This is the bike I have used for most of my brevets and for PBP (twice) and RM1200, as it was set up for PBP 2003. It is a 1989 Trek 420 sport touring bike. The frame, made with True Temper RC tubing, and Tange Cro-Mo fork are original but all other components have, at various points in its many years on road, been upgraded. Nearly all components are now Campagnolo: the rear hub and drive train are 9-speed Veloce long-cage with Ergo levers, with 30-40-50 chainset and 13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26 cassette. Front and rear brakes are older model Nuevo Record calipers. The front hub was a Shimano HB-NX30 generator, powering a 2.4W halogen bulb in a Lunotec headlight, and 0.6W bulb in a Union taillight.
Close
ups of hub generator (left), and Sidetrak with bell and mount for
Cateye (right). Also visible is the Lumotec headlight.
I used a Sidetrak bar to to mount a Cateye Micro HL500 II (secondary lighting) and an old-fashioned styled clapper bell. Rims are two different vintages of 36H Mavic MA 40, with DT straight guage stainless steel spokes. Pedals are Look. Bar and stem are Cinelli. A set of narrow Esge gold mudguards and Blackburn rear rack finish it off. Currently with a honey-colour Brook Team Pro saddle. At the end of 2005 I replaced the hub generator with a newer 3N72 Shimano hub generator and replaced the Cineli stem and bars for a Nitto Technomic and Nitto bars and replaced the Esge mudguards with a set of Planet Bike narrow Freddies and updated taillight with B&M securelite LED light.
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This was a more recent acquisition. I've used this bike mostly for fast short rides, but also used it for a 200km brevet in 2001 and a couple in 2002. I bought it as a frame, already painted yellow, with chromed fork. It also came with a Suntour cartidge BB. I have no idea what year or model of Colnago frame this is (possibly early 1980's??), but it rides beautifully. Components are again nearly all Campagnolo, with Veloce 9-speed Ergo levers, front and rear hubs. Front chainset is a 53-42 older model Nuevo Record , with a 13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26 cassette. Brake calipers are newer vintage Nuevo Record single pivot calipers. Pedals are Look PP247. Bar and stem are Cinelli mated to a very smooth Primax roller bearing headset.. Saddle is a Selle Italia Turbomatic II. Wheels are built with Ambrosio Excellence rims.
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I built this bike in the late fall of 2002 from an old Dawes Galaxy frame, likely 1970's era (see Fixed Bike Project for full details). Specs are a mixed bag of components I had on hand, plus a few I bought. In 2003 I rode this bike on all early season rides, and completed three 200km brevets, a 300km brevet and a fleche. For the fleche I temporarily mounted a Lumotec headlight to the left fork, and wired it the the borrowed front wheel of the Trek. For much of that year I also used it as a commuter. In the winter of 2004 I took the frame to Bicycle Specialties to have two sets of bottle mounts and a pump peg, and had the frame repainted British Racing green. I later acquired a set of metalic green Bluemel fenders. Currenty components now include Brooks B17 Champion Special saddle, 32HSuntour X9000 front and 32H Miche Primato rear hubs laced to MA2 32H rims with 14/15G double-butted spokes. I had to replace the Blumel mudguards with more durable black Esge, and updated the brakes to centre-pull but otherwise it remains pretty much as pictured.
I ordered this bike from Bicycle Specialties in 2002 and received in the summer of 2003 (see "Mariposa Touring Bike" page for details about the bike). Although ordered as purely a touring bike, I've used it for a number of 200km and 300km brevets, and in 2004, a 1000km brevet. It is traditional, French-style touring bike with some modern features, particularly the shifters integrated into the brake levers. (Return to top of page)