Again in 2018, in my official capability because the Basic Cycle Outdated Crap Check Pilot, I spent a while on a 1950 Drysdale Particular:
I used to be reminiscing about that bike not too long ago, and observed the next within the aforelinked publish:
Now, six years later, the retrogrouch virus has contaminated my mind and all of my street bikes at present have friction downtube shifters. Granted, being a tinkerer, I’m liable to return to built-in shifters on at the least considered one of them at any time. Additionally, two of them have Rivendell Silver downtube shifters with in any other case trendy drivetrains, a setup that doesn’t do the entire “clackety-clack” factor in any respect. (In truth it’s in all probability the smoothest-shifting mechanical system it’s potential to have.) However what’s at present my fanciest street bike does have such a drivetrain:
I’d by no means insult anybody’s intelligence by saying a Campagnolo Tremendous Document drivetrain from 1982 works higher than even an “entry stage” drivetrain at the moment. However I’ll say that as somebody who largely rides alone and now not races, quick, straightforward, and correct shifting doesn’t actually matter a lot to me anymore. I wish to be snug, and on a street bike I wish to really feel like I can go as quick as I need, and the Cervino meets each these standards. However I don’t actually thoughts clunky gear modifications and even not with the ability to shift below load; in actual fact having to suppose extra about shifts is a part of the enjoyable. If I have been racing or collaborating within the huge group experience each weekend that might be one thing else and it might actually suck. However when it’s simply me, manning the rigging of this previous ship is sort of gratifying–a lot in order that the Cervino is now my flagship street bike, a place as soon as held by the now-departed Litespeed:
And sure, a part of the enjoyable of the Cervino is just that it’s previous. Once I received my first Dura Ace bike in fact I cherished how nice the elements labored, however a part of the thrill was that I used to be utilizing the very same stuff as the professionals. However now that the professionals are lower than half my age and I’m nearly actually by no means race once more I don’t get that sense of pleasure anymore; as a substitute I get a kick how an previous bike transports you to a different period, like while you stroll down a type of previous streets in Greenwich Village that appears precisely prefer it did again within the nineteenth century aside from all of the automobiles and douchebags. The pursuit of nostalgia could be an costly and time-consuming enterprise, as any proprietor of a classic vehicle or previous home will in all probability inform you. However the beauty of bikes is that that the classics are simply as straightforward to take care of (and typically even simpler to take care of) than their trendy counterparts, and even an costly one is often a lot lower than a pro-level bike at the moment. The one actual inconvenience in proudly owning one is having to achieve all the way down to shift, however even that has its charms, and there’s one thing to be mentioned for hitting a descent, getting within the drops, and upshifting your rear derailleur together with your proper knee.
One thing else I discover compelling about each the Cervino and the Drysdale is how related they’re regardless of the distinction of their ages. The Drysdale was from 1950, and Cervino is from 1982. That’s a distinction of 32 years, and but to the untrained eye they appear nearly like contemporaries. In the meantime, right here’s what a motorbike that’s 32 years youthful than the Cervino appears like:
And this already appears previous in comparison with a motorbike from 2024, because it nonetheless has rim brakes. This isn’t me writing some pretentious “Bike have change into soulless and have misplaced their method!” screed (nicely at the least not at the moment), however as somebody who loves street bike it’s satisfying to experience one which embodies such a protracted custom, and that comes from simply earlier than the time that street bikes began altering actually, actually rapidly.
Talking of rim brakes, even individuals who like them usually see stuff like uncovered cables and single-pivot calipers and say “No, thanks:”
However I’ve grown to essentially recognize them, and it’s not simply because I’m deeply pretentious:
No, it’s due to some observations Jobst Brandt made about them, which I’ve talked about earlier than:
Sure, they require a bit extra hand energy than their trendy counterparts. However the pads are a lot thicker, they’ve far more rim clearance, the pads don’t change their relative place to the rim as they put on, and, because the previous über-curmudgeon put it, they are going to “observe a wobbly wheel:”
Much less defensible are the toe clips, that are largely simply pretentious:
Although I do discover the Avocet bowling footwear (patented by none apart from Jobst Brandt, because it occurs) to be exceedingly snug, a lot in order that they make the silliness of the toe clips value it:
The molded-in slots present simply sufficient engagement with the pedal to truly imply one thing, but even with the strap cinched down it’s not an issue to get your foot out of the pedal for those who’re not capable of attain down and loosen it:
I doubt we’ll ever see anyone resurrect the walkable quill pedal-specific biking shoe (in actual fact it’s arduous to think about a dumber marketing strategy), so I could have to begin hoarding them. The excellent news is that most individuals are good sufficient to not hassle with any of these things, so pristine specimens like these go low-cost:
[From some used crap site somewhere.]
Sadly that pair isn’t my dimension.
Whereas a part of the attraction of the Cervino is its timeless simplicity, it was arguably a gimmicky bike for its time. Contemplate for instance the top-mounted shifters, which require the cables to be routed by way of the body, which means I’ll should take away the crank when it’s time to vary them:
However, they’ve change into considered one of my favourite issues in regards to the Cervino, since they make it really easy to shift each with the identical hand, and actually I recognize the configuration a lot I discover myself lacking it on my different bikes. Changing these with Silver shifters would in all probability be the last word in downtube friction bliss, however I’m far too pretentious to interrupt up the classic Campagnolo elements.
Then there are the tubular tires, that are arguably much more pointless than toe clips. Perhaps so, however I’ve received 36 (depend ’em!) spokes and an excellent old school non-machined rim to make up for it:
If you concentrate on it, machined sidewalls have been fully ridiculous. Mainly, they floor away materials you wanted so that you just wouldn’t have to attend to your brakes to mattress in, and so your new rim would look all shiny. Sure, you’ll be able to nonetheless get non-machined rims, however that’s solely so you’ll be able to have strong colours in your fixie (or disc brake bike):
Bikes: one of many few markets through which much less prices you extra.
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