#Campagnolo

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Mark’s Team Telekom Eddy Merckx MX-Leader

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Mark’s Team Telekom Eddy Merckx MX-Leader

A few people have asked what bike I was pedaling around on the Eroica California course. While it doesn’t meet the pre-1987 guidelines, it’s vintage enough for my tastes. The MX-Leaders have always had a soft spot in my heart. Arguably the most significant bikes to ever leave the Merckx factory, these were race-ready, pedigree machines. Made with Merckx’s proprietary lugs and Columbus MXL tubesets, they were some of the stiffest steel frames at the time.

Perfect for the US team Motorola, or in this case, team Telekom. This frame in particular was Brian Holm’s and while a majority of the MX-Ls were raced with Dura Ace 7400, the bike’s owner, Mark Riedy, decided to go a bit more practical – and classy IMO – with a 10-speed Campagnolo gruppo. He then topped the cockpit off with an ITM stem.

There’s something about the Telekom paint jobs that always did it for me. Flashy, yet classy and an undeniable style. I’d love to add one of these to my collection some day.

Chris’ Davidson Impulse Road with Campy 10-Speed

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Chris’ Davidson Impulse Road with Campy 10-Speed

In Seattle, a local staple has closed its doors. Back in September of last year, Elliott Bay Bicycles, home of Davidson Cycles, shut down. Luckily the in-house brand of frames, made by hand since 1973, by Bill Davidson lives on.

Even though Davidson is a Seattle-based framebuilder, his work can be seen from coast to coast, from vintage steel to modern composite. Although Bill only currently offers road frames, he makes them in a variety of materials. As a Davidson customer, you can chose between composite, steel or titanium, all of which are done in house. While the modern bikes have their own character, there’s something about a frame from the late 80’s and early 90’s. They all have a certain finesse that’s harder to achieve these days with modern materials.

This particular frame was most likely made in the mid to late 1980’s, if the 1″ threaded steerer and internally-lugged unicrown fork is any indication. Chris scored it off eBay as he was looking for a traditionally lugged frame to kick around town on. Fit with a mix of Campagnolo 10-speed, the bike looks like a classic road from the 80’s, yet has the technology from a modern road group.

Bottom line, she’s a looker. See more in the Gallery.

Baum Cycles: 2015 Rapha Tour Down Under Corretto Road

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Baum Cycles: 2015 Rapha Tour Down Under Corretto Road

For the 2015 Tour Down Under, Baum Cycles cooked up something delicious for Rapha Australia. A titanium Corretto road with Campagnolo Super Record 11 and Lightweight wheels. Along with the signature Rapha color bands, the head badge has a unique inlay. The complete bike is sophisticated, yet sporty with one of the cleanest profiles I’ve seen from this pairing over the years. Personally, this is one of my favorite Baum and Rapha collaborations.

See more below.

Cole’s Early 90’s Rossin Road with Campagnolo Athena 11

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Cole’s Early 90’s Rossin Road with Campagnolo Athena 11

There are very few experiences like riding a custom bicycle, but when it comes down to it, there are plenty of frames out there that are completely fitting for most people. These frames were designed to be raced, or just plain ridden, like many of the bikes on the market today. While they might not be custom-fit, they were fine-tuned for their intended use. In short: if the frame fits, shred the shit out of it.

Cole was looking for a new road frame last year and while it was tempting to go continue saving for a custom steel rig, he decided to keen an eye on eBay and Craigslist, in hopes that something, light, tight and Italian might pop up in his size. Low and behold, it did. A NOS Rossin crit frame from the early 90’s hit eBay one day and soon, it arrived in Austin. All for around $700.

He chose Campagnolo Athena 11, Mavic Open Pro rims, a classic 3TTT Pro Chrome Columbus stem, Deda bars, Zipp post, Fizik Antares VS saddle, Speedplay pedals and some reliable Conti rubber. The build is very tasteful and the lines of this classic race bike are seducing enough for even the seasoned carbon ‘pro-minded’ consumer to second guess their recent ‘upgrade’…

Thanks for dropping by the office today Cole!

Andy’s Concorde Squadra PDM Road with Campagnolo

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Andy’s Concorde Squadra PDM Road with Campagnolo

Andy White of FYXO has a pretty decent bicycle collection, ranging from some Australian pedigree, to classic Italian, carbon madness and bikes like this immaculate Concorde Squadra with a mix of Campagnolo.

