Readers’ Rigs: Shane’s Cinelli Zydeco

This weeks Readers’ Rig comes all the way from Northern Colorado Rockies and is multi use Cinelli bike all the way from Italy, and yes, it’s made with Columbus aluminum tubes. Shane wanted a workhorse he could throw around that would punch above its weight. It’s certainly a beauty.

Name: Shane Blay
Location: Northern Colorado Rockies
Bike: 2018 Cinelli Zydeco Frameset
Groupset: Mixed bag – Started with Campagnolo Record 10 speed that I modified down to a 1×10 myself. SRAM PG1070 – cassette, Wipperman links, Record UT levers, coerced in to getting along with the TRP mechanical brakes and the non-campy cassette, Record UT CT 172.5 arms, using inner ring only. Machined lock spacers to fill in for the outside ring.
Wheels: Crank Brothers Zinc 3
Pedals: Crank Brothers Candy for training and racing(switch to flats as shown when I commute on it or go play in the slow)
Saddle: Selle SMP (after much trial and error)
Other: Bits and pieces come and go from one or more of my donor bikes. Love to stick to the ethos of a grassroots “CX/Gravel” build.

Weight: 19.01lbs as you see it in full commuter build with the tool-bag, tools, cages, flat pedals, sealant, phone mount. It sits around 17.5 in “race spec” come cross season depending upon tires.

When did you buy it?
Early 2019.

What made you choose this bike?
Well, I wanted a workhorse I could throw around that would punch above its weight once cost was considered. I have always had a soft spot for Columbus products and while I was at first reticent to go aluminum again after so many years I have to say things have progressed. In addition I’m generally an ideal candidate for a custom build given my personal quirks but that wasn’t on the cards for this particular bike. So I needed something I could work with.

Have you done any modifications/additions to it?
Plenty, mostly fiddling with the comfort. As you look at the pics most will notice my saddle is slammed back and my stem is a 130. I am more torso than legs. This doesn’t work out too badly though because I do prefer a relaxed ST angle, BB that is biased forward, and a low BB height. So accommodating this ride to my needs has worked out well.

How many miles/kilometers do you do a year?
On track for 5k KM this year.

What do you love about this bike?
It is perfectly imperfect. It feels like only a bike does when I out it together one piece at a time.

Favorite riding area?
If you want to know the answer to that you’ll have to join me for a ride. But I can tell you that in New England there’s some great tarmac around Chatham and that if you know when to arrive Stove Prairie can be fun in Northern Colorado.

Favorite riding experience on your bike?
Somewhere off-piste down around Elephant Rock in Southern Colorado either far enough ahead or (more likely) far enough behind the next group of riders that I was along for a good while…it was quiet, and my mind went to that safe, empty place we all know. The timing was perfect as it turns out…so for now, I rank that one up there pretty high.

Future upgrades?
Need a headset pronto. I think a setback post is in order. I also want to replace the BB with a C-Bear or similar ceramic, and looking for 180mm crank-arms (anyone has some let me know!). Need to get my jagwire kit back on the cabling sooner than later.

Last words?
Concerning this bike I have to say it has turned in to a quiver killer for sure. Swap a bit or a bob here and there and it would be GT rig hands down, 60 minute UCI CX race? Swap the tires and go. It’s perfectly imperfect.

Now then – Concerning any bike? I will say this; Its flaws (if that’s what they are) are what make them ours. That is what attracts us to them… just like humans we find attractive. If they didn’t curse too much, or have all those freckles on the shoulder, they’d might be “perfect”. That would be a terrible loss though wouldn’t it?

Thanks to Phillip for sharing his ride with us. Got a bike that you’re proud of? Well how about sharing it with fellow PEZ fans and getting it featured in Readers’ Rigs so we can all stare at it! Send us a Readers’ Rigs submission direct to [email protected] and your bike could be featured in all its glory here on the pages of PEZ.