Saturday night I received very late notice about Sunday's "Central Indiana Bicycling Association Valentine's Day Bike Ride and Swap Meet". It's a long title, but at least it's easier to speel than Cirque du Cyclismsesems.
The swap began with a 14 mile tour in sub-freezing sunny weather. There were about 60 riders, including quite a few tandems. Since it was low-key and casual, I rode the Legnano with Vittoria shifter, figuring it is my most interesting bike.
Now remember, seeing such a bike would've caused me to strain my neck as I spun around for another look... imagine my disappointment when nobody gave the blue LegVit a second glance!
The swap was supposed to start at 1:00, but when I returned from the ride at 12:30, people were already carrying purchases back to their cars! Looked like these early bargains were mostly Spinergy/Rolf/Mavic wheels and year-old Ti frames.
I changed quickly and rushed inside, where about 50 vendors filled the rec center. Attendance was probably 300+ .
Paul from Recycled Cycle (St. Louis) was there, buying all the interesting bikes for resale on his website. I was too late to stop him buying a very nice 1983 Saronni-red Colnago Super with NR gruppo, my size. :::sigh:::
About 1/4 of the "for sale" items were MTB, new used or trashed. The rest was mostly 1985 or newer road equipment, along with a bit of track equipment. Lots of Ti stems, used team clothing, new clothing from last years tours, a LOT of used helmets, and remaining stock from at least three recently-defunct Indiana bike shops.
I found some treasures at the "Free Parts" table, including late-version Balilla brake levers with the clear copper hood covers in good condition, dirty-but-straight Lyotard 136R pedals with perfect dustcaps, very very very used CLB brake calipers, some very old unmarked steel quill pedals.
I bought 10 rolls of red Tressostar cloth tape, an old tube of Tubasti, Cinelli #65 2-crest handlebars in good condition, Campy record left crank arm 170mm "circle 3" with dust cap very good condition, NOS Campy Super Record 42t chainring, and 4 TA chainrings for Cyclotourist 5 pin 53t/47t & 46/26t in good condition. Total cost - $55.
Saw a Cinelli steel track stem (not the badged type) rusty and gouged, with a long line of impact dents on the extension, for $50! Watch for it on eBay this week.
Saw an Ideal/Rebour saddle with bolt-on tool bag loops, very used, for $20, and a Super Record crankset NR bb and late Super Record r der, all excellent condition, for $40.
A red Ross "Signature" (1982?) w/NR, very low miles and excellent condition, was a no sale at $800 o.b.o. It was too big for me.
I should have bought the De Rosa pantographed 53t, vgc, for $15... brain on idle.
I also should have bought the low-mileage white 1967 Atala ladies frameset with Campy NR shift levers and cable guides for $10... another brain lapse.
There aren't very many opportunities around here to buy the stuff that interests me, but this time it was (happily) worth the drive.
Aldo "the guy on the old blue bike with the weird shift lever" Ross