actually that is the smartest thing ever 
show us a picture of the new build?
i was sure that the wiggling of the rack would loosen the brake bolt, but only the m6 bolt i used to do basket to adaptor came loose. blue loctite was usually enough-ish. tight clearances to try to put a nut on the other side but i would just give the basket a wiggle now and then and it never got much past just barely finger loose.
Um, should I dyno the old Merkcx?
dyno everything
3 Likes
Of course. You have a question?
nah.
I mean, is it being built up as a road bike? then nah.
Are you turning it into a riser bar basket commuter? Then yeah, a dyno would be right, but also don’t do that to it.
Dynamo all the things, including race bikes
2 Likes
I stared into that abyss, but I’d rather keep my fast road bike as simple and unencumbered as possible.
I mostly ride it in the warm months with lots of sun, and I like having a bike that’s very close to what I’ve been riding for a few decades.
Other bikes may get 32mm tubeless tires, or wireless roboshifting, or elegantly planned dynamo setups, but I have a huge soft spot for road bikes that are essentially late 90’s tech.
I see what you mean, but still dynamo all the things.
2 Likes
Also nah. Get the B+M Ixon Space battery light.
Gonna convert my drop-bar Vaya to Jones Loop bars (and a longer stem). Sticking with SRAM Rival 1x11 but swapping the mechanical Rival levers for hydro SRAM Level brakes/levers. Watch the Marketplace topic for a package deal on the levers and Hayes calipers.
Anybody want some alloy nipples? I was cleaning out my bins and I’m never going to use these things. 14 and 15g, silver and black. Some are organized in little baggies and some are loose and will need to be sorted. It’s about 5oz of nipples, probably 200 total if not more. I just want $5 to cover shipping.
Found a tiny bike that had an almost complete Gipiemme group, including hubs laced to Fiamme hoops. Transferred parts to Merckx.
Now building Torpado for a friend. Internal routing through chainstay, shaped stays, Cinelli bb shell, SLX tubing
3 Likes
How is it being so tall and having downtube shifters?
Wait tell me more about this tiny bike
Why is this so expensive?
Before you go much further on that sweet Merckx you may want to check that those aren’t short reach brake levers.
Baby levers are definitely Dia Compe ‘compact’. Kind of similar size as 10 speed era campy.
Italian company that’s been around a long time. This is a 1984 Torpado Superlight, so it was their top end frame with SLX tubing. Bought it locally for a fair price as it had all the parts I wanted for the Merckx…this way I can keep hoarding my Saavedra bits for another dumb build. Tons of awesome details. Windos in the rear Campy dropouts, Cinelli bb shell and front dropouts, tons of chrome bits and pantographed logos. These ‘celeste’ aka turqouise frames were apparently the team frames.
Building it rival 10 speed with spare bits to get it rolling. Looking for a silver crankset and post down the line.
