This week the Ghisallo rim wheelset was completed. Dan Lestrud, who built them, won't accept cash, so I need to buy him off with a fine bottle of liquor or two. They look great, ride sweet and are dead nuts true so far. The project is not complete. Next, I need to make brake pads out of wine corks. Just a short turn around the neighborhood trying to avoid braking left black marks on the rims.
There are some other small things - the brake hoods are Dia-Compe replacements for the Balillas, some nuts and bolts that have been replaced over the years. I may not replace them because they are part of the bicycle's story. The toe straps are cheap - made in China. I would like to find a pair of red Alfredo Bindas. They are available on eBay, but I haven't adjusted to their price yet. Just little things.
There are some other small things - the brake hoods are Dia-Compe replacements for the Balillas, some nuts and bolts that have been replaced over the years. I may not replace them because they are part of the bicycle's story. The toe straps are cheap - made in China. I would like to find a pair of red Alfredo Bindas. They are available on eBay, but I haven't adjusted to their price yet. Just little things. 
The front derailleur is not quite period correct. I believe Campagnolo marketed their first derailleur, the Gran Sport in '52 and likely the lefthand shifter setup at the same time. Regardless, it would have been a typical upgrade of the day (beats shifting greasy chains with fingers). It has the added benefit of acting as chain retainer, keeping the chain from jumping off the rings while shifting, which has proven to be a bit of an issue for me, being a novice Cambio Corsa operator.
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Early Brooks Team Professional with large, smooth
rivets. I have "butchered" it some, but to my eye I need to remove more leather from the bottom and under the nose. |
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Cambio Corsa drivetrain. A bad design solving a non-existent problem. Possibly its the quirkiness that has made them so bloody dear and expensive.
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Dogbone skewer. A reproduction. I have an
original, but it's on a shelf because of $$$.
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| Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleur |
13 comments:
That is sweet! Bet it is a blast to ride (once you get the cork brake pads).
I love it! The corked bottle on the handlebar cage takes the cake, though.
Bitchin!!! Leave the saddle alone.
That is a sweet ride.
Very Nice, Gunnar. Although you can make your own cork pads, doesn't Ghisallo offer their own? A year or so ago I almost bought a pair of these rims and I think factory pads and pad holders, along with special spoke nipples were part of the deal.
Got the nipples. I have a piece of 3/8" cork which I will cut to size and glue into the Balilla holders.
Those wheels were a good call, looking very special indeed.
Jonathon
Just a thought but you could always 'adapt' some natural cork pads for carbon tubs, they might be more durable. Something like these. Jonathon
http://www.zipp.com/accessories/detail.php?ID=147
Jonathon,
Thanks.
I could buy 4 bottles of wine, drink it and save the corks for the price of those Zipp pads.
Seriously, I have purchased a 3/8" x 12" x 12" sheet of compressed cork and I have a table saw. In a few minutes I could have a lifetime supply of cork pads.
Stick with "cardboards" when you go to the liquor store. The wine stays fresher. Besides, bottle corks are useless for brake pads after you put a cork screw through them...
I like the flat chunk of cork/band saw approach. My only question: is 3/8" thick enough?
All this would imply there is leftover wine. My approach is different. Buy better wine. And drink it.
The 3/8" is the width to fit my pad holders.
...firmly (FIRMLY) in the drink the wine/use the cork approach.
And, plus, where are the videos of you riding and shifting?
That is the largest hydraulic brake reservoir that I have ever seen. Did they really use such brakes in the day;)
Looking sweet!
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