The Great Big Wait

   Three projects are now very close to completion, and then it will be a matter of clearing bicycles out of the basement in order to recover the funds I’ve put into the projects and hopefully make some money on the sales. I don't have a whole lot to write about this week - I'm just keeping an eye out for the mailman with expected delivery of a few parts from overseas.

   I received the washer/mounting plate that was sent by friendly forum connection Kevin, and the part works perfectly. The Mavic rear derailleur is now in the correct position, and the mechanism shifts very smoothly. All that’s left is for the saddle to arrive and the Vitus will be ready to roll!

   I was extremely happy to finally be able to nab a pair of carbon wheels for the Cervélo Soloist bicycle. Fortunately I happened to be browsing eBay just as a few sets from one particular seller were listed with a reasonable “Buy It Now” price.

   The Pinarello Treviso is a bit of a wildcard as to when it will be completed, since Bruce told me his painting schedule is a bit full this month, but I’ve been working on this bicycle since late February, so I can’t say at this point that I'm really in a hurry! I’ve had all of the components and decals ready for the assembly process for a couple of months now, so I am excited to see the frame with some color. I had originally thought a dark green would look classy, but after looking at old Pinarello catalogs online, I noticed that green wasn’t among the traditional Treviso color choices. I decided to change things up and talked to Bruce about a color similar to that pictured below.

   I probably won’t be posting on my regular day next week because my father and I are heading out for a mini adventure. This trip is bound to be more enjoyable without the complication of a tow dolly, but we have a much simpler plan in mind this time around anyway.

   We’ll be travelling out the panhandle of Virginia to ride the scenic Virginia Creeper Trail, which stretches 35 miles from Abingdon to Whitetop. Constructed on the right-of-way of the former Virginia-Carolina Railway, the trail twists and turns through the mountains, crossing Laurel Creek countless times over spectacular bridges and trestles.

   Luckily Dad has a childhood friend who lives part way in Charlottesville, so that with an overnight stay we can break up the seven hours of driving to get out there. We then plan to do the motel thing on the return drive, somewhere in the vicinity of Leesburg, VA. We plan to finish the 35 mile segment of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath that we missed (due to tow dolly issues, of course) from White’s Ferry, MD, into Washington, D.C.

   If you tuned into this blog recently and hadn’t heard about our 335 mile ride from (nearly) Washington to Pittsburgh on the C&O Canal Towpath and Greater Allegheny Passage, which we completed in three separate yearly trips, you can link to the stories here:

Meyersdale, PA to Big Pool, MD - October 2011

Big Pool, MD to White’s Ferry, MD – October 2012

Meyersdale, PA to Pittsburgh, PA – July 2013

French CORRECTION

   Let’s review my project headaches this year: 1. Colnago Nuovo Mexico was missing several parts from the box, which were never recovered, but I received a partial refund from the seller. 2. Pinarello Treviso arrived at my door in craft wrap (still have that horrid image in my head) with a bad repaint job, a stem that was fused to the steering tube and a frame out of alignment – again a partial refund, the bike has been dropped off (finally) for new paint, and a frame expert helped to fix the other issues. 3. Bianchi Record SL project needed a set of wheels that were unfortunately very rare and expensive – a replica pair fell into my lap with another Pinarello purchase that was made to complete my parts list for the Treviso. 4. Atala Cromor Triomphe had scratches to its (used-to-be) perfect paint during shipping, due to carelessly poor packaging – although damage was minor, I did receive a small refund, and I matched some touch-up paint to make it barely noticeable.

   I haven’t let this trouble streak totally discourage me, although I am considering taking this winter off from projects, or at least keeping them to a minimum. You would think with my final (promising myself) purchase of the year, that my luck was due to change. And you would be VERY wrong!

   Last week I told you about the delivery of my latest Vitus project, but during assembly I discovered a problem. I had replaced the 42 tooth smaller chainring with a 38 tooth version to give the bike more “climbability” and then installed the crankset. When I went to affix the chain, I noticed the rear derailleur was loose. It appeared that a washer was missing, which would cause the mechanism to slide in and out on the mounting bolt and mess up any chance of accurate shifting. I simply inserted an appropriately sized washer, and thought all was well.

   It turns out a very special part was missing. The washer/mounting plate that came with the Mavic derailleur was intended to keep the mechanism vertical, so that the return spring would keep the chain taut between shifts. Without the part (circled in red in first photo below) the chain sagged badly, causing it to drag across the chainstay when pedaling. When in larger gears, the derailleur would actually tuck under the chainstay and rub on the frame (second photo below). Comparing my current Vitus setup with a photo I found online of the correct Mavic 851 SSC derailleur position (third photo), I knew I was in trouble, particularly because years ago Mavic decided to stop making anything but wheels!

