Bontrager Race timewarp (retro-modern content!)

[bryanus]

ok, so I came across this super beat up Bonty Race on my local craigslist a few months back and seeing how I always wanted a Bonty I snatched it up. It came with an equally beat up Vicious Cycles rigid fork, whose steerer was about 1/4" too short for my liking. The previous owner used it this way, but really the bottom clamp of the stem was the only part that was solidly clamped to the steerer tube.

So I sent my fork and a leaftover piece of a former 1" threadless steerer I had to my friend who teaches a MIG welding class. He was able to expertly weld the two pieces together, and as far as I'm concerned, it's as strong as a single tube (naysayers welcome!).

Anyway, i had it powder-coated last week and just picked it up today. Sunburst orange. It has a nice glossy coating and a very faint metallic sparkle in the sunlight. It's gorgeous.

For the decals, I had one of those vinyl cutting machines and decided I would make my own decals. While repro decals can be had from Gil (and now an eBay seller is making them in any color you want as well), I wanted to do something very simple and clean as well as mess with the typeface a bit. I settled on a variant of Avant Garde, and I think it came out nicely...

I'm hoping to build it into a 1x9m but still need to find the right parts and do some more research on what works best. Singlespeed is also an option and would be easier/faster to complete as I have all the parts for that build already.

Let me know what you guys think!?!

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[Dead Rats]

it's stunning, what else did you expect?

 

[Lysander]

I'm also impressed that ye have sunshine to photograph it in!

 

[Khane]

that is gorgeous

 

[amedias]

that is just lovely! the orange is gorgeous and I'm liking the graphics they seem to suit it well.

See my build thread if you want Bonty Single Speed inspiration ;-)

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87450&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[bryanus]

Thanks guys!

I guess I should have put this into the Reader's bikes section...oops

Anyway, I just built it up as a singlespeed for now. Paul Thumbies for Shimano Barcons don't seem to be in stock anywhere until late August, so I won't make it a 1x9 until then. I'll probably get one of the Paul Chain Keepers as well.

I had some Minty Rolf Propels that I had on my Ritchey, but they go much better on the Bonty. The wheels are set up tubeless currently.

This build is exactly 20.00 lbs on the dot, with pedals. Man it's so smooth! Going on the maiden ride tomorrow...

 

[FSR-Si]

I'm liking that and think the seat and grips really set it off

 

[drystonepaul]

Very nice indeed. The white panels on orange work very well.
Given me a few ideas...

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

As I was reading it, I thought I was going to hate it, but it's cool

Two things:
If your frame has a canti hanger, make use of it; get a set of cantis on there, a nice set like Paul or Grafton in black

The panels (bontrager and race on downtube and toptube) have grown on me, after initially not liking them. The decals on the seat tube and headtube are a different story; too soft and pretty, not liking them at all, and they don't go with the panels.

Overall, it's cool, and nice paint on the Bonty.