Purists cover your eyes
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Open-minded here 
predki
Retro Guru
Re:
Good to see old frame renovated so nicely and going to be ridden. I don't mind if it is done in kind of aesthetic consistency. There are some unforgiven sins like riser bars, BMX-style pedals and super deep V rims on classic frames, but none here, judging from the photo.
More, please.
Good to see old frame renovated so nicely and going to be ridden. I don't mind if it is done in kind of aesthetic consistency. There are some unforgiven sins like riser bars, BMX-style pedals and super deep V rims on classic frames, but none here, judging from the photo.
More, please.
81stColumn
Retro Newbie
Will post more later in the weekend at the moment she is putting up with it in the living room. I want to buff it up, take it somewhere nice do a few shots and then start a bar fight. :roll: For info the levers are late '90's 9spd Centaur. I am campag to my soul which cost me a we bit.... the seat-post is a badged 27.0...... I re-bolted the brakes myself with original parts. More later.
Hwyl
Hwyl
81stColumn
Retro Newbie
Re:
I started with a reasonably nice repainted frame, but it was a bit gaudy for me and I was worried about the paint that covered the original chrome. I was after something that I could ride but had a suitably classic look. I also wanted options for the future if I went for a full period renovation. This was always going to mean mixing parts. Personally I don't have a problem with mixing Campag because that was how just about all my bikes came to life when I was younger, I simply could not afford a complete groupset in one go. My old Holdsworth (which I sold to my great regret) had Chorus hubs and chainset, with Victory brakes, Athena Derailleurs and Record pedals; all from different years. That's the way I grew up with Campagnolo, I don't think I'm alone in this.
So I got the whole lot stripped. At which point I nearly stopped there and had it clear coated. I'm really glad I didn't do that. If you look closely you can see a little bit of pock marking on the rear stays, so yes the frame did need stripping. As far as the ethics of restoration go, I regard chrome as paint and therefore an option. Should I sell the frame (unlikely) any future owner will get the docket identifying the chrome specifications.
The paintwork was done by Haedyn Borck in Rotorua NZ. Originally I was going to have all the lugwork picked, but when I saw the head cluster I felt It said enough. Indeed, I've compared this to other work done in Europe and this job stands on its own. The lugs AFAIK are early Nervex Professional; as I understand it you can tell because of the lack of a fishtail at the front of the head cluster. The design was drawn from catalogues between 1969 and 1990.
The seatpost was always going to be an aero, it isn’t period but it is gorgeous. Getting my own way changed the direction of the whole project. I needed a 27.0 which limited my options and in the end I had to but a near new Triomphe, all the others were just too awful. Having gone this shiny at the top it kind of set the tone for the rest. So some Triomphe with some early 2000’s?
I genuinely wanted a rideable bike with a classic look so the drivetrain and brakes were always going to be relatively modern. I already had some nice Centaur 9spd ergo levers, a 9spd chorus rear mech and a worn but passable Record chainset. I got lucky with a Triomphe front mech that works well with this set up. Less than lucky was my desire for record dual pivots from the 00’s which were in the end too short in reach for the frame. After this I set off looking for Triomphe scripted long/medium reach brakes. This took a while and what I have at the moment is okay but not great. The levers have been polished with a dremmel and the surface shows it. Worse still some munter cleaned the interior facings of the brakes and spacers with sandpaper. The resulting mixture of aluminium and Iron oxide will now always corrode and cause the brakes to seize without regular care. When I find something better I will have to replace them. The brakes are bolted and we didn’t drill anything off the frame. BB and rear cluster are 00’s Chorus.
In keeping with the desire to have some parts that would provide a base for a period rebuild I went for 60/70’s bosses, stops and clips. To me at least, this looks okay except on the seat tube where the front derailleur boss does not sit well with the associated mech above it.
The wheels on the other hand were a delight; Athena hubs with an early 9spd pawl that requires a special lockring, Sun rims and a really nice set of Corsas to finish things off. The skewers are nasty Mirage ones which I will replace at some point. Those Athena’s buff up well and look the part.
The bars are Cinelli Giros built to a modern spec and the seat an ubiquitous Flite TI, the XA stem was one of the first upgrades for my old Holdy and it was great to find a home for it. The tape is some nice Fizik stuff that just looked right.
