Stuck on a few things while building an all Italian bike.

salsarider79
salsarider79 Posts: 828
edited September 2010 in Road general
I have a new, well I say new, it's more a 90's bike, but new to me. Sorry OT

Ok, so I'm building the bike as an updated version of an old bike with new 10 speed campag centaur (with alloy levers/cranks not carbon as I'm trying to keep it looking original). Now I'm a little stuck on a few build choices.
I have the original bars but at 40cm they are far too narrow for me. I need some non oversize bars in a 44 cm flavour, in silver. Any ideas? I'd love some with etching to look more original....a picture of Italy perhaps...?
Ok then the next question. I'm going to be building a set of wheels for the bike. I want them to be as light as possible hence I'm tempted by a set of tub rims. But having never ridden tubs before, I'm a little unsure about what to do if I get punctures. It worries me enough to wonder wether to go for 'normal' rims instead.

Can you lovely people help me? You help will be renumerated with pics.

p.s. I pick the frame up in a month....can't wait to get started!
p.s.s. The parts that come off this bike are being put towards a fixie project. Back wheel I swapped for a PSone, Steel frame/forks I was given, bars, levers, headset, front wheel + cranks from the Bianchi...when I've finished I'll post pics of both bikes.
jedster wrote:
Just off to contemplate my own mortality and inevitable descent into decrepedness.
FCN 3 or 4 on road depending on clothing
FCN 8 off road because I'm too old to go racing around.

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Traditional, silver bars are becoming harder to get - Cinelli Giro D'Italia were popular but most were made in a 26.4mm size so careful with your stem choice. You are more or less limited to ebay , bike jumbles or 2nd hand.
    If you want lightweight tub rims, there's Mavic Gel 330 or even 280s which you can pick up NOS/secondhand for a lot less than a modern equivalent.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Agree that ebay should have some bars that would work for you. TTT, ITM, Modolo, Cinelli, plus a couple of others I can't remember were all very popular Italian brands and most were 26mm clamp. As for the Cinelli's, towards the end of the quill stem era they started producing their bars with a 26mm clamp along with their trademark 26.4 so make sure you know which one you're looking at. I actually have a set of the silver model 64-44cm wide bars with the 26 clamp.
  • acidstrato
    acidstrato Posts: 945
    theres a place in swansea caled Recycle ltd where the council encourage people to send there old bikes/parts that they dont want no more to this place but its amazing what one persons junk is. loads of old fashioned/retro stuff down there and a workshop you can use.

    most of the stuff is cheap and already stripped. ok you wont get an unworn crankset but a suitable stem and bars...maybe
    Crafted in Italy apparantly
  • ynyswen24
    ynyswen24 Posts: 703
    I've got a feeling that Nitto might make oversized stems to get the old quill look with a new handlebar. Might be worth checking on.
  • 2alexcoo
    2alexcoo Posts: 251
    The Nitto Noodle bars are nice, 26mm clamp, nice etching, but not Italian obviously!
    Alex
  • salsarider79
    salsarider79 Posts: 828
    They look like track bars, but I will consider them.

    Where are Nitto from then? I notice they do perfect non oversize 44cm width bars. I thought they where Italian...
    jedster wrote:
    Just off to contemplate my own mortality and inevitable descent into decrepedness.
    FCN 3 or 4 on road depending on clothing
    FCN 8 off road because I'm too old to go racing around.
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Where are Nitto from then?
    Made in Japan.
  • You can strip the black powder coating or anodized finish of most modern handlebars back to bare alloy with some wet n dry (using WD40 as a lubricant) then wire wool & metal polish & get a really good polished finish. The same can be done with the stem (though the powder coating tends to be thicker). Same with seatposts or any alloy components for that matter.

    I think tubulars will look right (and feel great) - especially with a spare tub strapped neatly under your addle with a cut down toestrap.

    I once had a pair of wheels built with Mavic Argent 10 rims - 310g each so midway between GEL280 & GEL 330 in weight but anodized silver finish. Then again Campag Shamals would be another option.

    You need to peel back the backing tape & unstitch (& restitch) the tyre around the puncture before repairing. There used to be a repair serviice advertised in the back of Cycling weekly. Best to buy a few reasonably priced tubs at once if you can.
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