# Marinoni 40th anniversary frame!



## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the most prolific frame builder in North America - Giuseppe Marinoni in Montreal Quebec Canada. To mark this occasion he's building some special frames - ones that hark back to his roots - steel & lugged and brazed by the man himself. In recent years it's all been Tig welded stuff and six years ago they even refused to make me a lugged (track) frame.

I got my first one in 1977 and my son still has it. Since then there have been two track frames and a cx frame. But I always lusted after another lugged road beauty from his shop.

It wasn't until late summer that I heard about this special frame and the gears started turning. Result - the order was placed this morning.

They're promising to have it done by mid December - just in time for xmas. Yeow. 

I just snuck in as the order book closes at the end of November.

This is what it will look like and this color, only built with Zona tubes instead of SL and all chrome stays. And just look at that fork!! -


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

Oooooh.....shiiiiiiny......must have nice shiiiiiiiny biiiiike.....


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

That's a beautiful frame--congratulations!


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Very nice*

Nice! I just sold my 1990 TSX with no regrets. You getting the same color as the one pictured?


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Yep, just the same color as the pic. It's called "Grenade" (probably in a French pronunciation). Mine will have as much chrome as yours though. That's a nice purple one that you've shown here. Thanks.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Beautiful!

Now, what wheels and component for the build?


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

BacDoc said:


> Beautiful!
> Now, what wheels and component for the build?


Alas, it won't be a period-correct bike with toe-clips (with nail-on cleats!), exposed brake cables, downtube shifters, Cinelli bars & stem and 5-spd shallow-rim tubulars - as my '77 Marinoni was. It's will be a franken-mix of on-hand more modern parts - Ultegra 10-spd, Thomson bits, FSA bars, Campagnolo brakes ('86 era), undecided wheels & saddle from my stock.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Mike T. said:


> Alas, it won't be a period-correct bike with toe-clips (with nail-on cleats!), exposed brake cables, downtube shifters, Cinelli bars & stem and 5-spd shallow-rim tubulars - as my '77 Marinoni was. It's will be a franken-mix of on-hand more modern parts - Ultegra 10-spd, Thomson bits, FSA bars, Campagnolo brakes ('86 era), undecided wheels & saddle from my stock.


Hope you use a silver group to accent those beautiful chrome forks. Think the Ultegra is available in silver. I had a silver 9 speed Ultegra silver drivetrain that would look great on that frame.

Also, that frame is begging for a quill stem! Deep dish Shamal tubulars would go great too!

Pretty sure you will end up with a real beauty no matter which way you go, have fun with this and post some build pics.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

BacDoc said:


> Hope you use a silver group to accent those beautiful chrome forks. Think the Ultegra is available in silver. I had a silver 9 speed Ultegra silver drivetrain that would look great on that frame.


Yep, my Shimano bits (derailers, crankset) and Campagnolo brakes are silver.



> that frame is begging for a quill stem!


No-no-noooooo~! I'm going with the 1" non-threaded steerer, Thomson stem (and 1" - 1.125" shim) so that I can use the newer shallow drop bars (FSA). I lost the love for Cinelli bars.



> Deep dish Shamal tubulars would go great too!


I'd rather have pins in my eyes than regress back to tubulars for rec riding/training. 24 years on tubulars was enough.



> Pretty sure you will end up with a real beauty no matter which way you go, have fun with this and post some build pics.


Well it will be a beauty to me anyway (hey *I'm* paying!) and I will post pics.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Mike T. said:


> No-no-noooooo~! I'm going with the 1" non-threaded steerer, Thomson stem (and 1" - 1.125" shim) so that I can use the newer shallow drop bars (FSA). I lost the love for Cinelli bars.


I could not do a Thompson on that bike myself. But iti ain't mine either... 

Hard to loose love for this. 











Good luck finding one, I sold the one I had for 175.00 8 years ago. And surprisingly stiff too.

dead sexy IMO for a 1" threadless stem, an Ti too!

A pic where it lived on the Merckx EX I had. With a custom 1" ELOS Carl Strong made fork.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

robt57 said:


> Hard to loose love for this.


