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.

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.