My main reason for posting?  People always challenge me when I comment on how much I like the Thomson kit.  Look at them on this – the lines of the stem are perfect, and align beautifully with the top tube.  The seatpost is simple, uncluttered, not too heavy, not too pricey.  Both are timeless and really classy.

The bike needs new SRAM Red and Enve-Smart 6.7s (or even 3.4s), but it’s an otherwise lovely build.

More here.

What do YOU want to see?  What is missing on here?  Do you have any ideas that would make this a more interesting site to visit on a regular basis?

If you wouldn’t mind I’d like to ask for a few seconds of your time to pop over to my Facebook page, ‘Like’ it if you haven’t already and give me your thoughts on the poll I’ve put up.

There might be a prize involved if someone comes up with something good!

To explain my situation, I’ve reached a point where I am really enjoying running tubulars and even the gluing and hassle that goes with them (it appeals to the artisan in me). I also have one cheaper set of clinchers which aren’t worth selling but could easily be put to use if I needed to.  Selling the Lightweights will incur a nasty hit in terms of the percentage of their original price, but will equally return a decent sale price – useful when I’m not earning at present.

I took receipt of the Lightweights in December 2010 and couldn’t believe I had them in my possession – they were a custom order direct from Carbon-Sports because at the time the Black Edition logo finish was only available on a tubular wheel.

They were the only wheels I wanted to run on my dream bike given that at the time I was only prepared to run clinchers.  The only other wheelset that interested me was the Mad Fibers, which are only just now becoming available as clinchers over a year after the bike was built.  When the bike was finished the Lightweights were absolutely perfect for it, and probably still are.

The wheels weren’t put to use until the bike was completed in April 2011 – those four months were a long wait, and I was tempted on a few occasions to sneak them onto my Look just to see what they were like.  When they did eventually see some use though the states of panic I would get into was enough to send me loopy.  I wasn’t used to riding kit of this calibre and on the basis that I couldn’t afford to replace them if I broke them, I advertised them for sale.  I ‘met’ one of this site’s regular commenters through him contacting me to talk me down and persuade me to keep the wheels, which he successfully did (thanks David). Yet still on the Baum’s first really big ride – the Nove Colli in May 2011 – I decided not to run the Lightweights through fear of ruining them.

Now however I feel they have served their time for me.  Whilst they still look good on the Baum I have had enough use out of them (still only circa 3000km, mainly because of my poor motivation over recent times) to not feel the sting of losing what is likely to be around half of their original cost to me quite so badly.  There’s also the fact that I can replace them with something that’ll look very nearly as good and ride pretty much as well without having to spend the money these originally cost me.

What the bike wears most often will now be determined by which of my Baums I spend most time on – for now I’ll switch between the Ambrosios and the Mad Fibers on my Corretto, but when I’m able to collect my Ristretto I’ll run a set of wheels on each bike most of the time.  At the moment the Corretto will probably run the Mad Fibers as the Ambrosios were always intended to be training wheels and the Ristretto a training and racing bike.

Will I replace the Lightweights?  Possibly – but with a tubular wheelset along the lines of the Enve-Smart 3.4s, albeit with a non-standard hub choice.  Will I miss the Lightweights?  Maybe – until they’re gone I’m not sure.  Will I regret selling them?  No.  They’ve done what they were intended to do, and I’m happy to run the Mad Fibers for the moment and to try something else in the not-too-distant future.

The wheels will come complete with branded bag, matching accessories pouch, grey Lightweight brake pads (barely worn given they’ve done so little mileage), Lightweight skewers and probably a set of Vittoria Open Corsa SC skinwall tyres.  If you’re keen on taking them off me please get in touch.  I have a price in mind, but for now I’d prefer to stick to local collection from me in Sydney and payment in Australian Dollars.  If they don’t sell here then I’ll open them up to worldwide shipping (but I will expect the buyer to fund that!).

If you’re overseas and keen and simply must have them by all means drop me a line and we’ll talk.