It wouldn't be hard for me to lose it as I wouldn't have it to begin with!  You wouldn't have a Thomson stem but you'd have a Karl Strong fork on that Merckx?  That just shows how different we all are.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

robt57 said:


> I could not do a Thompson on that bike myself. But iti ain't mine either...
> 
> Hard to loose love for this.
> 
> ...


Nice! Now that's what I'm talking about!

Mike, listen closely to your frame - I can hear it thru my computer- quill stem, quill stem, quill stem........

Seriously though, I'm sure you'll do this frame right. Looking forward to build pics.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

Wow - bad thread for me to read. I am dying for a classic steel frame with silver campy 11 speed and maybe carbon wheels. A pearl white and chrome bike. As it is I am on bike probation. parts only for now.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Nice! Can't wait to see pics. I have a lugged Marinoni w/ Columbus SL on order, will be a bit different than the typical 40th. Just got word it went into paint yesterday. So exciting.

I debated for a while between quill or threadless and ultimately went with a threaded fork and quill stem for complete classic look. I had another lugged bike with 1" threadless steerer and Thomson X2 stem (shimmed) and it looked a bit clunky for my taste. If you get the Thomson shim, have a hacksaw handy as you may need to cut it down. The one I got was longer than stack height of the stem.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> Nice! Can't wait to see pics. I have a lugged Marinoni w/ Columbus SL on order, will be a bit different than the typical 40th. Just got word it went into paint yesterday. So exciting.


Very cool. We must see pics when it arrives!

But wait! When did they start offering lugged frames again (apart from the 40th anniversary ones)? About 6-7 years ago I asked them to make me a lugged track frame and they refused, stating that it was Tig only anymore.



> I debated for a while between quill or threadless and ultimately went with a threaded fork and quill stem for complete classic look. I had another lugged bike with 1" threadless steerer and Thomson X2 stem (shimmed) and it looked a bit clunky for my taste.


I debated too but I really wanted newer style bars than something out of my vintage Cinelli stock.



> If you get the Thomson shim, have a hacksaw handy as you may need to cut it down. The one I got was longer than stack height of the stem.


They do make an X2 shim that I'll assume is the right height for that stem. But Thomson themselves wanted $20 to ship a $10 shim - Eeeek!! (as big as an old film canister!!). So I wasn't about to go for the extortion. I found cheaper shipping costs online but then I happened to find a generic silver stem shim in my parts cupboard! So, I won't be rewarding Thomson. I should take inventory of all my old bike parts.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Good call, the one I had was black and too tall for height of stem. The silver will look much nicer though the little window on the stem. Fair enough about threadless, it is certainly the functionality better system and certainly opens up the doors to a lot more modern bar shapes. 

I can't wait for it to arrive. I have a set of brand new Ambrosio rims I laced up with Veloflex tubulars and some polished Nitto bits to go on. Should be fun.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> Good call, the one I had was black and too tall for height of stem. The silver will look much nicer though the little window on the stem. Fair enough about threadless, it is certainly the functionality better system and certainly opens up the doors to a lot more modern bar shapes.
> 
> I can't wait for it to arrive. I have a set of brand new Ambrosio rims I laced up with Veloflex tubulars and some polished Nitto bits to go on. Should be fun.


See my edit about lugged construction!


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

As far as I know it is a 40th anniversary frame—I had choice of paint, decal/lettering style, choice of Zona or SL, and opted for custom geometry. Only difference is that they are building it with track geometry and track ends so it wont be the as advertised 40th SL that you see on the site. I essentially sent an email and asked if they would consider building a track version and the rest is history. I think prior to the 40th anniversary frames lugged production stopped until they decided to do this project if I am not mistaken. I was pretty excited to hear that Mr. Marinoni was going to be brazing them. I am building it up to ride at the new Velodrome opening in my town in the next month or so. Can't wait!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> As far as I know it is a 40th anniversary frame—I had choice of paint, decal/lettering style, choice of Zona or SL, and opted for custom geometry. Only difference is that they are building it with track geometry and track ends so it wont be the as advertised 40th SL that you see on the site. I essentially sent an email and asked if they would consider building a track version and the rest is history. I think prior to the 40th anniversary frames lugged production stopped until they decided to do this project if I am not mistaken. I was pretty excited to hear that Mr. Marinoni was going to be brazing them. I am building it up to ride at the new Velodrome opening in my town in the next month or so. Can't wait!


