Shimano SM-SH70 shoe cleats

These SM-SH70 cleats are the "fixed mode" cleats for Dura Ace road SPD pedals PD-7410.
The "fixed cleats" can be recognized by the 2 concentric circles on the cleats, the "float" cleats SM-SH71 have arrows instead.
The metal bridge with the 2 plastic parts, called "pontoons", must be used.
Road shoes don't have space for recessed cleats in the shoe tread (compared with touring or MTB shoes).
The pontoons enable for more or less safe walking (don't over estimate this) and give extra support or contact surface (stability) when the shoes and cleats have been clicked into the pedals.





Shimano Dura Ace track sprocket

Received today, this aluminium 16 teeth 1/2x1/8" wide track sprocket.
SS-7500.
Production code EJ = October 1980.
NJS stamped.
According to catalogue, only 18 grams.




Martelly track

New track bike project!
Martelly (Martens, Belgium) track frame with Dura Ace 10 components.
The frame is too small, so it has to go (edit 29. Mar. 2016: sold).
Most probably I will keep the components and will build my second bike with such a group set.
I'll trade the Campagnolo front hub or front wheel against a Dura Ace one and found a correct BB set already.
A Dura Ace headset would be nice, but this Hattaswan will also do.

Power pedals

It took me a couple of years, but finally I got them!
Most probably not for riding, but great stuff for my collection, for exhibitions, this blog and to share it with everybody. Power pedals from 1995, designed (and perhaps also made) in Norway.
The unique thing about these pedals is, that there is a clutch in each pedals, that makes that the pedal axle can only rotate in one direction.
Quote of the owners manual:
"Using shoes with stiff sole, the lever arm will increase with the length of the shoes on the backstroke".
More and different muscles are used, thus less fatigue.
Very good, practical point is, that the cleats are compatible with shoes with Look as well as Time (Speedplay) hole patterns.
Disadvantage: very heavy, despite magnesium pedal body and titanium axle. "



Selle San Marco Concor Profil saddle (II)


And another one!
This time red, new old stock.
Apart from the colour and the style of the Concor plate at the back, same as this one.





Arius Special Saddle Quilted

Similar saddle as the Special Gran Carrera, but extra padding. The connection of the rails to the nose of the saddle is slightly different. Also this one, I've dyed black and put it on my Superia Track bike.

Arius Special Gran Carrera saddle

The cheaper, Spanish brother or sister of the Cinelli Unicanitor saddle. Almost no difference, but more affordable and less image and glory. Absolutely nothing wrong with this saddle. It was and is available at lower cost than the Italian counterpart, thus specced on a lot of road bikes with a price tag that was much friendlier. I've dyed it black and put it on my Superia Gemini Cross CX bike.

Selle San Marco Concor Profil saddle

The Selle San Marco Concor Profil is the "aerodynamic" version of the Concor Supercorsa saddle.
The front part is covered with a plastic streamline, leather finished and decorated with some brass coloured accents.
It feels like every other Concor and if there is any aerodynamic advantage is the question. Maybe for a world class athlete, but certainly not for me.
But is was simple a saddle that absolutely had to top a time trial bike in the early 1980s.
These Profil saddles are a lot more rare than Supercorsa and Confort, certainly if you want one in good condition. It's because for most people an Aero saddle didn't make a lot of sense, so the quantity produced and sold is a lot lower than the regular models. And, besides the common problems of all saddles (ripped and torn covers, scratched or damaged edges), many Profile saddles have lost or damaged the brass "Profil" letters and the center rail.
The ones that are okay, especially the new ones, are terribly expensive.
I was so lucky to put my hands on this saddle, that I found on the Italian Ebay page. It was affordable and in excellent condition.
Absolutely a very nice extension to my collection.

Amstel bier team jersey and pull

When I started my first vintage bike project, it turned out to be an ALAN track bike. I was inspired by Jos Lammertink, who became Dutch national pursuit champion (amateurs) in 1979.
Jos, a tall and strong guy, won the nationals and did pretty well on the worlds, too. This all despite his Alan bike. Also on the road (and probably offroad in CX) he rode Alan bikes, because the Alan importer (Piet Rentmeester) was bike supplier of the legendary Amstel bier (beer) amateur cycling team.

