The Viking Saga NOW SOLD

[chickendrumsticks]

Re:

Beautlfully built wheels back from my LBS at last. Reassembly beginning. It's starting to look a bit more like a bike again I'd really like some amber wall tyres to complete the look but that will have to wait...

 

[Stiff_Orange]

Re: The Viking Saga

Looking good, I've post up a thread on my 54/55 Ian Steel. Hoping to get it all up and running in the next Month or so.
Are you running 27 Inch rims? I was hoping to use the Michelin Amberwalls I took off, but when removing and cleaning them after 25 years in storage, the bead has started to decay.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Re:

Thanks. Yes, it's coming on. I can't find your Ian Steel thread - is it on here? Copy and paste the url into a message to make finding it easier. BTW my avatar is a pic of me on my Ian Steel (about 1958 model I think) sometime in the mid sixties. Of course I was very young then...

The rims on the Mileater were very rusty so I've had some new alloy 27 x 1 1/4
ones laced to the original hubs - stainless steel spokes too. As to tyres - I've looked for new amberwall ones to complete the look, but they're fairly rare and some seem expensive to my niggardly taste. There are some "Raleigh" ones out there, quite cheap, made in the Far East, but suffering from not very good reviews. So I'm sticking with the black for now. They came with the bike and are not too worn.

I'm on the lookout too for some Bluemels guards - Clubman, All-rounder or Classique - but they're silly prices for vintage jobbies. Praps a wanted ad coming up...

 

[Peachy!]

Re: The Viking Saga

Looking great Chicken... the “old” 27” tyre does seem to becoming more rare... although good Schwalbe tan walls are around £17 each these days.

As for Bluemells... do you fancy some stubbies?

 

[Stiff_Orange]

Re: Re:

Thanks. Yes, it's coming on. I can't find your Ian Steel thread - is it on here? Copy and paste the url into a message to make finding it easier. BTW my avatar is a pic of me on my Ian Steel (about 1958 model I think) sometime in the mid sixties. Of course I was very young then...

The rims on the Mileater were very rusty so I've had some new alloy 27 x 1 1/4
ones laced to the original hubs - stainless steel spokes too. As to tyres - I've looked for new amberwall ones to complete the look, but they're fairly rare and some seem expensive to my niggardly taste. There are some "Raleigh" ones out there, quite cheap, made in the Far East, but suffering from not very good reviews. So I'm sticking with the black for now. They came with the bike and are not too worn.

I'm on the lookout too for some Bluemels guards - Clubman, All-rounder or Classique - but they're silly prices for vintage jobbies. Praps a wanted ad coming up...

.

Thread is http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;t=413554. Colour scheme is based on a 1955 model "Flamboyant red with white head and seat panels"

I've managed to source some Panaracer pasela 27 x 1 ( I'm running 3/4inch rims) at a decent price. Not sure I fancy vintage tyres as I do intend to use it as a "social" ride bike. There are some Schwalbe 27 tyres about but they look more line town bike tyres.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Re: The Viking Saga

Looking great Chicken... the “old” 27” tyre does seem to becoming more rare... although good Schwalbe tan walls are around £17 each these days.

As for Bluemells... do you fancy some stubbies?

Colour Size

Thanks Peachy! Really want long'uns. Now if I could find some in that yellow...

Yes, I'd spotted some of those Schwalbe tyres but everyone seems to be out of stock.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Re:

Struggling a bit to get that old Benelux Mk 7 to work consistently (don't say " I thought you might...") and have my eye on a nice Campag Gran Sport which was an option from new, although the one I'm looking at is later, 1980s. My question - is the Campag fixing bolt compatible with the thread on my Cyclo Benelux hanger? Or do Campag mechs only fit a Campag hanger?

Grateful for any advice. Thanks all.

 

[Old Ned]

Re: The Viking Saga

I tried a Gran Sport onto a Benelux hanger BITD when I had a Viking Grand Tour. My recollection is that it screwed on OK but as the Benelux hanger bends outward compared to a Campag one, the Gran Sport gear didn't have sufficient adjustment to allow it to travel as far as the large sprocket. This was 5 speed BTW. I ended up sawing the Benelux hanger off and using the Campag bracket to fasten the GS mech to the bike. I think this is the reason why so many frames of this period have the Benelux ends sawn off.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Re:

Thanks Old Ned. I feared a hacksaw might be involved! And after some micro adjustments that old changer actually seems to sweetly move up and down all the cogs. In the stand that is...it'll have to wait a bit for a road test though.

Took the bike to my LBS for proper fixing of the cottered cranks - I've filed and bashed too many cotter pins over the years and wanted it done properly. Collected yesterday. Put the bike back in the work stand today to set up the brakes etc. Can anyone spot the deliberate mistake :facepalm:

And this is a guy with about 40 years in the business. Not in the business of replacing cottered cranks obviously. I said early on that "there may be tears" during this rebuild. This time I don't know whether to hoot with laughter or cry uncontrollably.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: The Viking Saga

Oh dear.. :facepalm: