Yearning for the 1st ride

Elev12k

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Within now and an half our it will be the 1st time out for me on this gem. In the snow :) The bike has been collected by me recently. It was the crossbike of ex-team Batavus rider Egbert Koersen. Drivetrain is full Dura Ace with the exception of Suntour VX rear mech with 1st generation Tacx jockey wheels - the ones without teeth. Brakepower is delivered by MAFAC through DA levers. Tape is white cotton dipped into shellac. To me it looks like that this bike has still pretty much its original specs.

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Frame: Full 531 tubing, Bocama lugs, Zeus 2000 crown and Campagnolo dropouts. More on it here >>>

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Excellent, always like a bike with history. Have you got a close up of the rearmech?

Oh and whats shellac??

Cheers!
 
Bloody hell Melvin, where do you find these gems?? Although I suspect I already know.

Still, what a bike and to find it in such condition! From the pics it looks almost unused.
 
fingers":2pqur9f5 said:
Excellent, always like a bike with history. Have you got a close up of the rearmech?

Oh and whats shellac??

Cheers!

I will sort more pics asap

Shellac: A treatment for cotton tape. Durable and grippy, but it excels in the total absence of comfort. Read more on it here >>> www.classical-bicycles.com/Tips
 
Elev12k":b5i7b3o1 said:
fingers":b5i7b3o1 said:
Excellent, always like a bike with history. Have you got a close up of the rearmech?

Oh and whats shellac??

Cheers!

I will sort more pics asap

Shellac: A treatment for cotton tape. Durable and grippy, but it excels in the total absence of comfort. Read more on it here >>> www.classical-bicycles.com/Tips

Excellent, learn something new every day.
 
John":48nfskex said:
Bloody hell Melvin, where do you find these gems?? Although I suspect I already know.

In the BMX section of a well known Dutch classified site. I don't think you guessed that 'BMX' part.

Still, what a bike and to find it in such condition! From the pics it looks almost unused.

According to the seller it hadn't been used for over 20yrs. It was covered in an oily substance and parked away. This created a bit a 'dirty' look over time for which the seller multiple times apologized. I am gratefull instead, as the residu can be wiped away with WD-40, while I know that would not have been the case with rust. The seller were unsure on whether I would take it till the last moment, while I were enthousiastic about it all the time and the asking was also not that oppertunistic that carefull consideration was an absolute necessity. On my 1st ride it didn't explode under me, so to me it looks like money well spent.

The 1st ride: It is a Champ in the snow. I had a very enjoyable ride. The bike masters bumpy section quite well, due to it's huge hoops and tallness. On the other hand a comfortable experience was underminded by the shellac cotton wrap and absence of hoods. The cockpit is also not the right one for me. For riding I need to construct another. I need a 1 or 2cm shorter stem, a wider bar, hoods and the current routing of the mech cable sucks. It leaves at the brake lever and it fights a continious battle with my thumb. That the stem has to go is a little bummer. Current one is a neat Cinelli 1R with brake cable routing through the stem. If anyone knows a source for alike stems, please let me know. Alternatively I'll have one modified. I want to keep that nice touch.
 
More pictures

More pics

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Cockpit with the Cinelli 1R stem and shellaced tape >>>

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Notice the pinstriping and painted lug-cutouts. Quite a fancy touch for a bike you drag into the mud ins't it?

Not the usual Batavus headbadge, but 'Batavus' painted on the headtube. Glimpse of the Zeus crown >
The Suntour VX mech with the early Tacx wheels >>

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Wrap over seat stays: A common feauture on the Professional road frames of the era, but also present on this cross edition >

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