Graham Weigh 853 (latest project)

[47p2]

Just bought this frame, not exactly retro but it is around 14 years old.
My original plan was to use the Shimano 1050/1051 groupset from my Peugeot P10L but I'm not sure if it will work out

A few of questions if anyone knows the answers.

What groupset would have been fitted when new?

What is the stem diameter?

What is the rear spacing, is it 125oln or 130oln or something else?

 

[lewisfoto]

Re: Graham Weigh 825 (latest project)

Nice looking frame, really clean and sleek. It is likely a standard 1 inch headset and thus any 22.2 stem will work, similarly the rear spacing is very likely 130. But hey just grab a ruler and find out. As far as the group is concerned Graham Weigh is still around so you could ask them?

 

[David B]

Re: Graham Weigh 825 (latest project)

Nice looking frame, really clean and sleek. It is likely a standard 1 inch headset and thus any 22.2 stem will work, similarly the rear spacing is very likely 130. But hey just grab a ruler and find out. As far as the group is concerned Graham Weigh is still around so you could ask them?

+1 on the rear end - 853 is such a modern tubeset that for a geared road frame, anything other than 130mm would be odd.

Frames (built by Paul Donohue IIRC) were supplied built up to customer order with varying combinations of groupset (Campag and Shimano available) and finishing kit, based on hazy memories of the old Deeside Cycles adverts in Cycling Weekly. So, pretty much any spec you wish would work.

David

 

[47p2]

Re: Graham Weigh 825 (latest project)

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

I was originally going to fit a period groupset but I'm now pondering something modern. My thinking is that if I use something modern there is every possibility it will be of equal or possibly higher spec than a 14 year old groupset. I already have 2 bikes with 105 groupsets, the Peugeot P10L with the 1050/1051 group which is now almost 30 years old and still not only works perfectly but looks great, and my Focus Cayo with a 5700 group which works a treat.


Budget is the next to think about
The 105-5700 group costs around £400, Ultegra 6700 around £600, Centuar around £450 and Athena around £550

I've been very happy with the 105s I have which makes me wonder if the extra £200 is justifiable for upgrading too the Ultegra. Anyone with thoughts on this?

The Campagnolo Centuar and Athena groups I'm not keen on, I would rather fit an older Campagnolo set than one of those. The new Record and Chorus are over budget so out of the equation. Sram I know nothing about them.


I already have an almost new set of DT Swiss wheels (5 miles on them) which should be the correct size for the frame so that would save me buying wheels for the time being.

Let me have your feedback, thoughts and ideas please

 

[ovlov440]

personally I would put on Ultegra 6500. One of the nicest looking groupsets ever produced (IMHO) and you could pick that up for a couple of hundred leaving you with plenty of change to splash on the finishing touches.

Mate of mine has SRAM on his SuperSix - has the doubletap shifters on it (there is one trigger that does both up and downshifts). He is still getting used to it but does admit he has mis-shifted more with this than he ever did with Shimano stuff.

Don't know a great deal about the Campag stuff but sounds like you have made your mind up about them anyway

 

[47p2]

I'm going to have a look at a nice second hand Ultegra 6600 groupset going for a reasonable sum of money so that might be the one that I fit


Anyone have any views, thoughts on the 6600?

 

[Tuckerjenkins]

you could have this lot for 230 quid! silver chorus seatpost available too!

 

[47p2]

Nice Campagnolo group oldmuthariley, give me a few days until I have a chance to see the 6600 set first as a mate is selling it at a great price

The frame arrived today and when I removed it from the packaging my heart sank

The good news was that upon closer inspection it was just some muck and adhesive from lying around so a rub with the polish cloth removed it
The only mark on the paintwork is where a front wheel has been clamped onto the fork

Frame, forks, headset, boss screws and seatpin weigh in at 2.735kgs which from what little information there is on the net is on the light side for 853 framesets

Next question, are all drop out screws the same size?

 

[47p2]

Fitted a couple of wheels tonight to see what it looked like and check the clearances, the headset tube is more of an angle than I expected so I might have to experiment quite a bit with the stem to get the correct length

 

[David B]

Fitted a couple of wheels tonight to see what it looked like and check the clearances, the headset tube is more of an angle than I expected so I might have to experiment quite a bit with the stem to get the correct length

The back end looks quite generous for a race frame (probably because it's a smallish size whilst keeping the overall wheelbase a sensible length?); my Ribble (~57cm c-c) only has a few mm between the front mech clamp and the tyre, but still not within paint-eroding, Alf Engers-era "gnat's whisker" territory!

David