tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post5731740693040343088..comments2024-03-28T11:56:48.304-04:00Comments on The Retrogrouch: FinishedBrookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-69276872809574186842022-01-19T11:23:24.995-05:002022-01-19T11:23:24.995-05:00Hi there. Another reason to use an SR Laprade post...Hi there. Another reason to use an SR Laprade post is that the bare frames were sold with this post (with flutes painted matching blue), and a Shimano 600 headset. The magazine ads mentioned post and headset, and were pictured with them. 26.8mm posts were not as common (butting at the top Japanese tubing thing), so maybe that's why. 1983 saw complete bikes only, spec'd with the new Specialized alloy headset, and the 3rd different factory in 3 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-1668966818304632242021-04-23T12:42:47.129-04:002021-04-23T12:42:47.129-04:00They are Shimano dropouts. Definitely sure about t...They are Shimano dropouts. Definitely sure about the fastback seatstay attachment on the 3Rensho Sequoias. True - the 3Rensho Allez bikes do have a more typical seatstay attachment on the sides of seat lug. Those bikes are often identifiable from later versions by their fork crown which has a unique, slightly "swept forward" design, compared to the fork crown used on later bikes. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-11166645855361045242021-04-23T12:33:09.175-04:002021-04-23T12:33:09.175-04:00Also, are those shimano chromed dropouts? Those w...Also, are those shimano chromed dropouts? Those were also favored by 3rensho in the early 80s - and are you sure about the seatstay being attached behind the seat lug? The 3rensho Allez's (of which I have one) have the seatstays attached exactly like your Sequoia (many pics of this are out there..). MBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08679836871597777641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-10711015254546753452021-04-23T12:27:41.470-04:002021-04-23T12:27:41.470-04:00Very nice lugwork on yours now that I'm at my ...Very nice lugwork on yours now that I'm at my main computer and can see better. The lugs do look like the long thin pointed ones that were typical of 3rensho. If not built by them it looks like a first class shop was used (not Miyata - at that time).MBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08679836871597777641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-11485146999317545652021-04-23T11:01:15.770-04:002021-04-23T11:01:15.770-04:00All that's on the bottom bracket is a typical ...All that's on the bottom bracket is a typical Specialized serial number - a letter followed by a string of numbers. But this one is not one of the 3Rensho bikes. It's actually very easy to spot those, as the 3Rensho-built bikes have the fastback style seatstay attachment behind the seat lug. The next batches, built by other shops, like Miyata, have the more typical seatstay attachment, with fluted tops brazed to the sides of the seat lug.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-90735895382315822172021-04-23T10:46:55.128-04:002021-04-23T10:46:55.128-04:00Beautiful! I have it on authority that a small pe...Beautiful! I have it on authority that a small percentage of the ‘81/‘82 Sequoias were built by 3rensho. Do you have some closeup pics of the lugwork? Is anything stamped on the bottom bracket? ThanksMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08679836871597777641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-19834071644661047712020-03-25T07:38:43.823-04:002020-03-25T07:38:43.823-04:00My favorite spokes for older wheels with Campy hub...My favorite spokes for older wheels with Campy hubs are 15/17 ga butted. Straight 15 ga are much easier to find. Lasers are too expensive for my tastes. Most Japanese hubs were drilled for 14 ga spokes. I recently built a tandem wheel with Sapim spokes that had a single 12 ga butt and a 14 ga shank out to the threaded end. They built up very well.Steve Barnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05141738452735566462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-52382586676940030042020-03-24T14:26:22.429-04:002020-03-24T14:26:22.429-04:00About mixing "non-period correct" parts ...About mixing "non-period correct" parts - I'm not against that. It's just about what a person wants for a given bike. In this case, I wanted things to be of the same (or at least within a few years) period as the frame - but I've got other bikes that are more of a mix of vintage and new. The bikes I recently built for my daughters are a good example. I have some vintage parts on them, but also some modern-production parts. However, I really want modern parts that at least have traditional designs and materials. I'll use modern sealed bearing hubs, for example - but I'll still want them to be "silver" finished aluminum. I'll use a modern crank if it has traditional styling (like the ones from Velo-Orange) - but I wouldn't use a modern crank with bloated-looking proportions. I've got some of the modern Tekto aero brake levers on one of my bikes, and they do have a nice shape/feel to them - and the look is consistent with a vintage bike. That's where I am on mixing old and new.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-39122365392905866272020-03-21T12:39:22.748-04:002020-03-21T12:39:22.748-04:00What a nice build, understated and very appealing....What a nice build, understated and very appealing. Chuckled at your "fist full of post" comment, that's what I like to see also on bikes from this era.<br /><br />Thanks for publishing these articles - entertaining and informative for so many of us!Rob in VAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09808912030913573444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-72750445717794324182020-03-20T19:23:17.760-04:002020-03-20T19:23:17.760-04:00I agree. SR Laprades were nice seat pillars. They ...I agree. SR Laprades were nice seat pillars. They were basically Campag SR knock offs at a quarter the price.reynolds631https://www.blogger.com/profile/13523879899843824142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-46885957422710791162020-03-19T21:26:13.365-04:002020-03-19T21:26:13.365-04:00All of those bikes are beautiful. The Sequoia is ...All of those bikes are beautiful. The Sequoia is lovely, but I don't know how anyone can top the green-and-red Mercian Superlight.