Because of my truly obsessive nature,
I really do live and breath vintage bikes for
a large part of my waking life,
especially now that the kids are older.
so consequently I get to ride quite
I really do live and breath vintage bikes for
a large part of my waking life,
especially now that the kids are older.
so consequently I get to ride quite
a few different vintage road/track bikes, so I
can tell you, it really takes a lot to move me...
This Campagnolo Record equipped Colnago did just that.
Although the frame (58cm c-c) was a little on the large
side for me, I quickly found a comfy sweet spot, which
mirrored the rest of the ride, namely the bike
rode,operated and feels just right.
Straight away the frame lets you know it is perfectly
aligned, and it's geometry beautifully designed.
The frame feels very stiff, but is also very forgiving
on our heavily chipped New Zealand roads, which will
soon rattle your fillings out riding the wrong frame.
Record seat post probably helps save a few grams, though the Bititan
isn't any real lightweight, I haven't weighed it, maybe 9/10 kg's.
Maybe a lighter wheel set would help in this department, and
usually I am pretty obsessive about unwanted weight, but I
wouldn't change anything on this bike, except change
the cassette from the 13-23 to a more reasonable 26.
The very jewel like Campagnolo Record R/D.
I guess if I am pushed, I would say that the 1995 Campagnolo
ErgoPower system is a little clunky at times, not quite as smooth as the
same period Dura Ace on my Pinerallo, but then this was still
relativity new technology to Campagnolo at the time.
I thought the straight Precisa fork might send shock
waves right up the handle bars and into my wrists and
arms, but no, like the rest of the bike, they performed
faultlessly. Great looking forks as well!
The twin down tubes which make the Bititan so
unusual, I had always thought looked butt ungainly in
the period magazines, but actually they look kinda cool
in the flesh.
Apparently the twin tubes where designed to take some
of the flex out of the B/B, which other earlier
titanium bikes were notorious for.
Having ridden a couple of vintage titanium road bikes,
I can say the ones I encountered where unbelievably
sloppy down low, so I guess Colnago was right.
The Bititan felt super stiff in all circumstances,
it didn't produce any chain slap or sway when climbing,
and in fact it felt stiffer than most.
Great bike, nice Group set...lovely.
Serious bummer that it is a bit to big for me.
Footnote. in regards to the Campagnolo being a bit 'clunky'
I have heard since writing this post that the first batch of these
derailleurs did in fact suffer from over stiff springs, which you
could have replaced at no cost.
the cassette from the 13-23 to a more reasonable 26.
I guess if I am pushed, I would say that the 1995 Campagnolo
ErgoPower system is a little clunky at times, not quite as smooth as the
same period Dura Ace on my Pinerallo, but then this was still
relativity new technology to Campagnolo at the time.
waves right up the handle bars and into my wrists and
arms, but no, like the rest of the bike, they performed
faultlessly. Great looking forks as well!
unusual, I had always thought looked butt ungainly in
the period magazines, but actually they look kinda cool
in the flesh.
Apparently the twin tubes where designed to take some
of the flex out of the B/B, which other earlier
titanium bikes were notorious for.
Having ridden a couple of vintage titanium road bikes,
I can say the ones I encountered where unbelievably
sloppy down low, so I guess Colnago was right.
The Bititan felt super stiff in all circumstances,
it didn't produce any chain slap or sway when climbing,
and in fact it felt stiffer than most.
Serious bummer that it is a bit to big for me.
I have heard since writing this post that the first batch of these
derailleurs did in fact suffer from over stiff springs, which you
could have replaced at no cost.
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