I built this bike over the winter from parts I had laying around.  The company I work for moved offices over the Christmas holiday to a building that doesn’t allow me to bring my bike up to my office.  Instead, we have to store our bikes in a shady loading dock that’s open to 43rd street / Times Sq.  So I needed an inexpensive “beater” to commute on every day.  More on the bike build and additional pictures after the jump…

I started with a bare frame from a Giant RS 940.  From my research on the net, it probably dates to 1987 or 1988 and was an entry-level offering that came with Shimano SIS parts, most likely from the RSX group.  Surprisingly, it’s made of triple-butted chromoly steel and has pretty aggressive geometry for a lower-end model.  I rebuilt it with Shimano RSX cranks, an ultra-reliable Suntour V-GT Luxe rear derailleur, Shimano RSX front derailleur, Shimano 600 and 105 levers and calipers, Cinelli Laser saddle, and a 7-speed Mavic CXP rear wheel and hub.   The shifters are Suntour Vx friction, and the whole set up worked smoothly and efficiently.

A couple nifty bits were added: a Carradice Barley bag on a Carradice bagman rack,  Time ATAC pedals, and  a handlebar-mounted water bottle holder from the 1930’s.  The water bottle holder, at $75 on eBay, cost me more than the rest of the bike!

At the end of the winter, I switched up my ride to a niftier Medici that I will post soon.  So this bike got stripped back down to the frame and is currently hanging out in the shed in my back yard, waiting for a new build and a new owner.