A Bottechia Fellow Traveller! Yes, now that you mention it, my 1966 felt smooth, and I daresay this was a result of (1) the standard-gauge tubing, (2) non-excessively-thick tube walls, and (3) the relatively (relative to post-1980s-crit-geom frames) lax and loose geometry. I road it, IIRC, with Ritchey 700C X 28 or 30 tires, nothing special, and still, it felt smooth.
Model-non-specific Columbus tubing, and I forget what the rear OL was, but I built mine as a ss fixed, so the OL could have been anything from 116 to 120. I build mine with the original moustache bar and used it as a beater commuter, albeit as a very *nice* beater commuter. But alas! it was a size or so too small -- 56 c-c st and tt, where I should have a 60X56 c-c, so I sold it on. On Mon, Sep 20, 2021 at 11:39 AM Benjamin Park <benjaminpark...@gmail.com> wrote: > I have that same Bottecchia (albeit I think mine is a bit newer, probably > 1972). I ride it all the time- it makes a great road bike! Columbus tubing > is so smooth. I put a front rack and it's my little rando bike. Actually > does ok with the weight of a front bag. I have some RH 32s on it but agree > it could take 35s. 116mm rear spacing is a bummer though! > > On Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 3:08:48 PM UTC-4 Patrick Moore wrote: > >> If you want road bike fit and handling with big tire clearance, look for >> some of the old road racing frames from the 1970s and even 1960s, if you >> can find any. My former 1973 Motobecane Grand Record was very light (much >> lighter tubing than Rivendells, except perhaps the Roadeo and the Legolas; >> all 531) yet had clearance for 35s at least without fenders. Ditto for the >> 1966 Bottechia Campione del Mondo that I owned earlier: easily room for 35s >> at least and probably 37s. There's one on Ebay now; see attached photo. >> (300 Euros, but alas in Italy.) >> >> The early 1970s Libertas frame that is now hanging on the wall waiting >> for a build is even lighter and has more clearance; my brother said he got >> 37s-38s in his; and mine -- 60 X 56 c-c -- weighs**5.9 lb** in this large >> size; that's frame and fork *and* steel Campy headset. (The Libertas has >> a reputation for nice handling, too.) My brother (last count 26 bikes -- >> that he remembers, and this after divesting himself of many others -- has >> owned many ~50 year old steel road frames that took 35-38 mm tires, >> >> My former blue-edition Rambouillet took 32s (about 31 mm actual IIRC) >> with fenders, and could probably have taken 35s without under normal reach >> single pivots. >> >> On Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 12:41 PM st nick <trueg...@att.net> wrote: >> >>> >>> I recently let a 1986 Schwinn Passage go to a new owner after enjoying a >>> lot for around 3 years. >>> >>> The only reason I did sell it was because I bought a Sam Hillbourne >>> about a year ago and have been riding it more. >>> >>> I think the Columbus Tenax tubing of which the Passage is made is pretty >>> good stuff. >>> >>> On my 23" Passage frame I squeezed in 700x40 tires with perhaps 2 mm >>> clearance on each side in the rear with no problems with true wheels. >>> >>> The other touring bikes mentioned also might suit your needs. >>> >>> I've had a Specialized Expedition, >>> Miyata 610, Miyata 1000, Nishiki Cresta, Nishiki International, and a >>> custom touring bike. >>> >>> I don't think from my experience the Passage gave up much to them in >>> riding performance or feel or whatever. >>> >>> It had fewer braze on bosses than some touring models but rode terrific. >>> >>> The cantilever posts are a bit more narrow and would not accept some >>> cantilever brakes but I just used the Dia Compe original cantilevers with >>> higher quality pads and I thought they stopped quite adequately. >>> >>> Good luck with your search. >>> >>> The past two weeks I've been tinkering with a 1982, I think, >>> 24" Puch Austro Daimler Vent Noir Reynolds 531 frame with the smoked >>> chrome finish. >>> >>> I can fit Jack Brown 700x 33.3 in the rear no problem. >>> Non original fork , I don't care for, >>> however will only take a 32. >>> >>> I'm searching for a chrome replacement fork. >>> >>> Good luck with your search. >>> >>> Paul in Dallas >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> . >>> >>> -- >>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/871769148.1269629.1631817690897%40mail.yahoo.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/871769148.1269629.1631817690897%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Patrick Moore >> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0eb096a4-0024-496f-bfcb-ae9b31835279n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0eb096a4-0024-496f-bfcb-ae9b31835279n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgt1kK13gF%3D0-EjXG51PrRG9KOC8LxuX48Z2SSN_SMYn5A%40mail.gmail.com.
