Recent content by badgermat

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    What is the best groupset over the past 25 years (1998-2023) in your opinion?

    For function with only slightly compromised looks (fat crank) it has to be Shimano 7800. For looks with compromised function it has to be the original 10-speed Campag Veloce ... as far as I can tell the last decent group with (almost) no black bits. I like polished alloy, can you tell? bm
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    For Sale Claud Butler frame and forks

    Ouch … thanks for the info :( Frame number looks kosher for early 60s frame, though for obvious reasons I haven’t been able to inspect. More fool me for buying on eBay I guess. Will be happy to accept offers. bm
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    For Sale Claud Butler frame and forks

    As the title, 1960s Claud Butler frame and forks, may be European model. Nevertheless, a lovely example of period sport/touring frame that would be perfect for full restoration or as the basis for a really usable resto-mod. Labels say 531 double-butted, but I have no idea whether that’s true...
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    Anyone know much about Avanti Bikes?

    Alas you probably won't get much response from Avanti themselves, they're famous locally for their customer support. Not. It's a brand started by the NZ importers of Shimano. The Giro was a mid range model sold in the mid-2000s. Frame would be generic Taiwanese alloy, components usually Shimano...
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    Gaspipe ... question for French and Italian bike enthusiasts.

    Given that "gaspipe" is the dismissive, common English term for undistinguished, plain-gauge, steel tubing used for cheap, mass-production bike frames, what are the equivalent French and Italian terms? Enquiring minds and all that :) bm
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    Want a good laugh? Read Livestrong's 'History of Dura Ace 600'!

    Quite keen to get hold of a side-pull gear set though :) bm
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    Resto or retro - that is the question

    Yowzer, that is a beautiful bike. Love the paint finish and polished bits (shallow, me?) Interesting you make the comparison with golf though. My taste there is for minimalist sets and "classic" (ie, just old) clubs. Not so different from my taste in bikes :)
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    Wanted 531 Falcon frame

    Interesting. How much do you want for it and do you have any pics of the dings and the Reynolds sticker?
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    Wanted 531 Falcon frame

    I’m looking for a decent Reynolds 531 tubed Falcon frame (~21”) and forks to use as the basis of a restomod project. Age and cosmetic condition aren't all that important since it’ll be repainted and badged. That said, a cast head badge will get my financial gratitude, as will any reasonable...
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    Resto or retro - that is the question

    The more I think about it, the more I realise it has to be an old Falcon. And that will mean letting go of my need for immediate gratification :) Looks like I'll be trawling eBay and TradeMe (local eBay equivalent) for something good, though it's astonishing how little choice there is locally...
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    Resto or retro - that is the question

    Having recently rediscovered the delights of old-school road bikes (my gaspipe Falcon of undistinguished heritage, great weight and poor workmanship), I’m now thinking about something a bit plusher. I have a huge soft spot for Falcons, so by “a bit plusher” I just mean a better frame than my...
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    Downtube Friction shifters with ratchet mechanism for the drive side.

    Ready to be corrected, but as I understand it ratchet shifters are a half-way house between pure friction and indexed. Rather than a clear single position for each gear they have many detents or ridges (not sure what they're called) which allow lighter shifting but still positive engagement at a...
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    Retromod - Di2 on a classic steel road bike - advice/links to those that have please?

    Could you not just use a pair of the friction adjusters (604/1 in the image) as blanking covers? If you don't want to disassemble the shifters on the bike at the moment, you can probably get the parts fairly cheaply.
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    Modern wheelset for classic bike?

    Halo Retros ... https://www.halowheels.com/shop/wheels/road/retro-6d-wheels/ Probably not very fancy, but affordable, functional and the look the part.
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    A Retro Road bike with that can keep up with the modern bikes - advice please ?

    I think Hamster is being a touch harsh on gravel bikes in general and 1x in particular. Geometry-wise gravel bikes are closer to a classic 72 parallel road bike than a 90s mountain bike. Though perhaps not a million miles from either. While the head and seat angles are similar to a 90s MTB, a...
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