Well, Ohio's winter has finally ended, and sunny 35 degree weather gave me a chance to test ride the 1949 Wilier Triestina I've been working on all month.
The copper finish looks really pretty in sunlight, and the chrome absolutely glitters. The red tape and casings add even more fire to the appearance, and the whole bike screams "Ride Me!".
In truth, the framesize is too small for me (I normally ride a 53cm), and even the longest stem available is too short, so the bike is very cramped and uncomfortable. Combined with the extremely narrow bars, and it's almost impossible to find a reasonably comfortable riding position. But... it is my Dream Bike, so I'll just have to adapt to these little problems.
I had lots of problems with the wheels right from the beginning of assembly... the rims weren't straight, and I broke quite a few spokes during assembly. I thought I'd solved the problem, but unfortunately spokes started popping as soon as I got on the bike. I had to make several stops to repair both wheels.
Handling was barely adequate, as my weight was distributed so poorly on the small frame. The tires, though very thin, had a soft, soggy feel which made things even worse.
I found that the Cambio Corsa mechanism still isn't working correctly, so I had to move the chain by hand. I also found the chain to be very stiff, and tended to skip across the top of the teeth much of the time.
I was surprised by how easily the pedal spindles would bend, no matter how carefully I pedaled. Several times I had to stop to bend them back by hand.
Brakes were non-existent... I think I'll have to try a softer brake pad, as the existing pink pads are much too hard. The calipers are still very stiff as well, and the short brake levers don't provide much leverage.
The saddle looks alright, but I found it to be a little too soft, and the frame rails flexed excessively. I also had trouble keeping the seat clamp tight enough.
I noticed quite a bit of play in the hubs, but considering the other wheel-related problems, that's the least of my worries.
All-in-all it's a beautiful bike, but a very disappointing ride. I think from now on I'll just keep it over the fireplace.
Aldo Ross