Classic bike ride

[TommyB]

I think the first thread I found on the old WCC forum when I moved here was a post by @SteveSh doing the Turas Mór ride in Creemore. A ride I’ve wanted to do but never got the chance…

I still have every bike I’ve ever purchased since 1988 and love to ride them every so often (makes me feel young again? )

This past spring, @DrewMolnar commented on one of my steel bike rides on Strava that we should organize an old steel bike ride with others in the club?

To be clear…this would be a road ride. Not sure my 30 year old bike could handle gravel.

Who’s up for it?

[DrewMolnar]

Well, I am for sure! I did Turas Mor a couple of years ago albeit on a modern bike, and it was a blast.
It’ll give me a reason to finish off my current build, an '83 Merckx Professional.
I know @Francqlife has a vintage steed in his stable and I believe Sammy has a Bianchi in need of some attention.
I’ve always thought a nice cruise with a proper cafe stop for espresso and cake would fit the bill.
Lets hear who else is looking to dust off the classic steel.

[charlie-horse]

I’d be up for some kind of vintage ride, I don’t ride my old bikes enough.

[TonyF]

Still use my 30+ year old Miele (my first not-kid bike) as my basement trainer. Had it out on the road last fall and still love the way it rides and how the index downtube shifters shift with a very satisfying mechanical click. Totally be up for a vintage ride when we can once again gather.

I also have my old commuter – a department-store Raleigh (found in the trash!), converted to a fixie that was my main go-to commuter when we lived in Toronto. It still sees occasional use and might also qualify for the spirit of an old steel-bike ride.

[Francqlife]

4 years ago TO THIS VERY DAY ! >>> May 27, 2017

A young looking soon-to-be El Presidente and a older, but young-at-heart former Prez took to the Toras Mors on our event qualifying pre-1987, downtube shifter vintage built bikes, with Dave G., James Parkin and KWCX founder, Mike Osbourne.

Here’s the Flickr Album from 2017

[Album] Turas Mor - 2017

Somewhere in the old forms, we had a “Show Us Your Vintage Bike” thread that was awesome. Perhaps we can create a new one here.

[TommyB]

Some great memories @Francqlife !

Does this mean you’re in for a classic steel ride?

We can use this thread to share pics of our classic steel…

[bdoberst]

The WCC credo might as well be “create it, and they will come”. Pretty sure that if you organize a ride or event the WCC membership will respond.

[Francqlife]

In 1979, I went to watch “Breaking Away” at the VICTORY movie theatre. I’m betting that movie started at least half of the WCC members down the road of their first road bike. We all wanted to be “CUTTERS” and race against Team CinZano from Italy. I jumped on my 5 speed the next day and pretended I was Dave racing at the track to win it all.

For a few more years I upgraded parts and rode further around the neighbourhood. Finally I told my Dad that I wanted a “10 speed” bike. We went to Gibbon’s Sports in TImmins in 1982 and he bought me a Peugeot Sprint OU 12. It was about $300 back then. Tubes manufactured in England, Assembled in Canada through Velosport, QC.

I rode it alot. But, I tried to “track stand” on it and bent the rear wheel hopping around. So, next time we were visiting family in Southern Ontario, I had my uncle drive me to Pedlar’s Cycling on Avenue Rd, in Toronto and had them rebuild me a rear wheel. At that time I bought a GIS Gelato Wool Jersey, some leather shoes, ALE toe clips from Italy and red Christophe toe straps from France.

I rode that bike through High School and then it sat in the basement for 30 years. Until a few close friends from WCC suggested that we should rebuild our vintage bikes and enter Turas Mor. A Vintage bike race put on by Creemore Springs Brewery.

There were some rules. Similar to l’eroica. (Which my Brother-in-law had done TWICE) and club member James Parkin visited in Italy. The grand-daddy of vintage bike events along the roads of Strade Bianchi. James did year 1 of Toras Mor. That inspired us to do year 2 & 3.

But first, we had to build our classic vintage bikes to satisfy the entry criteria which included:

Pre-1987 frame
Downtube shifters
Toe clips
Tubulars (if possible)

So, I brought down my 1982 Peugeot Sprint from Timmins, and began to rebuild the classic vintage road bike that started it all.

