1990 Roberts White Spider - Columbus Off Road

juice.bikes

Devout Dirtbag
Keep meaning to start a build thread for this as I am hoping for some advice and opinions on it. Bought recently, built by Winston Vaz in 1990 (confirmed by himself), one owner since new and ridden all over the world.. and you can tell! Was fitted with a mix of pretty used parts but all up for sale on ebay to hopefully make some money back on the complete bike.

I have been really enjoying riding this Trek 7000 I have for sale atm and have always wanted a Roberts but don't need another sunday best or flashy ride. Main idea is to have it as a casual understated commuter with understated quality parts. When I first got it the plan was originally to respray it myself in a dark metallic grey faded into a dark violet with custom silver inside - black outlined Roberts decals.. even managed to find a set of original Columbus Off Road tubing decals but I am now definitely leaning more to the "sleeper" aesthetic.

Anyways - with repainting out of the question atm I think sanding back some of the more mashed up bits, new decals and some 2k lacquer would maintain the originality and protect the frame from further rust.
For parts, as much as I love the look of the XTR from 1994 it was always going to be too expensive for this so settled for Deore LX M560 8 Speed series which I've sourced off a donor bike the other day. Rest of the components will be mainly all black with touches of anodized purple.

Will update with more photos tomorrow but heres the frame before I sent it off to Winston to have the seatpost burned out. After a week of all the tricks it was safe to say it was stuck.

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Love that colour.

if you decide that you're too fatigued to build it up, sell the frameset to me

Actually don't I will never live it down

(Do it...)
 
I'm glad someone on here picked it up. I'd have been tempted if I didn't already have something similar. I'm glad you're going to keep the original paint and just protecting it. Not sure about the anodised purple but that's always been an opinion splitter!
 
I'm glad someone on here picked it up. I'd have been tempted if I didn't already have something similar. I'm glad you're going to keep the original paint and just protecting it. Not sure about the anodised purple but that's always been an opinion splitter!
Keeping the original paint definitely saves time and money too but if I really get on with it then a less loud paintjob would be better I think.
I hear you on the purple, it will def just be hints of it with stuff like this hope ti hub I got in the post other day along with skewers and jockey wheels ha. I can see it getting quite anti quickly if theres too much of it going on
 
Had a quick rummage in the parts bin for a stem and found this salsa which should work perfectly. Quick question though, whats the most aesthetic stem set up for cables? Mount under the stem or hole drilled through the top and bottom? On route to see Winston and to pick up the frame so maybe he can stick a mount underneath relatively quickly on there for me..

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Heres a quick flick of the groupset too -


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Why not use the steerer tube mounted cable stop that came on the bike? If it's for aesthetics then I totally get it!
 
Why not use the steerer tube mounted cable stop that came on the bike? If it's for aesthetics then I totally get it!
Aesthetics rather than anything else in all honesty. I’ll prob use that in the meantime if I don’t get the stem done today. It’s all in the small details for me with builds ha
 
Aesthetics rather than anything else in all honesty. I’ll prob use that in the meantime if I don’t get the stem done today. It’s all in the small details for me with builds ha

I don't like the steerer mounted hangers either, so completely understand
 
There might need to be another change of plan with the paint.. Seatpost was proper rusted in there so half the seat tubes been burned up!

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Going to sandback the tube and reassess but I'm now tempted to take it all back and just clear lacquer the raw frame and stick some Roberts decals underneath.
 
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