Harry's Coney Island Velodrome Exhibit

TFG (that's TearsForGears) buddy and NY Bike Jumble founder Harry Schwartzman has spent years working museums, and is finally getting the opportunity to do a bike-related exhibit. His latest project is on the Coney Island Velodrome. It's set to open up on April 1, at the site of the Brooklyn Bike Jumble, the Old Stone House. (also the site of the original clubhouse for the Brooklyn Dodgers, for those of you who care about such things). Putting on an exhibit like this is a serious undertaking, and donations go a long way in helping to defray the associated costs. If you feel like you can spare a few dollars for whats sure to be a great exhibit, I know Harry would appreciate it. Click here for more info.

Road Bike Action August 1993 - Paris-Roubaix

58 days until Paris-Roubaix. You ready? I'm ALMOST ready...still have a little work to do...

Here's a little weekend reading, to get you in the mood - Road Bike Action's coverage of Paris-Roubaix 1993. Won by the previous year's winner, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle from the Gan team. With the success he had riding a Rock Shox fork the previous year, the peloton went a little suspension crazy, riding Rock Shox Paris-Roubaix's, suspension stems, and all sorts of other mad scientist style creations.

Merckx Teams 1989

ADR, Domex, La William, Teve Blad, 7-Eleven, Hitachi and Stuttgart. As its says, Kelme not included.

scan provided by 'J2000E'

VeloNews July 1994 - Rock Shox and Campagnolo

My scanner is really terrible at handling large format documents. It only fits up to legal size, so that made it a little hard to scan in this latest batch of stuff. I apologize for the crude re-piecing of the first page - hopefully everything is still readable without inducing a migraine.

It's pretty obvious I'm on an early 90's tech kick at the moment (and, I suppose, the last 4+ years of this blog). Some stuff survived this transitional period, some didn't. The scans below cover 2 items, one of which fizzled out, and one that talks about the comeback of Campagnolo. From the July 11, 1994 VeloNews, Maximizing use of your Rock Shox and Campagnolo: An Italian renaissance. Read on!

No, no, I'm not going to start talking about vintage MTB stuff. The Mag-21 IS almost identical internally to the Paris-Roubaix, however, and tuning is a pretty similar experience.

Little article on Campy's comeback as well...

Ready to tune your Paris-Roubaix now? Whaddya mean you don't have one?!

Sorry, the crappy scanner necessitated chopping the very top of Indurain's TT bike.

Rock Shox Paris-Roubaix EXPLOSION!

No, no, no...not an explosion involving a Paris-Roubaix fork. A exploded assembly view for said fork!

BTI's 1995 catalog contains diagrams for just about every suspension fork on the market at the time, including the Paris-Roubaix. Back then, you could use the diagram to order replacement parts. Now, you can use the diagram to lament that fact that you can't order replacement parts.

GPM scans

Poor, unloved Gipiemme. One of a handful of unloved Italian component makers (along with Ofmega, Galli, Regina, and probably a few others), who just didn't have the appeal of Campagnolo. Was their stuff bad? Nah - some of it was sourced from other vendors, like Simplex, that made some parts that people love. In their zeal to set themselves apart, however, GPM managed to churn out some seriously ugly groups in the mid-to-late 80's.

Chronosprint Aero

Chronosprint Aero. Probably their high-end group, perhaps alongside WHITE LASER (queue laser sounds).

White Laser

White Laser. I can only assume its named that because you want to burn out your retinas after seeing it, and a laser would make a fine tool with which to do that. Obviously an answer to Shimano's Sante group.

Chronospecial

Chronosprint Economy

Pista

Any GPM fans out there?

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?

Trade the violin for a nice bike, and I'll agree to that. I may not NEED anything else to be happy, but there are definitely a couple of items I really really WANT, that'll make me just a little happier. If you find yourself with any of the following items, and think you might want to sell or trade them, please let me know. Email address is in the about me box on the upper right!

Mavic 631/2 crank: Did you know there are two versions of the 631 crank? It's true! In 1994, the 631 was redesigned. It was relieved on the backside, to lighten it. The arms are boxier, and it'll take a smaller chainring in the outermost position. AWesomeness, and I can't find one! Whatever size, I am not a picky man.

1994 Campagnolo Ergopower shifters: Record OR Chorus. 1992 and 1993 brifters have metal bodies. 1994 is the year they switched to a plastic "carbon" body. The brake levers have no cutouts, and the area directly above the lever is screened 'CARBON' on the Records. Chorus have no marking. Yes, in this case, I am being stupidly picky.

Those are the two more difficult items. I'm always on the lookout for more 571 hubs or parts - can't have enough spare pawls, and I have a little project that requires some 36h shells...a silver Cinelli 101 stem in 100mm would also be nice, as would a nice set of Criterium bars. A single Mavic 451 brake, front or rear too!

Thanks for reading!

Post title is an Einstein quote. Pretty sharp guy! ;)