I ride my Alan track bike already several years now, but I was never abl to put my hands on an Amstel team jersey. This was my dream since I finished the build of the bike.
2 weeks ago I suddenly got the opportunity to buy a short sleeved race jersey (it is said that is was owned by team rider Marcel Arntz) and a long sleeved, knitted pull as well.

Team Gazelle - Vredestein 1984

Gezelle - Vredestein team with Frank Moons, riding Gazelle AA-Special.

Gazelle AA-Special

Finally I've picked up this project again and I hope that I can ride this bike this week. This 1984 - 1985 Gazelle AA-Special teambike will be built up as much as possible with original components or something that comes very close.
The frame set once belonged to Frank Moons, in 1984 and 1985 team member of the Dutch Gazelle Vredestein amateur team and one of the best racers back then.
It's a classic Reynolds 531c frame in a (for Gazelle Standards) luxurious version with internal brake cable, braze-ons for front derailleur and double bottle cages, number plate holder and chrome plated dropouts, right hand chain stay and (special!) front mech boss.
The frame still has its old colour scheme with team colours Gazelle Blue 15 with Ivory 81 seat tube panel. Someone tried to remove Frank's name, that was written on the top tube and protected with clear coat, but the text can still be recognised and read. The bike will be assembled with Campagnolo Record and some Super Record parts, San Marco Rolls saddle, Cinelli bars and stem, nearly matching the 1980s team spec. Tubular wheels with SSC rims and Clément Criterium (with or without Vredestein label) would have been nice, but so impractical to ride. I have to settle for Record hubs, Mavic MA2 silver rims and Michelin Dynamic Classic or Veloflex Master 23 mm clinchers.

Aerolite pedals

Look what I've found on the yearly bike jumble in Rommerskirchen, Germany, last Sunday: a new pair of Aerolote pedals.
(One of) the lightest bicycle pedals in the world, very simple design and great cornering clearance.
I didn't have the chance to ride these pedals yet and I probably never will. This is typically something for collectors. According to most people who really rode these pedals, these are very inconvenient or even very dangerous.
Cleat assembly is very difficult (with screws that go directly into the soles of the shoes), walking nearly impossible, hard to engage and (what I can imagine) too easy to dismount accidentally.

Aerolites were one of the first clipless pedal systems. These pedals are around since 1979.
These pedals are pretty similar to Elger pedals, Lyotard PL 2000 and Gobbi pedals, but in fact they are all different.

Vitus 992 snapshot

Picture of my Vitus 992 bike as I rode it last Sunday.
Equipped with Shimano Dura Ace 7400.

Vitus CL 1 specification

Frame and fork: Vitus CL 1, 19 inch centre - top.

Head set: Stronglight A9, 1", threaded

Cranks: Shimano Deore LX, 170 mm, 48-38-28 T.

Bottom Bracket set: Shimano Deore XT, BSC thread, 68 mm BB shell, 122.5 mm axle length

Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore LX

Front derailleur: Shimano Deore LX

Brake / Shifting levers: Shimano Deore LX, STI 3x7

Brakes: Shimano Deore LX cantilever, low profile

Hubs: Shimano Deore LX, 32 holes

Rims: Araya, 32 H (update 2020: changed to Rigida DP22)

Tyres: Tioga Psycho Tioga Psycho K (front), Tioga Psycho TT (rear) (update 2020: changed to Panaracer Dart/Smoke 26x2.1)

Sprockets: Shimano CS-xxxx  12-30 T, 7-speed

Chain: KMC Z82

Pedals: Shimano PD-M737

Saddle: Selle San Marco Rolls

Seat Post: Sakae Ringyo Laprade, 27.2 mm

Stem: Tioga, xxx cm

Handlebars: xxx cm outside - outside

Grips: Ritchey

This bike on Velospace

Vitus CL 1 ready to ride

The Vitus CL 1 mountainbike is still not completely as I wanted, but it's ready to ride.
There a ride tomorrow, so I have to deal with it.
Full Deore LX and mainly period correct components.
It weighs a ton, but I don't give a shit. I guess that the weight was pretty normal for the early 1990s and that meanwhile we got used to featherweight MTBs.

Tioga Psycho tyres

New rubber for the Vitus CL 1 or Alan Record Carbonio MTB.
Tioga Psycho TT for rear, Psycho K for front.