Zenith frame or a today's found
- Thread starter Esperame
- Start date
torqueless
Senior Retro Guru
That's a difficult one. You mentioned the frame had been repaired... is that at the head-tube? It looks a bit suspect, and clumsily painted. If the seatpost is 26.2 that suggests the frame is not quality lightweight tubing, but I'd expect a frame with forged dropouts to be good quality tubing. Are you sure it's not 27.2? Given your location and the Zeus evidence, I guess this frame to be imported from Spain? Don't get to see many Spanish bikes in the U.K. so it's difficult to judge... The components seem to be late 60s/early 70s. I cannot tell if the frame is similar vintage. The forks have an attractive curve which also suggests quality. See if there is a number on the steerer matching the BB number.
Did you weigh the frameset with, or without the bottom bracket? Either way it's lighter than my 531db, although a smaller size, (and lugless).. Do the seatstays taper towards the bottom, or are they constant diameter?
I still believe this frame to have been intended for sprint/700c wheels. From what I can see you might still have trouble getting a 27" wheel in there even with narrower tyres.
Did you weigh the frameset with, or without the bottom bracket? Either way it's lighter than my 531db, although a smaller size, (and lugless).. Do the seatstays taper towards the bottom, or are they constant diameter?
I still believe this frame to have been intended for sprint/700c wheels. From what I can see you might still have trouble getting a 27" wheel in there even with narrower tyres.
Hi torqueless answering your questions, I found no evidence of the frame have been repaired just clumsily painted as you said.The red color is a later and who knows why addition, judging from what I saw the original color scheme was green/blue with orange accents, the seatpost diameter is for sure 26.2 mm.
There is no numbers on the steer I will see when I stripped down
The frame weigh is with out the BB and yes the stay taper towards the rear bottom.
I am with you about the wheels my guest is that during the last 35 years the originals parts have been changed that include the suntour shifters (or do you think that conbination with the campi stuff is possible) and the 27" rims that are too wide and shining for that period, I put a 700c wheel from another bike and looks terrific, could you point me on what type of rims were used around those years.
The seatpost was also replaced by a cheap kids BMX one (not even worth a pic) but the saddle is a Cinelli Unicanitor track.
I will try looking info in spain forums to see if I can find out what frame is it I will do the resto project anyway, by know I just have to find a seatpost, rims and campi shifter levers
There is no numbers on the steer I will see when I stripped down
The frame weigh is with out the BB and yes the stay taper towards the rear bottom.
I am with you about the wheels my guest is that during the last 35 years the originals parts have been changed that include the suntour shifters (or do you think that conbination with the campi stuff is possible) and the 27" rims that are too wide and shining for that period, I put a 700c wheel from another bike and looks terrific, could you point me on what type of rims were used around those years.
The seatpost was also replaced by a cheap kids BMX one (not even worth a pic) but the saddle is a Cinelli Unicanitor track.
I will try looking info in spain forums to see if I can find out what frame is it I will do the resto project anyway, by know I just have to find a seatpost, rims and campi shifter levers
HI Esperame,
I can't help much with your queries, as i do not have the knowledge base that a lot of guys here do - like Torqueless; but i am pretty sure that some riders swapped Campag levers for Suntour as they believed they were better levers. I am sure i have read this somewhere in relation to pro racers, so maybe you might want to keep them on it. If you had more history of the bike it would help to answer this.
Good luck with the build,
Richard
I can't help much with your queries, as i do not have the knowledge base that a lot of guys here do - like Torqueless; but i am pretty sure that some riders swapped Campag levers for Suntour as they believed they were better levers. I am sure i have read this somewhere in relation to pro racers, so maybe you might want to keep them on it. If you had more history of the bike it would help to answer this.
Good luck with the build,
Richard
torqueless
Senior Retro Guru
In spite of TGR's faith in my knowledge base (I think that's what he's saying :?
) I'm a bit out of my depth in the late 60s! Someone who's been around for a bit longer will be able to put me right... With sprints/tubulars, the names which occur to me first are Mavic, Fiamme, Super Champion, not anodised at this time I think. If you want 700c narrow HP rims, doesn't really start until 1975 with Mavic Module-E, which arrived on the market at just the right time to stop me getting involved with sprints/tubulars...
Old Ned
Old School Grand Master
It was the 'retrofriction' type Suntour levers that people swapped to but in the 80's. The ones here are a basic earlier version, possibly the Campag ones bent or broke? Torqueless is right about rims, for 700c ones of the correct period (and I reckon the frame is 60's from the lack of braze-ones etc.) tubulars were the only option. Well, in the UK anyway with the wired-on option being 27". What did our continental cousins use? Was there a 700c wired-on alternative BITD?
I like the look of the frame - lugless (nice!), attractive fork rake, tight clearances etc. The seat stay top cluster looks distinctive. Could it be an Italian/South of France maker?
I like the look of the frame - lugless (nice!), attractive fork rake, tight clearances etc. The seat stay top cluster looks distinctive. Could it be an Italian/South of France maker?
No news about the brand or year of my mystery project, although I decided to go ahead and look for the missing parts like a seatpost, shifters and wheels but after pull out the plastic cover os the shifter I will keep them but the rims I found for the wheels a set of Ambrosio Balance will not match the mid '60 early '70 were I guess the bike is dated.
I also have a mid '80 Guercotti carbon/alloy frame with a set of Campagnolo Ypsilon Oxide Strada that have a moore the original era look that I can swap with.
I know it is a short cut but I am afraid of if I let the project disassemble I could loose much more than I can achieve wit this.
In the paint department I am still thinking in the pros and cons of respray it or make up the original one, but before anything else I would like to hear what do you have to said about
Thanks
I also have a mid '80 Guercotti carbon/alloy frame with a set of Campagnolo Ypsilon Oxide Strada that have a moore the original era look that I can swap with.
I know it is a short cut but I am afraid of if I let the project disassemble I could loose much more than I can achieve wit this.
In the paint department I am still thinking in the pros and cons of respray it or make up the original one, but before anything else I would like to hear what do you have to said about
Thanks
Hi,
Questions -
Do you plan to keep the bike?
Is the current paint original?
Is it in good condition?
Will a clean and a polish get it in good condition?
Is the paint so bad that it really needs a respray?
When you answer the above, you should know what to do. It is up to you - it is your bike and you will be riding it, if you are selling - think very carefully about respraying - it will cost you money and time and it would be doubtful if you will be able to recover the costs in the sale price.
I hope this helps and does not confuse,
Richard
Questions -
Do you plan to keep the bike?
Is the current paint original?
Is it in good condition?
Will a clean and a polish get it in good condition?
Is the paint so bad that it really needs a respray?
When you answer the above, you should know what to do. It is up to you - it is your bike and you will be riding it, if you are selling - think very carefully about respraying - it will cost you money and time and it would be doubtful if you will be able to recover the costs in the sale price.
I hope this helps and does not confuse,
Richard
Yes I plan to keep it
Yes is the original paint
The paint could be better, much better
No I do not think Clean and polish will be enough
No is not that bad perhaps the head tube must be paint it
The paint is in fact the less challenging to me, what most concern is the wheels because I do not have the chance to import spare parts right now and around here are almost impossible to find
Yes is the original paint
The paint could be better, much better
No I do not think Clean and polish will be enough
No is not that bad perhaps the head tube must be paint it
The paint is in fact the less challenging to me, what most concern is the wheels because I do not have the chance to import spare parts right now and around here are almost impossible to find
