Sunday, March 20, 2011

Ghisallo (and D.A.M.) Wooden Rims

My last (no, really) restoration has been selected... It's likely to be my bike for the next l'Eroica, provided I can finish it in time! I know, it's eight months away, but a summer of traveling and moving back to the US might get in the way of that! It's a 1935 Airolg with Cambio Vittoria Margherita! Airolg was an entry-level sub brand of Gloria (spell it backwards). I have the original decals and color information and am ready to go! The Margherita shifter is the last one that I really want. To do 205km on that will make me wish for the Legnano with Cambio Corsa!

Anyway, the wheels for this will consist of flip-flop hubs with 4 cogs on one side and a fixed on the other, mounted to Ghisallo wood rims. Antonio invited me up to pick up the rims and I couldn't resist taking a few shots and video. His shop lies just down the hill a block away from the Ghisallo chapel and museum. He found a set of unfinished "raw" rims that I will stain a bit darker than they are usually available. He also gave me two sets of older decals. D.A.M. was considered one of if not the best wood rim of the time. They were made by Antonio's grandfather, also Antonio.

For a better (and older!) video on how they make these incredible and once-again in-demand rims, check out the following...


1 comment:

  1. Rory..... the bike sounds amazing! the Ghisallos' are going to be so sweet on the Strade Bianche! nice cush ride. sounds like you'll need a museum/gallery to display your bikes in!

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