SPECSStatus: Sold Size: 20"/51cm Weight: 28 lbs/12.7 kg Frame & Fork: Full Butted CrMo Max Tubing Groupset: Shimano STX Derailleurs with SunRace M50 Shifters Brakeset: Shimano STX brakes with Avid Levers Wheelset: Weinmann BCX 3 rims on Shimano STX Parallax hubs with Trek Connection 26x1.95 Tires BEFOREWhen I saw this Giant for sale with a full Shimano STX groupset, I just couldn't resist. It had been babied and was in near mint condition. A little TLC from MBW was all it needed to be showroom beautiful again. AFTERThis bike was barely ridden and always stored indoors so it was in excellent condition. The paint on the frame restored so well that someone who came to visit thought I had painted it. The components just needed a good ultrasonic cleaning and they were as good as new. I really didn't care for the look of the stem that came with it so I replaced it with one that I thought gave it a better look while maintaining a comfortable riding position. The original seat had one tiny flaw that was hardly noticeable so it didn't need replacement. It even has the original reflectors. This bike looks like it time-travelled off the 1995 showroom floor and found it's way to today. Someone is going to really enjoy riding this bike on the local rail trail, greenway and bike paths around town.
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SPECSStatus: Sold Frame was made in Italy by Colnago for the 1972 Canadian Olympic cycling team Size: 52cm Frame & Fork: Columbus SL tubing with Campagnolo dropouts Rear Derailleur, Shifters, Brake Levers, Cranks, Bottom Bracket, Headset, Seatpost, Pedals: Campagnolo Nuovo Record Front Derailleur: Zeus Brake Calipers: Universal Extra (Brev 453949) Saddle: Selle San Marco Rolls Wheelset: Ambrosio 19 Extra Elite rims on Rino hubs with Michelin Dynamic Classic 700x23c tires BEFOREThis bike comes with an amazing story. It was 1971 and olympic cyclist, Jocelyn Lovell, was dating olympic discus thrower, shot putter and javelin thrower, Carol Martin. Lovell was working with CCM, bringing in frames made in Italy by Colnago that were to be painted and built up for the Canadian olympic cyclists. Lovell acquired one of the frames in Martin's size, had it painted stealth green, outfitted it with a mostly Campagnolo Nuovo Record groupset, and gave it to Martin as a gift. Martin says that in its original configuration, it had drop bars but as she got older, she needed a more upright riding position. It's seen some some wonderful days and was well loved by Martin, for sure. The finish is in rough shape now and will need to be repainted. I also think I'll try to find drop bars and brake levers so I can return it to its original configuration. AFTERI put more hours into this bike than I could count but they were all worth it! I couldn't be happier with the result.
The frame had no obvious Colnago identifiers, such as the club cutouts in the lugs, since it was intended to be branded as a CCM Olympic bike, but it has signs of a Colnago build nonetheless. The lug work is beautiful. The vent hole under the top tube at the seat cluster is something that was done on early Colnagos. The crimped chainstays with the tubular chainstay bridge is also similar to early Colnagos. As well, there were some early Colnago Supers made with the same bottom bracket cutouts that are present on this frame. The paint turned out beautiful and the decals from velocals.com look very classy. It is definitely NOT a stealth Colnago anymore! I painted it with a vintage red colour and decorated it in the style of the Colnago Super. I left off the "Super" decal on the chainstays as it is not actually a Super model. The parts polished up beautifully, and as typical for Campagnolo, work really well. I replaced the original wheelset which had rusty, steel Zeus hubs and Weinmann concave rims with this nice set of gold anodized Ambrosio rims that I had from a previous parts bike. The gold anodizing was still in excellent condition so I decided to build around that with the gold decals, gold bar tape and gold accented Rolls saddle. I am super happy with the result. This bike is absolutely stunning to look at and it is also a pleasure to ride. The only thing that would make me happier is if Carol Martin could take it for a ride. I'd love to see the smile on her face! SPECSStatus: Sold Size: 47cm/18.5" Frame & Fork: There were no tubing decals on the bike but it was probably made with Tange Cro Moly. I used Bianchi Tange Cro Mo Special Tubing decals because they