Alan Restoration.

Iwasgoodonce

Old School Grand Master
Many moons ago when the rocks were soft and the air was misty there was a young lad with lots of hair and a 30" waist. He had a couple of mountain bikes, an overweight Saracen which he loved and a Kona Cindercone which he never got on with. The frame was too small for me (moving to first person!) and I never really got the straight forks thing. The Kona was stolen which still really annoyed me but with the money from the insurance I decided on something different...A road bike.
I got the Alan (not a make I had heard of) second hand in my local shop (Hot Pursuit in Totnes). It had Ofmega hubs, a very long cage Campagnolo rear mech and Olympic Montreal tub rims. The shop rebuilt the wheels with MA2 clincher rims although I still have the Montreals.
I did countless miles on it including some minor stage races in Wales with the University team and some epic miles in the mountains of S Wales and the hills of Devon. Various bits got changed. The rear Ofmega snapped and was replaced with a Mavic hub. The rear mech went on to the Saracen and was also replaced with a Mavic. Dual Pivot Shimano brakes and aero levers took care (very well as usual) of stopping.
The bike was retired as I no longer trusted the bonding. An 853 custom built Mike Kowal (pics to follow) replaced it and it festered in the loft for years. Fast forward to now and it is down and rebuilt. Well nearly, this is a progress report more than anything. The original brakes and levers are back on. Cranks and front mech are originals and martinb has supplied an old Shimano 600 rear mech which has polished up rather well.
Old Ned assures me that the tubes screw into the lugs as well as being glued so this might be used on the more gentle Midlands roads when I fancy a quiet bimble. Here's how it came out of the loft: (Saddle is original, it actually used to make me bleed so who knows why I kept it?)
 

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So then. The 30" waist and hair are a distant memory. I have dropped a trouser size so far on my 'return' to riding and I have even managed a 50 miler or two. Here is the bike now. I still have to do the bar tape and decide on som suitable tyres. Who knows I may have a go at wheel building and rebuild the Olympic Montreals.
 

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Nice work IWGO

I've had a Guerciotti crosser (ALAN) in exactly the same 'paintscheme' (anoscheme :? ). I happen to got hands on a new all silver road ALAN with Super Record, 50th and Brooks last week. Haven't seen it in the flesh. It is still at a friends place, who picked it up. I am really excited. On the pics it looked like new :) Sadly the Guerciotti had to go at some point, but I now finally found a decent bike to forget about that.

I wouldn't worry to much about the 'debonding'
 
Looks good but please don't base your riding it on what I said. I'm only going by heresay evidence myself! If you're in doubt, get someone to look at it professionally for you.
 
hey Benotto tape. I remember that. I remember putting white on top of coloured to give a "subtle colour effect" . Since replaced by bike ribbon and now cork.

just looked again - its tapeless. Looks like the benotto effect tho'
 
pigman":ggzccnuv said:
hey Benotto tape. I remember that. I remember putting white on top of coloured to give a "subtle colour effect" . Since replaced by bike ribbon and now cork.

just looked again - its tapeless. Looks like the benotto effect tho'

I read your comment, went and had a rummage and found this. Wrong colour though.
 

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Look's absolutley lovely in that colour. Only ever seen these with black or silver tube's. Would love to get one in that colour myself! Well done! :cool:
 

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