Ahh, ok that explains a lot! Here is a pic of another 40th anniversary track frame that Julie sent me when I was deciding on the color of mine (this one was too dark for me). Velodrome opening? Oh Milton Ontario eh? Thought so!


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Mike T. said:


> Ahh, ok that explains a lot! Here is a pic of another 40th anniversary track frame that Julie sent me when I was deciding on the color of mine (this one was too dark for me). Velodrome opening? Oh Milton Ontario eh? Thought so!


Oh nice! Yeah mine is going to be white and the same shade of blue that you picked (Grenade). Only thing I actually don't really like about these frame is the 40th anniversary decal on the headtube. I prefer their classic normal designs personally. Yeah I am in Milton, Velodrome is just 5 min down the road. Can't wait to have this in our backyard.


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## RotatingShifts (Nov 12, 2006)

Donn12 said:


> As it is I am on bike probation. parts only for now.


LOL! I fully get that!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

RotatingShifts said:


> LOL! I fully get that!


He's a wuss and a disgrace to the male species. He should put his foot down with a firm hand!


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## willieboy (Nov 27, 2010)

Beautiful bike Mike. Congrats and enjoy the completed ride for many miles.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

The postman delivered the goods today. @MikeT: I imagine yours can't be far behind. I can attest that "Grenade" looks amazing in person. I am very pleased with my paint choices. The metallic panels really pop against the flat paint.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> The postman delivered the goods today. @MikeT: I imagine yours can't be far behind. I can attest that "Grenade" looks amazing in person. I am very pleased with my paint choices. The metallic panels really pop against the flat paint.


OMG !!!  That's awesome! If that blue is Grenade then that's the correct blue that's going to be on mine. I haven't heard a word about it yet. Julie said they would shoot for the 10th (3 days ago).

Your color scheme is uncanny as here is my trackie. And yes, those are early '70s vintage Campagnolo Piste hubs -


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

nspace said:


> The postman delivered the goods today. @MikeT: I imagine yours can't be far behind. I can attest that "Grenade" looks amazing in person. I am very pleased with my paint choices. The metallic panels really pop against the flat paint.


I like!

Or should I say, Je t'aime?


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Mike T. said:


> Your color scheme is uncanny as here is my trackie. And yes, those are early '70s vintage Campagnolo Piste hubs -


Haha, thats awesome! Looks like we have similar tastes! Those hubs are sweet!

I'd like to find some Campagnolo Pista cranks for this, but I'm going to use what I have to get up and running (Miche Primato, the older ones with 135 BCD and all silver, not withthe big ugly black ring). They are veryyy similar to the Record Pista cranks.

As for wheels, no Campagnolo, but I do have some nice White Industries high flange track hubs laced to Ambrosio tubulars that I think are going to look stellar on this build:









Pleased with the frame. I can tell someone at paint shop has a shaky hand when they did the pantograph lining though! I think it showed up with the wrong headset, so waiting to get that sorted before building it up. Quill stems and threaded headsets are a new adventure for me!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> Haha, thats awesome! Looks like we have similar tastes! Those hubs are sweet!
> 
> I'd like to find some Campagnolo Pista cranks for this, but I'm going to use what I have to get up and running (Miche Primato, the older ones with 135 BCD and all silver, not withthe big ugly black ring). They are veryyy similar to the Record Pista cranks.
> 
> ...


That's a Stronglight crank on mine. It's nice stuff. Marinoni has never been well known for their fine detail lining. None of mine (4-5?) have been perfect. Quill stems? The first 40 years of my cycling life were all with quill stems. I'll take the new "ahead" stuff anyday though even though my trackie is a quill.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Just received my new 40th anniversary Marinoni.

It's good even though it's not what I asked for. I wanted the retro white swoopy things each side of the name. I even sent them the pic in my original post.