• Frame: Pegoretti Marcelo Thelonious
• Forks: Edge 2.0
• Wheels: 3T Mercurio LTD 60
• Chainset: Super Record
• Levers: Super Record
• Bars: 3T Ergonova Black
• Stem: 3T Arx Pro Black
• Seatpost: Fizik Cyrano
• Saddle: Fizik Kurve Bull
• Front Mech: Super Record
• Rear Mech: Super Record
• Tyres: Challenge Criterium Seta Extra 22
• Brakes: Super Record
• Pedals: Look Keo 2 Max Carbon
• Bottle Cages: Arundel

Any other components worth a mention?:
Tune Bottle Cage Bolts (Gold), Deda Leather Bar Tape.

Tell me a bit about it:
Since my lady moved halfway around the world I figured it was time to find suitable companion for the summer. After staring at this Pegoretti Marcelo with the Thelonious paint scheme for the last year at the shop I made a move on it.

Incredibly stiff and razor sharp handling in a steel frame, still comes in just over 16 lbs, and has been the nicest of all the bikes I’ve ridden in the last few years.

As for changes I’d like the matching 3T post but it’s on back-order right now in Canada and I can wait. Thinking about the mandible cages instead of the stainless, but I sort of like how it ties in with the silver spokes on the Mercurios.

This ‘Thelonious’ was the same Marcelo paint scheme I was eyeing up too – simple and effective…  Sorry, back to the job in hand…

I’m afraid I can’t help but state outright:  What a nice build.  Really nicely executed.

Of the usual suspects the only real faux pas is the non-matching collar and cuffs – although having gone for the ‘stealth’ version of the 3T stem and with the similarly stealth finish of the Fizik Cyrano post it’s difficult to tell.  The Cyrano post is a lovely one too, but get the 3T one on there when you get the chance I reckon Paul.  Sure, the saddle rails aren’t black, but they’re also not a garish silver.  I also happen to know just how comfortable that saddle is so I don’t blame you for running it (although they’re all too wide on the nose for me).

Not everyone would choose the full-blown carbon-Ti version of the Super Record, but for me seeing that little red circle around the Ultra-Torque bolt hole is a less-than-subtle nod to the decision you’ve made to do exactly that.  I like that detail, and I think it gives a nice, gentle touch of colour to an otherwise black & white scheme.

The wheels on this might not be to everyone’s liking for a Pegoretti, but I’ve got to say with the Marcelo being the bike Dario builds as his race frame I don’t see why you shouldn’t run them.  They tie in nicely with the finishing kit and are Italian too.  Besides, I think you manage to bring them back in keeping with the classic lines of a Pegoretti by choosing to run the tan sidewall tyres.

For me the only thing crying out for change is that big ‘EDGE’ logo on the fork.  To have an otherwise entirely Italian build (headset aside, which looks like a Chris King) and then run this fork on it is a shame.  However, it does look better than the 3T fork, or a Deda for that matter.  Lose the logo and it’ll be a big improvement – but the ideal would be to get one of Dario’s new ‘Falz’ forks in black or white.

Otherwise, try the Mandible cages but I think it works nicely as it is.  Tidy bike, well done.

It’s an 8/10 – held back from a bigger score by that fork.  Get a Falz on there and you’re nudging a 9…

“I have been wondering all along – if you have your Corretto dream bike, why build a Ristretto?  How much does the Ristretto weigh?

I have been admiring your Baums and have also enquired about how to go about getting one myself.  The Baum proportions are just right, and I’ve got one on my wallpaper to push me to do the purchase.

What is the size/diameter of your head tube, down tube and top tube?  Did you get a hand in choosing the size, For proportioning? I know how you like your bikes to look aesthetically, hence the questions.”

Why the Ristretto? Well, more importantly – why not, quite frankly! The Corretto is my dream bike, but it’s not a bike that I want to use all the time so having the Ristretto will be the ideal companion.

I could have got any bike made to the same geometry as my Corretto, and this is pretty much exactly what I had in mind – approaching a smaller custom builder to replicate my Corretto to give me a cheaper custom build that would fit me in the same way, even if it didn’t ride as well.  But then Baum approached me about building the Ristretto as it was intended to be a show bike, and I couldn’t say no.

