The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread
Discussion
Not so much 'bought' as 'been given'...
Holdsworth (Reynolds 631) frame and forks with internal rear brake routing.
Gear cable inners, outers, and end caps.
A pair of wheels with Mavic rims.
A set of handlebars.
That's the good news.
The bad news? The seatpost (a lovely period alloy aero post) is firmly stuck in the seat tube. I'd like to save it really, so the next step is to measure the bottom bracket to saddle rail distance to see if I might be able to ride the bike as it is. Also, it needs a new 1" threaded headset, and the current one is a Shimano 'low stack' unit. Originals are bloomin' expensive to get hold of now, so a cheaper alternative (probably Tange) will have to be sourced. There are a few scratches here and there as expected on an older frame, but there's also some nasty pitting where it stood outside for a long time and water seeped from the headset bearing and ran down the rear of the fork crown.
More good news? Well, I've got an Ultegra 6700 10-speed groupset needing a home, and a quill stem I could nick off another steel road bike with a slightly twisted frame. There's the makings of an (almost free) half decent bike in that lot if I can source a shallow enough (low stack) threaded headset. Even if it need long drop calipers, I've got them too. Not sure about the freehub body - I'm going to 'offer up' a ten speed cassette to see if one will fit. If it does, then that's a reasonable quality set of "period correct" wheels ready to go. They seem to be true, and pretty tightly built.
Shopping list so far is a new headset and brake cable inners. And possibly some 10-speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters and aero brake levers so that I can ditch the cable stops and keep it looking "period" correct. Although I might go with the Ultegra STI levers to save a few pennies on the initial build. Then later I can move it over to 'Aero' brake levers and downtube shifters on some nicely polished handlebars bolted into a quality quill stem...
...just gotta hope that the stuck seatpost is stuck in the right position to accommodate the sizing and geometry I intend to carry over from my decent road bike. If this works out, it could well become my new favourite bicycle!
It came from my brother as a 'restoration project' he picked up after it had spent a long time out in all weathers, virtually abandoned. He ran it single speed on flat bars (with a chain tensioner) for a while, but he's reached 'S - 1' with this bike, and his wife read him the riot act. Hence why he's palmed it off to me to see how far I can push my 'N + 1' luck with my wife...
One other thought occurred to me. There is such a thing as a 1" threaded to threadless A-headset converter stem. Basically a straight post with a quill stem style bottom end wedge, but a 1 1/8" top end threadless 'steerer'. Would it be sacrilege to convert the bike to a threadless a-head stem thus?
Hmmmm?
Why is building a bike never easy when using old frames and components? Is it a 1" ISO steerer tube, or a 1" JSI steerer tube? Why the juddering f
k is an inch not simply an inch???? 
"We're gonna need a bigger shopping list"
Holdsworth (Reynolds 631) frame and forks with internal rear brake routing.
Gear cable inners, outers, and end caps.
A pair of wheels with Mavic rims.
A set of handlebars.
That's the good news.
The bad news? The seatpost (a lovely period alloy aero post) is firmly stuck in the seat tube. I'd like to save it really, so the next step is to measure the bottom bracket to saddle rail distance to see if I might be able to ride the bike as it is. Also, it needs a new 1" threaded headset, and the current one is a Shimano 'low stack' unit. Originals are bloomin' expensive to get hold of now, so a cheaper alternative (probably Tange) will have to be sourced. There are a few scratches here and there as expected on an older frame, but there's also some nasty pitting where it stood outside for a long time and water seeped from the headset bearing and ran down the rear of the fork crown.
More good news? Well, I've got an Ultegra 6700 10-speed groupset needing a home, and a quill stem I could nick off another steel road bike with a slightly twisted frame. There's the makings of an (almost free) half decent bike in that lot if I can source a shallow enough (low stack) threaded headset. Even if it need long drop calipers, I've got them too. Not sure about the freehub body - I'm going to 'offer up' a ten speed cassette to see if one will fit. If it does, then that's a reasonable quality set of "period correct" wheels ready to go. They seem to be true, and pretty tightly built.
Shopping list so far is a new headset and brake cable inners. And possibly some 10-speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters and aero brake levers so that I can ditch the cable stops and keep it looking "period" correct. Although I might go with the Ultegra STI levers to save a few pennies on the initial build. Then later I can move it over to 'Aero' brake levers and downtube shifters on some nicely polished handlebars bolted into a quality quill stem...
...just gotta hope that the stuck seatpost is stuck in the right position to accommodate the sizing and geometry I intend to carry over from my decent road bike. If this works out, it could well become my new favourite bicycle!
