Custom Riva time trial bike on Bike Radar

[Thoglette]

Worthy of a read. Even if the title is a little click-baity
Modern bikes can't touch the timeless elegance of this vintage custom Riva
By Jack Luke, Bike Radar
January 12, 2018 1:20pm GMT

[P!N20]

Nice. Although some of the things that the author fancied don't do much for me; I always find the junctions on aero tubed frames to be quite clunky compared to their cylindrical cousins - as if they hadn't had the benefit of the same period of development.

Then there's the 'integrated seat clamp', which is actually just a grub screw. The internal cable routing entry and exit points look a bit messy - especially with the lack of ferrules on the cable housing. "No harsh kinks or bends." Yeah, right.

I don't know how to feel about the brake levers. I know it's a TT bike, so you're meant to spend all race in the drops, but geez they just look too low, and they must be in the correct position to work with the handlebar internal cable routing. Even the black just doesn't do it for me.

To be super pedantic, could they not have placed the Columbus decal just a few mm lower so it didn't overlap the seat stay?

Don't get me wrong though, it's a beautiful bike. Kind of that stripped back elegance that makes track bikes so desirable.

[find_bruce]

I'm with you P!N20. I have a thing for steel bikes & while its a nice bike, its not one that makes me go cor look at that.

Be nice if they cleaned up the details like the frayed rear brake cable

[10speedsemiracer]

I'm with you P!N20. I have a thing for steel bikes & while its a nice bike, its not one that makes me go cor look at that.

Be nice if they cleaned up the details like the frayed rear brake cable

Agree with you guys. Bit messy and a bit meh in its final presented form.

The 1x reference speaks of a bit of naivete as well. There were loads of "semi-racer" bikes from Raleigh, Peugeot and others that came equipped with 1x 5 and usually a 13-21 or similar cluster.

[Thoglette]

The 1x reference speaks of a bit of naivete as well.

An unfortunately common occurrence. I'd like to blame the September that never ended but that's probably unfair.

At least the young folk of today are looking backward as well as counting their "likes". They could do with finding and talking to the old has-beens and i-remember-whens before hitting "submit"

[10speedsemiracer]

The 1x reference speaks of a bit of naivete as well.

An unfortunately common occurrence. I'd like to blame the September that never ended but that's probably unfair.

At least the young folk of today are looking backward as well as counting their "likes". They could do with finding and talking to the old has-beens and i-remember-whens before hitting "submit"

So true, and by the way, the naivete I was referring to was in reference to the author, not you Thogz. Just wanted to be clear on that.

Actually the article did serve to bring back some memories (not of a Riva, I've never even seen one on the flesh) but of simpler bikes and simpler riding. Part of me misses the simplicity and utility of a 1x5 SunTour friction bike although a more forgiving cluster at the rear would have been nice in eastern suburban Melbourne. Wasn't until much later that I was pulling freewheels apart, and by then everyone was 10/12sp. Ah, memories. Now I feel old, or maybe it's the rib injury.

[Thoglette]

Just wanted to be clear on that.

That's how I read it.

Ah, memories. Now I feel old, or maybe it's the rib injury.

Cause by extracting a stuck cotter pin? I don't miss that job.

Round town I'm running 1x7, but that's only because I can't remember the last time I shifted the front ring. And I've been too lazy to swap the freehub to 8/9/10 speed width. But 30/11 cassettes are good!

Of course, to make you really feel old, someone asks when you did the injury that's causing grief.

[10speedsemiracer]

Of course, to make you really feel old, someone asks when you did the injury that's causing grief.

Injury occurred last Friday night.
Out on the training bike, just checking in readiness for Saturday ride, avoiding a careening, distracted Camry driver, ended up horizontal, Camry drove on completely oblivious to the mayhem.

End result, bruised ribs, ankle abrasions and derailleur hanger thread stripped rendering the frame junk (technically). Nothing special, just an early 90s Shogun Samurai (Cr-Mo) but was a bare frame rebuild with custom wheelset, 5700 105 brakes (NOS) and 8sp Rx100. Had only finished it the weekend prior and had been ridden twice in it's current form.