Redux Raleigh Castorama with Reynolds 653 frame

Traded it in at bike shop in sheffield for a mountain bike, regretted it ever since, started building it when I was about 18, first part I bought was the stem(dura ace) and the slowly bought bits as funds became available, the frame was second hand and took be about three months to scratch enough money together to buy ( the shop held it for me) . I can still remember putting the final parts on it and taking it for its first ride. Really wish I had kept it but women and cars took over :cry:

Ouch, I can see why that hurts! I went through the same thing, getting rid of an old classic and regretting it, then like you say things like kids etc come along. Thankfully I have the excuse of it being my daily mode of transport in London to justify it otherwise it might get me into trouble!

Erm, I like the end result ... but why in God's name didn't you offer the Castorama frame up here first to see if anyone might be interested - like me?! :roll:

Honestly, you wait ages for a bus and when one finally arrives it's been repainted so you miss it!

Cheers,
Gareth.

I didn't have it renovated because I couldn't get rid of it! I spent months looking for a Raleigh made with 653 as a donor bike which was a specific size and that is what came up. Any frame made with that tubeset would have been half decent so it was always going Gp against the grain with some people. Anyway. I'm happy with the result and it's going to get used every day so that's the main point.

Having raced on a 653 Castorama replica with DA 7400 and a Rolls saddle, it brought the metaphoric tear to the to see what you've done. However on taking a closer look at the original paintwork, I can see why you've had it refinished.
Like an earlier respondant said, you should have offered it for sale on here. bet you would have had enough money to buy another 653 and some money to spare.

????
..."you should have offered it for sale on here. bet you would have had enough money to buy another 653 and some money to spare."

Ok, so what you are saying is that basically I "should" have sold on a donor bike which I spent MONTHS trying to find and maybe made a few quid for my hassle, and all because someone else might have wanted it? This process could have gone on indefinitely until everybody is happy! I passed up plenty of bikes which I deemed too good to mess with, and that is half the reason it took me so damn long to find a suitable starting point for the project. As I have said before the frame was completely (for want of a better word) fucked, and if it wasn't resprayed the surface rust would have killed it. Also the Castorama "paintwork" is just a bunch of cheap decals that werent even lacquered over and they were all peeling off.

Anyway after the time, thought, effort and expense I have gone to I feel I have every right to have gone ahead with what I have done. If you are looking for a vintage frame though, rather than sitting on the retro bike forum waiting to be offered one, you should do what I did and go looking for one. There are plenty of places to look, like eBay where this was bought, and tons come up on the LFGSS website, where I might add I passed up a brand new factory fresh Castorama frame going for a couple hundred quid. Hope that helps.

go on son

Passion.... love it.
There are no rules...ride the wheels of that bike...castorama blah blah... its definitely a great donor....and a great new ride

My mate Fignon said GO ON SON

billholding

Indeed! And if it had been the late Fignon's actual bike rather than a repro made the following year, then I would have left well enough alone! I think he would have been happier riding it day to day as it is now rather than in the colours of a French supermarket anyway!

I say, steady on chaps!

Billholding seems to have touched a raw nerve with a couple of you but honestly how is anyone supposed to know that other Retrobikers are desperately hanging out for a particular frame when they start on a project? Also how does anyone know that if they offered up a frame for sale that someone else would restore it to it's original livery and specification? The buyer might just do the same as billholding.

As Toomski says there are no rules as far as I am aware and although I admit I'm sometimes guilty of critical comments I like to think I haven't been too bad.

It's obvious alot of thought has gone into the bike and it will make a very good every day ride. If people want to see only faithful restorations then perhaps we should have 2 sections of reader's bikes.

Mark.