What You Ride: Vintage Steel Road Bikes
After publishing "What We Ride: Justin England's Giordana" we asked to see your vintage steel road bikes, and you delivered! Below we have seven of our favorite submissions. Our selection criteria was was undefined as we picked some because of the photo, the story, the bike, but all because you love what you ride!
Rasco Lbo's 1972 Colango
"To me 1972 has always been a key year in the development of the bicycle: Eddy Merckx won his second Giro-Tour double and got the hour record, all three on a Colnago Super from 1972. When I started Collecting vintage Italian bikes in 2010, I knew I wanted to have a Colnago Super from that year but it took me until last year to get a chance to own one in my size, with the correct Campagnolo group set from that same year. A collector friend of mine from Mexico contacted me last October asking me if I was interested in selling my 1982 Cinelli Super Corsa, I said I wasn't looking forward to parting ways with it and that I wanted to keep it. He then asked me if I would consider trading it in for a 1972 Colnago Super that he had acquired recently, and the rest is history. I do miss my Super Corsa very much but I always wanted a Colnago from this particular year and I couldn't be happier with the bike and the way it performs."
Marcello Lopez's 1986 Look
"1986 Look "Les Adieux de Bernard Hinault" number 4 of 500. 57cm frame with Reynolds 753 tubing. Purchased the bike back in 2004 on eBay with a mishmash of components. Campy aero brakes and shifters are of the era, as well as the Turbo saddle. Front derailleur is Dura Ace, rear derailleur is Campy Veloce. Bike is still a work in progress to get it back to original. Thanks, The Pro's Closet, for reaching out. This bike, along with the 7-eleven Huffy, are my dream bikes from my childhood, so having 1 out of 2 ain't bad!"
Doug Turner's Giordana
"I bought my first real road bike in 1990 at a shop in Columbia, SC. It was a Giordana Polaris with Shimano 600 components and Campagnolo wheels with sew-up tires. It was beyond anything that I could imagine at that time and I was ecstatic that I was able to buy it! I rode that bike for 12 years and sold it on Ebay in 2002 when I decided to upgrade to the latest carbon bicycle. I regretted selling it the minute I shipped the bike to the new buyer.
In 2016, while reminiscing about this bicycle with a buddy over dinner, I proceeded to look on the internet for a photo of my old Polaris to show him. What I discovered was my exact same bicycle (size and color) for sale on Ebay. After a little negotiation, I purchased the bike and when I unboxed it I discovered that the bike was from the same bike shop in South Carolina that I bought my original in 1990! I don't think this is the same bike, since this one has all Campagnolo Athena components, but it's cool to know that it started its life at the same place. My Giordana rides like a dream! It's whisper quiet and smooth to ride. I'll never let go of it this time!"
Chris Sheppard's 1987 Bridgestone
"This bike is a 1987 Bridgestone 550 Racing Series, mostly original. Sun tour Alpha 5000 drive train (6-speed indexed) Sansin Hubs on Araya Gold Label rims. Triple butted CroMo Frame, a HOT bike back in the day. My daily rider."
Don Paullo's 1984 Palo Alto
"I was kid growing up in the 80's and I would probably spend hours pouring over the few cycling catalogs I received. The Palo Alto catalog was always nicely produced and full color. I'm not sure how much of the shop history you know, but a young Tom Ritchey first built the shop frames and then as his MTB builds grew in demand, Palo Alto began to source their road frame from BMZ in Italy. My frame I believe to be a 1984 BMZ built frame. I found it a number of years ago and had noted local framebuilder, Hans Schneider realign the frame and cold set the rear dropouts to 130mm so that I could use modern a Campagnolo Centuar 10 groupset. My plan is to make it out to the Eroica California event one year. The Bike easily converts to an acceptable ride with Campaganolo friction shifters, proper toe clips and brake levers."
James Meyer's Landshark
"I bought this Landshark Road Shark on the Boulder Craigslist a few years back. I did not own a road bike at the time and wanted to buy one and I noticed the wild paint job in the listing and arranged for a meeting. A nice lady wanted to part with it for $150 and I was all too happy to oblige after looking the bike over and loving the very custom spec on the drivetrain. It has a pleasant mix of Campy hubs with FIR Rims, Campy seatpost, Dura Ace rear derailleur, Shimano 600 Front derailleur and cranks and shifters and brake levers. The frame is full Tange Prestige which I had never really seen on anything but vintage mountain bikes. I ended up with a winter project and stripped everything off the bike. I worked on some of the rust issues with "Metal Rescue" then lined the inside with Frame Saver. I put most of the original parts back on the bike but upgraded to Suntour Barcon Shifters, Nitto Moustache Handlebars, Dura Ace brake levers, Selle Italia White Perforated Saddle and vintage Michelin Axiel Super Comp Skinwall Tires."
Peter Plaunt's Marinoni
"This is the late '70s Reynolds Marinoni that stayed in my basement as a frame for a decade until last month when I said I had to build it up. So Nuvo Record with a Rovel wheelset and a Cinelli Gramo stem."
Beau Grant's 1986 Look
"When I was a junior racer in Northern Calif in the late 80s, I did ok with a Trek 560. In 1988, as I graduated high school I had a choice...the bike of my dreams OR a car. I chose a Campy Super Record with Delta brake Look Reynolds 753 team replica. The Chicago Look headquarters told us that only 500 were made. I raced a few more years but then the bike sat collecting dust from 1991-2007. I had decided to get into riding again in 2007 to lose weight as I went from my racing weight of 165 to 250 lbs. I got the bike all dialed in and started cycling again. One day the garage door was left open and I came home crushed that my bike was gone. I had no documents like a bike registration. It was gone for good. I kept my eyes on craigslist and even eBay for months. A year passes and I'm watching the Tour de France and decide to randomly search "Bernard Hinault LOOK" just checking to see if anyone has a bike to buy. Theres a LOOK just like mine selling for $1500. I thought to myself "Oh cool it has the same red pedals I had, same Delta Brakes, same red water bottle cage, same Bontrager seat with a hole in it ....wait a minute HOLY CRAP THATS MY BIKE!" The guy selling it lived in Modesto , CA. which is 40 minutes east of my home. Now Im thinking what if someone else buys it. I contacted the Modesto police and told them the story. They asked if I can identify something not pictured to prove its mine. Just then I remembered I painted the Campagnolo logo with red Testors paint on the downtube shifters. I met up with the police and they set up a "sting operation". I then contacted the guy via email and said I lived in the Bay Area and could save him the hassle of packing it and shipping it. Id even pay cash. He agreed. The cops went to the location posing as me in an undercover car. Then they had me come in after it was clear. I showed them the red Testors paint...BOOM!! I got it back!! EXCEPT...the guy said he bought it at an auction. NOW...if he shows proof its his. The cops said I had to wait to see if he showed a receipt. Months went by as the bike sat in a "holding warehouse" as I called every 6 weeks. They said we have to wait longer. Finally a year passed and they gave me the bike back!! I love that bike as its a classic and it has helped me get back in shape. Recently rode a 110 mile ride for charity to fight children's cancer. Ive been told by some "Why don't you get a modern bike?" Unless I was to race again...nah..I think Im good."
