Oh Richard! First ride

[Gothard]

After 2 months waiting for the 10s shifter index ring, I broke down and took the one from my Colnago. The weather was too nice to not ride.

The 1978 Sachs is great. It has a longer wheelbase, was built as a touring bike. The ride was about 25 miles, with good climbing at the beginning and very end, and a 3 mile straight flat headwind stretch.

The bike "planes" :rolleyes: , it really does.
It has some wippiness that makes climbing with a rythm very rewarding. You get in a cadence, and it seems to get in a groove of its own, with you just along for the ride, turning circles with less and less effort.

Descending is like a guided missile. I tried to let go of the handlebars at 30+, tracked straight.

Flat straight feels like a long haul truck. Hunker down in the drops, turn as big a gear as you can sustain, and it gets momentum incredibly well.

There is some flex (it *is* 30 years old), but I could induce no chainring rub or any wobble while braking.

Better than the Hors, the Legend or the Colnago? No. Only different, and in a way I like. Steel is real.

[Louis]

The original color would have been better :p

Looks great. Recalled to life.

[saab2000]

You are right about the weather! I am in Switzerland tonight myself and it was terrific today! I wish I had a bike with me and weren't ill. :crap:

Nice bike!

PS - If there is flex, it's not from the 30 years of age. But from the materials available 30 years ago. :beer:

[e-RICHIE]

old)
...Better than the Hors <cut>
whoa coolmo -
may i quote you atmo?

[PBWrench]

Beautiful bike! I have Delta envy.

[witcombusa]

"was built as a tourer"

Since it doesn't have eyelets on the dropouts, i would say it was built as exactly what it is, a great all day "stage racing" style frame. This is what was the norm before crit geometry took over.

I also have a 1978 Sachs.......

[e-RICHIE]

This is what was the norm <cut>


atmo -

http://img2.timeinc.net/toh/i/bio/Norm-Abram_toutlarge.jpg

[Gothard]

It does in fact have "eyelets ", but they are in the dropouts.
Richard, Thank you for the ride, 30 years late, maybe.

[e-RICHIE]

It does in fact have "eyelets ", but they are in the dropouts.
Richard, Thank you for the ride, 30 years late, maybe.
hey georgemo -
i started doing the eyelets like that for my pals at eclipse inc way
back in the mid 70s when they invented a rack system and cordura
bags to go with them. cool times atmo.

[witcombusa]

Nice! I couldn't see them in the original pix. Did the front DO's have a similar treatment or was it just set up to have a rear rack and no fenders?

Enjoy her!

[Gothard]

Nice! I couldn't see them in the original pix. Did the front DO's have a similar treatment or was it just set up to have a rear rack and no fenders?

Enjoy her!

That I will!

It has std eyelets on the front dropouts.

[Louis]

It does in fact have "eyelets ", but they are in the dropouts.


Wow, the Strength guys at work would have a cow if they saw that. A huge % of your cross-section is gone. I guess that shows how much they are over-designed to begin with.

[Climb01742]

that bike looks swellissimo.

[BBB]

Great bike. That first photo is brilliant.

[stevep]

hey georgemo -
i started doing the eyelets like that for my pals at eclipse inc way
back in the mid 70s when they invented a rack system and cordura
bags to go with them. cool times atmo.

hey,
i remember those days well...
i was 45+ at that point.
leslie bohm and his partner who i forget...
we used to sell so much of that stuff in the day..
touring was the thing for awhile.
did some even. its really fun for anyone to try.
rockin' way to travel.

[Grant McLean]

That first photo is brilliant.

it's so cold, even the spare tire need a toque!

-g

[Pete Serotta]

You take great pictures and have a wonderful subject :) :)


PETE

[chuckroast]

I love the bar ends...man I miss those. I might have to get a set now that I've seen them again. Beauteous bike.

[Louis]

I love the bar ends...man I miss those. I might have to get a set now that I've seen them again. Beauteous bike.

Since we can't argue about politics anymore lets argue about bar-ends:

Nothing personal, but I've never understood bar-end shifters. Down-tube are so much neater in appearance, and only a bit farther away. Just wondering.

Louis

[chuckroast]

Hi Louis, maybe its a red state/ blue state thing :D

I actually find the bar ends look cleaner on the bike since they flow out of the bars, rather than being attached to the downtube. I also remember that they are easier to reach. Finally, they were functional back in the day of loaded touring bikes.

[WadePatton]

Cool bikes.

now onto bar-end shifters: I like, never had any, but I think I'll look into it.

next.

[Louis]

You guys are nuts.

For BEs the cables have to stick out half a mile out into space and they completely detract from the beauty of the curve of the handlebars. (Assuming the bars aren't the so-called "gay" type.).

Whatever you gain from having easy access to the shifters while in the drops is totally wiped out by the aesthetics of the BE cable.