1991 Bridgestone RB-0
Part Diary, Part Technical Manual, Part Tips & Tricks

6/8/2017 - After searching for the right chassis, I got really lucky and bought one on eBay today - a 1991 56cm in red. The components were not original, but that didn't matter to me, since I only needed the frameset, which looked straight and dent-free from the photos. So now I just wait for the package to arrive from Ohio in the next week or so.

6/20/2017 - The bike arrived today, so I assembled it and took it out for a quick spin. Overall very happy, the size is right and there are no dents or dings in the frameset. Around 2009, the original owner put on a complete Shimano 600 groupset with a date code from 1987 on the bike, not too sure why he bothered taking off the original components to put on older parts.

8/28/2017 - Rode the bike a few times and started collecting some components. Finally got around to ordering custom decals for the frameset earlier today. After work, I completely stripped down the bike, so I guess the build has officially started.

9/13/2017 - Dropped off frameset at D&D Cycles in San Lorenzo. Remove the cable guides and braze on cable stops, paint the frameset Tusk, and install custom decals.

2/2/2018 - After many months, the frameset was ready to pick up from D&D Cycles.

2/28/2018 - I installed the headset and cut the steerer tube to the right length, now its starting to look like a bike. Still undecided on the drivetrain though.

2/10/2019 - After not touching the frameset for almost a year, I started building up the bike. I installed the crankset, pedals, seatpost, saddle, and rear derailer. At the end, I was reminded that I need to order brake levers, a chain, and a clamp-on front derailer.

3/3/2019 - This has been my longest build, not only has it been my most involved build, but its also at a time that I'm not riding nearly as much as I used to, with new hobbies such as motorsports taking up most of my time and money. This winter has been extremely cold and extra rainy, so I spent the afternoon in the garage, putting on the final bits of the bike - brake levers, front derailer, and chain. Everything came together nicely, except for the saddle. I tried to dye a NOS white Avocet into that light tan color that the Turbo saddle came in, but it came out looking orange. So I found the perfect saddle, the Brooks Cambium in natural, the color is perfect! Now I just have to find a matching bar wrap. Interesting how using some more modern technology, I was able to drop two pounds on the bike - nice!

6/8/2019 - I put on modern black Cane Creek wheelset with LOOK pedals to improve performance.

3/24/2020 - I ordered a compact crankset to allow me to ride this bike over more varied terrain. I've been looking for the old silver SRAM Rival crankset for a while with no luck, so I gave up and ordered a set of the new SRAM Apex crankset in the right gear and length to hold me over. The black crankset looks strange on the bike, but like I said, its a hold over. Now I'm thinking to get a silver Shimano crankset with Hollowtech II to go with the rest of the older Shimano components, besides I've been watching Hambini on YouTube and getting influenced by how Shimano engineering is so much better than SRAM.

8/5/2020 - The old RD-7402 just doesn't seem to be able to handle a 28t cassette well, so I decided to finally put in a modern rear derailleur, I figured a Shimano Tiagra 4700 with a medium cage would work well and the gray finish would look good on the bike. While I'm at it, might as well get a matching compact crankset, as the black SRAM crankset just doesn't fit the look of the bike. Some Shimano BL-R400 levers should finish it off. I had a XTR 12-34T 9 speed cassette and new Dura Ace 9 speed downtube shifters, that would give me lower gearing. During this pandemic, bicycle sales and bike riding has really surged, so there's a backlog for many components, things might not show up until December, but no rush - I'll wait.

1/1/2021 - Parts had started showing up, so I installed all the components, but was struggling to get the shifting adjusted properly. I've built so many bikes over the years and I just couldn't believe that I can't adjust this bike properly. So after it around the neighborhood for a few minutes, it struck me - I'm using the old 8 speed chain on the new 9 speed drivetrain! So I just ordered a 9 speed chain and hopefully things will work as intended.

1/9/2021 - I installed the 9 speed chain and things got better but it still didn't shift properly. So it turns out, the actuation ratio had changed on 10 speed derailleurs, so I was trying to solve an unsolvable problem. For all these years, it was the shifter mechanism that controlled the shifting index spacing and the rear derailleur just moved along, not knowing any difference - until recently. So now I need to find a 9 speed rear derailleur, but the Tiagra RD-4500 and Ultegra RD-6500 are only designed to handle up to a 27t, so I guess I'm forced to use a MTB unit. I just ordered an Alivio unit, I hope that will work.

