Sheldon Brown Photo

The Sheldon Brown, Dampierre, France

This is the first (and so-far only) bike I've built from scratch, photographed near Dampierre, France in 1989

I built it in 1974, while apprenticing to a Chicago frame builder named Robert Myers. It was intended to be a hot-dog Italian style criterium bike. Unusual features include brazed-on Campagnolo brake center bolts, a spearpoint running up the back of the seat tube, and a chainstay bridge that runs all the way through both chainstays.

It is built of a combination of Reynolds 531 and Super Vitus tubing, silver brazed except for the fork ends, which are brass brazed. It has 6-speed Dura-Ace shift levers, which index surprisingly well with the Sun Tour Cyclone derailers and Regina Oro 12-22 freewheel, Sugino crankset with 28/42/52 Biopace chainrings, Campagnolo Record hubs (high-flange rear, small-flange front), Phil Wood bottom bracket, Brooks Swallow saddle.

Since this photo was taken, I have installed Scott AT-4 Pro handlebars.)

Click Here for more of my Bicycles

• What's New
• Sheldon Brown on Facebook
• Site Feedback & Questions

Articles by Sheldon Brown and Others

• What's New
• Beginners
• Bicycle Glossary
• Brakes
• Commuting
• Cyclecomputers
• Do-It-Yourself
• Essays and Fiction
• Family Cycling
• Fixed-Gear
• Frames
• Gears and Drivetrains
• Humor
• Old Bikes
• Repair Tips
• Singlespeed
• Tandems
• Touring
• Video
• Wheels
• Translations
• Sheldon - the man

Copyright © 1997, 2000 Sheldon Brown

Last Updated: by Harriet Fell