Again in 2018, in my official capability because the Traditional Cycle Outdated Crap Check Pilot, I spent a while on a 1950 Drysdale Particular:
I used to be reminiscing about that bike not too long ago, and observed the next within the aforelinked submit:
Now, six years later, the retrogrouch virus has contaminated my mind and all of my street bikes at present have friction downtube shifters. Granted, being a tinkerer, I’m liable to return to built-in shifters on at the very least certainly one of them at any time. Additionally, two of them have Rivendell Silver downtube shifters with in any other case fashionable drivetrains, a setup that doesn’t do the entire “clackety-clack” factor in any respect. (In reality it’s most likely the smoothest-shifting mechanical system it’s potential to have.) However what’s at present my fanciest street bike does have such a drivetrain:
I’d by no means insult anybody’s intelligence by saying a Campagnolo Tremendous Document drivetrain from 1982 works higher than even an “entry degree” drivetrain at this time. However I’ll say that as somebody who largely rides alone and now not races, quick, straightforward, and correct shifting doesn’t actually matter a lot to me anymore. I wish to be comfy, and on a street bike I wish to really feel like I can go as quick as I need, and the Cervino meets each these standards. However I don’t actually thoughts clunky gear adjustments and even not with the ability to shift underneath load; the truth is having to assume extra about shifts is a part of the enjoyable. If I have been racing or participating within the huge group journey each weekend that will be one thing else and it could actually suck. However when it’s simply me, manning the rigging of this outdated ship is kind of pleasurable–a lot in order that the Cervino is now my flagship street bike, a place as soon as held by the now-departed Litespeed:
And sure, a part of the enjoyable of the Cervino is just that it’s outdated. Once I obtained my first Dura Ace bike after all I cherished how nice the elements labored, however a part of the thrill was that I used to be utilizing the very same stuff as the professionals. However now that the professionals are lower than half my age and I’m nearly definitely by no means race once more I don’t get that sense of pleasure anymore; as an alternative I get a kick how an outdated bike transports you to a different period, like once you stroll down a kind of outdated streets in Greenwich Village that appears precisely prefer it did again within the nineteenth century other than all of the automobiles and douchebags. The pursuit of nostalgia might be an costly and time-consuming enterprise, as any proprietor of a classic vehicle or outdated home will most likely let you know. However the wonderful thing about bikes is that that the classics are simply as straightforward to take care of (and typically even simpler to take care of) than their fashionable counterparts, and even an costly one is normally a lot lower than a pro-level bike at this time. The one actual inconvenience in proudly owning one is having to succeed in right down to shift, however even that has its charms, and there’s one thing to be mentioned for hitting a descent, getting within the drops, and upshifting your rear derailleur together with your proper knee.
One thing else I discover compelling about each the Cervino and the Drysdale is how related they’re regardless of the distinction of their ages. The Drysdale was from 1950, and Cervino is from 1982. That’s a distinction of 32 years, and but to the untrained eye they give the impression of being nearly like contemporaries. In the meantime, right here’s what a motorbike that’s 32 years youthful than the Cervino appears to be like like:
And this already appears to be like outdated in comparison with a motorbike from 2024, because it nonetheless has rim brakes. This isn’t me writing some pretentious “Bike have turn into soulless and have misplaced their means!” screed (nicely at the very least not at this time), however as somebody who loves street bike it’s satisfying to journey one which embodies such an extended custom, and that comes from simply earlier than the time that street bikes began altering actually, actually rapidly.
Talking of rim brakes, even individuals who like them usually see stuff like uncovered cables and single-pivot calipers and say “No, thanks:”
However I’ve grown to actually respect them, and it’s not simply because I’m deeply pretentious:
No, it’s due to some observations Jobst Brandt made about them, which I’ve talked about earlier than:
Sure, they require a bit extra hand power than their fashionable counterparts. However the pads are a lot thicker, they’ve rather more rim clearance, the pads don’t change their relative place to the rim as they put on, and, because the outdated über-curmudgeon put it, they are going to “observe a wobbly wheel:”
Much less defensible are the toe clips, that are largely simply pretentious:
Although I do discover the Avocet bowling footwear (patented by none aside from Jobst Brandt, because it occurs) to be exceedingly comfy, a lot in order that they make the silliness of the toe clips price it:
The molded-in slots present simply sufficient engagement with the pedal to really imply one thing, but even with the strap cinched down it’s not an issue to get your foot out of the pedal if you happen to’re not capable of attain down and loosen it:
I doubt we’ll ever see anyone resurrect the walkable quill pedal-specific biking shoe (the truth is it’s exhausting to think about a dumber marketing strategy), so I’ll have to start out hoarding them. The excellent news is that most individuals are sensible sufficient to not trouble with any of these items, so pristine specimens like these go low-cost:
[From some used crap site somewhere.]
Sadly that pair isn’t my measurement.
Whereas a part of the attraction of the Cervino is its timeless simplicity, it was arguably a gimmicky bike for its time. Contemplate for instance the top-mounted shifters, which require the cables to be routed via the body, that means I’ll need to take away the crank when it’s time to alter them:
Nonetheless, they’ve turn into certainly one of my favourite issues in regards to the Cervino, since they make it really easy to shift each with the identical hand, and in reality I respect the configuration a lot I discover myself lacking it on my different bikes. Changing these with Silver shifters would most likely be the final word in downtube friction bliss, however I’m far too pretentious to interrupt up the classic Campagnolo elements.
Then there are the tubular tires, that are arguably much more pointless than toe clips. Possibly so, however I’ve obtained 36 (depend ’em!) spokes and a great old style non-machined rim to make up for it:
If you consider it, machined sidewalls have been utterly ridiculous. Mainly, they floor away materials you wanted so that you just wouldn’t have to attend on your brakes to mattress in, and so your new rim would look all shiny. Sure, you may nonetheless get non-machined rims, however that’s solely so you may have strong colours in your fixie (or disc brake bike):
Bikes: one of many few markets through which much less prices you extra.
