On yer bike!

Sorry about the watermarks, Bartali and friends in 50- 51

 

Wish I could find proper Pluses like Bartali wore without having to pay in the region of about £175.

 

Hello all. I started riding again 6 years ago and after too many years away. As I was approaching 50, I started back on a flat bar road bike, but quickly went down the vintage steel road bike worm hole. I bought and sold a few and then recalled my father used to ride. I called him and asked if he had still had his 1976 Motobecane Grand Touring. He did, and it had not moved from it's ceiling hooks in his garage since 1982. I picked it up 3 years ago and spent about 2 weeks completely tearing it down to the bearings, rebuilt everything, replaced the consumables, and added a Brooks B17 saddle and their bar tape. It rides beautifully. I've had just under 5000 miles pass under it since I restored it, and appreciate that it was Dad's. He purchased it new, so all the patina is either his or mine.

 

What a coincidence! Just last week, I so happened to do some research on the 80's version of the Motobecane Grand Touring. Reading through several old catalogues of other brands as well. Beautiful bike. I'm envious. Thanks for sharing the photos. All those steel 15 and 18 speeders make me lusty.

 

Thanks for the compliment - It took me a bit to restore, but I appreciate the fact that at 53 years old I'm riding my father's bike (the pump is also original, and I've still got the original purchase receipt and owner's manual). This one is the normal 5 cog freewheel and dual chain-ring for 10. I find myself shifting about 25% as much when riding this as I do when riding my flat bar road bike with 24 speeds total. The original Suntour V-GT luxe rear and VCompe front derailleurs are bulletproof and still work perfectly after all these years. This bike is an extremely smooth ride on the Vitus 182 French tubing.

 

Y'know I was out for a long ride yesterday (well, about 125km/77 miles), but didn't take a picture of the bike or what I was wearing.

Weather was dry, but just above freezing. With the exception of the pad in my shorts and a modern helmet (when I was a bike messenger/ courier I bounced my head off the road so always wear one even if it's an old school leather one) everything else was wool. But that did include 2 wool base layers on top, 2 pairs of wool socks, 2 pairs of wool cycling tights, 2 wool jerseys... although only one wool/ waxed cotton cycling cap and one pair of wool gloves and a pair of lace up leather cycling shoes.

 

Steel is real. I tried modern frames for a while, but they're uncomfortable and throw away.

 

Protogs for life, man!

 

Ha.. had to research who Protogs were!

Just finished Charlie Kelly's amazing Fat Tyre Flyer book. It's mostly about the 70s-80s, but it's a great snapshot of off road cycling (even though as he says, others were doing it long before). Lot of wool cycling gear, worn with their more 'rugged outdoor wear.

 

Going back to something of a French theme that seems to have arrived with the lovely Motobecane, here's Jacques Anquetil in 1960

And I belive in 62


And here are some René Herse, bit earlier, though I belive the pictures are from 40s to 50s






https://www.renehersecycles.com/about-us/

 

Today, in 1960 il Campionissimo (Champion of Champions) passed away. Plenty of pics out there of him racing, but thought some training one's were more relevant to this thread?









OK, one of him at the start of a race as well, much later than some of the above, this is Paris- Nice 1958 if I remember right?

 

https://archivalblog.com/from-the-archives-rivendell-knits/

Sadly not made anymore.

This was the latest version, which i don't think is as classy, but is still made by Outdoor Knitwear