I found this Regina Extra Record Ti Freewheel in my bicycle parts box. My friend Kenny bought it in the early 80’s and I used it for a few miles and then put it in the parts box.
It is a six speed freewheel with 13-14-15-17-18-19 tooth cogs and Italian threading – 1.378″ x 24 TPI. When I recently removed the cogs to clean them, part of the freewheel body looked like it was made out of aluminum. All the cogs are threaded and made of titanium but I was unable to separate the last two cogs (18-19) from the freewheel body.
When I looked at the freewheel listings on VeloBase.com, I saw a Regina Extra Record freewheel that has aluminum cogs but I didn’t see an Extra Record freewheel with titanium cogs.
I checked eBay listings for titanium freewheels and there were several that sold in the $250-$500 range. That reminded me of the Steven Spielberg authored episode of Amazing Stories: Gather Ye Acorns.
To get up into the hills, I ride my bike through glass strewn, broken city streets. Including the weight of my bike, I’m pushing almost 100 kg. I was getting a lot of punctures from very small pieces of glass, frequently enough that I started to consider tire savers. If I hear a crunching sound or ride over small pieces of glass I don’t see in time, I reflexively put my thumb down on the rotating tire to hopefully flick off debris.
Though I need a rear tire that is more resistant to punctures, I also didn’t want to compromise too much on weight because I am riding a racing bike, even though it is from the early 80’s. Years ago, when I lived in Manhattan, I went from tubular tires to a Specialized Armadillo. It was like putting on a truck tire.
After I read Bruce Weber’s account of his flatless cross country bicycle ride with Schwalbe Durano tires, I bought a Schwalbe Durano Plus. With a folding bead, the 700 x 25C tire weighs 380 gm. Compared to the Continental Grand Prix 4-Season (that I was riding in a less demanding environment) the Schwalbe Durano Plus tire had a certain sluggish response.
One of my local bike shops suggested a Continental GatorSkin. They didn’t have the foldable version so I bought the 300 gm, wire bead, 700 x 25C. The GatorSkin felt more responsive than the Durano Plus and through it’s life, I only had one puncture. Unfortunately, the cord started showing in one spot after about 3500 miles.
I would have bought a folding Gatorskin, but LBS #2 wasn’t a Continental dealer. They suggested a Specialized Roubaix Armadillo Elite. I mounted it on my Mavic Open Pro wheel without shredding my thumbs or using tire irons to get the final part of the bead over the rim. Even though it weighs 305 gm, the Elite feels more responsive than the other two tires. For $60, I hope it wears well.
Specialized says, “The Roubaix is an Endurance Road tire for epic rides from smooth country roads to rough field roads.” Since my riding is none of the above, hopefully it will just work.
I upgraded my De Rosa’s brake calipers from a 43-year-old design (Campagnolo Super Record) to a 17-year-old design (Campagnolo Chorus). The “new” calipers (the eBay seller called them “vintage”) are dual-pivots with Campagnolo and Chorus imprinted on the brake arms. I used lined housings and stainless steel cables so in all, the stopping power feels like a significant upgrade over the Super Record calipers I was using. The new calipers seem to work OK with the mid-80’s C-Record levers although the quick releases on the levers to open up the calipers for wheel changes are a little inadequate because I’m using a 25mm wide rear tire.
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