Well, hello - I've just bought a Carlton Cobra!
The frame number indicates that it was built in January 1977, in Nottingham. There's no Reynolds stickers anywhere, but there are the remains of a TI sticker, so it might be Tru-Weld tubing. The frame is coated in chrome, with red and black lacquer. The chrome's got a lot of rust spots on it, which I'm currently in the process of cleaning up.
Component-wise, it has a Weinmann 610 on the front, and a 750 on the back. It's got 5 speeds, but I have no idea what type of mech it has. I need to look that up. Same goes for the crank.
The front wheel is a Rigida Chrolux 27x1 1/4, and the rear is unbranded. I can't see any branding on the hubs. The tyres are... knackered.
The seat is Brooks, but nothing fancy. It seems to be made from vinyl, and lacks any padding whatsoever. eek!
Here it is:
I've measured the hub and forks, and it seems that the rear has already been adjusted to 126mm. How well, I don't know - I need to check that. The front fork is 96mm, which is a bit annoying, and the hub is 71mm wide, so it'll have a dodgy Raleigh thread within it. :?
I have no definite plan for it yet, but it's going to become my main commuter, so I think the components need updating. I maaaaaay get the frame stripped and powder coated - it depends on how well the chrome scrubs up.
I am by no means a bike expert.. I can't name most of the parts of the bike, but hopefully that will change as I work on it. I've made a photoset on flickr, to document my efforts, and I'll keep this thread updated (if anyone cares!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spatuluk/sets/72157631046915008/
The frame number indicates that it was built in January 1977, in Nottingham. There's no Reynolds stickers anywhere, but there are the remains of a TI sticker, so it might be Tru-Weld tubing. The frame is coated in chrome, with red and black lacquer. The chrome's got a lot of rust spots on it, which I'm currently in the process of cleaning up.
Component-wise, it has a Weinmann 610 on the front, and a 750 on the back. It's got 5 speeds, but I have no idea what type of mech it has. I need to look that up. Same goes for the crank.
The front wheel is a Rigida Chrolux 27x1 1/4, and the rear is unbranded. I can't see any branding on the hubs. The tyres are... knackered.
The seat is Brooks, but nothing fancy. It seems to be made from vinyl, and lacks any padding whatsoever. eek!
Here it is:
I've measured the hub and forks, and it seems that the rear has already been adjusted to 126mm. How well, I don't know - I need to check that. The front fork is 96mm, which is a bit annoying, and the hub is 71mm wide, so it'll have a dodgy Raleigh thread within it. :?
I have no definite plan for it yet, but it's going to become my main commuter, so I think the components need updating. I maaaaaay get the frame stripped and powder coated - it depends on how well the chrome scrubs up.
I am by no means a bike expert.. I can't name most of the parts of the bike, but hopefully that will change as I work on it. I've made a photoset on flickr, to document my efforts, and I'll keep this thread updated (if anyone cares!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spatuluk/sets/72157631046915008/