Oh well.

If I had known I couldn't have the white swoopy things I would have had white ST and HT panels. Live & learn eh? Assume nothing.

They were out of Campagnolo Record headsets too so I've ordered my own off ebay. At least they knocked $100 off the bill.


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## willieboy (Nov 27, 2010)

Looks great Mike. I'm sure it will be sweet on the road once complete. Post a pic when finished please


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

willieboy said:


> Looks great Mike. I'm sure it will be sweet on the road once complete. Post a pic when finished please


Oh for sure I will do that. I won't be able to ride it outside until March/April so there won't be a major rush (just a minor one).


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## willieboy (Nov 27, 2010)

and I was complaining about today's ride in the high 50's. Shame on me!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

willieboy said:


> and I was complaining about today's ride in the high 50's. Shame on me!


High 50's? Sheer luxury! High 20's here today - and windy.


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

It's a beautiful thing!


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Looks great Mike! For what its worth, I actually like it without the swooshes, but I understand where you are coming from. I had to send them a diagram for mine that I drew up and included photos just to define where paint transitioned to chrome, etc. I really prefer the older style head tube graphic on the first photo you posted to the 40th crest. It is not so elegantly designed IMO. Either way it looks like a great and the colour is awesome. I'm sure the indoor lighting does no justice to how good that is going to look out in the sunlight (when we get some!)

Can't wait to see the build pics!


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## Easyup (Feb 26, 2012)

Beautiful, will be a stunner, unfortunate for you about the swoopies; but to me it looks right, I would not have gone with panels either. Maybe would have looked at the other side of the color wheel for decal contrast but you can not go wrong with white. Lookng forward to photos.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

While we wait for the final build, here is mine all built up!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> While we wait for the final build, here is mine all built up!


Mega cool. Very nice. Here's a pic of mine today. I won't be in a rush to build it up as I think road riding is very much done for a while even though I had the Masi out for a spin today. I don't have my headset yet either.

My blue is the same as yours but my camera doesn't do it justice. It's more bluey here in this pic. I'm slowly getting over the shock of it not being the graphics that I wanted.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Looks great! You'll get some better photos on a brighter day I'm sure. Keep us posted with the build progress!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Finito. New Year and new bike; finished today. It's my back-up road bike (my #1 bike is a Ti Kish) and built up from my parts cupboard.

As said in my OP, it's a 40th Anniversary Marinoni, made in Montreal. Marinoni built his first frame in '74 and I got my first one (of 5) around '77. They don't do lugged frames anymore but these anniversary frames went back to their roots, just for 2014. I didn't need a new frame but I just couldn't pass up on this opportunity.

Specs -

Zona tubing. Size 54 c-c, 55.5 TT. Italian BB. 1" threadless steerer.
Ultegra bits - hubs, r-derailer, shifters, cassette. 9-spd.
Dura-Ace bits - BB unit, f-derailer.
Thomson stem, 120mm & post.
FSA bars. Deda tape.
FSA headset.
NOS Concor saddle.
Speedplay Zero pedals.
Open Pro rims, Ulteg hubs, 32/32, Sapim Race (for now).
Conti 4-Season.
Campagnolo brakes, '86 era.

The eagle-eyed will notice the 5mm carbon spacer above the stem. A silver aluminum one is on its way from China.

It's 4 degrees below freezing and blowing a gale so I just took it around the block. It's laterally rigid and vertically compliant


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Way cool!

I love it, and yes, I am jealous.


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## Blue Star (Jun 9, 2012)

That's a lovely thing. We're in a snowless way here in Ottawa, but the flu's preventing me from riding the river paths on my Marinoni.

May it give you much pleasure in the year (and years) to come!


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Very nice!

Deserves a few more pics for sure.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

BacDoc said:


> Very nice!
> Deserves a few more pics for sure.


It's too damn cold to take it outside for more pics. It was minus 5 fahrenheit or minus 24 celsius here this morning. As for any riding - Ha, not until April.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

Looks great, Mike!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> Looks great, Mike!


