Cicli B - new retro road

[Michum]

Hello, I'm super excited to post my new retro road. I bought it today for ~50$.
It's reynolds 531 so a top notch frameset.
There are some beautiful parts on it.
I still need to decide if i should either strip it and sell for parts on eBay or keep it and get suntour brake levers + suntour cyclone shifters.

 

[zerogravitas]

Bargain!

 

[non-fixie]

Frame made by Martens in Zwevezele, circa 1980 I'd say. Very nice! A bargain indeed.

If the size is right I'd at least take it for a spin before making any decisions.

 

[Michum]

Frame made by Martens in Zwevezele, circa 1980 I'd say. Very nice! A bargain indeed.

If the size is right I'd at least take it for a spin before making any decisions.

I guess that the size is right, seller claimed it's 58 do for 181cm rider it should be ok. I think that i will give it a try on Polonika (Polish annualy retro race) because i really like this thing and i have red dolphin seat + some red old benotto tapes that would fit perfectly on this

 

[Michum]

One more question guys, i have to change seatpost as the one that was inside the bike is cut and is extremely short. 26.6mm seatpost won't fit so considering it's reynolds 531 now i should try 26.4mm right?

 

[SteelNipple]

I've had metric Reynolds frames with both 26.4mm and 26.8mm seatposts. My 531c frame had 26.4mm seatpost from factory but it was loose and 26.8mm size post did fit great. The other 531 (double butted?) also came with a 26.4mm post. But I did not measure the actual post OD or seat tube ID on those. Larger frames might have thicker/heavier gauge tubes but I'd say the 26.4mm will fit. The 531c is usually stated to be 0.8/0.5 (0.8/0.55 on the chart, my reply below) so with 28.0mm OD tubing that would make the ID 26.9mm and with the usual 0.2mm cap it should take 26.7mm or a more common size 26.6 seatpost.

 

[SteelNipple]

One more question guys, i have to change seatpost as the one that was inside the bike is cut and is extremely short. 26.6mm seatpost won't fit so considering it's reynolds 531 now i should try 26.4mm right?

On my previous post I made a few errors... I calculated the seatpost size wrong, I calculated it using the larger number which is the thickness from the BB side where the butt is. The right seatpost size for your frame according the chart below (if your bike really is 531C tubing) should be 26.6mm.

Here is a pic from Reynolds catalogue/manual I found online.

 

[Michum]

On my previous post I made a few errors... I calculated the seatpost size wrong, I calculated it using the larger number which is the thickness from the BB side where the butt is. The right seatpost size for your frame according the chart below (if your bike really is 531C tubing) should be 26.6mm.

Here is a pic from Reynolds catalogue/manual I found online.
View attachment 956890

Unfortunately it does not take 26.6mm seatpost. From what i've found 531c can also fit 26.4mm and 26.2mm seatposts do i don't know which one to order.

 

[SteelNipple]

Unfortunately it does not take 26.6mm seatpost. From what i've found 531c can also fit 26.4mm and 26.2mm seatposts do i don't know which one to order.

Does the current post have any size markings? Do you have calipers to measure the seatpost size or the seat tube ID?

 

[Michum]

Does the current post have any size markings? Do you have calipers to measure the seatpost size or the seat tube ID?

Unfortunately not, it got cut above the part which included information. I can gry with calipers or maybe i will check if i have 26.4 or 26.2 mm seatpost on one of my other bikes and check if it will fit. I'm 100% sure that it's a reynolds 531c as on the sticker frame because it has campagnolo dropouts and finish is top notch so it must have been built with top quality steel.