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So, got the roadie bug again and have been sweating around the countryside on 'stuff' like the Norman Fay and the Bobbin Scout - neither of which has been that satisfactory when out with other 'roadies'. Sedate and sweaty.
Anyway, having been going to local car boots for decades, I was at the Pottespury one (near the Super Sausage), rooted round in a bag and spotted Shimano. Shimano indeed, the lady said '£4 for the whole carrier bag' and £4 carrier bagged me a whole heap of 10spd 105, new external bearings, calipers, chainset, cassette, even a chain - all neatly sorted and labelled. I dont think it was meant to be £4.
Soo, what could I attach this newly found swag to? I had an old 1979 Wes Mason hanging about looking a bit sorry for it self but no suitable forks. A few minutes on RB bagged a nice but small compact frame / fork combo but indeed it was too small. My mate Dan then came home with multiple boxes of 'stuff' that he'd collected from anther RB member looking to clear a bit of space. Dan kept what he wanted and I ended up with a huge box of bits for a token amount of £50. Ultegra, 105, all sorts but still nothing to attach them to.
Having a good rummage in the spares found some forgotten Saracen forks that I'd bought years ago. One pair fitted the Wes Mason - ta da! One retro-mod Ultegra / 105 road bike. Great! Total build cost about £54 with new tyres and bits.
But it was nice but not modern roadie fodder - was still not enjoying it as much as I thought I should be, cheap steel forks were not to blame sooooo...
At a car boot near Skegness, I came across a sorry looking Claud Butler 6061 Taiwanese thing with carbon forks in 59cm size - oh blessed be! £70 later and that afternoon, I created, I cleaned, I cursed but managed to fling together - a 2004 Claud Butler Roubaix for about £70 all in.
It has 105 mechs, Sora STi (8spd soon to be swapped for Tiagra 9spd), Formula hubs on Rigida rims and Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres. All for less than a couple of rounds of drinks or a meal out.
Anyway - still got the Mason and all its posh Ultegra and 10spd, but now I have something to try and keep up with the roadies - and it does, where the Mason is a bit lost on the climbs. the Butler keeps it together. Happy me!
Anyway, having been going to local car boots for decades, I was at the Pottespury one (near the Super Sausage), rooted round in a bag and spotted Shimano. Shimano indeed, the lady said '£4 for the whole carrier bag' and £4 carrier bagged me a whole heap of 10spd 105, new external bearings, calipers, chainset, cassette, even a chain - all neatly sorted and labelled. I dont think it was meant to be £4.
Soo, what could I attach this newly found swag to? I had an old 1979 Wes Mason hanging about looking a bit sorry for it self but no suitable forks. A few minutes on RB bagged a nice but small compact frame / fork combo but indeed it was too small. My mate Dan then came home with multiple boxes of 'stuff' that he'd collected from anther RB member looking to clear a bit of space. Dan kept what he wanted and I ended up with a huge box of bits for a token amount of £50. Ultegra, 105, all sorts but still nothing to attach them to.
Having a good rummage in the spares found some forgotten Saracen forks that I'd bought years ago. One pair fitted the Wes Mason - ta da! One retro-mod Ultegra / 105 road bike. Great! Total build cost about £54 with new tyres and bits.
But it was nice but not modern roadie fodder - was still not enjoying it as much as I thought I should be, cheap steel forks were not to blame sooooo...
At a car boot near Skegness, I came across a sorry looking Claud Butler 6061 Taiwanese thing with carbon forks in 59cm size - oh blessed be! £70 later and that afternoon, I created, I cleaned, I cursed but managed to fling together - a 2004 Claud Butler Roubaix for about £70 all in.
It has 105 mechs, Sora STi (8spd soon to be swapped for Tiagra 9spd), Formula hubs on Rigida rims and Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres. All for less than a couple of rounds of drinks or a meal out.
Anyway - still got the Mason and all its posh Ultegra and 10spd, but now I have something to try and keep up with the roadies - and it does, where the Mason is a bit lost on the climbs. the Butler keeps it together. Happy me!
