# handsome retro vintage xoxo



## nativeson (Apr 4, 2005)

https://www.bikerumor.com/2010/09/14/hugs-and-kisses-from-handsome-cycles/

found this cruising on some of my daily internets, thought you folks might either love it or hate it....hipsters are starting and have been buying up all those old retro/vintage 80's mountain bikes, we've seen it in sf....


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## jmmUT (Sep 15, 2008)

Either more competition for scores or easier to dump off my junk...
Either way cool bike.


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## Schmitty (Sep 7, 2008)

That fork don't look like any Bstone fork I remember. Fugly rake.

-Schmitty-


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

Very nice. Handsome makes some interesting frames. An XO-1 remake is a neat idea. Hopefully, unlike Bridgestone, they offer a 57cm frame.


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## rockhound (Dec 19, 2005)

Schmitty said:


> That fork don't look like any Bstone fork I remember. Fugly rake.
> 
> -Schmitty-


700c or 26" Ashtabula wannabe copy?


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## Schmitty (Sep 7, 2008)

Do they actually make anything?

If that fork is any indication as to how exact a 'copy' it is, you can take any bike, paint it orange.. er select an orange coulour way...., put on some weird bars, and call it an XO copy.

Bstone's were pretty refined....


-Schmitty-


-Schmitty-


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## metaljim (Apr 22, 2009)

I love that bike, and I don't care if the fork is different. The XO-1 is one of my favorite bikes ever, and when I do come across one it's either far too expensive for me or far too worn out and not original enough to bother.

So I'll buy this most likely and enjoy it for what it is.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

The fork bend actually doesn't look that far off. However, the HTA looks to be a lot more slack than the original.


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## Schmitty (Sep 7, 2008)

Check it.. Bstone, nice gradual radius almost to the tips.... Handsome looks like a straight tube that was whacked over someone's head..almost as much straight blade after the bend as before. It hard to get a nice radius close to the tips, so cheap forks often have quick and dirty rake...aka hack rake.

I'll never know, but I bet a side by side comparison would reveal plenty of differences.. from geo to looks. I think freekin Sachs designed the lugs.


-Schmitty-


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

If it's not going to be a molecule-by-molecule repro, it might be nice to make the fork threadless. Threads are good on vintage rigs, threadless are SO much easier to deal with.

Heck, if they want to really do the world a favor they could _(have Taiwan)_ knock off some Salsa P7's and P10's in threadless. That Nitto (copy?) Dirt Drop stem isn't so rad that it's worth pulling out the BIG wrench to adjust the HS - especially on a new bike. Just my $.02 worth ...


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

And, in my humble opinion, that White Ind. crankset is fugly.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

Jak0zilla said:


> If it's not going to be a molecule-by-molecule repro, it might be nice to make the fork threadless. Threads are good on vintage rigs, threadless are SO much easier to deal with.


I half agree with you. Threadless headsets are easier to deal with as an allen wrench (or maybe two) is all that is needed to adjust them. There's nothing worse than having a loose threaded headset in the middle of a ride, and not having a wrench to adjust it. I've tightened several by hand and rode them home.

However, IMO for bikes with higher rise bars/stems quill stems look about 300% nicer and offer easier height adjustment (one bolt versus 2 or 3 for a threadless setup). To me a high rise quill stem, like a Dirt Drop, looks fine. Lots of spacers below a threadless stem often looks pretty cheesy.


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

laffeaux said:


> However, IMO for bikes with higher rise bars/stems quill stems look about 300% nicer and offer easier height adjustment (one bolt versus 2 or 3 for a threadless setup). To me a high rise quill stem, like a Dirt Drop, looks fine. Lots of spacers below a threadless stem often looks pretty cheesy.


Point conceded. I'm probably going to end up getting a custom stem with more rise because I hate all the spacers on my Bonty. I replaced fork/stem/headset, and the subtraction of the wrench flats on the top stack, single spacer, and locknut add about 1.5cm of spacers, and I had my stem up about 1cm over the locknut, plus I want the bar a little bit higher than it was when I set up the bike originally. This makes for about 4cm of spacers. In my book, running your stem up a flagpole like that is well on the way to buying one of those Spenco "full diaper" gel pads for the seat. Not at all moto.

