Hi all,
I added a few more photos of the finished product: http://www.flickr.com/
Finally, after cold & precipitation & salt kept me from taking this lovely bike outdoors for many weeks, I got to really ride it yesterday. I sure feel dumb. The frame is marvellous: rock solid & precise. The wheels I built, however, are way too stiff! N.R. high flange hubs, three crossed laced with modestly priced Hutchinson tubulars. I figured the additional stiffness would help, since the Cinelli is a little longer & taller than my regular rides. Not too swift! Every lump in the pavement darn near rattled my teeth out. Came home, swapped them for a pair of small flange, four crossed laced wheels with comparable tires & rims and went out again, not expecting much. What a difference! Way more comfortable, with no loss of precision or change of steering feel. After an hour, my butt reminded me why I swapped the Unicanitor for an Avocet on my Olympia many years ago. It sure is pretty, and graceful, and I don't slip around on its classy suede, but boy, it
doesn't cosset my bony behind! Feels kind of like this: http://www.flickr.com/
So, you guys who know Cinellis & wheels: will it help much to go to 4 crossed on the high flange hubs, or are small flange hubs the way to go? The HF wheels are beyond beautiful, but no fun to ride.
Michael Shiffer
EuroMeccanica, Inc.
114 Pearl Street
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
(914) 668-1300
euromeccanicany.com