1991 Brodie Sovereign

[Prodigal Son]

"I know it's minor, but it's little projects like these that I sometimes feel are the most rewarding while working on old bikes."
Yes to that. It´s what separates mass produced items from a labour of love. Well done. It´s more and more a special bike.

 

[slackboy]

Lovely. So how many unicorns have you managed to acquire over the past 4 months? I've lost count

 

[pw_pw_la]

@slackboy Ha! Mate, it's been insane.

I don't even know how it's happened.

In my very wildest dreams, with the most luck possible, I would have hoped to find maybe one of these bikes in this time.

But, somehow, of that short list I made, I've already ticked-off four.

Admitedly, the Brodie might well be the only one that's the right size!

And that's probably why it's my favorite right now.

I've actually still got one more thread to start for one of those arrivals. But that's a much longer project, and it's not even in my own hands yet! So I can't imagine I'll get around to that until next year.

And, of course, all these bikes are going to take a long time to build how I'd really like.

Getting them is a lot easier than finishing them!

 

[pw_pw_la]

Right, so last update before some general bike shots.

The front brake.

There was nothing overly wrong with the Dia-Compe it came with. That said, I did want to source something a little more special for the front to go along with the few other upgrades I planned to make.

One option is on its way shortly from Italy, so in the meantime I decided to try out a Paul Touring Cantilever I had in the parts box.

I bought this for a retromod build I'm currently working on with a friend of mine over on the East Coast, as it's a nice way to include a modern component on an older bike without having something that looks totally out of place.

(V-brakes leave me feeling cold and dead inside. And don't even get me started on the levers you have to pair them with!)

Anyway, I figured this was a good opportunity to test out the brake while I waited for my preferred solution to arrive.

I decided at the same time to switch out the Ritchey Logic's for the Paul Love Levers I had on the Marin (those were in turn replaced with some Suntour XC Pro's, to go along with the rest of the group that's on the Team Issue). I like the Ritchey levers the bike came with a lot, and right now plan to put them back on when the new/old brake arrives, but I figured if a Paul brake was going on I may was well try it out with a Paul lever!

(I may try to source some of the Ritchey Logic levers in better condition, or in the silver and black style. So if anyone has any, please do let me know. I know this particular lever has a fair few fans on here!)

Anyway, the front brake:




I know the sight of a random modern component might freak some of you out (especially paired with those disgusting modern tires ), but bear with me a second...

A few notes on my choices:

- I'm actually surprised I don't see the Paul Touring Canti on more builds posted on these forums. They really suit a retro bike, for obvious reasons. Especially if you're not bothered about being fully period correct. I know most of us are, but at least they're Paul, so from a company that was active back during the golden era (or part thereof) we all revere so highly! They're a doddle to set up, really well designed, with a lovely profile, and, after a fair few rides now, I can confirm they work exceptional well.

Also, don't try to tell me they don't look particularly lovely set against that amazing Gatorblade fork crown!

- This is my first time using the KoolStop Thinlines. They come highly recommended by a few people, not least Mike Varley at Black Mountain Cycles, and I like them so much I purchased the threadless version for the rear brake, too. Of course, this means having to set the pads pretty far along the post to get them close-enough to the rim, but I agree with Mike on the fact they reduce that squishy feeling older, fatter style pads tend to give you. Even if it does mean replacing them more frequently. I can see myself using these frequently on other bikes/builds.

- That little "H" branded barrel adjuster. That's a Hunter Cycles Nug. A silly expense, maybe. But I really like Rick Hunter's whole deal (I've spoken on him elsewhere) and probably won't ever be able to find or afford anything else he's made! These are a great little addition to these brakes, as they allow you to finesse pad placement and straddle tension just-so. I can't imagine they wouldn't offer the same benefits to other types of cantilever, too. It might not be strictly necessary, but for those of you that enjoy dialing in your cantilevers exactly right, these come highly, if expensively, recommended. You use a cutdown road brake cable for the straddle, FYI.

I think that's just about all the initial changes covered. So I'll share a few photos of how they look all together on the bike in my next post. Before discussing the plans I have for it in the longer-term.

 

[pw_pw_la]

So, I'll save the real glamour shots for when my version of this bike is finished, but for now, here's how it looks out on the trails.

 

[pw_pw_la]

The rest:

 

[Prodigal Son]

That´s one of the most beautifull vintage bikes i have ever seen. Not only it´s beautifull but original, personal, which is way more fun than a catalog reenactment.
One minor snipe though is the Paul Cantilever; nothing wrong w/ being new but that´s a rear brake. I have never used those Paul cantis but i know the rear is supposd to be less powerfull than the front.
There is more to this bike than vintage value.. it´s a work of heART!
Lower the stem and rock n roll!

 

[pw_pw_la]

A Few Notes:

This is obviously very much a rider build. If I was building this bike from scratch, there's quite a lot I would do differently. That said, I really do love it for what it is! It's certainly a bit of a weird mix, but it's kind of endearing to me that way. It has character, is a bit different, and rides exceptionally well.

So far, it's probably my favorite bike in the collection to ride. The size is perfect, but it still feels small and nimble beneath me. It handles quickly, climbs superbly, and the combination of the ti bar and the tires really help quieten down the usual trail chatter. It feels smooth for a fully rigid bike, absorbs the sand, root and rocks of all my usual riding spots, and is comfortable on longer stretches too.