What does (or rather, what will) the Ristretto weigh? To be honest I have no idea and I’m not particularly interested either.  If it turns out to be 7kg I’ll be happy – and that’s not impossible with the MadFiber wheels only weighing 1050g, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being closer to 8kg, especially with my Ambrosio wheels on it.

Weight is not a priority or concern for me.  My Corretto is quite easily sub-7kg despite the ISP, Di2 and quite big Ti frame, but that’s purely a by-product of the quality of the components on it – all of which were chosen because of the primary objective that the bike would be my dream bike.

As for the proportions, they’re all down to how the geometry fits me and the sizing of the tubing Baum use.  The geometry is based on having had a number of bike fittings – something that you should very definitely have before you go into a custom frame (and in fact you should have regardless of whether or not you plan to go custom).  The tube proportions are all down to how Baum build the bike for you. On this basis the size of any of the tubes on my bikes is irrelevant because there’s a very good chance they won’t be the same for you.

By all means use my bikes as guidance for Baum, or whoever else might be your custom builder of choice – it might give them some useful information about how your finished bike might look.  Custom is the perfect option to get your own bike, and regardless of what anyone says about people not needing custom it is the only way to get the perfect bike for you – if you want it and can afford to do it I doubt you’ll ever be disappointed.  Baum and other bike builders like them are at the pinnacle of their craft and will build you the very best bike they are capable of.  The consequence that for me being that I’ll struggle to ever ride a better bike.

Go custom, but do it right.  My bike doesn’t have the proportions it has because I decided it would look good that way – that is how the bike best fits me, and that should ALWAYS be yours and your bike builder’s priority.

Meh, “just another Firefly 29er”, right?  Wrong.  Check out that anodising:

Yes, anodising.  I thought the single colour anodising was cool, but this takes the biscuit.

This makes me want an anodised Firefly road bike:  same anodising, Brooks bar tape and Swallow saddle in brown, silver Thomson bar & stem, brown Chris King components, skinwall Dugasts on Ambrosio Nemesis rims… *dribbles*…LUSH.

More pics below…

Lovely.

Now, can somebody else step up to the mark and give me something else to look at please?…

Also, readers please note there is a ‘FBL Submission‘ link up there ^^ that you can use to send me shots of tasty bikes you like.  I might not post them (please read and note the criteria), but I’ll certainly take a look!

• Frame: Colnago Superissimo 1990ish
• Forks: Colnago Precisa
• Wheels: Campagnolo Eurus
• Chainset: Campagnolo Centaur
• Levers: Campagnolo Athena 8/9spd – original NOS
• Bars: Deda RHM02 – white
• Stem: Deda zero 1 – white
• Seatpost: Velo Orange
• Saddle: Selle Italia Trans Am Flite
• Front Mech: Campagnolo Cantaur
• Rear Mech: Campagnolo Athena NOS 8spd
• Tyres: Schwalbe Durano
• Brakes: Campagnolo Athena
• Pedals: Shimano
• Bottle Cages: Tioga – I also have a set of VO moderniste cages

Any other components worth a mention?: Deda Colnago cork bar tape, Campagnolo Athena headset

Tell me a bit about it:
I bought this lovely machine on ebay with the intention of a rebuild. I got carried away and the only original part is the frame. It came with a lovely Cinelli bar and quill stem combo, the only problem it that it had been in a crash at some point and the alloy bars were bent in on the left drop. I straightened them, but it never felt right when riding. I decided to replace the bars and stem with a quill adapter to go with a more modern look stem and bars. I’m glad i did, because it changed the way it rides to a much more comfortable experience. Her name is “Cecilia” and she rides and climbs beautifully.

I’m concidering a slight change in the paintjob. I would appreciate your thoughts on this too. You can see the options at Felis Bike Art.

Some of you might remember Steve from before when he asked for my thoughts on his hand-painted frames – this is one of his own examples.