   After fruitless internet searches for the part, a string of expletives was echoing around the house, and because of the make of this bicycle, I kept thinking “Excuse my French”. Whenever someone uses that phrase, my family likes to reply, “We all speak fluently around this house!” I was able to calm down and use my brain after an hour or two away from the bike.
   I turned to one of the many online cycling forums. Unbelievably, I came in contact with a collector named Luke who was also frustrated by this missing part and had surveyed forum members to see if there were others in the same predicament. Luke received enough positive responses that he was encouraged to contact a machinist friend, invest a little money and have a bunch of the parts produced, which he could then sell. Yes, the price for the little part is ridiculous – it’s just a damn washer with some bent sides – but if it’s a case of buying the part or my bike won’t work, I’m buying it!

   On the more positive side of things, I found a rare Mavic 451 brake/lever set on eBay and was able to talk the seller into dropping his price by $50. The fact that I was willing to buy it from his website and save him the eBay final value fees certainly helped.

   I was considering the purchase of an old-school Elite Ciussi water bottle cage, and then I remembered that I still had the one which I removed from my Cannondale. It was a bright yellow that didn’t match the more “golden” shade of the bike graphics, and I prefer the way red cages blend in with the bike anyway. Since the yellow cage had some paint chipping, I stripped it completely, and it now goes perfectly with the polished aluminum frame sections on the Vitus.

   A Selle Italia Turbo Matic saddle that had light signs of wear showed up on eBay with a “Buy It Now”, so I quickly snapped that up. I found this cool old magazine advertisement someone had scanned and posted:

   When all the parts arrive, this bike will be ready to go. Unfortunately I’ve been frustrated repeatedly by folks who have money to burn outbidding me at the last moment for a set of carbon wheels for the Cervélo. I keep assuring Aaron (my generous frame donor) that this bike is nearly done, “if I could only find some wheels.” I learned he was in need of a pair of pedals for a bike he recently purchased, and since a great set of Mavic clipless pedals came with the Vitus, and I didn’t need them, I sent him a special package. After all, I have to get that karma thing turned around!

French Connection

   Years ago, when I had an interest in acquiring a French bicycle, I unfortunately picked the wrong one. The Motobécane Mirage repaint project was a great experience, and it proved successful as far as its resale value, but in ride quality, the bike proved too cumbersome for my liking, so I moved on to other options. I would have loved to spring for a pricey Look machine, but that wasn’t a realistic plan, since I already had two expensive modern road bikes.

   What I should have purchased was a Vitus. Back then I really knew very little about the brand, but Sean Kelly rode Vitus bicycles – did I really need to know much more than that? Sure, a cyclist wins races with his legs, but the company states on its website that about 80% of Sean’s 193 professional victories came aboard a Vitus. In fact, he is considered the company's “brand ambassador”, and directs the Ireland-registered An Post–Chain Reaction pro UCI Continental team, which rides Vitus bikes. 

   Although currently competing with top-notch manufacturers who produce carbon fiber bicycles, Vitus is historically known for pioneering the use of aluminum frames and had a reputation as the lightest production frame available during the mid-1980s. The original 979 frames were assembled by the French aerospace company TVT from Dural 5086 aluminum alloy tubes, which were slip-fit onto aluminum lugs and then bonded into place using a dry, heat-activated epoxy. The result is a frame that has a suppleness which dampens vibration and provides a more comfortable ride than the welded, and more rigid, aluminum frames of other manufacturers.

   There are some rare stories of failed bonding, and some cyclists experience too much flex in larger frames, but this is most likely attributed to the added weight of the people riding these frames. I have heard that Sean Kelly rode on a slightly smaller frame than normal, and he may have done this to further reduce the flex produced by his powerful pedal stroke, but it may have just been a personal quirk, and I doubt you'd ever hear him admit to any flaws in Vitus products these days anyway!

   Vitus bicycles are aesthetically pleasing with polished aluminum lugs, chain stays and seat stays. The finish on the frame’s main triangle is tremendously durable because it is anodized, an electrolytic process in which the surface of the aluminum is dyed, instead of painted.

   Sean Kelly rode for the Spanish KAS team to many of his famous wins, and the Vitus 979 “Duralinox” Mk I bicycle I saw listed on eBay (photo above) had a royal blue finish that matched up well with their team colors. It was also outfitted with some interesting Mavic components, including what collectors refer to as a “starfish” crankset.

   The 979 “Duralinox” Mk I can easily be distinguished from the Mk II and later versions by its use of round tubing, instead of aero-profiled, and a traditional seatpost binder bolt, as opposed to an unusual rear-mounted “grub screw” (see comparison pictures below). The Mk I will also have a single set of water bottle cage mounting holes on the down tube, while later versions will have two.

