Mike Ramponi's Pink Bike

J

jonsonneborn

Member
So I picked up the pink Mike Ramponi Fat Chance from ebay a few weeks back. It was described as a '91 Wicked; it's actually an '89 Team Bike (someone added a new set of wicked decals over the original non-wicked decals). The last 2 digits in the serial are "TB" which I assume stands for Team Bike. This bike was built with customized tube lengths for Mike. True Temper RCX tubing was used for the downtube & top tube. True Temper RC for the rest of the tubing. The dropouts are Shimano (Not GP Wilson)(Campy for the Fork) but the word "Mike" is written in weld on the drive-side dropout. Would love to find out what constitutes the team bike vs. the team comp or Wicked. I have both an '89 Wicked & an '89 Team Comp to compare & have noticed more similarities to the Team Comp than to the Wicked. Here are a few more pictures.
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The paint is a bit rough in spots but the bike is overall in pretty good shape. One last interesting item is that Fat City built another team bike the same week that they built this one (late February/early March 1989). There is a note in the serial number book that the other "Race Bike" was sold to Mrs. Chevy Chase as a Team Comp!
 
T

tvcreative

New member
so where do you start on that bike?

do you keep the paint and peel the sh@tty stickers?

what parts?

M730?

love to see more
 
L

lewisfoto

New member
For what is worth I think since it seems that the graffiti on the bike was indeed made by Mike Ramponi then it should be left as is bad stickers and all.
 
J

jonsonneborn

Member
Yup been fighting with the same dilemna (as is my friend Greg who bought Mike's other 2 bikes). It would seem a shame to strip down the frame & destroy the grafitti. I think the grafitti might have come from Fat City; it appears to be a paint marker. By the way the true color of this bike is very bright flourecent pink (not the peptol bismal pink that appears in these photos). I will take some close-ups of the grafitti Tom!

Jon
 
T

tvcreative

New member
sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't predicament.

I really don't like the power bar sticker...

but I for one don't know shizz about the team and it's sponsors back in the day....

I would be willing to bet that brake you have on there is seized or stripped...

89' would that be Shimano 730 or 735? or suntour?

back in the day we used to write crap on our beater bikes with paint pens at the shop late 80's early 90's it was all for a joke, now we all take this so literal as graffiti art...

shine it up and ride just the way she sits....and then sell it to some other nostalgia buff when you find a Leni Fried (sp)
 
I

IgleBike

New member
Ramponi's pink bike

Don't mess with Ramponi's pink bike frame. The fact he beat the crap out of it with a smile on his face all those years ago is a privilege to own as is. You still can't keep up with him.
Cheers!
 
C

colker

Well-known member
I am interested in the geometry numbers. Tubing looks stouter than regular team comps.. though it may be an impression/ distortion from pics.

Build w/ whatever Ramponi built. Don't touch the paint, stickers and graffiti. I wouldn't even build it.. just hang it on the wall and look at it before you ride your other bikes.
 
Z

Zamfir

New member
In a way i'm glad I didn't pick this frameset up.

The temptation to remove stickers, graffiti and build it might be too much for me to resist.

I fully agree with the general consensus of leaving it as is, or building it to period specs.

Let us know what the plan is....
 
yo-Nate-y

yo-Nate-y

Moderator
Staff member
I think it might be fun to build it up with similarly thrashed (but solid) parts. Patina resto!
 
J

jonsonneborn

Member
troda said:
More close ups of the graffiti please!!!
Click to expand...
Here are some close-ups of the grafitti. This stem is a Fat City Built interloc setup with a double quill (1 quill on the fork & 1 in the main part of the stem). The paint color didn't match the rest of the bike but it did match the fork & rear triangle on my other '89 Team Comp so I put it on this bike.

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By the Way the Rear Brakes came off no problem (phew!)
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& Lastly hidden on the bottom of the seat tube:
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I sort of agree that the bike should be left alone & love the idea of building it up with a slightly thrashed period-correct group. The bike is way too small for me to ride so not sure if it will get any significant use.
 
T

tvcreative

New member
After seeing the hibbity bibbity graffiti I've changed my opinion. Sandblast it and start over. Looks like drunken scribbles with fingernail polish.
 
C

chainline

Member
I'm Going to agree with Chris Igleheart On this one.. I would leave Mikes Bike the way it is !!!! it is a Part of the HISTORIC side of Fat City Cycles. It would be Like cutting the wing off Richard Petty's Dodge Daytona ( that looks silly, Bring me over the saws all. ) This is a no brainer......
 
J

jonsonneborn

Member
chainline said:
Also, Are you try to crush that seat tube on purpose ? lol
Click to expand...
LOL I thought of that when I clamped it into my Park Stand but the setting just barely puts any tension on this tube diameter. My Park Stand is so old & is not height adjustable so if I clamp bikes by the seat post the wheels are typically on the ground.:mad:
 
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