Critical Massquerade this Friday

T.Whites Swapmeet, October 30th

More about the tandem

Everything you ever wanted to know:

Headset	Top: Campagnolo Veloce. Bottom: Ritchey Scuzzy Logic roller bearing
Bottom brackets	Campagnolo AC-H 111mm
Crankset	Suntour Superbe Pro. Front 175mm; rear 170mm
Brakes	Front: Scott Self Energising Cantilever Rear: Suntour XC Pro SE Cantilever
Brake levers	Campagnolo Chorus Ergopower 10 speed
Front derailler	Campagnolo Centaur
Rear derailler	Campagnolo Chorus with J-Tek Shiftmate
Hubs	Front: Phil Wood Tandem 36h. Rear: Shimano Ultegra 36h
Rims	Campagnolo Omicron
Cluster	SRAM PG 970 12-26
Tyres	Continental GP 4 Season 700 x 28
Saddle	Front: Brooks Swallow Rear: Specialized
Seatpost	Front: TTT. Rear: Kalloy
Stem	Front: Salsa 14cm Easton Vice
Handlebars	Front: Mavic 350 44cm Rear: Charge Slice bullhorn
Handlebar tape	Fizik Microtex
 

First outing on the 'new' tandem

Occasionally I pine for Ergopower shiftlevers on one of my road bikes, but not being even a faux-racer, I don't feel the need often enough to spend the money.
On the tandem, its a different kettle of cod- after today's shakedown ride I don't think I could use anything else on the tandem again.

Resplendent in new Revolution Bicycles merino jerseys, Gayle and I took the Bob Jackson for shakedown ride around the Mangere shitponds loop this morning.

Overall, it feels a lot like Worrall's Bob Jackson which we rode earlier this year, but the improved gear shifting makes it a lot easier to ride.

The friction shifting on Worrall's bike is surprisingly good, but it is still frustratingly easy to miss a shift on a climb and lose momentum.

No such problem with the Ergopower shifters - early in the ride we floated up short climbs in easy gears, later on we were attacking them out of the saddle and shifting up as we started to spin out.



The self-energising cantilever brakes were a revelation too.
I had the same brakes on the bike in the early 90's but remembered the front Scott SE as grabby and prone to juddering.
Today, fitted with KoolStop salmon pads, they were smooth and powerful enough that I am lucky that Gayle's teeth are not embeded in my spine.

I am looking forward to lots of fun and mischief on this bike.

At last, my preciousss

Friday morning, a month and two days after I had paid for it, and seven years after I started looking for one, I collected the Ritchey frame from NZ Post at Mangere Airport.
It had apparently been there for two weeks, and might have lingered longer had I not availed myself of NZ Post's online Customer Enquiry Form.

Friday evening I set to work.
When building a new bike, I like to get my position sorted first, so I plugged in a dummy headset and fitted a seat and seatpost, and handlebar and stem.
The frame is a 62, 1cm larger than advertised, so with the seat at the correct height there is only a fistful of seatpost showing.
The 56.5cm toptube is extremely short for such a large frame so I didn't have to think twice about using a 15cm Salsa stem that was on standby for the tandem.

With the ergonomics sorted, I installed a Greatest Hits selection  of 70s and 80s Suntour that I had been fettling while the frame was in transit.

A set of 70s Cyclone deraillers came from CTB, the rest is Superbe ranging from 1978 to 83.

 I had built a set of Araya 20A clincher rims onto Superbe RH-1000 small flange hubs, but the 122mm rear dropout spacing is  narrower than I was expecting so my old faithful 36h tubular wheels were pressed into service.
With Clement Campionato del Mundo tubulars it is impossible to dislike a bike with these wheels.

Saturday morning, I wrapped the bars with white Fizik Microtex tape, soldered the cable ends and set out for a test ride.
Needless to say, it rained.

MORE PHOTOS

Headset	Cane Creek 100 Classic
Bottom bracket	Sugino Mighty
Crankset	Suntour Superbe Cw-1000 175mm, TA 41 & SR Royal 53
Pedals	Suntour Superbe Pro track PL-2000, with Christophe aluminium toeclips
Brakes	Suntour Superbe CB-4000 standard reach
Brake levers	Suntour Superbe CB-3200
Shiftlevers	Suntour Superbe Pro LD-3250 power ratchet
Front derailler	Suntour Cyclone FD-1300
Rear derailler	Suntour Cyclone RD-1700
Hubs	Campagnolo Record, wide flange 36h
Front rim	Fiamme Ergal
Rear rim	Mavic Monthlery Legere
Freewheel	Suntour Ultra 6, 14-24 or 14-26
Saddle	Ideale 2002 Titanium
Seatpost	SR Royal ESL 27.2mm
Stem	Salsa 15cm
Handlebars	Nitto 185 44cm
Handlebar tape	Fizik Microtex

The Ritchey is here

Collected this morning from the NZ Post depot at Auckland International airport.