I built my first ultralight bike in 1978, so I guess it is in the CR time frame. Here is what I built:
Frame: CA Freeman ( built by my brother while at MIT, a la Klein) Fork: Davidson 531 SL Headset: Edco alloy ( they had just come out, and I got it from England in 6 days) BB: Trick! A Teledyne spindle with the races milled off, with sealed bearings pressed into the frame and onto the spindle. With Arnold alloy bolts. Cranks: Campagnolo Stem and bars: Sakae Ringyo Super Light (can't remember the model name) tape: Benotto Brakes: Galli Ti Housing: CLB alloy shifters and derailleurs: Suntour Cyclone Hubs: Phil Wood, with Pino skewers Rims: Rigida 13-19 clinchers, 36 hole, with 15g spokes Tires: Sekai Deluxe 700 x 25 (remember that was like a 20 now) Tubes: Clement latex Freewheel: Suntour alloy 6 speed Chain: Sedisport Post: Selle Italia Superleggero (like Avocet) Seat: Selle Italia Speciallissimo Titanio (curiously not titanium but tubular steel rails) Pedals: Cool! East Rochester Tool and Die with titanium spindles Clips: Cinelli alloy, with binda straps Cage: TA alloy Bike weighed an honest 18 lbs. With clinchers! I raced and rode that bike for several years and eventually gave it to my brother who had built the frame. He still has it hanging in his garage in NH now. I remember it was so stiff and light that the rear wheel would skip back and forth when I got out of the saddle to sprint.
Now my favorite rims are Fiamme Ergal (aka yellow labels). Those with 14-17 spokes (14-15 on drive side) are super light. That bike would have weighed 16-17 lbs with those wheels and some nice Criterium Super Seta Extras.
I have a couple 40 hole Ergals by the way and am LOOKING FOR SOME 32s TO GO WITH IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANY. For those old brit bikes that need em. I have a set of Campy road and track hubs now patiently waiting for them. Have some Nisis I can use but would prefer to have them match.
Have built up a couple of more modern SL bikes starting with a lugged steel Davidson in 1991 at 15 1/2 lbs with minimal silly stuff on it. Very ridable and I took it on a couple of week long tours. And this year I put together a 1974 Teledyne with the above mentioned Yellow labels and all period lightweight Campy stuff, and no silly stuff, coming in at 17 1/2 lbs. Still looking for that first gen SR rear derailleur for it that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Anyone need some frame or paint work they would trade for one?
Bob Freeman
Seattle