Re: [CR]The Crit Bike

(Example: Events:Eroica)

From: "Robert Clair" <r.clair@cox.net>
To: "devotion finesse" <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>, "CR discussion list" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <BLU113-W22F6914ABA78A811322D1AF5300@phx.gbl>
Subject: Re: [CR]The Crit Bike
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:13:45 -0500
reply-type=original

... gary klein used to race (back in the day) criteriums with an alum frame (he only did the one version back then) that had what i would say mildly is a long touring wheel base, etc, with two eyelets on the rear fork dropout plates, with enough room for fenders and a rack. a decent steel touring fork with eyelets too. was also a bit successfull for a bit as i recall.

... anyway, move along folks, there's nothing else to see here.

robert clair
alexandria, va 22308


----- Original Message -----
From: devotion finesse
To: CR discussion list
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 11:57 PM
Subject: [CR]The Crit Bike



>
> For reasons unbeknownst to me, I have an increasing interest in The Crite
> rium Bicycle. Perhaps it is because of the small build details that often
> differentiate a criterium racer from the average all-around road racing
> bic
> ycle. Much like the time trial bike, the crit bike seems to be purpose-b
> uilt, often with small bits of ingenuity and invention born from the need
> s of racers engaged in a very particular or specific practice.
> While I see plenty of "period" builds or restorations, race-specific rest
> orations seem a bit less common.
> But I am endlessly fascinated by creativity with things such as cable
> routi
> ng, lever placement, drillium, curved shift levers, etc. (Weigle's
> white '73 Time Trial machine is an all-time favorite of mine.)
> Just for fun, I have decided to build my current project as a period crit
> -specific bike...Partially because when I received the frame, it had been
> re-painted, braze-ons had been added and I have thus been (temporarily)
> liberated from the responsibility to build it as a "period correct"
> restora
> tion. My long term plan is to have the frame restored to it's early 70's
> g
> lory... but given my current financial status, I also created another cha
> llenge for myself: Build this bike with as many on-hand parts as possible.
> I just so happened to have a pair of Cinelli Criterium bars, NR levers w
> ith "shield logo" gum hoods, Campy bar-cons, a 7-speed wheelset with lo
> w flange NR hubs laced to gray annodized Nisi Mixers (which I will be
> re-sp
> acing to a 5-speed) and a bunch of other Nuovo Record bits...
> So I will attempt to build what I call a "late 70's/early 80's take on the
> refurbishment of an early 70's race bike."
> I am hoping The List can suggest some build details that might be worth
> con
> sidering as I set up my first criterium style bike.
> I have seen pics of bikes with a single ring in front and a bar-end
> shifter
> for the rear cluster (a corn cob, I'd imagine). I have seen bikes with
> two bar ends...Or a downtube shifter for the front and a bar-end for the
> re
> ar.
> What other sorts of details made a bike a quintessential "crit bike"?
> 165mm
> cranks to enable pedaling through corners? Where the bars typically shorte
> ned the same way track bars were? I'd imagine this would be the case, esp
> ecially if barcons were used...
> Any help or pics of similar builds is appreciated. As is a pair of
> nutted/
> non-recessed Nuovo Record brake calipers.
>
> Matthew Bowne
> Brooklyn, New York
>
>
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