Holdsworth Cyclone 1951/52
- Thread starter predki
- Start date
predki
Retro Guru
Re:
Stem/handlebar/brake levers arrived, proper for 50's bike I think. Got them from lfgss forum and done some cleaning, polishing and covered it in leather. Stem GB Krono has a few rust spots, the biggest is about 20mm, but underneath so not visible too much. Handlebar is GB 'Maes Maitland' and has a lovely shape, something between south of France and Cinelli Criterium. Brake levers are GB Superhood with adjusters in very good shape. Overall very nice kit, not spotless, but I don't mind.
I was unsure if I should use honey leather or black, so I asked my girlfriend and she said 'black, because honey won't match red frame well'... so it's black with red stitching.
Stem came without quill bolt, but I had something fitting, so it's ready. Now I need source some hoods for the levers.
Some photos
The set as I got it:
and after the treatment:
Stem/handlebar/brake levers arrived, proper for 50's bike I think. Got them from lfgss forum and done some cleaning, polishing and covered it in leather. Stem GB Krono has a few rust spots, the biggest is about 20mm, but underneath so not visible too much. Handlebar is GB 'Maes Maitland' and has a lovely shape, something between south of France and Cinelli Criterium. Brake levers are GB Superhood with adjusters in very good shape. Overall very nice kit, not spotless, but I don't mind.
I was unsure if I should use honey leather or black, so I asked my girlfriend and she said 'black, because honey won't match red frame well'... so it's black with red stitching.
Stem came without quill bolt, but I had something fitting, so it's ready. Now I need source some hoods for the levers.
Some photos
The set as I got it:
and after the treatment:
predki
Retro Guru
Re:
Headset fitted. I bought Cyclus reamer for crown race from Rosebikes. It's quite economy (as for this kind of tool...) and don't think it will last long (I see already some wear on teeth after one use) but does the job. Gran Sport headset has very thin crown race and can break easily during installation... I know it from my own experience.. :facepalm: but this time everything went easily and nicely. I already had headset press and crown race setter from the same source. That's much better choice than pvc pipe and home-made threaded rod and nut press. It makes work much easier.
Few new parts arrived. New old stock of GB hoods that match the levers. I've got them from Ebay, quite expensive piece of old rubber... They seemed to be in very good shape, but unfortunately during fitting one teared a bit on the underside. I tried to be very gentle, but that's a very old rubber. I glued it using glue for patching tyres and probably stick a piece of tyre patch to secure it. Not perfect solution, but I think it will work.
Crankset arrived as well (Stronglight 49d, that's my favourite), I'm looking for Stronglight bottom bracket cups.
Got the saddle - 50's Brooks B17 Champion Narrow.
Tomorrow I expect spokes to arrive and I'm starting building the wheels.
Some up to date photos:
Cleaned crown race
On the photos it seems to be flat red paint, but it is really deep ruby...
Brake levers hoods:
I need to cut holes for adjusters.
The saddle
Crankset
To fit it I need to find bottom bracket cups as I have Stronglight spindle already.
And overall progress
Headset fitted. I bought Cyclus reamer for crown race from Rosebikes. It's quite economy (as for this kind of tool...) and don't think it will last long (I see already some wear on teeth after one use) but does the job. Gran Sport headset has very thin crown race and can break easily during installation... I know it from my own experience.. :facepalm: but this time everything went easily and nicely. I already had headset press and crown race setter from the same source. That's much better choice than pvc pipe and home-made threaded rod and nut press. It makes work much easier.
Few new parts arrived. New old stock of GB hoods that match the levers. I've got them from Ebay, quite expensive piece of old rubber... They seemed to be in very good shape, but unfortunately during fitting one teared a bit on the underside. I tried to be very gentle, but that's a very old rubber. I glued it using glue for patching tyres and probably stick a piece of tyre patch to secure it. Not perfect solution, but I think it will work.
Crankset arrived as well (Stronglight 49d, that's my favourite), I'm looking for Stronglight bottom bracket cups.
Got the saddle - 50's Brooks B17 Champion Narrow.
Tomorrow I expect spokes to arrive and I'm starting building the wheels.
Some up to date photos:
Cleaned crown race
On the photos it seems to be flat red paint, but it is really deep ruby...
Brake levers hoods:
I need to cut holes for adjusters.
The saddle
Crankset
To fit it I need to find bottom bracket cups as I have Stronglight spindle already.
And overall progress
predki
Retro Guru
Re:
It just happend by itself... I've found stem, dropbar and levers that I really liked quiet cheaply on lfgss forum so I bought it, after I've found very good quality 50's Brooks not so expensive as well (I asked myself why not? That will be really nice thing and you don't stumble upon them so often). I had front wheel and rims (a good occasion I had a few years ago) and hub (from a jumble, if I remember well) so had only order missing spokes. I bought the crankset of the French Ebay. 49D is my favourite crankset and I always wanted that old model with hex nuts instead of allen bolts. Usually is better to buy French parts (like Mafacs, Stronglight, Mavic, Super Champion, etc.) from there as plenty to choose from and there are better prices. Even if seller doesn't state international postage it's good to ask, sometimes they will. Postage can be expensive, but still cheaper than in UK.
Yesterday I ordered Birmalux seatpost and a clamp.