Most of Andy’s bikes are obvious choices but this one stood out as being a bit different…

So I asked him why, out of all the bikes on this Earth, did he spend so much time building up a Concorde Squadra PDM? Nothing against these frames, they’re immaculate! His answer “Because I wanted to do Concorde PDM FYXO bidons.”

That’s dedication to the cause…

Richard Hallett’s Classic Road with Campagnolo Nuovo Record

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Richard Hallett’s Classic Road with Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Richard Hallett is the author of The Bike Deconstructed: A Grand Tour of the Modern Bicycle and part-owner of Sportif Magazine, a new publication in the UK that focuses on, you guessed it, sportif rides. While at the L’Eroica Britannia last weekend, I had the pleasure of both seeing Issue 01 and having the opportunity to shoot Richard’s newest frame, his vintage road.

Laced with Campagnolo Nuovo Record throughout, built with Columbus Zona tubing, Cinelli 1a / CdM bars and a Turbo saddle, this is about as classic Italian as you can get, coming from the UK, anyway. The polished stainless seatstay caps and head badge pop from the classic Gios-inspired paint. All this, topped off with a custom painted Silca pump from the 70’s and rolling on Challenge Strada tires. Sorry, tyres…

For added stiffness, Richard used a bi-lam construction on the bottom bracket (not pictured – you’ll have to figure that one out on your own). Richard’s bike took him across the L’Eroica Britannia 100 mile course with ease, which is partially a testament for his own fitness as a life-long bike racer.

While I enjoyed photographing this bike in the morning sun, as it kissed the Peak District’s green hills and cow pastures, I had even more fun shooting the shit with Richard each night. I’m very impressed with both Sportif Magazine, Richard’s frames and wish both of them the best. Holler at him on Twitter for more information.

Cheers!

Garrett’s Cinelli XCR Road with Campy Record 11

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Garrett’s Cinelli XCR Road with Campy Record 11

The Cinelli XCR embodies the ideologies representing the brand’s history of making performance steel racing bicycles. Much like the modern big brother to the Supercorsa, the XCR is made in Italy, individually, by hand.

It just so happens that every one of these frames is made to order. Custom if you will, because each frame is welded after an order is placed, which, to me, is pretty rad.

For people like Garrett Chow, the man responsible for many of MASH’s designs, the XCR was exactly what he was looking for after riding strictly carbon for years. He wanted some compliance with a livelier stride…

When the crew at Cinelli / Columbus offered to build him a bike, he gladly obliged and requested a white paint job with Mash insignia added in. Garrett spared no expense on the bike, building with with Campagnolo Record 11, 3T and Fulcrum Racing Lite XLR race wheels. Basically, everything on this bike is made in Italy, minus the Chris King headset and LOOK pedals.

I shoot a lot of nice bicycles, but this one made me nervous as we propped it up on the side of Diablo… See more in the Gallery and thanks to Garrett for thinking of me when it came to shooting this bike!

Early 90’s Colnago Master Columbus Gilco Tubing MTB

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Early 90’s Colnago Master Columbus Gilco Tubing MTB

The late 80’s and early 90’s saw a lot of serious shred sleds, many of which have become icons in the vintage MTB world. This is one of those icons, the early 90’s Colnago Master. These bikes were the epitome of Italian design and fabrication, notoriously behind the times when it came to tech – hence the chainstay mounted rear u-brake, but made with the same precision as their road-equivalence.

Using Columbus Gilco tubing and an arabesque seat tube cluster, the Masters are still some of the most iconic MTBs, over 20 years later.

The owner, Ray bought it off eBay, as is – sans the Campy QR, grips, pedals and computer. It’s immaculate and the details are just so wild, right down to the Shimano XT drivetrain, which is arguably better than the Italian counterpart… When I saw it atop of his caravan at the ATOC, I politely asked if I could photograph it.

Snow Peak and Muller: Stainless Steel Touring Bike

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Snow Peak and Muller: Stainless Steel Touring Bike

My favorite camping / outdoors company, Snow Peak has collaborated with Japanese frame builder Muller on a Reynolds 931 stainless light touring frame.

This S&S coupler frame is currently being offered in three build kits, either with Shimano Dura Ace / Di2 or Campagnolo Veloce and it comes ready to be loaded! This might be one of the most tricked-out light touring / camping bike collaborations to date.

See more details at Snow Peak and more photos below!