looked cool and matched the paint. Groupset: Shimano 105 (1050) with Dia-Compe 630 brake calipers Stem & Bars: Kusuki Win Wheelset: Matrix ISO C rims and hubs with Michelin Dynamic Classic 700x23c tires BEFOREWhen I saw this sad bike for sale, I couldn't help but feel like a Bianchi deserved better. Right away I started seeing it with an appropriate groupset and celeste green. I knew I would have to replace everything except the frame and fork but I also knew that I had to take on the challenge. AFTERI had no idea what the model was of this Bianchi but I liked the look of the 1987 Bianchi Brava so I decided to model this rebuild on the Brava. All the decals on this one, except for the MBW decal, came from www.velocals.com. The removal of the poor, white paint and all the decals was very satisfying and the paint turned out really nice. The rebuild went well with only one glitch. I found a 1987 Trek 1200 with a broken frame and a complete 1050 Shimano 105 groupset so I bought that for the groupset. The components polished up nicely and I was pleased with the appearance and the way they worked. Everything from the Trek fit perfectly until I put the rims on. That's when I discovered that the calipers wouldn't reach the rims. I guess it had originally had 27" wheels. Lucky for me, the local used bike shop had a really nice Dia-Compe long reach brake set and they polished up nicely and fit perfectly. This build has new paint (PPG Shopline primer/base/clear), new cables and housing, new brake pads, seatpost, saddle, chain, bar tape and tires. I am super happy with the result and know that somewhere there is a person much shorter than me who is going to love this bike!
SPECS Status: (Personal Collection) Handbuilt in Canada Size: 18.5"/47cm Weight: 11.4 kg/25 lbs Frame: True Temper OX Platinum Chromoly with Ritchey Dropouts Fork: 2001 Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Atom Sport Groupset & Brakeset: Shimano Deore XT/XTR Mix Stem, Bar & Seatpost: Race Face Prodigy Wheelset: Mavic X221 UB rims on Deore XT hubs with red anodized spoke nipples on Continental Race King tubeless tires BEFOREI've been riding road bikes for a while and have been more recently introducing gravel biking but I hadn't ridden a mountain bike in over 10 years. After rebuilding several of them, I started thinking I should get one and ride trails again. When I saw this beautiful Rocky Mountain Blizzard with the Canadian Maple Leaf paint scheme come up for sale in my size and in my price range, I just couldn't pass it up. It received a wash and lube and I made some adjustments to the suspension and cockpit but other than that it's as I got it and it's in use. This winter I'll rebuild it and make it like new again. AFTERSPECSStatus: Sold Size: 19"/48cm Weight: 25 lbs/11.3 kg Frame & Fork: Specialized Direct Drive Off Road CrMo Custom Butted Groupset: Shimano Exage LT (M320) groupset (brakes and derailleurs) Crankset: Shimano Altus A10 Wheelset: Specialized X25 Alloy rims on Shimano Exage hubs with Kenda Small Block Eight 26x1.95 tires BEFOREA friend sent me a text that there were two Rockhoppers for sale in Vernon. I found the ad and went to check them out. Wow, did I luck out. I bought these two Rockhoppers (#25 and #26) from a retired German/Canadian couple. They had bought them new in 1994 so that their German grandkids would have bikes to ride when they visited in the summers. Later they set them up with cushy seats and high handlebars for their own use but in the end decided to buy e-bikes. They were sad bikes but they had hardly been used and they were in excellent condition so I knew it would be easy to make them happy again. AFTERThe rebuild on both bikes went smoothly. Everything was in such excellent shape and cleaned up beautifully. New saddles, chains, cables and housing, tires, tubes, grips and brake pads made them like new again. They both had inappropriate stems, especially the purple one, so that needed fixing. Good quill MTB stems are hard to find so in the end I gave them both quill to threadless stem adapters with some nice threadless stems I had on hand. I really lucked out with the stem on this one. I had this green stem for ages, wondering if I'd ever have a bike to put it on. It matches this one perfectly! I love Bike Karma! It's amazing how well the Exage groupset works. Both bikes shift so smoothly and the brakes stop the bikes with ease. These are the perfect bikes for dependable riding around town and on the local rail trail or greenway.