I had to decide right away if I would purchase a few New Old School (NOS) parts to get it up and running or if I would go “purist” and keep everything original. I kept it pretty purist….but I added a modern Fizik saddle, and green Fizik matching bar tape and red cable housing to match the WCC livery. I also put on new rubber. But everything else was original.

Year: 1982
Make: Peugeot
Model: Sprint UO12
Colour: “Translucent Bordeaux”
Original Owner: Alain Francq
Frame: Reynold 453 Tubes (magnesium/titanium) - Manufactured in England
Wheels: Ambrosio 19 Elites (Italy)
Derailleurs: Shimano 600EX (Japan)
Brake Levers: Shimano 600 Ex (Japan)
Calipers: Weinmann 500 “left handed” (Made in East Germany)
Shifters: Suntour Simplex - Delrin Model
Handlebars: WINSPISTA aluminum (Japan)
Cranks: 172.5 Solida Crank Arms (France)
Chain Ring: 50-42
Toe Clips: ALE clips (Torino, Italy)
Toe Straps: Red Leather Christophe (France)
Freewheel: Mallard 1 tooth corn cob (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)

They had me at “SPRINT”. But, loved how they had an asterix “*”, that made you go look for the detail.

There is a long history of Pegeout and this particular model was their 12 speed. The Record du Mode (World Record Holder).

I liked the glittery red colour with the gold details. I later learned that this colour was called “Translucent Burgundy”.

I loved the Lion head badge.

But perhaps my favourite feature were the “drilled” brake levers.

I also remember liking the Magnesium/titanium tubes by Reynold.

Shimano 600 EX was the bomb. Non-indexed.

As mentioned above, I had these wheels built at Pedlar’s on Avenue Road in the mid 80’s.

And I remember selecting this “corn cob” race cassette. It went up in 1 tooth increments. It is a 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Ah, those Red Christophe toe straps. The feel of the leather and pulling them tight around my foot to ensure the “cleat” was 100% engaged and would NEVER let go under any circumstances. That was a mistake on a number of occasions.

A vintage bicycle with a modern twist of WCC green saddle and bar tape, with red housing and fresh Vittoria rubber. It was (and still is) a pice of art, and a manifestation of my youth and the genesis story of my cycling career…38 years ago.

Complete with my original leather helmet and vintage Brooklyn Jersey. I was ready for Toras Mor.

And will be ready for any Classic ride that we put on together.

[jdparkin]

The first Turas Mor was memorable for sure. It was a little known trial event run out of the brewery in Creemore. Vintage bikes, hilly gravel roads. About a hundred riders reluctantly started in 8 degrees rain on a late May weekend. It was pretty miserable. And then the cold front came through! A few hardy souls finished. Most bailed myself included. Cant say enough about the organizers and the sponsors getting everyone back safely. All the gourmet food from the rest stops was collected and brought back to the brewery where the food and spirt warmed us up pretty quickly.
My vintage bike is also a circa 1980’s peugeot.
I would be in for a WCC vintage cruiser. And I recommend adopting the Turas Mor mantra " eat drink ride"
James

[charlie-horse]

I have a bunch of vintage bikes but the one I like this one the most, it was my first restoration… I got it from Heaven’s Bike shop for 75$, it looked like it spent 20 years in the rain but the Campagnolo hubs caught my eye and I figured if I could only salvage them it be worth it. This was in 2011 or 2013, I’m not sure exactly…

How it started:

How it’s going:

I managed to save almost every part on the bike, except the rear derailleur was cracked and even when new they weren’t that great. Unfortunately the frame has simplex dropouts, but I found out that a shimano crane would work if the hole was tapped, so I ran an m10x1 through the hole and was set. This solution also allows the use of original simplex derailleurs if I wanted to restore it that way. All the bearing races were in great shape so they got repacked. I tracked down some replica gum brake hoods and new velox cotton bar tape.

I rebuilt the tubular wheelset with stainless spokes, the rear was laced 4x for some reason so I matched that when I did it. It was the first time I’d used tubulars so it was fun to learn how to glue them and all that jazz. I sliced the new rear tire open on my second ride and upgraded to some Challenge Paragi-Roubaix 27mm tires, they’re quite comfortable and fast. I see now that wider tubulars are a thing so I might try them out but I don’t have a spare tubular. I also have a set of clincher rims built on the same Campagnolo hubs so I tend to use those wheels more, they are the wheels in the second pic with 32mm tires.

