Eisentraut article

[mcteague]

I lusted after an Eisentraut frame back in the day. The Radavist has a nice article on a mt bike he made. To me, the highlight is the Bicycle Guide article on him from 1987. It reminds me how great that mag was in its heyday.

https://theradavist.com/eisentraut-mountain-bike/

Tim

[truth]

Great article! Thanks for sharing.

What a cool bike!

[fiamme red]

Thanks so much for that link! Eisentraut and Ritchey are both national treasures.

[zennmotion]

Cool article! This thread might need further illustration- my late '80s "Rainbow Traut" dressed in Suntour Superbe, Avocet triple for the Bay Area hills, Challenge Strada 30mm tires, and topped with a Belgian Sofa for the Bay Area busted up roads. White bar tape is a PITA, but what choice do I have?

[eurodude]

Wow - beautiful Traut

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Cool article! This thread might need further illustration- my late '80s "Rainbow Traut" dressed in Suntour Superbe, Avocet triple for the Bay Area hills, Challenge Strada 30mm tires, and topped with a Belgian Sofa for the Bay Area busted up roads. White bar tape is a PITA, but what choice do I have?

[Peter P.]

Great article! Thanks for sharing. I never knew the extent of Eisentraut's influence on American framebuilding.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Cool article! This thread might need further illustration- my late '80s "Rainbow Traut" dressed in Suntour Superbe, Avocet triple for the Bay Area hills, Challenge Strada 30mm tires, and topped with a Belgian Sofa for the Bay Area busted up roads. White bar tape is a PITA, but what choice do I have?

I had those same brakes and crank (with only two rings) on my old Condor Italia. The Avocet crank was the only one I ever had break, it snapped at the pedal eyelet.

Tim

[rccardr]

SiL's 1976 (?) Eisentraut from maybe 15 years ago. His Train Station bike, of all things. Painted over the original color with some spotty primer to make it less theft-worthy. Full Galli group. He rode the snot out of that rascal, then we passed it on to a fella out in the PNW for restoration.

[mhespenheide]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Cool article! This thread might need further illustration- my late '80s "Rainbow Traut" dressed in Suntour Superbe, Avocet triple for the Bay Area hills, Challenge Strada 30mm tires, and topped with a Belgian Sofa for the Bay Area busted up roads. White bar tape is a PITA, but what choice do I have?

That's beautiful. Maybe try some of the tan-colored (natural) cork handlebar tape and see if that works for you?

[zetroc]

That's pretty cool, only the second Eisentraut mountain bike I've seen. A friend owns the other one, Campy equipped, a real time capsule.

[donevwil]

Very cool!

After years of searching for a Bruce Gordon, or Eisentraut in my size I recently took the plunge on a local '76 Eisentraut Limited (pic as purchased). It needs some love so it's undergoing a home brew mild restification. All Nuovo Record with the exception of the Super Record cranks and Phil Wood hubs and BB (came with a hi flange NR wheelset as well. Going to replace the NR brakes with Mafac Racers and add a triplizer. Clears 35s in 700c format, but will clear 38s if I choose to go 650b with Raids down the road.

Those are 19mm tubulars shown below, need to rebuild these with TB14s.

[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by mhespenheide

That's beautiful. Maybe try some of the tan-colored (natural) cork handlebar tape and see if that works for you?

Good advice! The only bike I wear gloves with, and frequent swish with Dawn and a clean sponge work to a point. This bike was never intended to be "period correct" or even retro, but that's how it worked out with most of the parts, like the crank that may asplode at any minute, being original to some bike from my past and pulled out of a dusty box. It was either the old stuff or using a Shimano 11 speed 105 group that I'm storing for parts for the upcoming mechanical/rim brake apocalypse. I definitely wanted to have downtube shifters as they're a unique engagement experience that I miss with brifters, and the triple makes for a bike I can use comfortably for any ride alone or with friends without having to avoid the hills (which are always part of the best Bay Area routes).

[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Very cool!

After years of searching for a Bruce Gordon, or Eisentraut in my size I recently took the plunge on a local '76 Eisentraut Limited (pic as purchased). It needs some love so it's undergoing a home brew mild restification. All Nuovo Record with the exception of the Super Record cranks and Phil Wood hubs and BB (came with a hi flange NR wheelset as well. Going to replace the NR brakes with Mafac Racers and add a triplizer. Clears 35s in 700c format, but will clear 38s if I choose to go 650b with Raids down the road.

Those are 19mm tubulars shown below, need to rebuild these with TB14s.

Gorgeous! Red is definitely the fastest color!