1/21/2022 - I finally gave up on trying to get a compact crankset in silver, so I installed a silver SRAM Rival Crankset with a new bottom bracket and rear cassette. Although it doesn't have the lower gearing that I was hoping for, the entire drivetrain is 9 speed and silver.

12/10/2022 - The handlebar developed a creaking sound, so I disassembled the Sesamo stem to grease all the bolts and the clamping surface. When I was torquing everything back together, the upper bolt for the fork clamp stripped the aluminum of the stem, rendering the stem useless. So I went on eBay to buy a replacement. As I'm getting older, I decided to get a 110mm version, instead of the 120mm that was on the bike. I just assembled everything, so after five years, I finally consider this bike complete.

Here are the specs:

Frame: 1991 Bridgestone RB-1, 56cm, Ishiwata Croston 022E quattro-butted tubing, 14.5mm tapered seatstays, oval chainstays, forged vertical dropouts, 126mm rear spacing. Serial Number: A123265. Originally Rich Red, now Tusk.
Fork: 1991 Bridgestone RB-1, aero investment cast crown with Ishiwata 019E taper-gauge blades, 1" threaded steerer tube, forged ends. Originally Rich Red, now Tusk.
Crankset: SRAM Rival, 53x39, 170mm, 130 BCD, silver.
Bottom Bracket: SRAM GXP, BSA threaded, silver.
Front Derailer: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-7400, 28.6mm clamp-on.
Rear Derailer: Shimano Dura Ace RD-7402, 8sp, but used as 9sp.
Cassette: SRAM , 9sp, 11-26T.
Chain: KMC X9SL, 9 speed, silver.
Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace SL-7700 9sp, silver.
Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7403 SLR-S.
Brake Levers: Shimano BL-R400, aluminum, silver.
Wheelset: Cane Creek Strados, 130mm rear spacing, black.
Tires: Vittoria Corsa G+, 700x25c, 320TPI casing, folding bead, black with tan sidewalls. 250g.
Handlebar: Nitto M106 NAS, heat treated aluminum, 26.0mm, 42cm wide, 7.8cm reach, 12.8cm drop, compact bend. New from Japan.
Stem: Cinelli Sesamo, 1" threadless, 110mm, silver.
Headset: Ritchey Logic 1" threadless, black and silver.
Saddle: Brooks Cambium C15, natural.
Seatpost: Nitto S-65, forged aluminum, 27.0mm x 250mm, polished. 215g. New from Japan.
Pedals: LOOK KeO Classic 2, white.
Bottle Cage: Nitto Bottle Cage R x2, stainless steel.

Gearing with compact crankset

Gearing with standard crankset

The bike originally weighed 23 lbs and 1 oz, the bike currently weighs 21 lbs 10 oz as shown. The frame weighs 4lbs 4oz. The fork weighs 1lb 6oz.

The following are parts that originally came with the bike that I am currently not using:

Cranks: Shimano Dura-Ace FC-7402, 53x39, 172.5mm, 130 BCD.
Bottom Bracket: Tange, square taper.
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace BB-7400, 112mm spindle, NJS approved.
Cassette: Shimano 600 Ultegra CS-6400-7 Uniglide, 12-21T.
Chain: Shimano HG Narrow.
Shifters: Shimano 600 Ultegra SL-6400 7sp, grey.
Rims: Wolber TX Profil, 32h, hard anodized.
Hubs: Shimano 600 Ultegra HB-6400 and FH-6400, silver.
Tires: Bontrager Race Lite 700x28c.
Handlebar: NITTO #185F 2 bend, aluminum, 26.0mm, 41cm wide, 8.2cm reach, 14cm drop.
Stem: Ritchey Force, CrMo 1" quill, 110mm, -10 degree rise, TIG welded, silver.
Headset: Hatta Vesta 1" threaded, sealed, chrome.
Saddle: Avocet Racing, black.
Seatpost: SR Sakae 27.0mm, silver.
Seatpost: Shimano Dura-Ace SP-7410, 26.8mm. NOS from eBay.