Still, I don't think I'd buy a new (newly made) bike with a threaded fork. And I only recently decided that I would run threadless at all. I crabbed about them when they came out. Thought they were somehow part of The Great Shimano Conspiracy. (You know; the unspoken goal of the one piece component group that bolts onto the side of the bike as a unit and must be replaced entirely when the middle chainring wears out. Complete incompatibility with all other makers componentry. Plastic ratchey spirograph gears in the shifters that break into pieces when shifted for the 317th time .... ) Not fair minded on my part, but I was a hater.


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the Lewis Black of VRC.


Just kidding Jack.


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## Linnaeus (May 17, 2009)

Schmitty said:


> That fork don't look like any Bstone fork I remember. Fugly rake.
> 
> -Schmitty-


First thing that came into my head when I saw this thread. Even the low end Bridgestones had a more refined fork.


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## McFlyMpls (Jan 10, 2008)

I thought I would bump this thread... I prefer threaded headsets. Its a pain in the ass when a threadless tube is cut too short.


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## Slimpee (Oct 3, 2007)

Those pics from Frostbike?


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## wv_bob (Sep 12, 2005)

I will never understand why people clamp nicely painted and thin frame tubes in a repair stand


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## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

wv_bob said:


> I will never understand why people clamp nicely painted and thin frame tubes in a repair stand


It's usually because they wish to repair or display the bike.


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## McFlyMpls (Jan 10, 2008)

Slimpee said:


> Those pics from Frostbike?


Seattle bike expo


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## wv_bob (Sep 12, 2005)

cegrover said:


> It's usually because they wish to repair or display the bike.


That's what the seat post is for. That's right, using it to hold up the saddle was just an unexpected side effect.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I gave Aemmer some grief about that and forgot that early clamps couldn't fit certain sized seatposts.


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## wirelessness (Dec 12, 2009)

Has anyone tried to run this bike (or an XO-1) with Drop Bars or is that sacrilegious?


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## McFlyMpls (Jan 10, 2008)

wirelessness said:


> Has anyone tried to run this bike (or an XO-1) with Drop Bars or is that sacrilegious?


Excellente thread revival. I like it. sacrilegious? Hell no! Run whatever you want! Even the XO-2 came specced with drops.

Here you go:

That's Gene-O, owner of One On One Bikes and former pro Bridgestone racer. He recently raced the XOXO and had great things to say about the bike...


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

McFlyMpls said:


> Excellente thread revival. I like it. sacrilegious? Hell no! Run whatever you want! Even the XO-2 came specced with drops.
> 
> That's Gene-O, owner of One On One Bikes and former pro Bridgestone racer. He recently raced the XOXO and had great things to say about the bike...


Got an article or review you would like to share? I really want to find a 26" from the XO series for commuting, if I ever get room for one in the collection. Not so sure about the XOXO....


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## McFlyMpls (Jan 10, 2008)

umarth said:


> Got an article or review you would like to share? I really want to find a 26" from the XO series for commuting, if I ever get room for one in the collection. Not so sure about the XOXO....


I haven't seen an article yet, that's just what the Handsome guys said. If anyone is really curious about it, I would just call up Gene O at One On One and ask him about it.


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

umarth said:


> Got an article or review you would like to share? I really want to find a 26" from the XO series for commuting, if I ever get room for one in the collection. Not so sure about the XOXO....


http://www.allhailtheblackmarket.com/2011/07/friday_target_blank_23.html#more


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## wirelessness (Dec 12, 2009)

It just seems like a no-brainer to get this bike. Set up the way I want it with Noodle drop bars, Sugino XD2 Cranks, and Selle Anatomica Saddle for $1675. That's about $1100 less than the Rivendell Sam Hillborne I have been eyeing.


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## chris chicago (Jan 15, 2010)

is the geometry comparable to a sam hillborn?


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

McFlyMpls said:


> I haven't seen an article yet, that's just what the Handsome guys said. If anyone is really curious about it, I would just call up Gene O at One On One and ask him about it.


