Bottecchia "Super Commuter"

Very seldom do I buy a bike that's already been restored, but this one was too good to pass up. The previous owner had purchased this Bottecchia as an ugly frame, had it repainted (wet paint with decals and clearcoat, fancy!), and then outfitted it as a fixed-gear "super-commuter" (his words). The "super" part entailed a lot of high-end parts and accessories: a SON dynamo hub and a Phil Wood flip-flop hub, each handbuilt to a sturdy rim; a Supernova E3 light to match the dynohub; ultra-tough Schwalbe tires; Nitto front rack; two Carradice bags; a Brooks saddle; a Paul Components single brake lever; a snazzy chainguard; a wireless cycling computer; and an $80 Wippermann chain! Frankly, I found much of this to be overkill--the owner himself copped to never even using the Paul brake lever--but I figured I could strip things down to a more practical and affordable form and bag a few nice accessories in the process. So I did.

Here's what it looked like when I got it:

I decided that for such a classic-looking frame, it'd be nice to build things up a bit more traditionally. Out went the moustache bars, replaced by a pair of Specialized drops with Suntour Superbe non-aero levers.

 The pitifully weak long-armed side-pull single brake was replaced with a classic set of Mafac Racers. To make these work, I added a Surly chain hanger on the seat post binder bolt. It took some careful filing to seat properly, but in the end it fit perfectly. 

In this photo, near the bottom, you can see how tight the clearance is in the seat-lug slot:

 I also thought it might be nice to have a few gears, so I converted the drivetrain to a 1x6 configuration with down-tube shifters and a bombproof Suntour VX derailleur, ditching the modern wheels in the process.

A set of quill-style pedals with clips and straps to replace the modern clipless ones.

Gold housing to match the Bottecchia decal, and this was as close as I could get to olive twine to match the paint--bright green treated with one coat of amber shellac and two coats of clear.

 And of course I couldn't resist the tanwall tires to offset the olive green paint nicely.

Here she is in full:

Fuji Espree Mixte and Cream Tires

To sleep, perchance to cream... Whoa, wait, I didn't mean to write that. I'm talking about tires here, for chrissakes. Anyway, I can't decide whether or not these cream tires enhance this mixte build or steal all the frame's spotlight. Thoughts, anyone?

My other option, by default, is tan-walled Panaracer Paselas. I think they'd make for a more classic, "tasteful" look overall. I'm just not sure I want to be tasteful in this case. If I were to run Paselas, I could use the original 27" wheels, saving a little dough (whereas the cream Delta Cruisers only come in 700c, requiring a wheel upgrade).

(btw, the gnarly old cork grips are just placeholders until a new pair arrives in the mail, so don't hate on 'em, please)

Update (7/8/13):

Nitto "Raundoneur" Bars: They've Got Flare

The classic randonneur bar shape is one of those subtle things that give a bike that certain je ne sais quoi, even if this sentiment is often rendered in English as, "What the f#@* happened to your handlebars, dude?" That's okay. They're not for everyone, and to be honest, I'm not even sure they're for me. Many folks make claims for their unparalleled comfort (pun intended), but I can't say I notice much difference from "normal" drops. But they certainly do no harm, and if nothing else, they can serve as a conversation starter.

A propos of nothing, I've heard that francophilia is rampant in Japan, particularly vis-à-vis bicycles, but one wonders how deep that fixation runs in light of Nitto's spelling of "raundoneur." Oh well, c'est la vie.

Specialized (Giant) Sequoia

No, the "Giant" in the title of this post does not refer to the bicycle manufacturer of that name but instead to the size of the '85 Sequoia that I recently came into: 62.5cm, or 64cm measured center-to-top. Okay, so that's not the biggest bike I've ever seen, not even close, really, but it's certainly the biggest that I've ever ridden, or rather attempted to ride. I'm only 5'9 1/2"--yes, I always include the half inch--with a 34"(or so) pubic bone height, so even with shoes on I can barely, I mean barely, straddle this beast. So much the better, because if it were smaller I might be tempted to keep it for myself, and I can't afford to have another bike of my own. I'd be tempted because, compared to the last Sequoia that came my way, the paint on this one is fantastic. Plus it came with most of the original parts. And, boy are they beautiful now that they're all cleaned up. You'll have to pardon the lack of bar-wrap as I was all out and too much in a hurry to snap these photos.

 

 A note on these brake hoods: I'd struggled in the past trying to fit the commonly available Cane Creek-branded Dia Compe hoods to various non-aero levers with little success. I always had to cut away a part of the hoods on the bottom and then pad the lever body with bar-tape to fill out the too-big hoods. Then, upon installation, the hoods would begin to split along the seams half the time. Yuck! I will struggle no more, since I've discovered these Gran Compe hoods. They fit many levers (Superbe, Gran Compe, Shimano 600) much better, they stretch without splitting, and they look great. In fact, I'd hesitate to let the secret out if it weren't for the well-known fact that virtually no one reads my blog.

