Third in a Series of Bruce Gordon's Personal Bikes

     Before there were 29ers, Gravel Grinders, Monster Cross bikes… we made what we called a road bike with fat 700c tires.  It was made in August of 1988 and it had the first generation of 700c x 43mm Rock ‘n Road Tires that where made by Cheng Shin that turned into Maxxis. Until the middle of last year it was the only Lugged Rock ‘n Road in existence. Then I made another Lugged Rock ‘n Road for myself for a Show in North Carolina. That means that every 26 years I make myself a Lugged Rock ‘n Road. So I am due for a new one when I’m 92.

     

   I would not build anything different for modern gravel grinder geometry wise, except for the parts, and a sloping tube. That bike has an early Deore XT group with Bio Pace chain rings, with 6 speed cassette. It has Nitto bars, that I slightly flared on the drops, (I will not do that again, not recommended). If I put modern parts on it, it would ride just like the current Gravel Grinders, although the bike is from 1988.

A Brief History of Rock 'n Road

Video by : Nick Haig-Arack

   

     The paint job was the only four-color powder job I’ve ever done at the shop. It was done by Sean Walling who now is Soul Craft Bicycles

     It was made from a variety of tubing, it has a Columbus SP Seat Tube and Down Tube. A Columbus SL Top Tube, 1cm Chain Stays and Tange Prestige Fork Blades and Seat Stays. It is a 72º Head Angle, with a 73º Seat Angle, 58cm Top Tube, 43 cm Chain Stay, 7cm of drop, and 5.0cm of Rake. The Lugs were stamped steel lugs from Japan, for early Lugged Mountain Bikes, with a 1.125 inch Top Tube, and an 1.25 Down Tube. I copied the Salsa stem, and made the stem to go with it. Probably, because I was sharing a shop with Salsa Cycles at that time.

Second in a series of Bruce Gordon's Personal Bikes

This is the Second in the Series about my Collection of Bikes. This Collection includes every bike I have made for myself since 1974.  They will not be in chronological order, but they are all on display above my storefront.  The collection is about 24 bikes and 5 frames spanning 1974 to present. All with the “State of the Art” parts at the time it was built.  All but one has the original paint jobs.  The second bike I have chosen is a orange city bike Bike I made December 1980.

            For the “Fixie Kids”, who think they invented fixed gears, this was my Commuter Bike in December of 1980 that was a Super Record Fixed Gear Track Bike, with fenders, a front rack, front brake, and generator lights, where the wires ran through the tubes.  It is Columbus PS tubing, with Cinelli lugs.  This has lugs with asymmetrical holes that have been a trademark of my frames since 1977.  About the frame:  66cm (center to center) seat tube, 74 head angle, 73 seat angle, 57.5cm (center to center) top tube, 41cm chain stays, 3.6cm rake, 6.5cm drop.

            This frame seems big, but those were the days before mountain bikes when seat posts were 180mm and all stems angled down. Now with modern 350mm seat post and up angled stems I ride a much smaller frame.

This was the Model for our Logot-shirts, which we made smaller with the magic of Photoshop. A fixed gear bike with a front brake is all you need.  I am not a proponent of fixed gears with no brakes on the road. I’ve made 4 or 5 city bikes through the years and I like making bikes specifically for commuting.  Currently, my idea of a city bike is a road bike from the 70s with fenders, upright bars, rack, lights and a bell.  We will review other city bikes I have built for myself in the future.

Attached are a couple of photos from the New York Show around 1980.  One is of me with a Time Trial Bike, and the other is a smaller version (with Red Anodized Parts) of the commute bike featured here.

The first of a series on Bruce Gordon's personal Bikes through the years.

This is the first in the series about my collection of bikes. This collection includes every bike I have made for myself since 1974.  They will not be in chronological order, but they are all on display above my storefront.  The collection is about 24 bikes and 5 frames spanning 1974 to present. All with the “State of the Art” parts at the time it was built.  All but one have the original paint jobs

The first one I have chosen is a Road Bike I made December 1981.

    The parts came off a road frame, which is also on display from 1977. It is a first generation Campagnolo Super Record equipped bike, (patent.77) on the rear derailleur. I swapped out the Super Record pedals and bottom bracket, because people where breaking the titanium ones. The wheels are the Blue Mavic S.S.C. Sew Up rims that where about $250 wholesale a pair in 1981. Wow!!!  

    The picture included is of Jim Merz, Mark Dinucci, and myself going for a ride in Portland in the early 80s. I’m the one in the back on this bike.  Merz is in the center and Dinucci on the right.

     About the frame:  65cm (center to center) seat tube, 73 head angle, 73 seat angle, 58cm (center to center) top tube, 42cm chain stays, 4.6cm rake, 7.5cm drop.

It was built with Columbus SP Tubing, with a 19/22 gauge Reynolds seat tube, 6 speed and was the second frame built in December of 1981. 

    I used Henry James Lugs and Fork Crown, and has my own stainless details on the lugs. It was the first pink bike that Les Lunas (my painter at the time) painted for me. The pink color was Dupont Imron from the auto paint store who matched a pair of shoes for the owner of the Chevy dealer.  She wanted her Corvette painted to match her shoes. That’s actually the case, it became my deal color, racers who wanted a deal on a bike would have to have it painted pink so people would notice.