Ricardo Appreciation Society

filski · Postby **filski** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:05 pm

Hi all, came across this page when looking for info on a refurb I've just started. I still have my old windcheater from my tri days in the late 80's which has sat unused for around 10yrs or so now and is looking a bit worse for wear. I could never bring myself to bin it.

This is the previous state of it, looking a bit sorry but still in race set up

The groupy is mixed shimano 105/600 with a couple of campag bits. The wheels are Mavic MA40/105 hubs, bullhorns are mavics as well. You can see the rear stays were rebrazed at one point.

I gave it to a mate who needed a loaner, he took it to a bike shop who tried to set it up as a flat bar and found it was unrideable as a TT frame.

It was built from scratch to fit me only - the frame was bought direct from the factory and everything else transferred from my other bike and was upgraded as I could afford it.
It has history - sub hour 40km TTs and has been up against the world champ at the time. It's going to be refurbed to do one last tri and then become my beach cruiser. I have a modern merckx as my serious ride.

The plan is to swap out all the non-600 parts and build a complete groupy apart from the wheels which still run smooth and true. I'm considering the paint job but it's a refurb, not a restoration. It might go to a single colour or maybe 2. I will get custom decals with my nick rather than ricardo. That might upset a few but this bike is a part of me, it's been my buddy for longer than almost anyone.

yugyug · Postby **yugyug** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:14 pm

Thats some hardcore drop. Cool bike. I have no idea how you could turn that into a beach cruiser given what I can guess about the frame size and your proportions!

filski · Postby **filski** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:24 pm

Yeah, it had a pretty good aero position on that. It was very rideable around town (was my only transport for many years) - only difference is it was set up for a 20 yr olds back, not sombody past 40.

Shimano 600 cranks just arrived in the mail today. Very good condition.

yugyug · Postby **yugyug** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:58 am

I turned my Ricardo racer into a town bike with swept back bars - that worked well because its on the upper edge of what I could ride size wise at 56cm square. But I don't think it would work on my other road bike which is a 53cm and which I ride in a similar position to yours - though not quite as extreme!

sloppy79 · Postby **sloppy79** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:32 pm

Hi Guys,
I've searched everywhere but cant find out any information on the Ricardo I've just picked up to restore.
The serial number on the BB is L4E3967. It has a Sugino Number 3 crank and a 6 sprocket cluster. Its missing the rear derailleur.
Any help identifying year and model would be great.

ricard0rider · Postby **ricard0rider** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 5:46 pm

I'm not sure if anyone has decoded the serial numbres, there were some earlier posts on them. you may be able to find some model numbers on parts to match up with a date on a site like velobase.com, otherwise if you have a pic we could get a rough idea.

googling around i found "Sugino No.3 with a single large Chainring and riveted to the guard.The arms are 165 mm and dated 1981.It came off a Raleigh Maverick which was the fore runner of the ATB/MTB." sugionos were popular on reasonable commuter bikes in the 80s.

Dropbear · Postby **Dropbear** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:27 pm

I have a Ricardo racer, about a 1976 vintage with brazed on cable guides just above the bottom bracket, it is stamped on the bb "CHAMPION 19", on the chain stays it has "lightweight ten speed" hand painted. Is it anything special? Also can I add pics straight from an iPhone? I can't work out how to do it

yugyug · Postby **yugyug** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:06 pm

Hi dropbear, u can add pics straight from iPhone using the tapatalk app

lloydchristmas · Postby **lloydchristmas** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 8:20 am

Hey Guys,
First time poster to this forum.
Loving some of the bikes on this forum.
This is my Ricardo Racemaster I picked up three years ago pretty much untouched.
Let me know what you think.

http://s27.postimg.org/5nvnklwkz/IMG_1453.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yugyug · Postby **yugyug** » Sat Nov 29, 2014 9:07 pm

lloydchristmas wrote:Hey Guys,
First time poster to this forum.
Loving some of the bikes on this forum.
This is my Ricardo Racemaster I picked up three years ago pretty much untouched.
Let me know what you think.

http://s27.postimg.org/5nvnklwkz/IMG_1453.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Riding around Adelaide you see that style of Ricardo a lot, but NEVER in such good condition. Nice stuff

El_Gee · Postby **El_Gee** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:31 pm

My Chromed Ricardo:

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/El_Ge ... ome%20Bike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Serial L 90B0383

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:48 pm

jbchybridrider · Postby **jbchybridrider** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 7:54 pm

Just showing some Ricardo appreciation.
My first ride on a road bike in a little over 3 years post back op. I chose the Ricardo for it's minimal bar to seat drop and found it's more comfortable on my back than the hybrid I've been riding. It's been too long since I've got low in the drops through sweeping corners up to 80k, great fun.

Wondering if I'm the only person to ever ride a Pinnacle in the Adelaide hills "yeah ha dee ha ha I know"

silentbutdeadly · Postby **silentbutdeadly** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 5:22 pm

jbchybridrider wrote:Just showing some Ricardo appreciation.
My first ride on a road bike in a little over 3 years post back op. I chose the Ricardo for it's minimal bar to seat drop and found it's more comfortable on my back than the hybrid I've been riding. It's been too long since I've got low in the drops through sweeping corners up to 80k, great fun.

