Old Ned
Old School Grand Master
For many years, ever since I was a young lad and in awe of riders like Rik van Looy, I have had a desire to own a bike in the iconic red and white Flandria colours. A few years ago I was given a frame that was unbranded and the idea quickly sprang to mind that this could be the means to enable me to achieve my boyhood dream.
In the 70's, Freddy Maertens, Michael Pollentier and Marc DeMeyer rode Flandria bikes with their own names so, as it was not a real Flandria frame, I decided to personalise my frame with the name of a has-been no-hoper rider of the same era. The actual Flandria type-face is, according to Flandria cycles, a special one so I used a near match from the standard range on the computer and had a local vinyl printers run a set off onto plain white vinyl. This provides the white panels. The coloured 'world champions' rainbow stripe decals are from Roger Spink and the headbadge is a 'doctored' version of the Flandria one.
Initially I tried a rattle-can paint job but it was extremely dissapointing so I bit the bullet and took it to Chris Marshall in Keighley. As well as filling a couple of dents he sprayed the plain red and fitted the decals and headset for me. He was wary of spraying the finishing stoving lacquer over the vinyls as he said that he has known the lacquer thinners to dissolve the printing so we played safe and attached them on top of the lacquer. The chroming is the original and while not perfect is quite acceptable for me.
The component build is a bit pragmatic as some of the fittings are slightly out of period such as the braze-on front mech and aero seatpin but I reckon that overall it gives the 'flavour' of the originals. The build is mostly Campag but currently it runs a Dura-Ace chainset purely because I can fit a 38t chainring rather than the 42t minimum of Campag. This is important to me these days! Similarly, Look pedals are fitted for practical reasons. I am hoping to get a pair of the earlier model white and red ones if possible.
The wheels in the photo are clinchers that I use on a day-to-day basis, I have a pair of Suntour Superbe LF on GP4 for sunny days!
I rode it last weekend both days and was quite happy with the result so it should join the stable of regular steeds.
Frame:Unknown but reasonably light tubing, at least 531 standard. 23" c-2-t with 22" top tube
Fork:Half chrome
Headset:Black anodised NOS Cobra
Stem:Cinelli XA 13cm
Handlebar:Cinelli 63-40
Bar Tape:Saba red cloth
Brake Levers:Campagnolo with reproduction gum hoods from Hilary Stone
Brake Calipers:Campagnolo Record
Shifters:Campagnolo DT
Front Derailleur:Campagnolo 4-hole cage on braze-on mount
Rear Derailleur:Campagnolo Super Record
Chain:KMC
Cranks:First generation Dura-Ace
Chainrings
ura-Ace black anodized drilled outer ring (currently 53-3
Bottom Bracket:Shimano cartridge 113mm
Pedals: Red Look
Rims:Mavic SUP
Hubs:Shimano 105
Tyres:Michelin Axial Sport folders
Saddle:NOS White Turbo
Seatpost:Campag Aero
Seatpost Binder:Allen Key
Bottle Cage:?!
Weight:mid 20's lbs - depends on wheels fitted!
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In the 70's, Freddy Maertens, Michael Pollentier and Marc DeMeyer rode Flandria bikes with their own names so, as it was not a real Flandria frame, I decided to personalise my frame with the name of a has-been no-hoper rider of the same era. The actual Flandria type-face is, according to Flandria cycles, a special one so I used a near match from the standard range on the computer and had a local vinyl printers run a set off onto plain white vinyl. This provides the white panels. The coloured 'world champions' rainbow stripe decals are from Roger Spink and the headbadge is a 'doctored' version of the Flandria one.
Initially I tried a rattle-can paint job but it was extremely dissapointing so I bit the bullet and took it to Chris Marshall in Keighley. As well as filling a couple of dents he sprayed the plain red and fitted the decals and headset for me. He was wary of spraying the finishing stoving lacquer over the vinyls as he said that he has known the lacquer thinners to dissolve the printing so we played safe and attached them on top of the lacquer. The chroming is the original and while not perfect is quite acceptable for me.
The component build is a bit pragmatic as some of the fittings are slightly out of period such as the braze-on front mech and aero seatpin but I reckon that overall it gives the 'flavour' of the originals. The build is mostly Campag but currently it runs a Dura-Ace chainset purely because I can fit a 38t chainring rather than the 42t minimum of Campag. This is important to me these days! Similarly, Look pedals are fitted for practical reasons. I am hoping to get a pair of the earlier model white and red ones if possible.
The wheels in the photo are clinchers that I use on a day-to-day basis, I have a pair of Suntour Superbe LF on GP4 for sunny days!
I rode it last weekend both days and was quite happy with the result so it should join the stable of regular steeds.
Frame:Unknown but reasonably light tubing, at least 531 standard. 23" c-2-t with 22" top tube
Fork:Half chrome
Headset:Black anodised NOS Cobra
Stem:Cinelli XA 13cm
Handlebar:Cinelli 63-40
Bar Tape:Saba red cloth
Brake Levers:Campagnolo with reproduction gum hoods from Hilary Stone
Brake Calipers:Campagnolo Record
Shifters:Campagnolo DT
Front Derailleur:Campagnolo 4-hole cage on braze-on mount
Rear Derailleur:Campagnolo Super Record
Chain:KMC
Cranks:First generation Dura-Ace
Chainrings
ura-Ace black anodized drilled outer ring (currently 53-3Bottom Bracket:Shimano cartridge 113mm
Pedals: Red Look
Rims:Mavic SUP
Hubs:Shimano 105
Tyres:Michelin Axial Sport folders
Saddle:NOS White Turbo
Seatpost:Campag Aero
Seatpost Binder:Allen Key
Bottle Cage:?!
Weight:mid 20's lbs - depends on wheels fitted!
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