I finished this build at the end of September, showcasing  it in this post.  However, I very quickly ran into a bunch of problems when I started riding it.  The Major Taylor handlebars were uncomfortable, so I replaced them with a set of bullhorns I made.  Then the vintage Brooks leather saddle literally ripped in half – I guess the leather had not been treated well and had dry rot.  I swapped it out with a 1970’s leather Concor Laser saddle.   A few weeks later, the 1930’s adjustable stem I was using cracked!   I located a more robust 1970’s-era 3TTT adjustable stem (a “Record Regolabile” according to Velobase.org) to replace it.  I also added Brooks leather bar tape to the bullhorns and top tube, and changed the gearing to a more mellow 47 / 17.

So here is the updated version of the Alien, which is far more comfortable and safer to ride, while still retaining a nice vintage-inspired look.  Check out more pics after the jump…

In the picture above, you can see the adjustable 3TTT stem.  I ground off the black anodized finish on the Salsa brake lever to match the bars and stem.