Pineapple Bob? @cyclops goes deep with this reference. Pineapple Bob was a mystical figure in American cycling. He was not known as a racer, more a California bike guru of unknown qualifications and ethnic origins. Bridgestone was a unique brand also of unknown ethnic origins, at least to me. It was not European, it didn’t sound Japanese or Taiwanese. It seemed Californian: a melting pot of components and design ideas. We can always depend on @cyclops to both enlighten and mystify us. His opening salvo of a guest article raised more questions than it answered; specifically, the coupling of Playboy swag and teddy bears in his photo. I’m still troubled by it.
VLVV, Gianni
A couple of weeks ago (the day after my birthday) the Prodigal RB-1 returned home after 15+ years of seeking his own way. While the original Prodigal Son found himself wishing that he was eating as well as the (unclean) swine he was caring for, my Prodigal seems none the worse for wear. Along the way he has acquired a crappy tape job (though the Lizard Skin tape is new and salvageable), a set of Shimano 105 pedals and a Bontrager saddle, but still retains the American Classic seat pin that I remember installing. The STI shifters are an enigma however. I distinctly remember upgrading from the Shimano 600 downtube shifters to 600 STI shifters but they seem to have morphed into 105s. There is a chance that my memory has been corrupted by some unclean living back in the 90s.
What’s the big deal about a run-of-the-mill Bridgestone? When considered with the other “top-of-the-line” bikes in its day, at first glance, it doesn’t really seem that “top-of-the-line”. Nice Japanese Ishiwata tubes with a mishmash of parts like Shimano 600 shifters and derailleurs, Dia-Compe brakes, a Sugino gearset and Wolber rims laced up to nondescript hubs. No Dura Ace in sight and definitely not on par with, say, a Colnago handcrafted by Ernesto himself and hung with various Campagnolo Record accoutrements and Mavic hoops. But Bridgestone, and especially the RB-1, enjoy a sort of cult status among the retro-grouches that prefer throwing the leg over steel. There is a lot of history behind the acquisition of this particular steed.
The American face of Bridgestone was pretty much Grant Petersen* (*note references to “Pineapple Bob” in the linked article). If you are familiar with Grant Peterson, you know that he marches to the beat of a different drummer. While most top-of-the-line bikes were spec’d with either Dura Ace or Record, Grant was all about value. He was known for “weird” spec in that if a particular component had special merit other than it being best-in-class, he might just go for it. Especially when value was thrown into the equation. Eccentricity also seemed to play a part in the bikes that came across the ocean from Japan – moustache handlebars anyone? If I remember correctly my RB-1 was a 1992. It was spec’d with Shimano 600 downtube shifters but this was right at the dawn of “brifters”. While Shimano STI shifters revolutionized the world of cog selection, there was the issue of the added weight. Does anybody remember seeing bikes in the pro peloton with a right brifter and a left D/T shifter? Rumor has it that my RB-1 was very nearly spec’d that way but evidently that was just a little too much for the Bridgestone brass to swallow, so they put the kibosh(i) on that notion. Besides, Grant was/is kind of a D/T shifters only kind of guy so the bike above ended up being a well -thought out conglomeration of quality parts selected for value and performance, durability, with nice lightweight tubes, as well as some influence and input from Richard Sachs!
I actually met Grant Petersen which brings us to the acquisition of the RB-1 in question. After getting a job at a bike shop and being taken under the wings of two of the most anal retentive bike mechanics in Portland, (they both owned their own Campagnolo tool sets, the ones in their own velvet lined wooden cases) and being introduced to such names as Eddy Merckx, Colnago, De Rosa, Fignon, etc, the Prodigal RB-1 was destined to lose his way. I had lost mine and found myself standing next to I-5 in Salem, Oregon with my thumb out and literally not a dime to my name. A couple of days later I ended up in San Leandro, California, home of Bridgestone USA. I walked into the front office and asked for a job. The receptionist gave me an application and a card with a familiar name on it. The name was that of the Bridgestone rep that used to service Oregon and Washington. He was really surprised and happy to see me but he said that they had no openings at the time. However, they did need somebody to put together all the bikes that they were taking to the upcoming InterBike show. I jumped at the opportunity and I was introduced to Pineapple Bob and we got busy. It only took two days for me and “Robert” to complete assembling the bikes so it was a short gig but the fruit of my labor was that I was allowed to buy an RB-1 for $314 +tax! Three hundred and fourteen freaking dollars for Bridgestone’s top of the line bike! I loved that bike and I rode it all over the western United States. I don’t know why I ever sold it but it has returned to its rightful place in the N+1 panoply at Cyclops Central.