I also lowered the gearing by using something called a “tripilizer” ring that converts a double into a triple, so I have 52-42-30 now instead of 52-45 which is nice since I could keep the original crank on the bike. The rest of the build is as-found and pretty cosmopolitan: 3TTT stem and bars, SR seatpost, Campag hubs and shifters, Lyotard pedals with Christophe cages, Universal 61 brakes and levers, a Freccia D’oro plastic saddle that is surprisingly comfortable, it’s got a tension screw like a brooks and I like it more than the brooks cambium. Looking back I actually swapped out the original pedals, KKT I think, for some lighter vintage ones.

All the parts polished up really beautifully, the fork might be a replacement from BITD it’s still French threaded. I’m not sure what brand it is, consensus on bikeforums was that it’s likely a Peugeot PX-10 but it could possibly be another French brand, I’m not too sure. I really should take it out more often… it rides like a dream.

[TommyB]

I’m loving the bikes!
Ok! I will take @bdoberst advice and start putting together a route with coffee stop for admiring the metal. Something relatively flat to account for the corn cob gearing.

I have 3 steel bikes that I still ride!

Bike 1: 1990 Paramount Series 90 (“Led Sled”)
I bought the frame in 1992 from Dukes on Queen West in Toronto when my Dept store bike exploded while I was a bike courier. (The sticker on it says it was originally purchased from Art’s Cyclery in San Luis Obispo, California). I rode it as a courier for a couple years before starting University.
Some of you have seen me rocking the Led Sled on WCC gravel rides!

Frame: Prestige Cr-Mo short butted concept “Mountain Oversized”
Front derailleur: Suntour XC Pro
Rear Derailleur: Deore
Stem/Seatpost: Ritchey
BB: XTR
Cranks: Raceface “I-Beam”
Shifters: BarCon bar end
Wheels: Mavic M231 withXTR hubs and 26" slicks
Saddle: currently Fabric flat with Ti rails…but changes depending on how I feel.

====================================
Bike 2: 1988 Binachi Campione d’Italia
My first race bike. I worked in a hot factory making textbooks for an entire summer to buy it from West Hill Cycles in Scarborough.
The Celeste had me dreaming of it everyday until it was mine!
Frame: Columbus “Formula Two”
Derailleurs: Campagnolo Triomphe
Brakes: Modolo Mach 1
Cranks: Stronglite
Bars and Stem: ITM
Wheels: Ambrosio 19 élite Extra on Miche hubs.
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite

I raced my first race on this bike…Canada Day 1989 at the CNE CHIN picnic. I haven’t raced infront of a bigger crowd since that day!
Currently, I have converted it into a Fixie with some cheap AlexaRims. I love riding it around town as nothing beats the simplicity of a fixed gear bike!

=============================
Bike 3: 1990 Concorde Gavina
This was the bike I raced for many fun years. It originally came in the PDM black/grey/white colour scheme…but in true 1990’s fashion, had a fluorescent pink and yellow pinstripe. Years later, a teammate strated his own bike painting company…he might still be at it?..and as one of his first customers, gave me a steep discount and I repainted it with the Belgian flag colours and found original Concorde decals online from a guy in the Netherlands.
I recently read an article about this (and other models) from Concorde during these times. The frames were made by Ciocc in Italy and painted/assembled by Concorde in the Netherlands.

Frame: Columbus SL
Groupo: Campagnolo Chorus (the one with the curved crankarms and “aero” seatpost )
Stem and bars: Cinelli
Saddle: Selle Italia Turbo
Wheels:
Set 1: Mavic Open 4 CD clinchers with Chorus hubs
Set 2: Wolber Profil 20 tubulars on Chorus hubs
Drive: Cassette: 7spd (11-15,17,19), Chainrings: 52/42 (I have a 50…thanks Juniors gear restrictions!)

I have MANY great memories on this bike and everytime I ride it now I’m pulled back in time with a smile. I still have the receipt for it!

[Oliver_Smith]

All this talk of fancy vintage bikes is pushing all the right N +1 buttons. I feel some time on Kijiji / Pinkbike is called for!

I’m wondering if I have time to source parts to do a proper restoration job or whether to aim for something in better shape?

[TommyB]

Glad it’s working!

Given the interest…I’m hoping we can get, at least, 2 group rides in a season.

