just tearing up from talking about your new bike.   :WNK>

[ronmac]

Just to set the record straight, that's not me!

I am on a much needed weight loss regimen (I won't say diet because I am not on a "plan" and I eat everything I used to, just less) and had a check-up today. Down 10 pounds in 6 weeks. My Doc says I am on the perfect track to take it off, and keep it off. Go slow, change a few priorities and adopt a new attitude.

My cholestorol and blood pressure are perfect, and I just got a clean check up after a bit of a scare with the big C. Doc says I have another 40 years in me (I am 50)!

What's this got to do with rnr's post? Well, I have been eyeing my Mountain bike sitting in the shed and thinking I should start biking to the post office and to my local errands.  :GRN>

[roknroll]

  You're just tearing up from talking about your new bike.   :WNK>

I swear it was the chili powder!  I made up some makeshift tacos this afternoon.  Had some leftove chicken, onion, tomatoe, spiced it up...dang it was good.  I rubbed my eyes after eating them...POW! chili sauce in my eye.  At least it wasn't my super hotsauce...that stuff is literally the equivilant to getting pepper sprayed if you get it in your eye

ALMOST FORGOT....HAPPY 4TH!!!!!!!! KABOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!