Bits, Pieces, & Clutter

[Ray Dunakin]

I like the grimy, greasy look, just like they'd been used by a real mechanic with grimy, greasy hands.

[Chuck Doan]

Looks good! Nice little taste of color.

Now I know where I left that penny!

[finescalerr]

Chuck, it's time for another visit to the corner. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

Thanks again guys.

Marty: Here's the finishing process on the hammer and the screwdriver handles...HTH. On the hammer (a white metal casting), I lightly ran a Micro-Mark wire pencil down the length to give it just the faintest hint of grain....this almost dissapears to the eye once the Vallejo beige color is applied....but is then again very lightly brought out when the Abt-502 brown oil paint is dry brushed over the surface....and the black and grey pigments used to show the grease sits into the valleys. On the screwdriver it was just a matter of pulling a soft brush through the orange color (the length of the handle) right as it was drying (sort of like a bad paint job).....this not only creates a bit if surface texture, but also allows the dark base coat to slightly peek through in areas.


Dave: The wrenches are a really good product to begin with...so not much that can be done to screw them up.....only wish the company aslo made some adjustable wrenches, and....... On hinsight I could probably have slightly darkened the ends a bit more...so the center portion wear the hand wears away the uxidation more, was the shiny area.....but then they might have dissapeared into the dirt/grime of the box and other parts too much. [for anyone interested, they were colored by painting the a dark rustish brown, and then simply burnishing them with MIG "Gunmetal" pigment.]

John: CAMPY!!!....heaven forbid....heresy!.....I believe the word you were looking for was S-H-I-M-A-N-O 

[RoughboyModelworks]

John: CAMPY!!!....heaven forbid....heresy!.....I believe the word you were looking for was S-H-I-M-A-N-O 

SHIMANO... boo, hiss....  CAMPY all the way in this house 

Paul

[finescalerr]

Paul, apparently Shimano has caught up to and, in some areas, surpassed Campagnolo. Pro riders generally feel each has merits and express only minor preferences. I guess the same is true of most frames. As an old six-day rider I used to work out with once said, "Ya still have to push 'em."

This, of course, has nothing to do with modeling or with Marc's toolbox. But since several of us here are racing bike nuts, I thought I'd toss it in.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Russ

[RoughboyModelworks]

Russ:

I suspect you're right. When I was racing, Shimano was strictly bottom end of the market stuff. As a confirmed old-school cyclist tho, I'll stick with my Campy suite. It served me well during my years as a licensed racer. Besides, can't afford to replace any of that gear these days. I need to find a source here to replace my tubulars (or sew-ups as they call them in these parts)... last time I looked I could only get them on special order. I'm hoping with the resurgence in interest over the past few years, I'll be able to locate a more convenient source. I'm thinking once we get settled into the new house, I plan to service and refit the bike. Our new home is in excellent cycling country, lot of serious riders use the mountain roads for training, so there are always plenty of bikes around. There was a pro tour stage through the village last year so I'm hoping we'll have front row seats for some upcoming stages.

Paul

[JohnP]

Paul, when did you race? Remember Clement tires? Wolber white or Clement red glue? Arc-en-Ciel rims? Small flange vs high flange debates? Wayne Stetina? John Howard? What do you have for a bike?

Remember when everybody laughed when Shimano came along? And it broke in one season?

I could shift my Campy with a tap of my fist - bop - right into the selected gear. Then that Shimano index stuff got better. Then Campy tried it. Then I sold my Merckx with the Campy Croce d'Aune indexed crap because it was the worst shifting bike ever.

Now all our bikes have Shimano (except my vintage Trek with SunTour index- another story there).

Anyway Marc, Shimano had an odd curvy headset lock nut and race for a while so it can't be those wrenches. So they must be Park.

Thanks for obliging me everyone (especially Russ who is fanning the flames of old bike nut arguments),
John

[finescalerr]

As soon as I had a clue what was going on in racing bikes and had saved enough money, I bought a full Campy (Gran Sport) Olmo Deluxe. It was a fantastic machine in 1965. After about ten years and a lot of research I sold it and bought a new and rare racing bicycle few people had yet heard of, a 1973 Colnago Super, also full Campy (Super) with a drilled out chainwheel and crudely painted lug cutouts and some engraved nonsense on the handlebar stem (Cinelli, of course). I still have it. By the way, Clement 10 ounce tubulars were the ONLY way to go. And nobody wore a helmet to train. In a race, we wore those lightweight leather rib helmets.

I remember the large vs. small flange hub debate. I ordered custom wheels: Fiamme red label rims and Campagnolo large flange hubs. Contrary to the contemporary wisdom they were not too stiff.

In those days, normal people didn't ride racing bikes or wear cycling gear; it was a poorly understood subculture. Today even out of shape dorks on bikes with training wheels wear racing outfits.

Today, were I a serious racer, I'd probably buy an American carbon fiber frame and, most likely, Shimano components. Times change.

Russ

[chester]

I love my Shimano fishing reels.