Perhaps one in the next month or so…and a nice early fall ride with some nice wool jerseys!

I am still kicking myself for not getting this bike posted last year (I ride a Holdsworth track bike).
I think I would have hit the S in S-1 equation if I bought it though…

[rosepedal]

Hey all

Last year I bought an Apollo MK III from a buddy for 100$. I think it needs some TLC and it also seems original…except the saddle. I would love to join in on a vintage ride, but my only wool item is socks :))

Joel

[TommyB]

Fix that thing up, Joel!!

One item of wool is plenty.

[rosepedal]

Haha for sure! Actually it’s all in one piece, but a shake out ride would do wonders to make sure everything works

[Brian]

One of the early WCC club members had Condor in the UK custom make this bike for him. Campagnolo hubs and derailleurs. He upgraded to DuraAce bar end shifters the same year. The Campagnolo toe clips just seemed a little dangerous for me so I removed them. Look pedals are still in the original packaging. It does shift nicely, 7 speeds is all I need.

A surprisingly light frame. I put Conti 28s on it. Original aluminum bidon.

Keep me in the loop. I’m game for a vintage ride.

[TommyB]

Those pics are just enough to make me want to see more of that bike!

Ok…three things on the checklist:

1. Name the ride. (Currently I’ve (boringly) named the route below “WCC Steel Ride”) We need something better.
   Some ideas:
   “Steel Loop” ==>
   Swedish: Stålögla
   Dutch: Stalen lus
   German: Stahlschlaufe
   Spanish: Bucle de acero
   French: Boucle en acier
   Irish: Lúb Cruach

2. Route. - I’ve created a relatively flat loop (45km from RIM Park) around Maryhill that will let us stop for coffee/buttertarts after the first 30km. Then 15km back to RIM Park. The Maryhill Market has a nice patio area where we can admire all the bikes! And keeping the ride <50km is probably best given the gearing and age of the bikes!

3. Date - Do you all prefer a weekday evening ride or a Sunday morning “recovery” ride? (Maryhill Market hours: 10am - 8pm daily)

Vote below and we can finalize it all.
So far, those expressing interest:
@DrewMolnar , @charlie-horse , @TonyF , @Francqlife , @jdparkin , @Oliver_Smith , @rosepedal , @Brian , and me = 9 riders!

When do we ride?

• Weekday evening ride
• Sunday morning ‘recovery ride’

[Davidwp]

I did this in the right order but in the wrong year. Last spring was the first time owning a road bike. I knew literally nothing, and still hold about the same level of knowledge I grew up living in the country, riding mountain bikes, riding dirt jumps, BMX and freestyle bikes. Then I took well over 10 years off riding. Last spring I found this 1991 Trek 2100 on Kijiji and mega overpaid for it. I knew from researching the original OEM build that it clearly was not stock, and seemed in great shape when I took a look and again knowing nothing, it was a take my money kind of deal. So I jumped on it. Not only was it my first road bike, I knew no one around here. I rode that bike all spring and summer, I gradually rode my first 25/50/75k and finally rode my first 100k on it last June.

Some notable items- Trek 2100 is “A 3 tube graphite-epoxy construction with aluminum stays and forks”. It would have come originally with 105 SC with downtube shifters and was stock with a 7 speed 11-23. The previous owner upgraded the whole bike to Ultegra 6500 including those lovely wheels. I still have the original Ultegra crank as well. Also, the Shimano 6501 flight deck sensors are still mounted and are operational.

Since then I’ve purchased three more bikes and the old Trek that got me started last year has been sitting but I can’t bring myself to sell it. I know we only had a short time together but it’s been one of the greatest years of my life as far as pushing myself, reaching new goals, meeting new friends. It feels like I’ve owned this bike my whole life and I’ve known you guys forever.

Didn’t mean to get so sappy but life is short and to say this has been transformative is an understatement. And I owe it all to this VINTAGE Trek 2100.

!

[TommyB]

Oh wow! I loved those early lugged carbon tube frames! I dreamt of one day owning the Look KG96 back then…never did get one. I moved to Waterloo 13 years ago and my neighbour (in a similar story to yours) owns a 1991 Look KG96 bike with dura ace/ultegra components!! Barely rides it…and one day i will make an offer to buy it to complete that 30 year old dream.

(great cassette pic…that is a solid almost straight block!)