Thanks homey. I just picked up a Bontrager (probably Trek made, I haven't done the research yet) so I'll pretend it covers the bases.


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## iamkeith (Feb 5, 2010)

wirelessness said:


> Has anyone tried to run this bike (or an XO-1) with Drop Bars or is that sacrilegious?


I ran mine with drops for a long time, when it was the only "road" bike I owned. I recentlly put the moustaches back on for the sake of variety and historical accuracy... and to help justify owning another bike. But I much prefered the drop bars. There are two other XO-1s used as daily riders in my little town, and they both run drops as well.

Here's mine with drops:


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## Dale Brigham (Feb 7, 2009)

I set up my new XOXO similarly to those in the photos above (2X9 drivertrain, bar-end shifters, canti brakes, etc.), excepting that I went with a drop bar (Salsa Bell Lap), rather than a moustache bar.

It's a great gravel/dirt road and rail-trail bike. Lots of fun to ride. Looks nice. I can't see how you could go wrong getting one. I think you will like it.

Dale in Missouri


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

Dale Brigham said:


> I set up my new XOXO similarly to those in the photos above (2X9 drivertrain, bar-end shifters, canti brakes, etc.), excepting that I went with a drop bar (Salsa Bell Lap), rather than a moustache bar.
> 
> It's a great gravel/dirt road and rail-trail bike. Lots of fun to ride. Looks nice. I can't see how you could go wrong getting one. I think you will like it.
> 
> Dale in Missouri


How about a pic?


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## jtill (Aug 6, 2007)

Dale Brigham said:


> I set up my new XOXO similarly to those in the photos above (2X9 drivertrain, bar-end shifters, canti brakes, etc.), excepting that I went with a drop bar (Salsa Bell Lap), rather than a moustache bar.
> 
> It's a great gravel/dirt road and rail-trail bike. Lots of fun to ride. Looks nice. I can't see how you could go wrong getting one. I think you will like it.
> 
> Dale in Missouri


+1 on a picture of this setup. This sounds exactly like how I've setup the imaginary one I'm building up in my head, which I may have to make real sometime soon....


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## Dale Brigham (Feb 7, 2009)

jtill said:


> +1 on a picture of this setup. This sounds exactly like how I've setup the imaginary one I'm building up in my head, which I may have to make real sometime soon....


I will see if my wife will help me take a pic of the aforementioned XOXO and post it. I am a 55 yr. old doofus who barely can make the internet tubes work on my computer. My wife says if I am good, she will help me out. She's the smart one, and, I guess, the good looking one, in the outfit. Will do my best, fellows!

Regardless, the XOXO is a darn nice bike, and the Handsome folks seem likewise tres amiable.

Dale in Moozoorah


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## Saddle Up (Jan 30, 2008)

I can't seem to stop myself from ordering a XOXO. I have a complete XT groupo from a 94 Blizzard that is looking for a home.


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## corwin1968 (Oct 8, 2011)

I have the 700c version of the XOXO....the Devil. Same basic geometry with some tweaks to make it 700c. The Devil also has 4130 cro-mo instead of the fancy Reynolds tubing the XOXO is built from so it's a little heavier. I've got it set up with 3 x 9 drivetrain and V-brakes. It's a very nice riding bike, very smooth. Sheldon Brown described the XO series as "fast, sporty, urban street machines" and that's a pretty good descriptor.

It's pictured with 40mm Schwalbe Duremes and those make for a very comfortable ride but I actually prefer 32mm Vittoria Randonneur (now Voyager) Hypers.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

Very nice. I prefer the XOXO because of the paint (I'm a fan of B'stone), but I think that the 700c wheels would be nicer.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

Question for you all on XO sizing, in my MB1s I always ride the 46cm as I feel the 49 a bit too big for my liking. What size XO should I be looking for?


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## corwin1968 (Oct 8, 2011)

laffeaux said:


> Very nice. I prefer the XOXO because of the paint (I'm a fan of B'stone), but I think that the 700c wheels would be nicer.


I agree! For a bike, orange is MUCH better than blue. However, I'm going to powdercoat this sucker black this Winter or next Spring.


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