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-63433053286834652872020-03-19T18:10:38.971-04:002020-03-19T18:10:38.971-04:00Looks like it really came together beautifully. ...Looks like it really came together beautifully. Where do you stand on mixing in non-period correct parts on builds like this? I find the newer aero brake levers--like Tektro--much more comfortable. The older aero levers with the smaller bodies just don't seem to fit my hands as well. In that same vein, what do you think about putting something like a centerpull brake on a frame like this Sequoia when it would've initially be built for sidepulls?derrick38https://www.blogger.com/profile/07453249070532046877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-88417260958127158262020-03-19T11:34:09.810-04:002020-03-19T11:34:09.810-04:00there were different quality levels of SR Laprade ...there were different quality levels of SR Laprade seat posts (the clamp area was the main difference - the cheaper ones had stamped steel cradles, while the nicer ones had aluminum). But mainly I included it because they were really common on bikes in the early 80s (in a wide price range, too). And I don't think they look bad at all - in fact, I think the NOS one I used here looks pretty decent.<br /><br />Handlebar tape - well - I've started with yellow, and it really matches the honey color Brooks very well, but doesn't seem to get dark enough for the antique brown. I don't think the orange would get brown enough either. I've gotten a good match to the antique brown leather doing exactly what I've done here - but in this case, I think the natural variation of the brown leather saddle is a little different (more reddish) than on others I've had. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-79663485088583610302020-03-19T11:27:17.914-04:002020-03-19T11:27:17.914-04:00Well, I didn't build the wheels in this case -...Well, I didn't build the wheels in this case - but I think they were probably original equipment on a pretty nice bike from the same timeframe. But I agree about the look of thinner spokes. For a vintage bike, I might not go with extremely butted spokes - but I'd use something consistent with what was available. In this case, I think 14/15 was certainly available.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-7784850224762732322020-03-19T11:22:46.181-04:002020-03-19T11:22:46.181-04:00Thanks, Gunnar. It's funny - I did not expect ...Thanks, Gunnar. It's funny - I did not expect that seat post to be a controversial choice. I picked it mainly because they were everywhere on bikes in the early 80s (in a wide price range, too), and would have been "original equipment" on bikes like this. Also, I don't think it looks bad at all. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-16297812653326325902020-03-19T11:16:40.968-04:002020-03-19T11:16:40.968-04:00Not really thinking about getting into the bike bu...Not really thinking about getting into the bike business -- that's a hard way to make money these days. But aspects of it sound very appealing sometimes.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-72579814518522785682020-03-19T10:56:04.214-04:002020-03-19T10:56:04.214-04:00Very nice. Builds can become a little predictable....Very nice. Builds can become a little predictable. Keep the Laprade seatpost. Little details like that keep a bicycle from becoming "ordinary". Gunnar Berghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17451985764040900726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-50154978297901088592020-03-19T07:37:59.265-04:002020-03-19T07:37:59.265-04:00Truly beautiful without falling into the showy end...Truly beautiful without falling into the showy end of things. I would like to ask what you think of using strongly butted spokes such as Sapim Lasers in 'period' builds? To my eyes thinner spokes always improve the aesthetics of high-spoke count wheels.Francisco de Almeidahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14147944912098034703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-6889393536287234782020-03-18T22:29:40.598-04:002020-03-18T22:29:40.598-04:00So, you are thinking about getting into the bike b...So, you are thinking about getting into the bike business. Why did the Wright brothers invent the airplane? To get out of the bicycle business.reynolds631https://www.blogger.com/profile/13523879899843824142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-81482636450944075722020-03-18T20:44:10.092-04:002020-03-18T20:44:10.092-04:00I reluctantly gave up building-up bikes a few year...I reluctantly gave up building-up bikes a few years ago due to age and the realization that I just didn't ride enough to justify 4 road bikes (steel, aluminum titanium, and carbon fiber). All of this is to say that I very much enjoy your posts and live vicariously thru your build projects. Thank you for making the effort to maintain your postings; I hope you realize that you bring enjoyment to a lot of people!RIP_Pantanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05853372432069905535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-30747219636266080842020-03-18T12:43:34.349-04:002020-03-18T12:43:34.349-04:00Hi Brooks,
Thanks for sharing your Sequoia build....Hi Brooks,<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your Sequoia build. It looks very nice. It’s always a bit of a letdown to finish a project, isn’t it? <br /><br />One of my favorite parts of a project is to sit down with the frame in front of me, and then writing down a proposed parts list in a notebook. <br /><br />I still have the parts list for the Basso Gap that I built in Chicago back in 1985!<br /><br />Only 2 style comments:<br /><br />1) SR Laprade seat posts aren’t up to the quality level of the rest of the parts; I always regarded them as a cost-saving item on factory bikes.<br /><br />2) That handlebar tape is a bit dark, don’t you think? How about starting with yellow or orange cloth as a base color, and then adding several coats of shellac?<br /><br />Just my 2 cents. Keep up the good work!<br /><br />Jacob Russell Jacob Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16620563603677483428noreply@blogger.com