Called the godfather of American frame building, Albert Eisentraut began building frames in 1959 and trained under Oscar Wastyn, builder of the famous Paramount frame.
Albert's frames were often noted to have an artistic quality. I see that in this early 90's model.
My eyes gleamed when this popped up on the local CL. No pics were provided so it took me about 15 minutes to set up and leave for a viewing. I expected to find a lugged frame but this ended up to be a tig welded steel frame from the early 90's when Albert was building fewer frames. This would be my newest "vintage" bike. To me 90's just isn't retro at all! We'll just call it a KOF bike. What first attracted me to it was the overall condition. It looks like more of a restored bike in condition and must have very few miles on it. Second was the "monostay" (seat stays) and front track fork.
The early 90's Sachs New Success groupo looks a bit beefy but was in a similar condition to the frame. Rumor has it that Campy made the cranks and brifters while Modolo produced the brakes. Hubs were, of course, by Sachs. The only missing piece to a full groupo is the front hub. Anyone have a late model Sachs NS front hub?
Here's the beefy front derailleur but notice the chain ring is in great shape. Also, you can note the black scallops on the lower half of the frame.
This is certainly not my lightest bike but it puts you so low that you are aero the whole time(I have the sore back to prove it!).
Two of my theories are supported by this purchase. First, riding aero or "in the drops" is one of the big keys to reaching your avg mph goals. Second, once your butt is broken in, just about any quality seat will be rideable. New riders just keep looking for "that" seat but will only find it when their butt gets in shape!
I washed it(the bike - not the butt) and replaced the bar tape - that's it. I then rode it for a few hundred miles and even took it on the Garmin Team ride after the Tour of Missouri '09. It worked great and I was the only one keeping up on a 15 year old steel frame! I had to mention this to as many of the pros and groupies as I could. Naturally, few riders had even noticed this odd bike. Hey they just ride bikes....... I collect them!
All it will need is that pesky front hub and a new chain. I think it also begs for an aero seatpost.
No resto needed - obviously.
2 comments:
Nice!
As far as the Sachs New Success groupo you have on there, from what my memory serves me, you are pretty much correct.
But I'll throw in my extra $0.02 of info (which you probably discovered by now).
The Sachs New Success Groupo was the last Groupo to be released by Sachs before it was merged into SRAM.
ZF, the German car parts manufacture bought Sachs in 2001. At the time Sachs was a large German conglomerate. Making everything from car parts, small engines, bicycle parts, to motorcycle and moped parts...all the way down to precision machined parts like bearings.
When ZF acquired Sachs in 2001 it sold off its bicycle division to SRAM.
ZF changed its name to ZF Sachs...but seems to have now dropped the Sachs and just goes by ZF again! That said, Sachs is still a division of ZF, they focus on suspension parts for cars.
ZF supplies most European car manufacturers and a few American companies. There is actually a ZF transmission in all my cars except one (the Ford).
Prior to being bought out by SRAM, Sachs acquired several bicycle component makers such as Huret (derailleurs), Maillard (hubs & freewheels), Sedis (chains). Basically, they bought out every french bike component maker except Mavic!
The Sachs groupo you have is sort of a "mishmash." It has a lot of Campagnolo. The big, expensive parts are made by Campy.
The cranks are basically re-branded Campy Chorus (although some say Athena), which was Campagnolo's second highest groupo at the time (not counting Croce D'Aune, which was a flop and probably discontinued by the time the Sach's New Success was released).
The finish of the cranks may be slightly different (i.e. not as brightly polished), but I believe they are identical to Campy marked stuff. The chain rings and crank should be stamped "Made in Italy." And are 100% Campy.
The Brake levers are 100% Campy Ergo (8 speed?). I'm 99% sure the front derailleur (going by the shape of the chain cage) is also Campagnolo.
The brake calipers, Modolo (which you stated). Made in Italy. Same calipers used by Mavic.
This is where stuff gets tricky...as there was some variation over the years.
The rear derailleur on your bike is unique to Sachs and made by Huret, which was owned by Sachs at the time (it should be stamped "Made in France"). Although like you said, it looks like most high quality groupos from 1990's and can be mistaken for Campy.
The hubs should be made by Maillard in France (another company purchased by Sachs), but have precision German sealed bearings (made by Sachs).
The 8-Speed freewheel I believe was made in France by Maillard, as stated, a division of Sachs.
The chain should be Sedis, once again, made in France and a company owned by Sachs.
All and all, the Sachs New Success groupo was pretty high quality stuff.
Its sort of a shame that ZF sold off Sachs' bicycle division to SRAM. I haven't checked out SRAM in a while, but most if not all of their stuff is made in china last time I looked :(
While Campagnolo continues to make their parts in Italy and Shimano makes it's high quality groupos in Japan.
I wonder if (the upper end) Sachs groupos would still be made in Europe had they not been sold off?
M.B.
Great info. Thanks! How did you find all of this?
BTW, both front and rear derailleurs are "Made in France". Can't find origin on crank but the crank bolts are Campy as are the chainrings - held with generic chainring bolts. Date code "4" is unlike other Campy cranks I have - the "4" is within two concentric circles with radial lines between the two.
Dave
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