I asked for some advice earlier this week about which bike to buy and I decided on the 1994 RB-1. I bought it as a frame/fork and the seller had a bag of parts from a 1990 RB-1 -- SunTour GPX gruppo and Dia-Compe BRS400 brakes.

So here it is in all its new glory. I built it with what I had, in addition to what I bought with the frame::

Campy Record headset
Nitto technomic stem and Noodle 48cm bar
Dia-Compe levers and BRS-400 calipers
SunTour GPX 7-speed rear derailleur
SunTour GPX cranks (53-40)
SunTour Accu-Shift levers
Alex DA22 rims, Shimano hubs
Ritchey Comp post
Selle Italia saddle
Speedplay X-2 pedals

That is a very sweet ride, dude. Is it just my eyes, or is that top tube really long?

Oh so very very nice. Custom paint? What's that decal on the seat tube?

Well done,

FBB

Really nice looking bike. Good build choices too. Was the ride what you expected?

Thanks for the compliments. I love the way it turned out.

No, not custom paint as far as I know. It looks like the RB-1 page from the Bridgestone 1994 catalog. The decal on the seat tube is the round "RB-1" logo.

Yes, long top tube. It's a 62cm frame. I haven't measured the top tube but B-stone was known for the slack seat tube and long top tube geometry. Fits me perfectly.

I am about to take it for its maiden voyage....

That is really pretty. There are few things, to my eye at least, as pretty and elegant as a nice steel frame with DT shifters ( to keep the handlebar area cleaner).

Very Nice indeed.

Enjoy it.


FBB - what's happening with the Wanta?????

No, not custom paint as far as I know. It looks like the RB-1 page from the Bridgestone 1994 catalog. The decal on the seat tube is the round "RB-1" logo.

Ah... the 1994 factor. We stopped carrying B-Stones in '93, so I never saw the new paint job. I like it a lot.

- FBB

FBB - what's happening with the Wanta?????

At the risk of highjacking the thread... The Wanta saga continues. He made me a new fork and fixed the canti-boss position on the frame. BUT the steerer tube on the new fork had ridiculously thick walls. I had to the steerer out to fit in the Aheadset hardware. Plus, the new fork is a boat anchor. So, he's building me a new new fork with a standard steerer tube.

I cannot fault him too much. He got hit by a drunk driver while riding, and he cracked two vertebrae. He really should not have tried to build me the replacement fork in his condition, but he wanted to get it out quickly. He built it with the thick-walled steerer because he knows I am 250 lb and might do some dirt riding on the bike. And, the fork looks really, really good. Beautiful crown, etc. He's been a great guy through the whole process. I am very sure that the final product will be well worth the wait.

- FBB

Beautiful bike you have there. I admire your choice in components, too!

I have a badly bent '95 RB-1 frame. 'Twas my favorite bike of all time, and a sweet ride until 13 July 1997...

Bright, sunny, clear, cool Sunday morning in Phoenix, Arizona. Headed out for a solo century at 6:30am and woke up in the hospital several hours later (no memory of anything in between). Got nailed from behind by what was, according to the one witness, a very drunk driver who sped away from the scene. Drunk at 7:15am on a Sunday. Nice.

I've still got the frame and am biding my time until I learn to build frames. Then I'll try to repair this one, repaint it, and finally be back on my B'stone. Pics like yours remind me why I still have that frame. Wonderful bike!

Take care!

My RB-2 has a long top tube. It's 57.5 (center to center) with a 58 top tube. It's a little small for me (I'm 6'2") but the top tube length is the right length. I bought it to use as a "foul weather" bike but it turned out to be such a sweet ride. I love your color scheme and was thinking of having mine repainted in the same colors as well. Here's a pic!

Nice looking bike. Steel frames sing to me. :)

The DT shifters really give it a 'clean' look on that frame. :thumbsup:

Beautiful! Very Nice.

Just a Q, what is with the brake cables? The rear one looks a little short.

Nice ride--I always liked those.
Just for what it's worth, I think that may be the last Bridgestone that Grant Petersen, who went on to found Rivendell (www.rivbike.com) designed. I have a couple of those old catalogs, and you can already see his influence and the beginning of some of his ideas about design. His new bikes have a reputation for being too retro, but I have a Rambouillet and an Atlantis, and they're really sweet.

Beautiful! Very Nice.

Just a Q, what is with the brake cables? The rear one looks a little short.

Good eye,
Yeah, the rear brake cable prolly looks short as I quickly transfered all the bits and pieces from my Paramount (so I could have her repainted). The RB-2 was going to be my "foul weather" bike but I like the ride of her so much that I'm considering having her repainted too! So, I'm waiting till I save enough dough (for a repaint) before I get new cables. :)

I like the color scheme of the original poster but I'm thinking maybe something along the lines of electric lime green with white panels (a la Richard Sachs).

'Hanx for the compliments.

Couldn't get used to the downtube shifters, so I put on 9 speed Ultegra, with an Ultegra BB and cranks, brakes and derailleurs. Now it is dialed in nicely.

And of course my old red Rolfs and a touch of red in the saddle.

Wow, looks like a totally different bike with those changes. Nice both ways.