Badge removal 101

A Ciocc frame, minus all Ciocc badges = any old frame.

I'm pretty sure not all CR-MO frames are created equal, not sure where Ciocc falls on a ranking system, or what that ranking system would be, but if it's a Ciocc then it's probably a Columbus made frame which is great, but it's missing the Columbus badges so I'll never know.

It's a mystery I'm too lazy to solve.

To honour the scraps of fact I do know about my frame and as a service to future generations for when they thaw me out of a cube of ice where I'll be flash frozen riding my bike, lancing a Mammoth with a light-sabre, I'm going to try to keep the Ciocc badges intact and reapply a select few when the bike is done to make it a little bit identifiable. And besides, some of the Ciocc badges are bad ass.

It's easy, just takes patience and a friend with steadier hands than you.

Also, a heat gun and a short knife came in handy.
I mean, steady hands and patience are great, but holding it still for a really long time doesn't do anything... trust me.
(not pictured: my hands)



I was really happy to get the headbadge off in one piece, I really like that logo. The smaller pieces were fine to get off, but the larger decals like the "Ciocc" written down the side were just too big and they shredded very easily.

Keep the badge taught between your fingers and where it's sticking to the frame after heating it quite a bit with the heat gun. Then slide the blade slowly and carefully underneath, just be really really careful not to cut or tear the badge. (Obviously).

Oh, and to make a few things clear - the mammoth thing, I'm pretty sure time is cyclical and also randomly skips all over the place for no reason, in ways that makes no sense. That's why it's a lightsabre and a mammoth, the flash freezing is from nuclear winter which is coming up. What I haven't decided is if I went back in time with a lightsabre, or if the mammoth came forward.

Saddle up, pard'ner

I got a Brooks saddle.
Stereotypical much?
Oh what’s that? You’re making a single speed bike with a Brooks saddle, and you call it a saddle and not a seat?
Yes.
That’s exactly what I’m doing. I thought of getting a Fizik or just a Selle Royal just to be different, but dammit, have you used a Brooks? Ridden a distance on them? They’re great, that’s it. The hard leather sounds like the last thing you’d want to sit on, but you’re not just sitting, you’re riding. That doesn’t sound right – so, you’re not sitting, your peddling.
That’s better.
I had to pick this one up, given the chance. It’s off-season so the prices on a lot of stuff seems pretty low. Doesn’t mean there are more deals, just less ripoffs. It’s black, I might not use it later because of that depending on the final design. Black is likely though, so for $80 I figure I may as well, figure I’d spend $100+ on one anyway.
When I went to pick it up the guy who was selling it via Craigslist showed me a bunch of different saddles, I picked a Brooks that wasn’t posted, it has “Made in England” as part of the badge in the back. Thought that was rare, haven’t seen it before.

I can’t wait to ride this hypothetical bike…

Bike Building project 01: The Wheels

You can’t get very far without these:

The tires don’t match, but neither do my socks.

In the deal with the frame, I got Mach-1 510 rims. I love black spokes and these sexy things have 32 of them each. They’re by no means the lightest rims in town, but for city riding I’d definitely take strength over weight any day. These aren’t going to get wrecked easy, and the potholes in Toronto eat bikes for breakfast. Ever ride along Adelaide? Don’t.

I ruined the rear wheel on my Peugeot on King Street in the spring. I was on my way to donate blood (for reals). A door was thrown in front of me, and rather than hit it, I decided to try to avoid it. My front wheel ended up in the street car track and I flipped into the back of a truck. I had a wicked bruise and needed a new rear wheel.
Oh and I still donated blood because I’m a badass like that. The blood clinic didn’t have any icepacks though, but they gave me plenty of Oreos. Thanks nurse!

I got a cheap replacement for $30 – fine. What really cranked my chain was that the broken wheel was an original part from the original 1976 purchase of this beautiful bike. Ever since then I’ve been afraid my wheels where made of butter.

I’m not worried about these Mach-1 510s, the feel like they could stop a bullet.

Let’s not test that theory though.

Right now it's set up with a free wheel, I haven't decided if I'm going fixed or free on the back, I just know it's going to be a single speed when it's done. I'll debate that whole thing later.

RUNNING TOTAL: $200
RUNNING TIME: 30 minutes

Bike Building project 01: The Frame

Allegedly, there's some chrome under that chipped white paint and rust. I’m gonna go find it.

I live on Craigslist. I check it habitually.

Wake up, eat breakfast, check email, get to work, check email, and check Craigslist.

It’s the 5^th thing I do EVERY day! And 2 of the 4 things I do before it is check email. I keep on it because I knew that one day there would be the right bike for me, somewhere, some day, available in downtown Toronto (like I’m going to Oshawa to check out a bike, really).

I’ve seen that bike, that perfect bike – probably a few times a month. It’s come in the form of Specialized Lancers, Giants, old Cannondales, lovely bikes at a very fair price. The listings even made it seem like the bikes were legitimately loved and cared for – they even spelled everything properly and had pictures without the “available upon request.” I always hate that part, are they that lazy? Do they think saying “Bike, red, $100 – pics available on request” doesn’t make them sound like a dick? – off topic.

Dream bikes, right.

All of the bikes I wanted had the same problem:

They’re too small.

Maybe I’m too big? Yeah, that sounds better.

I’m too big.

At 6’4 I’m in the top 5% of men in terms of height.

Top 2% in everything else, except for skiing.

Fuck skiing.

I need a 63cm+ frame.

I ride a 63cm right now with the seat up at least another 10.

This rusty Ciocc is a 64. Halleluiah. It’s pretty light, but then everything bike frame feels light when you’re used to a steeler with a big kryptonite lock hanging off of it, also most bikes have wheels… and a seat. Still, feels light, feels good.

It’s got a Jun stem and a nothing-special-about-it dropbar. I might cut it or something, just for fun.

Check the pictures, next time you see this, it’ll be prettier.

I picked it up with a wheelset for $200. It’s going to be the best deal I get in this whole process. The guy even came by my place and dropped it off for me. Thanks, I don't remember your name.

RUNNING TOTAL: $200

RUNNING TIME: 30 minutes.