It came from my brother as a 'restoration project' he picked up after it had spent a long time out in all weathers, virtually abandoned. He ran it single speed on flat bars (with a chain tensioner) for a while, but he's reached 'S - 1' with this bike, and his wife read him the riot act. Hence why he's palmed it off to me to see how far I can push my 'N + 1' luck with my wife...
One other thought occurred to me. There is such a thing as a 1" threaded to threadless A-headset converter stem. Basically a straight post with a quill stem style bottom end wedge, but a 1 1/8" top end threadless 'steerer'. Would it be sacrilege to convert the bike to a threadless a-head stem thus?
Hmmmm?
Why is building a bike never easy when using old frames and components? Is it a 1" ISO steerer tube, or a 1" JSI steerer tube? Why the juddering f
k is an inch not simply an inch???? "We're gonna need a bigger shopping list"
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 4th April 00:01
If you need it - http://www.theseatpostman.com/
I've never used him but not heard anything bad either.
I've never used him but not heard anything bad either.
idiotgap said:
If you need it - http://www.theseatpostman.com/
I've never used him but not heard anything bad either.
Cheers for that. I remember that website from an older thread right here on PH. At £70 plus shipping, etc, it's not a bad idea. Although I'd prefer to not have to rely on couriers to get the frame to Lancashire and back. I've never used him but not heard anything bad either.
As it is, the first step is to see if "leaving it where it is" is a workable solution. This bike needs to be done as cheaply as possible really, and I've already started looking at enough in the way of components to hit £200 before I've picked up so much as a tape measure...
...so despite having been given most of the basics for free, and having the bulk of the rest of the parts kicking about just waiting for a new home, it really could get "very expensive, very quickly". It'll be my insistence on keeping it "looking period correct" that'll rack up the costs. If it doesn't work out that I can ride it as it is, then a better idea might be to move it on (honestly described) and pick a more sensible basis for a restoration project. I'd post up some pictures, but alas both of our digital cameras are currently broken.
I'm hoping to get a new camera before I start work on it though, so as to be able to document the build process, if indeed I go ahead with building it.yonex said:
addey said:
Considering it is basically an elemnt in a different case, there shouldn't be any bugs or issues
And unlike Garmin they update things regularly, listen to their customers and are generally forward thinking. yellowjack said:
Not so much 'bought' as 'been given'...
Holdsworth (Reynolds 631) frame and forks with internal rear brake routing.
Gear cable inners, outers, and end caps.
A pair of wheels with Mavic rims.
A set of handlebars.
That's the good news.
The bad news? The seatpost (a lovely period alloy aero post) is firmly stuck in the seat tube. I'd like to save it really, so the next step is to measure the bottom bracket to saddle rail distance to see if I might be able to ride the bike as it is. Also, it needs a new 1" threaded headset, and the current one is a Shimano 'low stack' unit. Originals are bloomin' expensive to get hold of now, so a cheaper alternative (probably Tange) will have to be sourced. There are a few scratches here and there as expected on an older frame, but there's also some nasty pitting where it stood outside for a long time and water seeped from the headset bearing and ran down the rear of the fork crown.
More good news? Well, I've got an Ultegra 6700 10-speed groupset needing a home, and a quill stem I could nick off another steel road bike with a slightly twisted frame. There's the makings of an (almost free) half decent bike in that lot if I can source a shallow enough (low stack) threaded headset. Even if it need long drop calipers, I've got them too. Not sure about the freehub body - I'm going to 'offer up' a ten speed cassette to see if one will fit. If it does, then that's a reasonable quality set of "period correct" wheels ready to go. They seem to be true, and pretty tightly built.
Shopping list so far is a new headset and brake cable inners. And possibly some 10-speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters and aero brake levers so that I can ditch the cable stops and keep it looking "period" correct. Although I might go with the Ultegra STI levers to save a few pennies on the initial build. Then later I can move it over to 'Aero' brake levers and downtube shifters on some nicely polished handlebars bolted into a quality quill stem...
...just gotta hope that the stuck seatpost is stuck in the right position to accommodate the sizing and geometry I intend to carry over from my decent road bike. If this works out, it could well become my new favourite bicycle!
It came from my brother as a 'restoration project' he picked up after it had spent a long time out in all weathers, virtually abandoned. He ran it single speed on flat bars (with a chain tensioner) for a while, but he's reached 'S - 1' with this bike, and his wife read him the riot act. Hence why he's palmed it off to me to see how far I can push my 'N + 1' luck with my wife...
