Stage 1: Tour de Marinoni... peinture du cadre

Just like starting over...

Marinoni & I at Peninsula Cycles!
All images by Carolle

This morning started out grey, overcast & rainy... and ended up in bright sunshine.

A good day to let go - of the Marinoni kind. Carolle and I drove about 45 minutes to Peninsula Cycles, in White Rock. I met the friendly owners, Les Lommel & ex-Canadian National cycling team rider Damian O'Hagan. I brought with me my digital camera so Carolle could document the dismantling of the headset & bottom bracket, to show the frame totally bare. A little challenge of trying to get the bottom headset off though, 23 years is a long time on.

My Marinoni's last stand...

Les (in blue jacket) about to loosen the 

bottom bracket.

I enjoyed seeing Damian's 1981 Marinoni w/national team paint colors. I regret not taking an image of it. He still rides it and believe me, it looks stunning. In fact, on the fork crown is proudly stamped a red maple leaf. On the headset is a larger red maple leaf, very classy.

Speaking to Damian was very pleasant. He answered all my questions interlaced with a story of his relay race from Halifax to Vancouver during September's GP du Québec. In fact, while he was riding he spotted the race helicopter flying overhead. Disappointingly, he said, "I should be there, what's wrong with this picture?" I knew this was the right place to come to.

I will have a brand new paint job. Words cannot even describe it until I get it back. It will be medium blue (from Marinoni's website) with white banding on the seat tube & down tube. What's also exciting is that Marinoni will provide ALL the old graphics. The 'M' logo surrounded by the rainbow stripes will be back along with the cool Columbus decals on my front chrome fork & seat tube. I was dreading that they no longer did this. No worries,  I'm beyond ecstatic!

An added touch is that I'll have my signature on the cross bar at the front. I've ordered them to provide a much needed water bottle braze-on situated on the seat tube. I'm not sure why it wasn't offered at the time I very first bought my frame. It sure beats having a second water bottle stuffed in the back of the jersey. I never did like it.

I'm awaiting a final quote before it goes back to Terrebonne. It may take from 4 to 6 weeks .... all in good time, and I'm more than happy that my Marinoni is in the right hands!

Sans bottom bracket.