Having spent most of my Summer on a Cervelo P2 set up for a 6hr time trial, the ride on this frame was always going to feel a bit laid back. That said, Harry Quinn was known for making frames with quite steep seat angles for the time and this one is no exception. Because it is straight 531 Not “C” or the later “SC” the ride is firm and there is relatively little give at the BB, which makes for a comfy ride up hill. At speed the ride is firm, the forks a little bouncy in rough NZ. That said, the ride is straight and the turn in sweet, though I will need to swap the brake blocks for a set of coolstops. I have no idea how I used to ride at 60+mph on brakes like this. The bike itself is lighter than expected and with a little less air in the 25mm Corsas this will be an engaging ride. I’m already looking for excuses and sunny days.
Thanks go to Haedyn, Tim @rode in Auckland and David Benson. Enjoy the pics.
I started with a reasonably nice repainted frame, but it was a bit gaudy for me and I was worried about the paint that covered the original chrome. I was after something that I could ride but had a suitably classic look. I also wanted options for the future if I went for a full period renovation. This was always going to mean mixing parts. Personally I don't have a problem with mixing Campag because that was how just about all my bikes came to life when I was younger, I simply could not afford a complete groupset in one go. My old Holdsworth (which I sold to my great regret) had Chorus hubs and chainset, with Victory brakes, Athena Derailleurs and Record pedals; all from different years. That's the way I grew up with Campagnolo, I don't think I'm alone in this.
So I got the whole lot stripped. At which point I nearly stopped there and had it clear coated. I'm really glad I didn't do that. If you look closely you can see a little bit of pock marking on the rear stays, so yes the frame did need stripping. As far as the ethics of restoration go, I regard chrome as paint and therefore an option. Should I sell the frame (unlikely) any future owner will get the docket identifying the chrome specifications.
The paintwork was done by Haedyn Borck in Rotorua NZ. Originally I was going to have all the lugwork picked, but when I saw the head cluster I felt It said enough. Indeed, I've compared this to other work done in Europe and this job stands on its own. The lugs AFAIK are early Nervex Professional; as I understand it you can tell because of the lack of a fishtail at the front of the head cluster. The design was drawn from catalogues between 1969 and 1990.
The seatpost was always going to be an aero, it isn’t period but it is gorgeous. Getting my own way changed the direction of the whole project. I needed a 27.0 which limited my options and in the end I had to but a near new Triomphe, all the others were just too awful. Having gone this shiny at the top it kind of set the tone for the rest. So some Triomphe with some early 2000’s?
I genuinely wanted a rideable bike with a classic look so the drivetrain and brakes were always going to be relatively modern. I already had some nice Centaur 9spd ergo levers, a 9spd chorus rear mech and a worn but passable Record chainset. I got lucky with a Triomphe front mech that works well with this set up. Less than lucky was my desire for record dual pivots from the 00’s which were in the end too short in reach for the frame. After this I set off looking for Triomphe scripted long/medium reach brakes. This took a while and what I have at the moment is okay but not great. The levers have been polished with a dremmel and the surface shows it. Worse still some munter cleaned the interior facings of the brakes and spacers with sandpaper. The resulting mixture of aluminium and Iron oxide will now always corrode and cause the brakes to seize without regular care. When I find something better I will have to replace them. The brakes are bolted and we didn’t drill anything off the frame. BB and rear cluster are 00’s Chorus.
In keeping with the desire to have some parts that would provide a base for a period rebuild I went for 60/70’s bosses, stops and clips. To me at least, this looks okay except on the seat tube where the front derailleur boss does not sit well with the associated mech above it.
The wheels on the other hand were a delight; Athena hubs with an early 9spd pawl that requires a special lockring, Sun rims and a really nice set of Corsas to finish things off. The skewers are nasty Mirage ones which I will replace at some point. Those Athena’s buff up well and look the part.
The bars are Cinelli Giros built to a modern spec and the seat an ubiquitous Flite TI, the XA stem was one of the first upgrades for my old Holdy and it was great to find a home for it. The tape is some nice Fizik stuff that just looked right.
Having spent most of my Summer on a Cervelo P2 set up for a 6hr time trial, the ride on this frame was always going to feel a bit laid back. That said, Harry Quinn was known for making frames with quite steep seat angles for the time and this one is no exception. Because it is straight 531 Not “C” or the later “SC” the ride is firm and there is relatively little give at the BB, which makes for a comfy ride up hill. At speed the ride is firm, the forks a little bouncy in rough NZ. That said, the ride is straight and the turn in sweet, though I will need to swap the brake blocks for a set of coolstops. I have no idea how I used to ride at 60+mph on brakes like this. The bike itself is lighter than expected and with a little less air in the 25mm Corsas this will be an engaging ride. I’m already looking for excuses and sunny days.
Thanks go to Haedyn, Tim @rode in Auckland and David Benson. Enjoy the pics.
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