Wondering if I'm the only person to ever ride a Pinnacle in the Adelaide hills "yeah ha dee ha ha I know"

Nifty. Didn't realise you had been roadie incapacitated.

The sister Pinnacle just got its first outing in nearly two years simply because road riding isn't that exciting. And when I guilted myself to ride it a few weeks back, the rear wheel had turned into a potato chip.

So I had Josh at XLR8 put some H Plus Son TB14 black anodised rims on the original Suntour Sprint hubs. So now it has the OE colour scheme back!

HappyHumber · Postby **HappyHumber** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 5:27 pm

I'm trying to think of a way of referencing the line 'last of the true interceptors' from Mad Max with this lovely old pair. But I am failing dismally.
I remember them being posted originally.

silentbutdeadly · Postby **silentbutdeadly** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:36 pm

And I'm not sure either of them fit you...

Have to say...I forgot how stiff a good 36h wheelset can be. This thing will give you a proper work over. Steel might be real but don't pretend it is forgiving...

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:54 pm

I've never found a 36 hole wheelset to be harsh riding.

jbchybridrider · Postby **jbchybridrider** » Tue Dec 23, 2014 1:27 am

silentbutdeadly wrote:
jbchybridrider wrote:
Nifty. Didn't realise you had been roadie incapacitated.

The sister Pinnacle just got its first outing in nearly two years simply because road riding isn't that exciting. And when I guilted myself to ride it a few weeks back, the rear wheel had turned into a potato chip.

So I had Josh at XLR8 put some H Plus Son TB14 black anodised rims on the original Suntour Sprint hubs. So now it has the OE colour scheme back!

Yeah only started riding hybrids in the last 4 or 5 months, my avitar is my spine. Plenty other work done associated with that too.

I googled Ricardo Pinnacle last night and I found an old closed ad on gum tree for a large size pinnacle frame the same colour as ours. I wondered if you sold yours but obviously not very happy to see. So that's 3 known Pinnacles in existence now.

There's something else going on here, I'm running 20c tyres at 130psi and was thinking while riding "dam this things smooth" Truly mines smooth and very comfortable. Maybe it's your new rims ? it looks bloody good though. Riding mtb's to much hey.

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:06 am

20cm at 130psi smooth

Try some 28's at 80psi. Then you'll know smooth.

silentbutdeadly · Postby **silentbutdeadly** » Tue Dec 23, 2014 11:34 am

jbchybridrider wrote:I googled Ricardo Pinnacle last night and I found an old closed ad on gum tree for a large size pinnacle frame the same colour as ours. I wondered if you sold yours but obviously not very happy to see. So that's 3 known Pinnacles in existence now.

There's something else going on here, I'm running 20c tyres at 130psi and was thinking while riding "dam this things smooth" Truly mines smooth and very comfortable. Maybe it's your new rims ? it looks bloody good though. Riding mtb's to much hey.

I've heard of at least one other as well.

As for the new wheels...I said stiff. Not so much harsh. And given I've spent the last year riding nothing smaller than 35C (AT) 50 psi (and more frequently 50C (AT) 30 psi) then I have a very different appreciation of what 'road beaten' might be than you roadie fellows.

You can never have too much MTB...or CX. I find riding road bikes to be the metaphorical equivalent of driving the Hay Plain...

Using the Pinnacle on the commute today...looks like the layback Thompson is going to have to go in favour of a straight. But otherwise...nice. Coped fine with our chopped up rural and suburban tar, a little bit of dirt road and a bit of unsealed bike path whilst loaded up with the backpack. Reckon I'll have to knock a bit of air out of the 25C tyres too...come back to 95 from 100 psi me thinks.

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:53 am

Well here's some piccies of my 1981 Ricardo Elite. Current guise has it set up for exploring the forestry near my place

HappyHumber · Postby **HappyHumber** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 1:43 pm

Love seeing ol' center pulls repurposed for this sort of thing. They'd probably predate the frame I'd dare say.

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 4:19 pm

About the same age but these where NOS. I bought 3 pairs. I much prefer centre pulls for long reach brakes. Much better modulation and massive power.

HappyHumber · Postby **HappyHumber** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 5:54 pm

*zooming in* .... ah... Gran Compe.
I only made the realisation recently how much of the early Dia Compe stuff was made under licence and how much heritage their products share with the swiss Weinmann. They must be laughing with the whole retro-revival thing of late.

Can you recommend a source for quality pads for this style of shoe? I've seen a few random sellers on eBay listing Koolstops in the correct style, but none of the bigger online e-tailers I've frequented. My original Weinemanns pads I swear have trilobite fossils in them. They'll need replacing for my build if I expect the brakes to their job.

singlespeedscott · Postby **singlespeedscott** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 6:15 pm

I have used the pads which came with the brakes. They are a little noisy until they settle in. I've got Koolstop thinlines on these brakes. Got them of the bay. There pretty good but not ideal as they aren't as thick as the original pads so you do loos a bit of absolute braking power due to the arms being a little closer in. I dare say Kookstops in the style of the originals would be perfect. eBay usually has them pretty cheap.