Following on from Chris’ Condor earlier in the week, the classic style of the bike possibly needs the same, slightly adjusted approach… or at least it would if it wasn’t for that stem switch.  You see, in switching that stem to something more modern you’re immediately bringing the ‘collar & cuffs’ back into play – switch the stem and the seatpost need an update too.  That’s not to say there’s anything particularly ‘wrong’ per se about the stem switch, but personally I’d have at least chosen something silver.

Otherwise there’s an all-round reasonable build going on here.  I think the silver rims match quite nicely, and the period-correct (ish) silver groupset works really nicely.  I’d like to see a set of the deeper section old school Campag aero rims on this as I think they’d set it off really nicely, but equally something really low profile would work too.  Again, I hate to say it but I’d like to see what a set of skinwall tyres does to the look of this bike – purely because I know it works well on this colouring.

I’m less keen on the saddle to be honest – it looks like a Flite replica with extra graphics?  I think a nice clean Flite 1990 saddle would look better, or perhaps a San Marco Regal, Turbo or a nice big Rolls sofa!  Those cages are nasty too – get the VO ones on there, or perhaps a set of nice, neat Blackburns.

I reckon it’s a 6/10 – nothing dazzling, but nothing awful either.

As for thoughts on the paint job Steve, I’m afraid to say I think you should revert to the original colouring as per the pic on the left below. Much as I like the ‘PR99′ style white scheme I’m a big fan of the original Colnago colour options and I think this bike would benefit from that!

Readers:  Head over to Steve’s site and see which of his paint options you’d like to see.  Comment back here – let’s see a straw poll!

I’m sat here with my bike propped up next to me, just as it was when I was going to swing a leg over it a couple of hours back. It’s currently wearing the Lightweight wheels I put on it when I first built it too – the wheels I always dreamt of owning, the exact wheels I knew I simply had to have when my ‘dream build’ became a reality. The apparent practicality of a clincher with an aero profile whilst being lighter than most low profile clinchers on the market (and a “how f?&kin’ much?!” price tag to match).

Yeah, and?

Well, frankly it’s a look that, after a couple of weeks of this bike wearing those lovely Ambrosio rims and skinwall tyres, struggles to excite me now.

It’s no news to any regular reader that I chop and change stuff like it’s going out of fashion. Nay, quicker than that even. But since the Tune cranks landed on my Baum the bike has stayed pretty much constant from the day it was built. Ok, I’ve thought about changing the brakes, but I can’t bring myself to lose my beloved EEs. I have changed the bar, stem and headset – but that was all down to my dodgy shoulder (although not the one I’ve tweaked this morning). And then of course there’s the saddle saga… but ultimately it’s been the most constant bike I’ve ever owned, and the ONLY bike I’ve owned for longer than a year.

I got the Ambrosios mainly because of a deal on the hubs that I simply couldn’t refuse. It seemed the right (well, cheapest) time to get some decent 32h classic wheels and I figured they’d be an awesome training wheel for Project Baum on days when I don’t want to use my MadFibers. I snuck them onto my Corretto because I couldn’t resist trying them out – especially given that Project Baum is delayed awaiting a chainset. They’ve hardly been off of the bike since. I can’t help but love the look of them, let alone hearing that Chris King buzz!

The Lightweights are back on the bike because I want to remind myself how much I like them. I want to remember how good they feel when they spin up as god damn fast as your legs will allow you to (and trust me, it feels flippin’ quick even if you’re not!). I want them to test me and make me think hard about putting the Ambrosios back on. That’ll hopefully help me rediscover the love, and that will then make me decide to stop being an idiot and keep them.

But what if they don’t? What if all of the above still applies, but it’s just not enough? Has the time come to move on?

I’ll worry about that once I’ve squeezed in that ‘reminder ride’, but the fact of the matter is I’ve ridden them enough now for the loss I’d make on them much easier to bear. They’ve served me well and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed riding them, but it’s a lot of wheel to have sat around not being used. If I feel the need for something light and aero on the bike I’ve got my MadFibers – hardly a bad alternative, and they still look damn good.

If the Lightweights no longer ‘do it for me’ then I think it is time for change…

But of course I could just be talking rubbish.