Now the question is: what should I do with it? Should I just leave it as is (except maybe replacing the saddle with something white, flat, and awesome and spinning some Look pedals onto the cranks)? Or do I restore it to original state and deep-six those 105 brifters? Or do I do what I fancy and add a modern take to the classic Euro-inspired angles and throw my Zipp 303 tubs and some Campag Super Record 11-speed bits on it? I could rebadge it as an RB-0 (zipp).
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@frank
I still hit the Velominati site, just been kind of lurking in the background. My riding pendulum swings back 'n' forth over the years, last few on the low side with not much mileage. It'll swing back up again, always does. My racer son, now 14, also on a bit of hiatus. I did run/coach a junior high school mountain bike team last spring, which was a fun experience.
Yeah, the mountain bike gig has leaned more towards downhill(ish) pursuits - at least in media coverage. Even so, XC riding is alive and well. Test ride a few modern mountain bikes (off road) and you'll be shocked how well they work everywhere - uphill and downhill - with 5 inches of suspension travel or so.
For me, a hardtail 29er is the way to roll off-road. 80-100 mm travel fork. Need to pick your lines via old school thinking, yet rides much nicer then older 26" wheel bikes. A cool setup, you'd probably dig it.
Congrats on the Velominati site success. I'm always in awe with number of comments, organized rides, and community connected to this. Cool stuff...
@cyclops - Sweet! Great story about how it came back home, too.
A white Concor or Regal would look good, since the cable housings and bar tape are white. (I've got a white Regal on my '87 Centurion Ironman.) Ultegra-grade eight speed STIs are still offered by Shimano, though their nomenclature escapes me.
As for when to ride it...it's perfect for sunny days when you have no intention whatsoever of hammering. I've got carbon and aluminum are for Rule 9 rides, but the steel doesn't intentionally get wet.
@Cyclops
All fucking right! Hiding in the closet naked...you are my hero! Blue Velvet Baby.
Thanks, I'm glad someone was doing that because I sure wasn't.
So this is what I'm actually thinking of doing to the RB-1: I like the thought of more gears and modern wheels (think carbon clinchers) so I was thinking NOS Dura-Ace derailleurs with D/T shifters but I want to throw everybody a curve and go with some Simple Retrofriction shifters...
...10sp in friction mode? Yeah, I'm that nuts. Also, these days I really dig the seat pin (and stem) being the same color as the frame. I just got a new set of decals from VeloCal and I think a repaint (in the original color) is in order. I also had some issues bitd with speed wobbles on this bike (but that was when I liked going 95+ kph downhill so it might not be an issue anymore) so I got a Ritchey Carbon Comp fork with a 1" steerer that will get painted to match.
@Cyclops You should be brought along to the stateside book signing of The Rules. Listening to your stories would sure beat listening to Frank laughing and cursing at 105dB for 30mins
@Cyclops
my $0.02 worth, use the Simplex on Euro components, Campagnolo, Galli, Zeus, Mavic, and use Japanese DT shifters with same origin components, Shimano, Suntour
@Cyclops
I went 10spd friction on the TSX, works great, although the sweep goes 180deg. But its really nice being able to share wheels between all the bikes still.
Personally, I think you should forget all that and just get some 600 STI and TD shifters, and go left-right, the way Pineapple Bob intended...
The VMH's first steel runs 600 and its still working great. That old 8spd stuff is bulletproof. Also still widely available on eBay.
It wasn't a Bridgestone, or even a road bike for that matter, but I was reunited with a lost love some time ago. I bought one of the early Cannondale Super Vs back in '94 when they were the sort of thing that made jaws drop with their canti-beam back end and top tube-less 'V' frame. I cultivated it into an XC and DH weapon back when 3" travel frames were the limit of what was available, but as DH developed it had to go to fund my first 'proper' long travel DH rig.
I always regretted it and about 10 years later bought another one off fleaBay and treated it to some nice new components. The only thing it was missing was the carbon swing arm I'd upgraded on my old one. I kept hunting for one and in '08 found a bike on eBay with one fitted. As I read the ad I realised it was my old bike, still owned by the guy if sold it to when we were both bike shop techs. I phoned him up and was gutted when he told me it had sold and a guy was picking it up the next evening. I hopefully said "If he doesn't show, can I have it?"
The buyer never turned up, and she became mine again, and was lavished with care, new bits and new adventures on the trails. I retired her from active duty last year as I was getting concerned about the integrity of the frame, but there's a good chance of her going on display in the house for posterity. It was my VMH's suggestion.
@Fausto
Keeper.
One more variable in the mix. Since all the graphics on the bike are white and with the white cables and tape (and seat soon) I always thought that Shimano Sante would look really cool on it. There happens to be a new Sante complete groupsan on ebay right now.