Lucky Penny – My Handmade 3Rensho Tribute Fixed Gear

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In the fall of 2015, I embarked on a project to build myself a fixed gear bicycle using a set of the famous 3Rensho Modeulo lugs.  The build is chronicled in this Bikeforums thread, where I kept a photo diary of the process.  At the time, I didn’t know this would be the last frame I’d build for several years.  I’ve been riding and loving this bike for years since then, but I never got around to photographing and writing about the finished product.  This is my favorite bike, and I finally have some great photos of it.  Read on to learn about the inspiration for the frame, the copper plating, and the build.

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1983 Colnago Super Pista

It took about five months to complete, but I have finally finished restoring this gorgeous vintage Colnago Super Pista.  It’s a 57cm in original paint. My research points to it being a 1983 model – this guess is based off of looking at all the Colnago Pistas I could find online, and the one that had the exact matching decal set and paintjob was a 1983.  It has Columbus tubing and the fork is the flat crown model, chromed, with engraved Colnago “C” and clover.

The original story on how I got it is here, but since then I spent a lot of time collecting up the right parts and slowly cleaning and polishing it up.  While fixing up the Campy lockring with my Dremel tool, I got some steel in my eye that required three separate procedures to completely remove.  So there was definitely sweat and tears invested in this project!

Alan Tansey was kind enough to volunteer his awesome photo skills to take a great set of pictures of this beast.  Check out the full photo gallery and specs after the jump…

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Chrome Bianchi Pista

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This all-chrome 2007 53cm Bianchi Pista is a recent build of mine, having gotten a good deal on the frame.  I added a brand-new red Alex R500 wheelset with matching hubs, a matching 3TTT Mutant stem, and San Marco saddle.   Matchy-matchy!  It has a black Sugino messenger crankset and bottom bracket, and is pictured with MKS GR-9 pedals with Soma Oppy XX double clips and Freeman Transport leather double straps.  The ergo drop bars are very comfortable (I used to have them on my Fuji Track Pro) with a Dia-Comp Shot brake lever and Tektro front caliper.

I’m stuck right now between selling this bike for some quick cash or riding it as a winter snow bike.  It would make a good winter bike, but it’s also so pretty and shiny that I don’t want to dirty it up.  Decisions, decisions…  check out more pictures after the jump!

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