• Frame: Condor World Series
• Forks: As above
• Wheels: Harry Rowland’s Ambrosio
• Chainset: Athena
• Levers: Athena
• Bars: Nitto
• Stem: Nitto pearl
• Seatpost: Condor World Series
• Saddle: Brooks Swallow
• Front Mech: Athena
• Rear Mech: Athena
• Tyres: Michelin Pro3
• Brakes: Athena
• Pedals: Shimano 105
• Bottle Cages: VO Moderniste

Any other components worth a mention?:
Books bar tape, Nitto bar end plugs, emergency Mudguards (optional), KMC gold 11sp chain, sticker with my name on it (not cool)

Tell me a bit about it:
A Condor World series. I spent a lot of time waiting on parts for this. It finally came together though. In this photo it was 5am, waiting to start a ride from London to Bristol (hence the big tool roll containing essential spares). Made it in comfort, 130 miles in one day. My longest ever ride. Great time had. I love this bike. So much so that I hardly ride it. Maybe I should sell it and buy something I will ride…

You know what?  Excessive “never photograph your bike with that on” paraphernalia and nasty kitchen shot aside, I quite like this.

I think it might also be my first critique of a quill stemmed bike, and that’s making me address my approach a little.  I’m less inclined to fuss over the collar & cuffs approach as long as the component choice and style ties in.  And on this bike it does – pretty much across the board.

In this instance I’m inclined to think that stretching the use of silver components to the wheels is probably the right approach too.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not softening too much – I’d still like to see this bike with a fresh set of classic box-section tubular rims running some nice Dugast or FMB skinwall tubs, but it does work the way it is and it ties the bike together nicely.

The Athena groupset is the right approach for this frame unless you wanted to source an older silver group (which would involve a lot of time, hassle and expense).  Likewise the Brooks saddle and bartape work nicely.  Hell, even the tool roll doesn’t look too out of place!  A Brooks tool bag hanging off of the saddle loops would have been even better though.  Even the choice of the honey leather over the brown or black is a good one to my mind (although that bar tape needs to take on an aged appearance ASAP).

I’m trying to think what I’d do differently, and in truth there’s not much.  I would like to see what a set of skinwall tyres does to the appearance, but the black ones work fine too.  The fact that the Pro3s even lasted the 130 mile ride is another story – those things are more fragile than Vittorias!  The only other thing I can think might be worth trying is some tan-coloured Hudz for the levers, but even they might be overkill.

Trying to visualise this bike without all of the accessories and the distraction of the background is hard, and a real shame – hopefully Chris will take the time to remove the lights, mudguards, bottles, Garmin and tool wrap and let us see it against a plain backdrop?!  Until then the score is ruined I’m afraid.

As it stands it’s a 5/10 at best.  If we could see it clutter-free we could be looking at a solid 7.5/10, or perhaps more…

P.S.  Do get a Brooks tool bag for it – it will finish this bike so much better, and you’d even get away with photographing the bike with it on!

UPDATE:  This bike is now for sale – click here to see Chris’ eBay posting.  A pic of the bike de-cluttered is also shown below…

“35 years on tubulars and I’ve never seen one folded the way you did. Share with us the techniques, please?”

Ok, since I’ve been asked so many times – here you go:

1.  Stretch the tub out long and thin, but so that rubber is down and glue is up

2.  Pinch the non-valve end flat and fold over about the length of your little finger

3.  Now just continue rolling – make it really tight, and force the air out as you go

4.  When you get to the end of the roll just aim to be as tidy as possible with where the valve goes

5.  Finally, to help get the rolled tub as small as possible wrap it with some tape – squeeze as you wrap

All done!

Hope that helps for those who wanted to know.  For info, the tyre being used above is a Schwalbe Milano 22c tub.  It packs pretty small using this method meaning I can happily carry a ‘normal’ spare, rather than a featherweight 19c tub – although of course the latter will fold even smaller like this making it even easier to carry.

Unfortunately I have already had one tubular puncture in only a handful of rides on my new Ambrosio wheels, however I’m pretty sure it was down to low tyre pressures – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

In case of any doubt, I like running tubs so much already that I’m thinking about selling my Lightweight clinchers…