Claud Butler Electron Super 5

Good evening all,

I am new on this forum but have been looking through some nice pictures for a while now, and decided it was time to post. My late father had the aforementioned Claud Butler for many years, and I believe it was built from parts when he owned it. Due to his illness, it was not ridden for many years, to be honest I would guess no less than 15 years since it was last ridden. Due to this, it's in a rather sorry state and it needs some TLC. Being a younger rider (this may not be the reason), I tend to prefer the more racey carbon look of new bikes, and although I do see some retro bikes which I like, I would see 10 new bikes I prefer!
Rather than having it just sitting around, I am considering investing some time and effort into rebuilding it to a usable state. Unlike most, I am tending to veer away from it's orginal spec (or similar) and want to combine the old frame with a new groupset, perhaps some deep rims, to make this a stunning bike that I can ride.

If I am totally honest I am not sure quite where to start. Firstly I want to check that the frame is usable. There are some sections where the paint has chipped and I can see what I think is rust. Can this be rectified? I was thinking of getting the frame shot blasted and then powder coated (or should a retro frame be painted differently?).
Secondly, and as long as the first is a yes, then I wanted to talk numbers. I have had a few measures and the rear axle appears to be about 10 or 12mm smaller than the current standard for road bicycles. Treat me a complete idiot here, but I was hoping it would be a standard width. Does this mean I am somewhat limited in hub choice?
Thirdly, the current gear shifters are thumb shifters - one on the bar end and one on the downtube. The bicycle is 10 speed (2x5). Given the smaller axle, can a normal cassette be fitted?

I occasionally fettle with my bikes and would be confident stripping and rebuilding them. My problem here is the lack of knowledge - I have no idea even what type of bottom bracket would be on this frame. I would doubt it's a sealed unit? Probably packed bearings? But can a normal bottom bracket be fitted, is this a lot of work?

Lot's of questions, but I have lots of ambition for this project. I would appreciate any thoughts or help to my questions,

thanks very much

that looks a real treat , why not just give the frame a good clean and polish . And make the machine rideable and enjoy it for what it is .

shifters no reason why you couldnt fit sti's , or retro down tube shifters or a pr of bar end shifters all are poss , i should think a sealed bottom bracket will fit no aggro .

just enjoy what ever you do it looks great in my mind and eyes

Hello and welcome.

You can certainly put a 6 speed block on the back and possibly put a 7 speed one on, if you get the right one that is.
Your rear spacing will probably be 126mm and will require the correct size hub, although you could put a 130mm in it by springing the rear end apart a little. I wouldn't worry about cold setting it though.

It's a nice looking bike with Campagnolo Super Record stuff, which is top dollar and will last forever if you oil it a little now and then.

As Biggs682 says, give it a wash change the brake rubbers put the old wheels on it, oil the chain and take it for a spin. You might like it or you might hate it.

I wouldn't worry about a little bit of rust, we all go a bit rusty in the end. Enjoy and make sure you beat your mates on it, they'll spit and you'll piss your pants laughing.

Welcome

Eclectic mix of stuff there on that bike, early plate front mech (getting rare now), Nuovo record chainset with a later rear mech. Centre pull brakes and bar end shifters.

Do you have the wheels ?

It's worth more if you split it but if you want to keep it then the mechanicals are pretty agricultural.........I've been building them since I was 13

Paint doesn't actually look too bad Just looks like it needs a clean and change of the perishables.

Shaun

Well this is really interesting, I had no idea it was super record. I don't really intend to sell any parts, only to get it to a state where it isn't hanging on the wall looking sorry for itself! A few weeks ago I found a Campag rear mech in the original box, presumably replaced from this frame. I wonder if that is worth anything.

I do have the wheels, they're tubs which I don't use personally, but I will look to replacing them now I suppose. The hubs need a bit of TLC. Not sure which wheels they are, can post some pics when I get a chance.

Thank you very much for the information on the hub width, I will investigate that if I choose to change the wheels. I'll do some measuring at some point and see if I can get a 6 or 7 speed cassette. I actually quite like the idea of the downtube shifter (not sure if it has a 'proper' name). Inconvenient I suppose, but at least there's no chance of dodgy indexing as it's done manually every time! It's one of the things on my racer which is most annoying!

Riding tomorrow (not on this - yet!), but if I get a chance I will give it a good clean up and try to give it some lubrication. The freehub seems pretty seized up to be honest, it acts like a fixie!

I regret not having more information on it, but can we assume this is 1970's? That brochure is from '69 so I would guess around that time.

Random question but suppose I wanted to change the chain, what would I use? Modern chains are probably too narrow I would have thought.

thank you all for your helpful information, it's great to know

For Chain see: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wippermann-intr ... eed-chain/

Dip the block in turpentine it'll free it up a treat, you've got to get the stuff in the backside of the block.

Oh! Now we know you've got a retro road bike, you are expect to come out on some of the organised rides and some of the many mad events that make up the retrobike event calendar.

Like this future ride: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=274979

Or go to Belgium and drink beer;
http://www.retroronde.be/en

or Italy with the masses:
http://www.eroicafan.it/en/

http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx? ... &AbsPos=65

Only super record bit is the rear mech...............if the top and bottom bits are black.

Clean it up, kick the tyres and light the fires as they say

I run a Carbon / Aluminium Basso but still like the 70's

Shaun

Well spotted Shaun, I didn't look too hard at the rest as it's TOO DIRTY

Here's a useful link to a few Claud Butler catalogues.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/

The frame looks like one of the Holdsworthy (with a "Y") Company from 1960s.

If you found the original rear derailleur, it might have a 'pat' number on the top-bolt housing, which might help to date the bike. If you found the derailleur, you might find some old campag. pedals somewhere, too.

Campag. Record drive-chain with centre-pull brakes does suggest turn of the 70s or thereabouts. Rear spacing is probably 120mm- for 5-speed block, or single-speed.

Rant alert:

Please don't shot-blast, powder coat, or pull the chainstays out to modern spacing. If the bearings are OK, the only thing preventing that bike from being as fast as carbon is the rider, and with care it'll still be going, long after the carbon is landfill.

And thanks for this:

but at least there's no chance of dodgy indexing as it's done manually every time! It's one of the things on my racer which is most annoying!

Click to expand...

Changing gear used to be a skill refined with practice. It demanded a degree of dexterity and sensitivity. Now it's just click and forget- or so the hype would have you believe..