Thanks Space. That's all it's doing though as it's too damn cold and icy to ride outdoors. It's fine on the rollers


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## Blue Star (Jun 9, 2012)

Looks like Marinoni is carrying on with the production of the 40th, but now as the Retro SL and Zona:

Cycles Marinoni


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Blue Star said:


> Looks like Marinoni is carrying on with the production of the 40th, but now as the Retro SL and Zona


Good for them. I always thought they were stoopid to stop making lugged frames. Maybe they learned from offering the 40th Anniversary ones that people still wanted the lugged stuff.


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## nspace (Jun 5, 2008)

I am not surprised. I think they got a lot of orders with this offering. I some ways it cheapens the 40th IMO. Given the choice I would have opted for classic head tube badge instead of the clunky 40th crest! (who designed that thing?). Good to see a renewed interest in lugged frames for sure though!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

nspace said:


> I some ways it cheapens the 40th IMO.


Yes, that was my initial reaction but I guess it doesn't matter too much to me.



> Given the choice I would have opted for classic head tube badge instead of the clunky 40th crest! (who designed that thing?). Good to see a renewed interest in lugged frames for sure though!


I think I would have waited too if I had known they were going to carry on with the lugged frames. Oh well!


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## Easyup (Feb 26, 2012)

nspace said:


> Given the choice I would have opted for classic head tube badge instead of the clunky 40th crest!


My prized purchase last year was a Pinarello Montello head badge, they are missed by many of us.


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## redcolnago (Jul 12, 2015)

*It would ...*

Hi..It would look amazing with a manly Cinelli
or 3ttt stem/ bar combo (as in quill) and a Nouvo or SR gruppo/groupset. So much better sans fugly modern stem and brifters




Mike T. said:


> Finito. New Year and new bike; finished today. It's my back-up road bike (my #1 bike is a Ti Kish) and built up from my parts cupboard.
> 
> As said in my OP, it's a 40th Anniversary Marinoni, made in Montreal. Marinoni built his first frame in '74 and I got my first one (of 5) around '77. They don't do lugged frames anymore but these anniversary frames went back to their roots, just for 2014. I didn't need a new frame but I just couldn't pass up on this opportunity.
> 
> ...


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## Tachycardic (Mar 31, 2013)

First, let me say congratulations! What a lovely frameset, but it is deserving of the smooth lines of quill stem and a less clunky-looking crank. I know it's your bike, but might I suggest this UI-7 INTEGRATED STEM by NITTO - fairweather or this MT-31 SIDE CLAMP STEM by NITTO - fairweather


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Tachycardic said:


> First, let me say congratulations! What a lovely frameset, but it is deserving of the smooth lines of quill stem and a less clunky-looking crank. I know it's your bike, but might I suggest this UI-7 INTEGRATED STEM by NITTO - fairweather or this MT-31 SIDE CLAMP STEM by NITTO - fairweather


What you, Red and others need to realize is that this is *my* bike built the way *I* wanted to build it. I don't choose my cars with the color or other features that I think the next owner might like. I please *me* in this world as it's absolutely impossible to please each one of you.

I could have installed any parts that I wanted (I can afford it) but I wanted to outfit it with in-stock-parts that were gathering dust in my cupboard from other "2nd tier" bikes that I've owned (my #1 bike is a custom Ti Kish; also built with parts *I* like).

What *was* the question again?

Please post your bike pics so that I can suggest parts that you should swap out. No? 

Edit - see my post #7.


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## willieboy (Nov 27, 2010)

Mike T. said:


> What you, Red and others need to realize is that this is *my* bike built the way *I* wanted to build it. I don't choose my cars with the color or other features that I think the next owner might like. I please *me* in this world as it's absolutely impossible to please each one of you.
> 
> I could have installed any parts that I wanted (I can afford it) but I wanted to outfit it with in-stock-parts that were gathering dust in my cupboard from other "2nd tier" bikes that I've owned (my #1 bike is a custom Ti Kish; also built with parts *I* like).
> 
> ...


Saw that coming


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

I agree. It's begging for a quill. Cinelli XA or 3TTT 84. Just saying.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Just saw this


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