new toy

Yesterday I drove down to Westwood to pick up a new toy: a 52cm (c-c) 80's-vintage Ciocc bicycle, with mostly period Campy parts. It didn't need much to get it on the road, though I'll probably replace a few things in the next couple of months to improve the fit and modernize the (6-speed!) drivetrain a little. I wasn't planning to, but I just couldn't resist, so today I took it out for a 35-mile shakedown cruise. I'll want to adjust the front derailleur limits before I ride it again, and probably raise the seat a little and the bars a lot.

It's been a while (ok, 20+ years) since I rode a steel bike. I caught myself climbing with mixed hand positions a couple of times, a la Eddy Merckx (or was it Bernard Hinault), for the first time since high school. The ride is connected to the road without being rough; riding it is a joy. I'm looking forward to putting a lot more miles on it very soon.