One other thought occurred to me. There is such a thing as a 1" threaded to threadless A-headset converter stem. Basically a straight post with a quill stem style bottom end wedge, but a 1 1/8" top end threadless 'steerer'. Would it be sacrilege to convert the bike to a threadless a-head stem thus?
Hmmmm?
Why is building a bike never easy when using old frames and components? Is it a 1" ISO steerer tube, or a 1" JSI steerer tube? Why the juddering fk is an inch not simply an inch????
"We're gonna need a bigger shopping list"
Tange 1" threaded headsets for around £15 at Velosolo - but Halfords will sell you the bearings if the races are serviceable?Holdsworth (Reynolds 631) frame and forks with internal rear brake routing.
Gear cable inners, outers, and end caps.
A pair of wheels with Mavic rims.
A set of handlebars.
That's the good news.
The bad news? The seatpost (a lovely period alloy aero post) is firmly stuck in the seat tube. I'd like to save it really, so the next step is to measure the bottom bracket to saddle rail distance to see if I might be able to ride the bike as it is. Also, it needs a new 1" threaded headset, and the current one is a Shimano 'low stack' unit. Originals are bloomin' expensive to get hold of now, so a cheaper alternative (probably Tange) will have to be sourced. There are a few scratches here and there as expected on an older frame, but there's also some nasty pitting where it stood outside for a long time and water seeped from the headset bearing and ran down the rear of the fork crown.
More good news? Well, I've got an Ultegra 6700 10-speed groupset needing a home, and a quill stem I could nick off another steel road bike with a slightly twisted frame. There's the makings of an (almost free) half decent bike in that lot if I can source a shallow enough (low stack) threaded headset. Even if it need long drop calipers, I've got them too. Not sure about the freehub body - I'm going to 'offer up' a ten speed cassette to see if one will fit. If it does, then that's a reasonable quality set of "period correct" wheels ready to go. They seem to be true, and pretty tightly built.
Shopping list so far is a new headset and brake cable inners. And possibly some 10-speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters and aero brake levers so that I can ditch the cable stops and keep it looking "period" correct. Although I might go with the Ultegra STI levers to save a few pennies on the initial build. Then later I can move it over to 'Aero' brake levers and downtube shifters on some nicely polished handlebars bolted into a quality quill stem...
...just gotta hope that the stuck seatpost is stuck in the right position to accommodate the sizing and geometry I intend to carry over from my decent road bike. If this works out, it could well become my new favourite bicycle!
It came from my brother as a 'restoration project' he picked up after it had spent a long time out in all weathers, virtually abandoned. He ran it single speed on flat bars (with a chain tensioner) for a while, but he's reached 'S - 1' with this bike, and his wife read him the riot act. Hence why he's palmed it off to me to see how far I can push my 'N + 1' luck with my wife...
One other thought occurred to me. There is such a thing as a 1" threaded to threadless A-headset converter stem. Basically a straight post with a quill stem style bottom end wedge, but a 1 1/8" top end threadless 'steerer'. Would it be sacrilege to convert the bike to a threadless a-head stem thus?
Hmmmm?
Why is building a bike never easy when using old frames and components? Is it a 1" ISO steerer tube, or a 1" JSI steerer tube? Why the juddering f
k is an inch not simply an inch???? "We're gonna need a bigger shopping list"
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 4th April 00:01
IroningMan said:
Tange 1" threaded headsets for around £15 at Velosolo - but Halfords will sell you the bearings if the races are serviceable?
I've seen those, ta! Tange Passage @ £14.95 and Tange Levin @ £18.95 (plus £2.50 postage per). Cheaper ( £12.99 and £16.99 plus the same postage) from SJS too. The trouble with Velosolo, Velo Vitality, et al, is that they stock one heck of a lot of shiny stuff that "is very expensive but would look lovely on a traditional steel frame".
The bars my brother gave me, for instance, are quality, but they're black. I wanted a more chromed/polished aluminium/shiny silver look for the bike, based on the current seatpost and rims. Which leads me right into the path of temptation with regard to handlebars and quill stems.
As for the bearing races? Baby brother suggested (and he teaches bicycle maintenance classes) that they were indeed beyond re-use. The bike stood outside for a very long time before he got hold of it, and it may not have been particularly well maintained before that. I'm going to take it to a local bike shop where I know a couple of the long-term staff are really into their traditional race bikes, get some advice and have it given the once-over by an expert eye, and in return probably get them to supply and fit the headset. It might be more expensive that way, but it's probably about time I showed my face there again. Decathlon has opened in town recently, so I worry for the future of my LBS...
gazza285 said:
I've got a quill stem adapter Yellowjack, it looks bloody awful.
