Of all my old bikes I have one I never really wanted to ride, it is my size, there is nothing explicitly wrong with it other than it's age, and the components it's built with.
Bottecchia's are not common here in the states, for every Bott sold there must have been a thousand Peugeot's. My Deluxe is the realitive equal of a Peugeot UO-8, just with a lot more Italian panache.
When the plastic Simplex gear self destructed, I took it upon myself to replace it all with period Campagnolo Valentino gear. I repacked the bottom bracket, and eventually put the factory wheels and hubs back on. It's pretty much period perfect to 1969/70, and gives the feel of a machine from the mid 50's. The white cotton tape and leather saddle lend to the vintage feel.
Last night, faced with the sobering prospect that I was now moving into older, and even more eccentric bicycles, I had the notion to go down stairs, pull the Bottecchia off it's hook and go for a ride. So I pulled on my shoes, slid into the stirrups and away I went, my mind obsessing over every creak from the aged Campag gear. All was good until about a half a mile outside of town, where the chain (new) parted ways with its self , and I and the Bott came skidding to a rather abrupt halt. I walked back to town, bike in one hand, chain in the other.
Thirty minutes later, chain repaired, and liberally lubed I rolled south again towards the farm. Carefully increasing my cadence to see how well the ancient machine would hold up. Happily it preformed rather well. And I reached my destination without incident.
I'm not sure the Bottecchia will have a fixed spot in my rotation, but it's no longer mentally off limits.
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