SPECSStatus: Sold Size: 20"/51cm Weight: 26 lbs/11.8 kg Frame & Fork: Specialized Direct Drive Off Road CrMo Custom Butted Groupset: Shimano Exage LT (M320) groupset (brakes and derailleurs) Crankset: Shimano Altus A10 Wheelset: Specialized X25 Alloy rims on Shimano Exage hubs with Maxxis Pace 26x2.1 Tires BEFOREA friend sent me a text that there were two Rockhoppers for sale in Vernon. I found the ad and went to check them out. Wow, did I luck out. I bought these two Rockhoppers (#25 and #26) from a retired German/Canadian couple. They had bought them new in 1994 so that their German grandkids would have bikes to ride when they visited in the summers. Later they set them up with cushy seats and high handlebars for their own use but in the end decided to buy e-bikes. They were sad bikes but they had hardly been used and they were in excellent condition so I knew it would be easy to make them happy again. AFTERThe rebuild on both bikes went smoothly. Everything was in such excellent shape and cleaned up beautifully. New saddles, chains, cables and housing, tires, tubes, grips and brake pads made them like new again. They both had inappropriate stems, especially the purple one, so that needed fixing. Good quill MTB stems are hard to find so in the end I gave them both quill to threadless stem adapters with some nice threadless stems I had on hand. It's amazing how well the Exage groupset works. Both bikes shift so smoothly and the brakes stop the bikes with ease. These are the perfect bikes for dependable riding around town and on the local rail trail or greenway.
SPECSStatus: Sold Size: 17"/43cm Weight: 25.8 lbs/11.7 kg Frame & Fork: Specialized Direct Drive Light Cr-Mo Double Butted Groupset: Shimano Alivio derailleurs and brakes with Grip Shift shifters Wheelset: Araya HE GP-710 rims on Shimano Alivio hubs with Serfas Vermin 26x1.95 Tires BEFORELike many others, I've had a lot of respect for the Rockhopper for many years. It has a reputation of delivering a lot of quality for a decent price. This one was obviously treated with care and had served its owner well for over 30 years. It just needed a trip to the spa! AFTER Wow! That plum paint restored beautifully! This bike was a pure joy to work on. Everything came apart and went back together with relative ease. Not only did the derailleurs and brakes clean up nicely but I was really impressed with how well they worked as well. It's hard to believe that it's over 30 years old! I really wanted to keep those original Specialized tires. They had lots of tread left. Unfortunately, they had dry rot around the bead so had to go. The only problem with the bike was a small dent in the toptube. Other than that, it's now like a new bike. This bike is ready to make someone happy and serve her/him well for another 30 years.
SPECS Status: Sold Handmade in USA Size: 18"/46cm Frame: Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum Fork: RockShox Quadra 21R Derailleurs: Shimano Deore XT rear and LX front with Grip shift SRT 800 X-ray shifters Brakes: Shimano Deore LX brakes with Dia-Comp 7 levers Wheelset: Mavic 221 UB Control rims on Shimano Deore LX Parallax hubs with Maxxis Pace 26x2.1 Tires BEFOREI know. You're wondering, "Why did I buy an aluminum bike?" Look at it. How could I resist? Except for the pedals, it's completely stock and almost looks like it's NOS. I'll replace the pedals, repack all the bearings and clean everything up and it will be like new. AFTER This Stumpjumper was obviously ridden very little and in excellent condition, making it a joy to rebuild. The groupset polished up with ease. There is hardly a scratch on them. The crank arms look new with the S decal still intact. This is usually one of the first things to wear off. I replaced the pedals with a nice set of Well-Gos from the 90s and painted the cage yellow to match the bike. I had a set of Kool Stop brake pads in yellow and put those on as well. The bearings were in excellent condition and all repacked with ease. The forks had a few scrapes on them and they were dull but they polished up nicely and every scratch and mark disappeared. The seat as the "Designed in California" decal, another thing that usually gets worn off soon after a few rides. The grips are the original S Works grips and in 'like new' condition. There was no need to replace them. I was tempted to keep the original tires on it since they still looked like new and had the nibs on them but there was some dry rot around the beads. I am so glad I went with a brand new set of Maxxis Pace X-C tires. The yellow Maxxis logo matches the bike perfectly. In the end, I replaced the pedals, brake pads, cables, tires and tubes. Everything else is original. Buying this bike will be almost like buying NOS.
