Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My New Giordana Polaris






This is the newest addition to my stable: a late 80's Giordana Polaris.


That might be the best bike I've ever ridden. It's too large for me: 58 cm C-C seattube, 57 cm C-C top, with a 120 Cinelli stem and giro d'italia bar. All shimano 600, save the front derailleur (Sante). 7-speed indexed shifting, NISI rims. Oh, yeah, Biopace rings. My first time ever riding those. Took a couple of miles to get used to them, but they felt good. I'll reserve judgment on whether they were just way before their time or whether it's just a gimmick.

You know the legend of the Giordana, right? It's the "house brand' for Gita sports in Charlotte. Some say that dario pegoretti made these frames back when. Others say they really are pinarellos. Dale Brown says Belato actually held the torch on these frames. I have a friend who worked at Gita in the 90's, says they probably were made my Banelli.

I don't care, the ride is really good.