I'm trying to keep it close to 50's and I think I'm doing well for now but it won't be period correct bike. Anyway, somebody replaced track ends for vertical dropouts in late sixties/early seventies, so the frame itself is not purely original.
Yep, in the end there will be only frame left from the old build...
It just happend by itself... I've found stem, dropbar and levers that I really liked quiet cheaply on lfgss forum so I bought it, after I've found very good quality 50's Brooks not so expensive as well (I asked myself why not? That will be really nice thing and you don't stumble upon them so often). I had front wheel and rims (a good occasion I had a few years ago) and hub (from a jumble, if I remember well) so had only order missing spokes. I bought the crankset of the French Ebay. 49D is my favourite crankset and I always wanted that old model with hex nuts instead of allen bolts. Usually is better to buy French parts (like Mafacs, Stronglight, Mavic, Super Champion, etc.) from there as plenty to choose from and there are better prices. Even if seller doesn't state international postage it's good to ask, sometimes they will. Postage can be expensive, but still cheaper than in UK.
Yesterday I ordered Birmalux seatpost and a clamp.
I'm trying to keep it close to 50's and I think I'm doing well for now
but it won't be period correct bike. Anyway, somebody replaced track ends for vertical dropouts in late sixties/early seventies, so the frame itself is not purely original.
predki
Retro Guru
I've just finished building wheels... So most time consuming things done, just need to clean them properly and glue the tyres. I've received seatpost and clamp. I manage to get missing bottom bracket cups as well
Seatpost:
cups
Instead of buying just what I needed I bought them with a lot... :facepalm: I can't count how many times it had happened before. That's why I don't have space at home and money in my wallet...
Overall progress:
Seatpost:
cups
Instead of buying just what I needed I bought them with a lot... :facepalm: I can't count how many times it had happened before. That's why I don't have space at home and money in my wallet...
Overall progress:
predki
Retro Guru
Few problems... as usual...
I took off too much material from the seatpost and now it is too loose. So or I'll find another one, or I'm going back to Campag Record/Gran Sport.
Next problem is that spacing between front dropouts is 95mm not standard 100. I fitted 0.1mm shims instead of standard washers (1.5mm) between locknuts and cones. Because of one of the cones was lightly pitted I ordered replacement (original Campag Record, but more modern) and when it arrived I noticed that it is 1mm shorter than old type, apart from that they are identical, so I ordered another one so in the end I'll have exact distance. I'll just need to cut the axle and skewer.
Another one is bottom bracket/crankset... I fitted bottom bracket, standard Stronglight 118 spindle. Adjustable, non drive side, cup didn't go inside shell deep enough. After fitting locknut there's about 2mm threaded part sticking out. I thought I'll find another cup/spindle combination later, I'll check how it goes with the crank. So I fitted the crank and it went too deep on the drive side, so chainring started touching chainstay. Ok, I need 120 spindle, no problemo, have it in stock. So I need to remove the crank first, I tried to fit Stronglight crank puller but it bound just after I fit it... I checked the other side and the same... Puller seems to be ok, anyway I store it securely, so not much chance of damage. I remember that I read about some of the Stronglight cranks not having standard 23.35 but TA 23.00 threading, so maybe that's the case. I'm waiting for TA puller now...
Apart from that...
I acquired 2 sets of brakes that I could use for this project (instead of using a set from one of the boxes from my storage... :facepalm: ). First is Universal mod 51 and the second is GB Courer Hiduminium. GB calipers would match the levers, but I really love the design of the Italians. Universal knew how to build beautiful brakes.
and few more photos:
I took off too much material from the seatpost and now it is too loose. So or I'll find another one, or I'm going back to Campag Record/Gran Sport.
Next problem is that spacing between front dropouts is 95mm not standard 100. I fitted 0.1mm shims instead of standard washers (1.5mm) between locknuts and cones. Because of one of the cones was lightly pitted I ordered replacement (original Campag Record, but more modern) and when it arrived I noticed that it is 1mm shorter than old type, apart from that they are identical, so I ordered another one so in the end I'll have exact distance. I'll just need to cut the axle and skewer.
Another one is bottom bracket/crankset... I fitted bottom bracket, standard Stronglight 118 spindle. Adjustable, non drive side, cup didn't go inside shell deep enough. After fitting locknut there's about 2mm threaded part sticking out. I thought I'll find another cup/spindle combination later, I'll check how it goes with the crank. So I fitted the crank and it went too deep on the drive side, so chainring started touching chainstay. Ok, I need 120 spindle, no problemo, have it in stock. So I need to remove the crank first, I tried to fit Stronglight crank puller but it bound just after I fit it... I checked the other side and the same... Puller seems to be ok, anyway I store it securely, so not much chance of damage. I remember that I read about some of the Stronglight cranks not having standard 23.35 but TA 23.00 threading, so maybe that's the case. I'm waiting for TA puller now...
Apart from that...
I acquired 2 sets of brakes that I could use for this project (instead of using a set from one of the boxes from my storage... :facepalm: ). First is Universal mod 51 and the second is GB Courer Hiduminium. GB calipers would match the levers, but I really love the design of the Italians. Universal knew how to build beautiful brakes.
and few more photos:
Similar threads