(heading for the crowded corner)

[RoughboyModelworks]

John:

Boy you're bringing back lots of memories. I raced Senior Mens then Veterans Class in the early through mid-eighties when I lived in upstate New York. I was invited to compete in the Veterans Worlds in Belgium in, I believe, 1986 but couldn't afford to go which was something of a disappointment. Road racing and time trials were my specialties, I didn't like criterium racing at all. I had to retire from racing in 1987 essentially due to health problems. I had developed asthma and though I was able to compensate and train and race at a somewhat diminished level, the medication I needed to take was a USCF banned substance. I tried going without the meds, but it was getting increasingly risky so I was left with no option but to retire.

I have a custom-built Colnago with Campy suite, small flange hubs, bottom bracket, crank, derailleurs, Cinelli stem, bars and seatpost. No indexed shifting for me, I'm strictly analogue and old school. I always new exactly where I was on the free-wheel without having to look and the Campy gear was so precise and responsive I never had problems changing gears or bouncing the chain along gear teeth. I switched to Modolo side pull brakes, Mavic clip-on pedals and built-up the wheels myself with Ambrosio Synthesis Super Pro rims. I still have my wheel truing stand that I modified to hold a couple of dial indicators for extra fine adjustments. I used to run Vittoria tubulars, mostly because the local shop kept them in stock. In fact the bike still has my last set of tires on it, though they have rotted away. It's going to be a job getting those off. I remember spending long evenings repairing tubulars when I couldn't afford to buy a new tire. That was always an adventure trying not to introduce a twist into the tire when sewing-up the casing. I used to use the red rim cement but by the mid-eighties had found a double-stick tape developed for the purpose which was much easier to use and didn't require a lot of cleanup on the rim. I never had a tire roll off in a high speed corner, so it seemed to be pretty good stuff.

The bike's been hanging on either my shop or garage wall now for over twenty years and all it will need to get roadworthy again are new tires, brake pads and a general tune-up and lube, something I intend to do once I get all this PITA moving behind me. I still have all my racing gear including the leather hair-net helmet I used to wear, though it is showing its age... probably need to replace that with a modern lid. And as I've put on a pound or two since my racing days, I will probably have to replace the gear so as not to scare young children and inflame elderly ladies... The hard part will be adjusting to my advanced years and generally decrepit condition once in the saddle. I'll have to keep reminding myself that the racing days are gone for good and I won't be able to tackle category climbs in the saddle like I used to. Used to love passing people with a breezy hello on a climb in the saddle while they were on their legs struggling just to keep moving forward...evil thing to do but so much fun  I also still have my wind-load trainer. That thing used to sound like a giant berserk vacuum cleaner when you got it wound up, but it was my only riding option during the upstate winter months. At the time we lived in a second-floor apartment and it used to drive the lady downstairs nuts 

Paul

[marc_reusser]

Boy you guys are all really old-school ....I think I might be able to find you some wooden rims

Sorry, I really prefer Shimano....I feel it delivers equal if not better shifting and quality than the more expensive Campy.....I know Campy is a few ounces lighter and a "classic" name, but in all my years of road and mountain riding I have never had a Shimano failiure...and that says a lot.....but one of the biggest reasons for staying with Shimano, is because Campy does not make any MTB stuff....and I like to stay with something when it works flawlessly.

My road ride is not as cool and retro stylish as you guys.....'Litespeed' Ti frame, 'Real' carbon wheels (soon to be changed out to 'DT Swiss'), Litespeed carbon fork, 'Easton' carbon seatpost, 'FSA' carbon bars, and an Ultegra/Dura-Ace component mix.

And yes...a bit red in the face from the climb....

[RoughboyModelworks]

Yes sir, old school and proud of it... Wooden rims, by all means. I'd love to find a set of old track bike wooden rims, they are things of beauty, not to ride on but just to display as objects. I remember seeing a track bike with wooden rims many years ago in a museum. They were absolutely wonderful constructions and made a huge impression on me.

However, old school or not, like Russ if I were a serious racer today, I'd be forking out for carbon, titanium and incredibilium components. To be competitive in any racing sport you have to exploit whatever technological advances available to you. At the time I was racing, my bike was hi-tech. Now, it's a classic. At one point several years ago I thought of selling it and went into a local bike shop when we lived at the coast to see if the shop would be interested in either buying the bike outright or putting it in on consignment. They said they couldn't sell it because it was too old, but would give me $50 for it. Because of his unbelievably insulting and disrespectful attitude I suggested he indulge in an anatomically impossible act. That experience convinced me that the bike held too much value for me, representing as it does a significant portion of my life, to ever sell it.

That's a good looking road bike you've got there Marc, but shouldn't you be riding it, not carrying it around on your shoulder... ... just saying...

Paul

[finescalerr]

I have a few years on Paul and I need to point out a flaw in your facts, Marc: We are not "old school". We are just OLD! -- Russ

[JohnP]

Paul, get a real modern helmet if you get anything. Protect the only thing worth keeping. And, I raced in New England/NY 1978 to about 1984 for out local Coke bottler. Maybe we crossed paths? Sounds like you have a few years on me though.

Well boys, they have a 55+ age group for racing. I am still a few away but it is time to start training! Let's make a Westlake team. We can at least be a well-weathered and detailed group.

And Russ I would/will buy a Trek OCLV with the latest parts to race again, but I would love a Richard Sachs made for me with an old Super Record gruppo.

John