   The auction I was watching ended with the seller not responding in time to the offer I had made, but he later contacted me to see if I would complete a transaction outside of eBay and save him some money on fees. At first I was wary, but I read about how Paypal has improved its buyer protection policies through their electronic invoice system in order to expand its business away from eBay. After a telephone conversation with the seller, I agreed to use this alternative system. I was glad to see the box arrive at my front door a few days later.

   I don’t particularly like the Mafac brake levers (above) – although the drilled handle is attractive, the plastic body is not, and seems rather flimsy. I’ll try to find a set of aero levers (preferably Mavic) to move the cables out of the rider’s face. MAFAC, or Manufacture Arvernoise de Freins et Accessoires pour Cycles (Arveni Manufacturing Works for Bicycle Brakes and Accessories), was one of the most popular makers of center-pull brakes back in the 1950s through the ‘70s, but I’ll have to evaluate their side-pull brakes (below). Just to keep the components consistent, I’d like to find some Mavic calipers, but they are rare and probably expensive.

   The wheels are built from quality Mavic “Module E” clincher rims and wide flange hubs from Exceltoo, a French brand about which I haven't been able to find much online. Other components from France were the Huret shift levers, the stem made by Atax and the Philippe “Franco Italia” handlebars, which have a neat etched design near the clamp of a cyclist riding in a tuck position. Because of reflections off of the chrome and the fact that the logo wraps around the cylindrical bar shape, I couldn't get a good picture, but it is a simple line drawing similar to the photo below (guidons is french for handlebars).

   I have already purchased a Sachs 7 speed freewheel to replace the incorrect Maillard 5 speed version that was affixed to the rear wheel. The bike also came with an anachronistic carbon fibre Selle Italia SLR saddle. I wouldn’t want it anyway, because it has the anatomic cutout – a design feature that, despite its intent to provide comfort in “that particular area”, has only proven to cause discomfort for me. I will replace it with a Turbo Matic saddle, made by the same company, because it fits the era of this Vitus bicycle, AND that’s what Sean Kelly rode!

   I found an interesting bit of trivia when I was researching French bicycles and components, the city of Saint-Étienne is considered the center of France’s bicycle industry, with Vitus, Mavic and Motobécane all based there. The capital of the Loire département in the Rhône-Alpes region, Saint-Étienne has frequently been host to stages of the Tour de France, including the finish of Stage 12 and beginning of Stage 13 of this year’s event.

Going Solo(ist)

   Not a whole lot to report this week, other than that I have been frustrated lately not being able to get in contact with my airbrush artist friend, either by phone or email. I even stopped by his house once, just because I was nearby, and unfortunately no one was home. He could be one of those smart people who takes a vacation and doesn't take a computer or phone, so I'll give it another week or so. Otherwise I may turn to painting the Pinarello myself, because I doubt I will find any painting service as inexpensive and accommodating as Bruce was!
   Parts have been arriving sporadically for the Cervélo, and I have been putting it together atop the workbench, because the bike's aerodynamic carbon seatpost shape won't fit into the wall clamp. Assembly is a bit awkward while having to turn the bike constantly to get at everything, but it's not too difficult, and I really don't have any options.

   As usual, I've been using BikePedia as a guide to match up original parts, but I'm not doing it exactly stock, just getting the basic feel, as some substitutions are necessary. The Soloist had a mix of Shimano Ultegra and Full Speed Ahead components, so I purchased a nice used Ultegra 9 speed (instead of the original 10 speed) group on eBay as the base for the build.
   I will need to replace the clamp-on front derailleur that came with the group, as this bicycle model requires the appropriate part for braze-on mounting. The Soloist came with a MegaExo bottom bracket, which is an external bearing system developed by FSA, so I will also sell the Ultegra crankset and purchase the chainset that is compatible with the MegaExo parts.
   The stem was listed as a Syntace product, but I found an FSA stem that matched the graphics of the handlebars and decided to consolidate the manufacturers. I slid on the Ultegra shifter/brake levers for the "in progress" photo above.

   I decided to go stock on the saddle, since the Selle San Marco Ponza is a quality product. Some extras I have waiting for installation down the line are a cool sterling silver Jagwire cable and housing set, much like the one I put on my brother-in-law's Kestrel, and a pair of Profile Design lightweight bottle cages.

   Because I have been able to find some real bargains so far, and since this frameset cost me nothing, I decided to splurge and go for a set of deep rim carbon wheels. An aero road bike like this really deserves nothing less - I'll just have to be patient for a good deal.