Hmmm? So abandon that idea then...It's looking a good deal further away from completion again now. I ran the tape over it, and the seatpost is very much "too high" for me to even contemplate riding it "as is". I need to lose an inch from the height of the post, and it'll mean riding it with very little of the seatpost exposed at all. Which suggests to me that the bike is, unfortunately, "too big for this particular cyclist".
Before I completely give up hope on it, I'm going to measure it properly, reach, stack, standover, etc. At the moment I've just concentrated on the seat post and seat tube measurements, particularly the bottom bracket to saddle rail length. I'll probably still take it to the local shop too. Get the fork crown corrosion looked at, to see if the resto idea is still worth doing.
In better news, though, the wheels that came with it are modern hub spacings, and the freehub body takes a ten-speed Ultegra cassette perfectly when fitted with a spacer. So I'll keep those back to use on another frame if/when I get hold of one the right size. It's times like these when it really sucks to be a Shaw Tarse.
First time out on my 'summer bike' yesterday. What a momentous day in each year that is!
But disaster struck in just the first few pedal strokes!
The left crank arm parted company with the bottom bracket axle
In order to make it to the club run, there wasn't much time to deal with it, so the mudguard equipped winter machine was, reluctantly, called into action
Later on I had a chance to investigate and found that the bolt securing the left crank arm had snapped. It doesn't look like the sort of thing that can sensibly be drilled out etc. so the 'fix it with a new one' route seemed best
One of these will be arriving tomorrow in 52/36 170mm guise
But disaster struck in just the first few pedal strokes!
The left crank arm parted company with the bottom bracket axle
In order to make it to the club run, there wasn't much time to deal with it, so the mudguard equipped winter machine was, reluctantly, called into action
Later on I had a chance to investigate and found that the bolt securing the left crank arm had snapped. It doesn't look like the sort of thing that can sensibly be drilled out etc. so the 'fix it with a new one' route seemed best
One of these will be arriving tomorrow in 52/36 170mm guise
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 11th April 19:54
CoolC said:
WaferThinHam said:
Vittoria Corsa tyres. Tan and black of course.
Finish a bike perfectly, but then I am biased.
I commute about 100miles a week through London and would really like a pair of gum wall tyres but am struggling to find a set that offer the same puncture protection to my Gatorskin Hardshells I currently have.
My Cosmics didn't survive the flight back from Gran Canaria which meant upgrade time 
Knight 65s. First ride out and damn they're quick! An hour through London traffic at 38kph. https://www.strava.com/activities/937542872/
which meant upgrade time Knight 65s. First ride out and damn they're quick! An hour through London traffic at 38kph. https://www.strava.com/activities/937542872/
ALawson said:
Gruffy, they look great.
Just out of interest soft or hard case and what happened to the wheel(s)?
Have you ordered a new seat bolt yet?
CoolC- What are those hoops?
They look like Chinese carbons, the hubs looks like Novatec with that spoke pairing on the flanges. Just out of interest soft or hard case and what happened to the wheel(s)?
Have you ordered a new seat bolt yet?
CoolC- What are those hoops?
Edited by ALawson on Tuesday 11th April 15:52
Rochester TVR said:
Whats the puncture resistance like on these? and are the sidewalls wipe clean?
I commute about 100miles a week through London and would really like a pair of gum wall tyres but am struggling to find a set that offer the same puncture protection to my Gatorskin Hardshells I currently have.
You won't any that compare to those. I commute about 100miles a week through London and would really like a pair of gum wall tyres but am struggling to find a set that offer the same puncture protection to my Gatorskin Hardshells I currently have.
The new Corsa G+ have improved puncture resistance over the old Corsa SC but they're still consider a race day tyre.
That said my mate did the White roads classic (Flint and chalk roads) on his with no punctures whilst I suffered 3 on Specialized 'Roubaix' tyres with puncture protection!
Michelin used to do the Lithion in an amber wall, not sure if they still do.
ALawson said:
Gruffy, they look great.
Just out of interest soft or hard case and what happened to the wheel(s)?
Have you ordered a new seat bolt yet?
Cardboard bike box. Used them several times in the past (as do most ultra-distance riders) without problems. Hard or soft, both seems to be a lottery. My suspicion was that a hard case gets treated a bit rougher than a cardboard box, which is pretty sturdy anyway. Just out of interest soft or hard case and what happened to the wheel(s)?
Have you ordered a new seat bolt yet?
The J.Laverack boys saw the Instagram/Tweets and had a replacement in the post before I even left Roubaix!
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff