Re: [CR]Palo Alto Bike

(Example: Framebuilders:Tubing)

Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 08:15:33 -0700
From: "Marc Boral" <mbikealive@earthlink.net>
To: Eric Elman <tr4play@home.com>
Cc: Classicrendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]Palo Alto Bike
References: <OE68SUc9LNYbDwMWbNs00010c2d@hotmail.com> <002f01c0e5e2$84a5c580$3004b418@enfld1.ct.home.com>


Interestingly enough, of all the hundreds of bikes in my collection, I ride only 3. Of the 3, my favorite bike is a Palo Alto. It's not because it is an outstanding frame, it's because of the type of bike it has now become. It is an early '80s Palo Alto touring frameset. By the way, the early '80s framesets were not made here in the US. They were Italian Imports, quite nice too (columbus SL, lots of chrome/cutouts/engraving). To this day, I still don't know who built them. Anyway, I bought the used Palo bike to cannibalize the NR gruppo that it was built with. I really had no desire to have an Italian house brand in my collection. But then I decided to make a project out of it. I outfitted it with NOS Suntour XC Pro, Shimano XT, mtb bars/stem, cyclocross tires, and a lot of other high end components I had at my disposal. I then added a 700c suspension fork. Viola!, a high end hybrid w/a somewhat vintage Italian frame. It is so fun to ride. Hopping cubs, pedaling through grass, dirt, water, and outfitted w/some super powerful halogen lights for night riding........you get the picture. I really recommend you guys think about converting any not-so-desireable road/touring frame, into a 700c front suspension hybrid.

PS: There were a lot of technical hurdles in converting the frameset to accept all the components I chose. So, now that I think about it, I wouldn't recommend this conversion unless you have above average bike mechanical skills.

Marc Boral

Eric Elman wrote:
> Aldo,
>
> My 1977/1978 Palo Alto catalog has two pages at the back of the catalog
> dedicated to their frames. In their verbage, they describe all the
> difficulties of ordering and buying a custom frame from EU. Then they go on
> to describe how they have setup a frame building shop in Palo Alto. They
> say that Tom Ritchey supervises otther "qualified professional frame
> builders." They made the frames in road and touring models, 7 sizes each
> from 19" to 25". The frames would be made in advance, then you would order
> your custom braze-on features and paint color. They would add the braze
> ons, paint to your color spec (9 choices of Du Pont Imron) and send her out
> to you. They would also do special order frames. All were built with
> Reynolds 531DB, Campy drop-outs, Prugnat lugs (on lugged frames - lugless
> was available too), round-oval-round chainstays. Lugged frames had a
> semi-flat fork crown, lugless a sloping crown. Lugged frames were silver
> soldered. There is also a chart showing specs for each of the standard
> frame sizes. Pricing was $250 for touring or racing. There is no chrome to
> be seen on these frames. Special order frames had an upcharge of $35 up to
> 25" and $65 for frames 25-28(wow!). The braze-ons had a price list to go
> with each also. There is no mention of them selling complete bikes. The
> only decals on the frames pictured are "PAB" on a diaginal slant on the
> headtube - I don't even see Reynolds decals on them! My 1976 catalog does
> not list frames so I assume they first became available in 1977/78.
>
> Hope that's helpful.
>
> Eric Elman
> Hoping to ride today - finally some sun in rain drenched Somers, CT
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: THOMAS ADAMS <KCTOMMY@msn.com>
> To: Classicrendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2001 8:28 AM
> Subject: [CR]Palo Alto Bike
>
> Saw something odd on eBay, a Palo Alto Bicycle. Picture is terrible. I
> know the Palo Alto name as a high end catalog/shop seller in the late 70's
> early 80's from the Bay Area, but I don't recall them selling bicycles under
> their label. Does anyone have info on the Palo Alto frames?
> http://ebay.com/<blah>
> relation to seller.
>
> Tom Adams, Kansas City (No I don't need another bike, no, I don't need
> another ---)