Gavin O’Grady’s 1986 Cyclops road bike
Gavin O’Grady’s 1986 Cyclops
Here’s one of the Cyclops road bikes that Mike Mulholland built for Gavin O’Grady.
A battle-scarred (but still pretty) Cyclops road machine.
The ingredients that went into building this bike were typical of pro racing machines from the era. The frame is constructed from Columbus SLX steel pipes, a tubing set that was reinforced with spiral steel strips running the inside length of the main tubes. The bulk of the components are from Shimano’s Dura-Ace 7400 group (the first Dura-Ace group that featured the new “indexed” click shifting).
Dura-Ace 7400 aero levers
Cyclops badge
Gavin’s race number at the Milk Race
Like every racing bike in the 1980’s this one had a Selle Italia Turbo saddle, and at one point or another it must have had Cinelli handlebars on it. Gavin’s racing wheels were built from Mavic GP4 tubular rims, Dura-Ace hubs, Wheelsmith spokes and Vittoria Corsa CX tires.
The man who built the bike, Mike Mulholland, was a (cycling) world-renowned craftsman and the go-to guy for lots of great racers in the 1980’s and ’90’s. Mike is an inductee in the Canadian cycling hall of fame for his generous support of athletes and skills as a bike builder.
Cyclops front end
The New Dura-Ace 7400
Racing in Sicily
Like the color of this bike? We think that the three-color fade showcases Mike’s skill as a painter too, an ability that is often overlooked (unless you’re Dario Pegoretti) in frame builders.