is this the most beautiful bike in the world?

[dellzeqq]

nothing to do with me - the link is a product of a google search

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13576662@N05/sets/72157604624998910

when new this would have been about £800. At the time I earnt about £100 a week. I have seen one in action (without those glorious brakes). The rider lost all feeling in his little fingers for two days afterwards.

this guy is clearly a bit of a collector

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13576662@N05/sets/72157613017061560/

 

[Globalti]

Eh? Some misguided folks might get a numb right arm I suppose but little fingers...?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

no. nice though, but i'd never go back to downtube shifters…

 

[Crackle]

Well I like it. It looks gorgeous and I've always liked those brakes, though I seem to recall they are not that good. It's all in the detail.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i remember the pros used those brakes a while back.

 

[wafflycat]

MrWC has a set of those very brakes lurking somewhere.

 

[dellzeqq]

I think Crackle's right. The pros had brakes to sell, but those Campag centrepulls really didn't stop you. Mind you, I remember Weinmann centrepulls (and the Korean copies) and they weren't too clever on Pyrennean descents...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13576662@N05/3229573534/in/set-72157613017061560/

there's a fantastically upright Pinarello in his collection. That, surely, must have been tough going on rough roads

 

[tyred]

'tis a beautiful bike.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

Really nice. It would make a lovely fixie!

 

[mickle]

There was a lot of resistance in the industry to oversized tubing even when it was proved to be more appropriate for frames constructed of aluniman. Alan and Vitus frames, both alu and carbon, were considered to be 'one season' frames due to their habit of failing at the lugs. They were light for their time but were soon blown out of the water by better technology from the likes of Cannondale, Klein, Spezzers Epic, LOOKs fine efforts and Giant's Cadex. Alen and Vitus never caught up. I rode an Alan Carbon mountain bike C1987. An utter, utter POS.

Back to the point; I cannot bring myself to like it because for me it represents an industrial-design and cycling culture cul-de-sac. Mountain bikes and the technological developments they ushered in rendered such bikes irrelevent.

And much as I hate to slag off Campag. Delta brakes suck.

It's nice though.

 

[tony_s]

nothing wrong with delta brakes if set up correctly. I use 'em on one of my bikes with no problems; I haven't any experience of campags latest "skellington" type calipers but they're not far behind the '06 records I have on my good bike for feel and brute power

 

[Smokin Joe]

On anything other than a little frame small diameter tubes now make a bike look like a garden gate with wheels.

They are nice to look at in the same way a Mk2 Cortina is, but I'd never want to ride one again.

 

[Keith Oates]

I agree with SM, nice to look at as a memory jogger but not one I'd want when there is much better around today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!