# New Old Bridgestone XO-1: Pics in Link



## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

I'm not sure if this bike actually qualifies as "retro-classic" but it's, um, old. Just built up a '93 XO-1 and took it out for its first off-pavement ride. I've got a few pics in the following link if you're interested in checking it out. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

Also, a note of thanks to whomever suggested the IRC Metro-Duro tires. They roll well on pavement and grip surprisingly well off road. The rear gave plenty of grip (even in loose gravel inclines) and the front only got squirmy in the real sqishy stuff. The December Chill adventure race is coming up shortly and this'll be the bike (and tires) I'll use.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Mean looking bike with those big tires on it. Cute wife too. Best of both worlds!


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## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

Thanks, I like 'em both.

The tires are kind of slow to start but that's about the only time I feel the negative aspects of their girth. Plus, I have to say they do look kinda cool on there.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

Bridgestone + moustache handlebars + barend shifters 
Let me guess, a Grant Peterson follower (advocate?)
Nothing wrong with that, just my guess


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## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

SantaCruz said:


> Bridgestone + moustache handlebars + barend shifters
> Let me guess, a Grant Peterson follower (advocate?)
> Nothing wrong with that, just my guess


Eh...kind of. I appreciate what he did for bicycling. By this, I mean he designed his bikes to be ridden and enjoyed instead of raced. 

I do like his older designs but I'm actually not a Riv fan at all. I may upset some folks by saying this, but good sense got overtaken by marketing a brand lifestyle to nostolgic and aging bikers with more cash than time to ride. Don't get me wrong, I think plaid cycling hats, shellacked bar tape and $100 hatchets look beautiful in scenic pictures where nobody is sweaty but they're just not my style. On the other hand, I DO still enjoy wool jerseys for one simple fact...they don't stink. 

I like my panniers to be ripstop nylon and I like my seat higher than my handlebars...it feels funny any other way. I also LOVE dual control levers and I've got 'em on the most un-Grant bike I can think of...an '03 Cannondale R2000. I also like to go fast.

Hopefully I just answered your question because I just confused the hell out of myself.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

SantaCruz said:


> Bridgestone + moustache handlebars + barend shifters
> Let me guess, a Grant Peterson follower (advocate?)
> Nothing wrong with that, just my guess


BTW: The 1992 XO1 was the first complete bike that GP designed and spec'd which combined all of these elements. The 1992 XO2 was close, but it had thumb shifters mounted on the moustache bars.

- FBB


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## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

fbagatelleblack said:


> BTW: The 1992 XO1 was the first complete bike that GP designed and spec'd which combined all of these elements. The 1992 XO2 was close, but it had thumb shifters mounted on the moustache bars.
> 
> - FBB


Thanks for the info. I love bar end shifters for road riding, but when I take the bike off road, the bar ends kind of get to me. Maybe because the handlebars are so wide? 

I have an NOS pair of Suntour XC Pro thumb shifters that I was thinking about mounting on here. I think I may have to grind the insides out to fit the bars though. I tried fitting them on a Nitto drop bar but they wouldn't fit. I have to remove the bars and tape to put a shorter stem on the bike anyway, so I might as well give it a shot. I'll post an update if and when I get around to it.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

commuter73 said:


> I have an NOS pair of Suntour XC Pro thumb shifters that I was thinking about mounting on here. I think I may have to grind the insides out to fit the bars though.


I think you are probably right. The moustache bar on the XO1 had the same diameter tubing as a road bike bar, if I remember correctly, so the clamps on thumb shifters are too small.

If you can get ahold of a set of moustache bars off an XO2 or an XO3 (I forget which year), then your thumb shifters would work. Those bars are sized for thumb shifters.

See https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/ for scans of the B-stone catalogs. These will show you which bikes used which types of m-bars during which years.

Here are some shots of my Allan Wanta, which I have set up with upside-down "Trekking" handlebars and Deore XT thumb shifters. When you mount these bars like this, they are very similar to moustache bars (and I love 'em!).

https://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc152-forbesbb0906.html










- FBB


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## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

Thanks for the info...and nice ride, by the way. You must have an interesting stable of bikes. Seems you're always referencing out of the way builders and bikes in your posts here and in the Kog group.

I think I'll stick with the bars I have now because I have all of the parts and the tools necessary to do what you display there. Plus, it's more fun to tinker to get something to work properly...and it makes me feel as if I've accomplished something to boot.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

commuter73 said:


> Plus, it's more fun to tinker to get something to work properly...and it makes me feel as if I've accomplished something to boot.


Amen!

- FBB


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## Durandal (Aug 31, 2005)

How's your Bianchi running, ever get a 3/32" cog for it?


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## commuter73 (Feb 6, 2005)

*Are you Stuart from my LBS?*



Durandal said:


> How's your Bianchi running, ever get a 3/32" cog for it?


The fixie is doing well. My "paint job" is not holding up as well as I'd like it to, but the bike serves its purpose just fine. Since I'm doing a lot of projects at school this year, I've got TONS (literally) of supplies to bring to work at least a couple of days a week. 

I've started a Habitat for Humanity group at my school so I bring spare lumber and tools to work a few days a week. Sadly, I haven't been making the 28 mile round trip commute to work as much this year. I'll ride in the cold, but I'm not hardcore enough to put a full sized table saw and a bunch of 2 x4s across the top tube. 

I never got a new cog for the bike. Since I originally planned to use a 50 tooth front ring, I thought a 17 tooth rear would be a necessity. Since we could only fit the 48 tooth on the front ring, I kept the 16 tooth that I had laying around. Turns out that gearing is just fine for me.

How're your fixie and your Dad's XO-1 doing?


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## Durandal (Aug 31, 2005)

Yep, it's me.

Gearing's cool, but a bit too much for me, 46x16 is pushing it for me and I may go back to 42x16 for the winter.

As for the paint job, rattle cans never really hold up as well factory paint jobs which are baked on and cured, on top of that I seem to remember you didn't clear coat it.

My dad put his XO-1 in the basement for the winter, sub 32º weather freezes the water vapor that was trapped under the shellac on the bar tape, it causes it to become milky white.

As for my fixie, I started school for the first time 11/6/06 and have been on about two rides since then. I'll probably go on another one tomorrow, but have other stuff to do today. It's really a bit far to commute by bike, about 21 mile each way and on top of that my older brother (an Non Cyclist) goes to the same school so we drive in.

Good luck with Habitat for Humanity


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