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…
