Swiss Cross - nearly there

Yeah, I said myself here: https://avvsavv.blogspot.com/2021/03/swisscross.html, a lot ot items were not right, starting with the handlebar and its setup. I bought a good Deda compact bar, 42 cm, which makes more sense for a skinny human like me. And when mounting it up I took this opportunity to resize the cables and bring them to the right lenght. And I really like this setup and I actually wonder if I should have moved to a 2x10 rather than 1x, nevertheless I have other plans for 2xsomething bikes, one is this: https://avvsavv.blogspot.com/2021/03/old-steel.html. And yes, the blue horseshoe is something I have with me since probably 10 years! I could not wait to use it. s

Gitane Record old steel

I really don't know why I actually spent some money on that. 

With hindsight is not the type of bike I would buy. There are no components I can easily swap around, everything here is one step older than my usual bikes. 

Well, anyway, I fell in this and I must admit the bike is in very good condition, very close to a NOS. This is somehow dated around 1989-90; but I confess that it is very difficult to make an educated guess. 

Gitane catalogues from that time does not show any "Record" model, neither made of Columbus tubings, until going farther to 1994-95. I never saw any model with this colour scheme. The only thing I am sure about is that Sachs Aris 600 was issued around 1990 - when no catalogue shows "Record+" model at that time. 

 The frame is made of lugged Columbus Cromor (main triangle), unknown steel tubes for the remaining pieces, and Vitus dropouts. The painting is very very 90-ies with dark green fading in bright (almost fluo) green, I must confess that I kind of light it.  

Transmission is full Aris 600, except for the crankset, a modest Stronglight 80 with a triple chainring. This crank has a 86mm BCD, very uncommon these days, with the option to go down to 28T!  

The bike works very well but I never used it yet. I will think what are the odds with it.  

Not sure if I want to use a more recent wheelset and put it on a sturdy and reliable transmission!

c

Swiss Cross

Ah, so nice! 

 In 2014 I had to sell my beloved Swiss Cross because I was moving and I did not know if and when I could have use my bikes again, and with the SC I sold almost every piece I had with me. 

Anyway, this Christmas I had the opportunity to buy a (not so cheap but) brand new frameset: https://avvsavv.blogspot.com/2021/02/two-special-guests-for-2021.html 

I actually spent a lot of time tinkering how to complete the bike. I did not exclude anything, even going for a flat bar. Eventually I went for a conservative 1x setup, with Sram transmission and a very nice DT Swiss wheelset. 

 Here it is:  

There are some items I don't still like. 

Pedals: very very nice PDM737, this were my first clipless pedals. And when I say my first ones, I mean that I used to have exactly this pair on my 1991 Giant Cadex CFM 1. 

Handlebar: too big, it's a Pro 46, probably good for a monstercross but not on this bike. I will go for a 42. 

Cables: omg, very bad workmanship here. Length is totally wrong. Will shorten them once changing my handlebar. 

Saddle: old Flite Max. Very comfortable but not what you'd expect here. I will go either for a classic Flite or for something new. 

I will spend some more time on it. 

c

Stevens X8C trekking

OMG, just one word: trekking. Is it not enough just to close this post? 

Well, actually not really. I had a very good opportunity to get a 2010 Stevens X8C trekking bike. It was top of the shelf model for that year, coming with a 63mm travel Suntour front fork, completed XT groupset and somehow light aluminum frame, for a whoopie 11-ish kgs.

   

And

   

I initially thought about it only for the brakes (and possibly for the wheels), but then it was too much of a nice frame to try and sell it. 

I am currently waiting for a good and new set of Avid BB5 road calipers to set it up with a road handlebar (I am thinking to reuse the SPecy carbon handlebar coming off my Morati)  - thought I'd need a very short stem.

I have a feeling that the bike can handle bigger tyres than the 33 CX Schwalbe I have on it. 

I already swapped the crankset - originally coming in a 26-36-48 (ahh, so 90ies) with a 28-42. But I know that I could probably go up to 44. 

On the rear I am try to use a 105 SS derailleur with its 9s 11-32 cassette. 

Let's wait for the calipers and we'll see which way to go. 

c

Springy Van Nicholas

I am not using my VN since ages, probably more than a year - not that I don't like it actually. 

So, a month ago I decided to take it apart, clean and lube it. While cleaning the stuff up, I noted that the crankset - old Ultegra from late 90's, was unacceptably scratched and the axle too worn. 

And this is how it started, ending up like:  

I had this Truvativ cranckset since ages. I think I used for a very short period (like: one single ride) on mostly all my frames. With a little help from Amazon, I bought a 42 narrow wide chainring, and this is how it started. The old chain was worn to what I think was the limit (.50mm), I used it a lot when riding in Dublin and is very understandable that it's time is over. 

Thankfully  the cassette is still very good, so I kept the SLX 11-36 10 speed. Paul Components still sits on my bar to help pushing a Dura Ace bar end shifter. 

 I wanted to have something... different actually. That's why I went for a flat bar, but not that flat after all. I used a very long (130mm) stem with a Ritchey WCS riser upside down. This gives to the bike a lower position than a standard bar, in between that and a drop:  

and

 

I know, I could have done it with hydraulic disc brakes, and this is actually where I want to go, but I am not yet that comfortable in bleeding the system. You see that the frame has closed eyelets, so I need to empty the brake system (if not new), and then bleed it again. I don't feel myself ready for this step!

To complete this setup I used KCNC bar ends (old NOS set I had with me since years) and Avid Black Ops levers. Again, these levers I bought probably around 2012 were sitting in my shed never mounted. I getting a bit... upset of having something and not using it, that's also another reason I went for mechanical brakes. 

I finished the bar with a yellow bar tape. I know, it's recycled, probably used 3 or more times, but then again you see how very good was Boardman bar tape! 

I also decided to swap the original fork (Kinesis carbon fork, disc only) with an old MTB titanium one. Axle to crown should be around 415mm, not really the original length, but it makes the geometry a bit more relaxed and probably closer to modern gravel bike. 

I tried this bike twice and I am having very good impression of the overall setup. This frame is very springy and comfortable, even though I have a very heavy and stiff wheelset.

I am wondering whether I should buy a newer and lighter wheelset... 

c