I put fifty plus miles on it last week, and it's been a huge motivator in getting up or home early to take it out most days.

Where We Go From Here:

There are quite a few things I plan to change, with some of those already in the works. The first is the best one....

1. Stem

When I emailed Paul to confirm the date of the bike, I also asked whether he would consider building a custom stem for me. Well, his reply was that he was too busy with his YouTube channel these days! Luckily, however, a few weeks later, ohe emailed out of the blue to say he'd reconsidered. I suppose he's now working on one last batch of ICR stems, as I know a couple others here have recently put their orders in for one. You can all thank me for lighting, or at least stoking, that particular fire!

I've been trying to figure out the exact length and rise I'd like, which has me concocting all sorts of silliness at home when I'm bored, to try and get that right:



Anyway, having been out on the bike a lot, I've pretty much settled on what I'd like, and I'm excited to have Paul make something really special as a finishing touch.

(Sidenote: I really love that Ibis stem, and will be sad to see it go! Oh well, time to find something new in 1 1/8" so I can base a whole new build around it!)

2. Front Brake and Levers

I had something a little more special, and period, in mind for the front. Luckily @RetroRider_IT was sitting on just such a thing. In fact, two of them! So while it's not 100% guaranteed to end up on this bike, those will be on their way shortly and I'll see how I feel with one on the front end. At which point the levers will change too. Once the Paul goes, the Love Levers will feel out of place, so I plan to return either to the Ritchey Logic's the bike came with, or source a set in much better condition.

3. Wheels

I think the mix-matched wheelset is the one thing really letting the current build down. I wanted to add a few more Ritchey touches where I could, so have been looking for some suitable Vantage rims. A nice XT laced set have been sourced, and while these might well end up on the final bike, I've also got a hankering for something a little more special, and may just have found what I need to build those this week...

4. WTB

Well, without giving too much away, I'd still like one or two more WTB touches on the final build! So I'm actively hunting down those parts now.

5. Chainset

I definitely plan to replace the chainrings to match the rest of the drivetrain. Ideally for an XT SG set in silver (if anyone has anything suitable, please let me know), although I could also keep the black theme going. I actually like the Topline cranks to ride, but am still on the fence about keeping those due to all the horror stories you hear about them cracking. I also have a nicely beat-up set of Cooks here (silver, with black spider), that could do with a polish-up and home! Which means sourcing a new bottom bracket potentially, too.

6. Heasdset

Along with the wheelset, another weak point. Currently looking for a nice, minty XT headset in 1 1/8". There's an NOS one on eBay right now, but if anyone wants to undercut the seller and make some money off of me, by all means hit me up!

7. Decals

Repro's already sourced from Gil. I like the stealth vibes of the bike right now, but think I might have found a happy medium to keep that and still include them.

 

[pw_pw_la]

That´s one of the most beautifull vintage bikes i have ever seen. Not only it´s beautifull but original, personal, which is way more fun than a catalog reenactment.
One minor snipe though is the Paul Cantilever; nothing wrong w/ being new but that´s a rear brake. I have never used those Paul cantis but i know the rear is supposd to be less powerfull than the front.
There is more to this bike than vintage value.. it´s a work of heART!
Lower the stem and rock n roll!

Aww, thanks mate. I agree, there's a lot more to this particular bike than how it looks; whether it's the perfect or correct choice of component.

It has soul.

I know that’s cheesy but it's true.

You can feel it when you ride it.

Hopefully, even though I've outlined my intended changes above, I'll manage to keep that same spirit alive moving forward.

The nice part is that I love how it is and how it rides right now. So there's no great rush to change those things I mentioned. I can ride and enjoy it, and the rest will come as and when, and if, they come.

Hopefully the stem part of my plan will help alleviate some of your concerns with regards to the height of mine now!

Oh, and that front brake...

Really? I wasn't aware this model came in front and rear specific versions?

The Paul site doesn't say anything to indicate that:

Touring Cantilever

The Touring Canti is a powerful cantilever brake with a similar design to the Neo-Retro, but with the arms angled upward. This gives the brake a much narrower profile without significantly reducing…

www.paulcomp.com

 

[Prodigal Son]

Aww, thanks mate. I agree, there's a lot more to this particular bike than how it looks; whether it's the perfect or correct choice of component.

It has soul.

I know that’s cheesy but it's true.

You can feel it when you ride it.

Hopefully, even though I've outlined my intended changes above, I'll manage to keep that same spirit alive moving forward.

The nice part is that I love how it is and how it rides right now. So there's no great rush to change those things I mentioned. I can ride and enjoy it, and the rest will come as and when, and if, they come.

Hopefully the stem part of my plan will help alleviate some of your concerns with regards to the height of mine now!

Oh, and that front brake...

Really? I wasn't aware this model came in front and rear specific versions?

The Paul site doesn't say anything to indicate that:

Touring Cantilever

The Touring Canti is a powerful cantilever brake with a similar design to the Neo-Retro, but with the arms angled upward. This gives the brake a much narrower profile without significantly reducing…

www.paulcomp.com

The front is called Neo Retro and looks like Mafacs (althought there must be a mafac just like the rear) we know. Mind you, i have not used those Pauls and i am talking out of press release info.
ON another note, i find the mismatched wheels and chainrings very cool. It gives a mutt vibe, a works bike vibe. I am not joking.. i really like it this way. The different color on the stem bothers me but not the hodge podge of parts.