SPECSStatus: Sold Size: 18"/46cm Frame & Fork: Tange Infinity MTB Tapered Double Butted CR-MO Tubing Groupset & Brakeset: Shimano Deore DX Wheelset: Ritchey Vantage Sport rims on Shimano Deore DX hubs with Kenda Small Block Eight 26x1.95 Tires BEFOREWhen I find an early 90s bike with full Shimano Deore DX, I just can't resist. DX is becoming my favourite vintage MTB groupset. It's solid, works well and looks great. The paint on this one was still in pretty good shape and the bike had been maintained pretty well so I new this would make a nice rebuild. AFTERThis Cascade had lost its DX brake levers and shifters at some point and came with XT brakes and shifters. Luckily, I needed those for another build and had an extra DX brake/shifter combo for the right (rear). I just needed to find one for the left (front) and luckily I found someone in Edmonton who shipped one to me. The original long stem and flat bars made for a terribly uncomfortable ride. I added a threadless adapter, a new stem and new bars. What a difference that made! I was so happy with this build! I took it for a couple long rides and had trouble wiping the grin off my face. The Infinity tubing felt great and gave a smooth ride. The new bars and stem created a comfortable position. The shifting was crisp and it stopped extremely well, especially for cantilever brakes. It's hard to believe that the bike and its components are 30 years old! I better sell this one quickly because I'm tempted to keep it. It's a perfect errand, coffee, grocery, rail-trail or greenway bike. Someone is going to love it!
SPECSStatus: For Sale at $1700 Made in London, England Size: 56cm Frame & Fork: Reynolds 531 Groupset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record Bars and Stem: Original-Gerry Burgess (GB) Wheelset: Mavic GP4 (red label) tubular rims on Campagnolo Record hubs and Vittoria Rally 700x25 tubular tires BEFOREThis bike comes with a great story. I went to Vernon, BC to see a guy about a Specialized Stumpjumper FS (see blogs 19 and 20) and ended up buying two bikes from him. When he found out that I liked to rebuild vintage bikes, he said that I had to meet his neighbour, Gordon. Gordon had been given this Holdsworth as a project. I suspect it was because Gordon seems handy and is British. Gordon was way too busy for another project, especially one like this that needed a lot of work, so I ended up taking it home. What a lucky day that was! I went home with three bikes in the car and a lot of excitement about this Holdsworth. I found a Holdsworth Facebook group that has many people in it who know a lot about Holdsworths, including a few people who are former employees of Holdsworth. They directed me to a website and spreadsheet and were able to help me find out about this bike. Based on the serial number (69473), which is found on the bottom bracket and the fork tube, the bike was a Shop Special, meaning it was made in their shop rather than their factory, and is likely an Italia Sprint. AFTERThe paint was in horrible condition and I really wanted to repaint it to look like the Holdsworth team bikes, so it had to be orange and blue. I stripped it down to the bare metal and that revealed the beautiful brazed lugs and Campagnolo dropouts. This was my most challenging paint job to date. It had two colours and the world championship decals were very challenging to apply so that the coloured bands matched up perfectly after wrapping around the frame. The painting/decal process took me 10 hours. In the end I was really happy with it, but there is a mistake that I will have to correct before I build the bike this winter.
I was lucky to find an excellent Campagnolo Nuovo Record groupset from 1971, very close to the 1969 frame. The GP4 wheelset was also in excellent condition and I really wanted to try out a tubular wheelset so this was my chance. I wanted a Brooks saddle for this English bike and I got lucky when I found this beautiful Brooks Swift Titanium racing saddle. I think it matches the build perfectly and it is actually quite comfortable. The build worked out perfectly and the ride was better than I imagined. It was buttery smooth, shifted perfectly and the brakes worked so well they were easy to lock-up. If this bike was my size, I would keep it but unfortunately it's a bit too small for me. |
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AuthorMike the Bike Archives
October 2023
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