rBOTM October - The Voting

What is your rBOTM?

  • Viscount

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Bertin

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The Norman Fay

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Vitus

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Peugeot

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dyna-Tech

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Gazelle

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mercian

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Colnago

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Somec

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Raleigh

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Alan

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .

Elev12k

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We have an impressive line up this month and you van vote now ! :)

Goldie's 1974 Viscount Aerospace Pro >>

DSC03122.jpg


Bikenut2010's Bertin >>

dscf0412_177.jpg


Legrandefromages's The Norman Fay 'tub tourer' >>

the_norma_makeover_529.jpg


Milko's Vitus 979 >>

DSC01599.jpg


Duffer2's Peugeot Comete >>

Pug7.jpg


Law's Dyna-Tech 700 >>

Dynatech700_3.jpg


Readview's Gazelle Champion Mondial 653 >>

6219522713_ac207bc401_b.jpg


EdEdwards' Mercian 753 >>

pa072098_443.jpg


Mark34's Colnago Master >>

allsorts057.jpg


Hatarmar's Somec >>

p4pb7250479.jpg


Roadking's Raleigh Corsa >>

corsatwo_202.jpg


Toby1974's Alan Super Record >>

picture_014_105.jpg
 
Really great selection this month fellas, well done to all!
I love the Somec but no peddles? The Alan is lovely, they sure are great looking bikes. I am always floored by the 80s Raleighs, they just ride so beautifully and this one is another great example. However, my vote goes for the Mercian. Something about those frames that just hits the spot for me. Lovely bike...
 
Ed's Mercian, very nice for such a big bike!
 
I found that there were so many great bikes this month, that in the end I ended up looking at sily minor things to make the final decision. I was all prepared to tip the hat first to the Somec, but without pedals, it is not a bike. I then looked towards the Mercian but couldn't get past the routing of the brake cables and the placement of the brake levers way way down on the handlebar curve which gives it an awkward look in my eyes. So in the end my vote went to the Colnago because of its overall balanced good looks and great build (the brazed-on race number holder also didn't hurt, and more than made up for the fact that the right Campagnolo SGR pedal was not placed right-side up in the photo, one of the few advantages of these clunky pedals).
 
Citoyen du monde":28ctecz2 said:
So in the end my vote went to....

Wait, you commented only 2 bikes. No elaboration on what was wrong with the others this month?
 
Elev12k":1jdbaxre said:
Citoyen du monde":1jdbaxre said:
So in the end my vote went to....

Wait, you commented only 2 bikes. No elaboration on what was wrong with the others this month?

You asked:

Contrary to what the votes would seem to indicate at this time, I quite like the Viscount. The cushy tires look ready to take you on a long comfortable journey. The chainline as it appears in the photo is not very appealing. I guess more than anything else it suffers because it doesn't really excell in anything and doesn't have a big universally recognizable name.

I also find the Bertin to be slightly more nicely assembled than the Viscount. I don't quite see how the large flange hub on the front fits with the other components but it doesn' look all bad. Again nothing wrong with teh bike just lacking a bit of pizzazz.

From what you can see of the Norman Fay, it seems to be a frame with nice workmanship. The BB shell seems very high and the frame angles very laid back, even considering the frame size and touring design. I can see it being a very nice touring bike but would have preferred a lower BB, but this could likely be tied into the intended owner's desire to fit extra long cranks. The downward sloping saddle is likely the culprit brough about the need for the brake levers to be fitted so high on the bars. The brake cable routings both seem stylistically wrong to me. The front one should not go over the stem whe routing to a centre-pull brake. The rear should not be routed below the handlebars.

For the Vitus, the placement of the brake levers super-low on the bars combined with the pedals excluded this bike almost immediately.

For the Peugeot, we once again have a bike with a downward sloping saddle and no pedals. If you can't ride the bike, what is it doing here?

The dynatech is the only one this month that I feel does not conform to what I think of a classic bike. The combination of the frame, brifters, pedals, deepdish radial wheels all preclude me from considering it a classic. I can however well see the same frame being built up with different components being able to squeak in as a classic.

The Gazelle really appealed to me. I like the rather unusual colour combination, including the brown saddle and white lever hoods. I would personally remove the crank dust caps (they serve no purpose and as such putting plastic add-ons on such a beautiful bike is sacrilegious) lower the angle of the bars ever so slightly (the levers are very nicely placed) and search out pedals that have metal dust caps or at least something more in keeping with the rest of the components. I am surprised that I like the deepdish Zonda wheels, but with the aubergine colour frame and multicolour bar wrap they seem to meld right in. As a statement of personal good taste of the one who assembled the bike, I would have given the Gazelle a two thumbs up.

I had already commented on the Raleigh when it was first posted, so I'm not going to repeat myself.

As for the Alan, I think this month's example pales when compared to the one last month both as a bike as well as photo quality. Perhaps larger more detailed photos would help.
 
:D Law's Dynatech for me. From the point of view of rBOTM, I can see where CdM's coming from regarding the kit it's carrying; if it were mine, I'd probably go for early nineties stuff. But it's the bike I'd most like to ride, and the one that I keep coming back to sneak a look at. And it sparkles like a new pin. Lovely.

Ed's incredibly graceful, gazelle-like Merrcian also tickled my fancy, and I'm a sucker for orange, chrome and world champ bands on a bike so the Somec did it for me to.

Good work all...
 
Citoyen du monde":368yakos said:
Elev12k":368yakos said:
Citoyen du monde":368yakos said:
So in the end my vote went to....


For the Peugeot, we once again have a bike with a downward sloping saddle and no pedals. If you can't ride the bike, what is it doing here?

In my defence, I did go back and add photos of the completed bike in the original submission thread! The seat is perfectly horizontal - which suits my riding perfectly (though the camera angle didn't help) and it's now my daily commuter, so it can be ridden!
 
Good selection of bikes this month, tough to make a choice.

Bit disappointed to read reasons why a particular bike wasn't chosen though as that might influence others voting - in a competition if you want to comment then my view is that it's much better to focus on what you like rather than what you don't. Then again, it's only supposed to be fun!

With that, back to trying which one to go for.....
 

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