In my pompous opinion, these Specialized "flag" cranks can keep pace with the best of them (C-Record, Superbe Pro, etc.) in terms of quality of finish. And yet one hears very little about them and they remain reasonably priced when you can find them. Their versatile 110/74 BCD format adds to their appeal in my book.

I'm in love with the finish on these Saturae (Specialized house brand) C20 rims. Just gorgeous.

Univega Specialissima

Spoiler: this is a bit of rant.

Well, you've heard of Miyata and of the famed 1000 in particular. But since mere mortals turn to stone upon glimpsing such untold splendor (or so the internet would have you believe), you dare not even dream of owning one. Instead, you dream of the Specialissima. Or at least, you would if you'd heard of it. The Specialissima is a top-shelf sport-touring bike, made by the venerable experts at Miyata. What's that? Apples to oranges, you say? Touché. The Miyata 1000 is known as an all-out touring bike (long wheelbase, braze-ons up the wahzoo, etc, etc.), whereas I'm talking about a sport-tourer. Except that in 1981, the 1000 was a sport-tourer too by any reasonable standard. In fact, as nearly as I can tell, the geometry, tubing, and construction of the Specialissima and those of the 1000 of that year were identical. (The only difference between the two is that the former was designed for centerpull brakes and the latter for cantilevers.) And yet one hardly hears anything about the '81 Specialissima. But this point is only academic. The real point is twofold: 

1) that there's no compelling reason to fixate on models that have been heralded as "grail-bikes" by the powers-that-be. If fact, there are a host of reasons not to do so, not the least of which is that there are unsung comparable models out there available at a fraction of the cost.

2) that we shouldn't allow ourselves to think of sport-tourers as "compromise bikes." To my mind, it's a compromise to buy a bike that's only good at one thing. Versatility is what should be prized, at least for most folks' purposes. And versatility is what sport-tourers have in spades. Yes, lots of folks made sport-touring bikes back in the day, but few made them really well. Anyone who knows vintage bikes will tell you that Miyata was among those few, and the Specialissima is a testament to that statement.

Whew! Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I can get down to the nitty gritty about this bike. This 1981 model features the excellent-quality materials and craftsmanship for which Miyata was renowned: Tange Champion tubing, elegant long-point lugs with hand-painted diamond cutouts, chromoly fork blades, and Suntour GS forged dropouts. The fork crown and seatstay bridge are designed for recessed brake nuts (the standard today but a rarity in the early '80s). There is clearance for at least 35mm tires and brazed-on mounts for fenders, a rear rack, and a water bottle cage.

I've modified and updated this Specialissima with a Nitto cockpit designed for comfort and simplicity. Gone are the overly narrow drop bars, replaced with cloth-wrapped moustaches; likewise for the non-aero brake levers, replaced with an aero pair that provides higher mechanical advantage and smoother action. I've also converted the triple crankset into a compact double (47-34; sealed BB unit) that keeps the versatility of the original setup while reducing q-factor and weight. The period-correct saddle has been reupholstered in suede. Tires are brand new Panaracer Paselas in the extra-sturdy Tourguard version.

Since the original shoes for these centerpull brakes had extra-skinny posts, ordinary replacements like these Kool-Stops wouldn't fit the original hardware. So I stole some hardware from a set of dead cantilever brakes in my bin (the "eye-bolt" holding the brake shoe post and the knurled wedge washer behind it, useful for achieving proper toe-in without bending the caliper arms). This setup isn't quite as refined as the original, but braking power is greatly improved and it seemed a better route than sanding the posts down on the new brake shoes, which would have taken forever and a day.

 Although I've hated on Suntour barcon shifters in the past, I was finally able to set up a pair with a reasonable amount of resistance and relatively even action. I'm still not in love with them, but I have newfound respect for them.

This SR crankset has an unusual BCD (bolt circle diameter): 86mm. It's the same one used on the slightly more well-known Stronglight 99 cranks, and more importantly, it allows one to fit anything from a 28T chainring up to a 54T one all on the same bolt circle! The bad news is that 86bcd rings are pretty rare, so you have to pay a pretty penny for replacements and you may not find the exact size you want. Currently, I'm running a 47-34 setup, which I like a lot.

Here's a saddle I stole from another Univega and reupholstered, using some suede from an old thrift store jacket. Turned out pretty well, I think, and the color complements the frame nicely.

Since taking these photos, I've had a chance to take the bike on a few test rides and I'm impressed. She's more sprightly and handles more responsively than I'd expected. I really love the feel of the moustache bars as well.