My Ribble Christmas Tree

I've aways liked the Shimano 6400 and 7400 groupsets of the late 80s/early 90s and after spotting a NOS 6400 chainset on the web going cheap I grabbed it… and thats how it started. I was planning to build a 6400 bike with a groupset that I had all I needed was a chainset :facepalm:

So I hunted on the net until I came across a frame in my size which turned out to be this 531c Ribble


Although the paint work was not to bad I didn't really want another blue bike as I already have 2, so I took it to Perry cycles in Woolwich and gave instruction as to paint and decal. After 3 weeks I picked up my Ribble and it looks fantastic, but now the trouble starts I started going over my 6400 groupo and the front mech is looking a bit scruffy against the chainset so on ebay a NOS 6401 front mech appears (clicks buy it now) and it carried on followed buy a NOS 6400 BB and the rest of the groupo. The only parts I've not got that are NOS are the Hubs, STI shifters bars and stem I've not got a saddle for it yet.



At present I am waiting for the headset to arrive to start the build
or rather to start hanging the baubles on my christmas tree

Here's some pic's of the repainted Ribble the colour is a metalic flame orange with the lettering done in graphite grey. I am waiting on the 531 decals to finish the frame off.









Am in 2 minds as to lug lining the frame just to break it up a bit, any opinions welcome am also trying to find out if there ever was a shimano 600 ultegra component decal similar to the dura ace equipped and shimano ex system decals not found anything on the net any info appreciated on that one

Got a soft spot for Ribble's and liking what you've done here (despite that being a Preston bike in the colours of the arch rival down the other end of the M55). Have you had the words painted? Should look really good when you've built it up.

Thanks Finney I got the colour from VC Elan their club colour. The colour for the lettering was put on and then stencilled before painting. BTW who were the Arch Rivals ?

Stencil-work has come out excellent. Looking forward to seeing this built up. They're nice bikes to ride.
I've got one at the painters at the moment, chose cherry purple - whatever that is!?!?
I know them as the donkey lashers but to most it's just little ol' blackpool at the end of the M55.

Donkey Lashers love it have a mate from lytham will remember that when i see him.
Am itching to get started think I'll get to tapping out the threads and get the bottom bracket in still unsure of lug lining

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I'd mock it up before deciding on lug lining. Perhaps just get the headstock done in the same as the Ribble colour with a contrasting R in orange?
Am sure your mate has a name for us lot from Preston; it's even less complementary than being called a lasher!

It's amazing what we have in our sheds that either we've forgotten or didn't know you had as in my case, I was going through my bars and stems as you do and had settled on a TTT combo but the stem was missing a clamp bolt so I went on the hunt for a spare and came up with this :xmas-big-grin:


it must have been fate… I don't have a black set of ITM bars but I do have a set in silver which I think will work. The stem unfortunately is rather scabby and dosn't pass muster so my idea was to give it a rub down and respray then inlay the lettering again


However it became apparent that after respraying the original engraving would be lost, I went to a local engravers and was advised just to smooth off the stem and redo the engraving as it would be impossible to go over the original lettering.


It's all done by computer now days, should of found an old skool shop and had it gone over by hand. Still had it done and quite happy with the result


I've resprayed it in a graphite grey and will let it dry before finishing it off tomorrow

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Nice little winter project Clive!
Will be interesting to see how the stem turns out, did it cost much to engrave?
I like lug lining myself, adds a bit o' bling buddy !
As for 6400, I like it a lot, check out the Bianchi in my sig. A lot of people head straight for Dura Ace, but Ultegra is great too and a lot cheaper!
The grey will go nicely with the the decals too

Mike

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Thanks Mike The engraving cost £25 not sure if thats good or not as not had it done before BTW nice Bianchi I'm also a fan of lug lining but just holding back at mo :roll: . I've decided to change the colour of the stem as it was too dark and now have a colour that closely matches the components now gonna have to rub it down again :facepalm: only lightly though.

I finally got my wheels built up last night and have now put the cassette and tyres on looking rather smart I think


I think I've been rather lucky on the wheels as they're 28hole and as for the tyres appearing on ebay when they did someone's smiling on me