Winter project - Claud Butler Criterium Circa 1985

[Niallsspence]

A friend has given me this to bring back to life and keep. it was the bike he had when we cycled together. After much fettling and a ton of wd40 I pumped up the tyres and carefully cycled it round my cul-de-sac. Everything pretty much worked after a wd40, taking off, cleaning and putting on again. Chain works but after cleaning is still very rusty. Bottom bracket seems ok. Cassette cleaned and put back on. However the brakes are sticking and the seat post is stuck. The gears are click ones when you change and no bother going between them and the rings when I rode it. Tested a small bit of rust with tin foil and wd40. Going to need something more abrasive but small patches came off ok.

List of jobs so far is;
New decals - find website
Remove rust but what with?
Change to white bar tape, detergent clean the white hoods
Brakes jamming so probably need new cables
Break chain, clean in paraffin and put back on with magic link?
White wall tyres are already ordered
True the wheels as they have slight buckles
Find retro gear and water bottle
Refurbish toe clips

Any suggestions or tips are would be very welcome!?

 

[Peachy!]

Hi there.
Nice project, circa 1996-8 I’ll confirm when I’ve checked my catalogues.
As for graphics, if you want exact replicas you’ll have to get them be-spoke I’m afraid which can get a bit expensive.
Bin the chain and buy a replacement.

 

[Niallsspence]

Hi there.
Nice project, circa 1996-8 I’ll confirm when I’ve checked my catalogues.
As for graphics, if you want exact replicas you’ll have to get them be-spoke I’m afraid which can get a bit expensive.
Bin the chain and buy a replacement.

Hi, thx for replying. Please see frame number below.

 

[Niallsspence]

It looks like 10-87. If it is 1987 then that was the year we were cycling together.

 

[Peachy!]

Unfortunately the Falcon frame numbers (they bought the brand name in 1987) are sequential and don’t differentiate between Falcon, Holdsworth, Claud Butler and all the other brands they swallowed up in this period so unfortunately the frame number won’t help identify a date especially as everything got sold off to the Tandem group in (I think) 2018. The Tandem group didn’t bother with any archive material or at least that’s what they’ve told me.

 

[Peachy!]

Just checked, it's the 1997 version. '96 was Purple, '98 was Black.
Just out of interest, does the Reynolds sticker say just "531" or "531c" (competition double butted)?

1996 version



1998 version

 

[Niallsspence]

Thanks for looking out the attached pages, which I've saved. The frame sticker states 531C, which you are thinking the frame model is made (double butted) stiffer for competition in criteriums!?

My pal was obviously mistaken about the age of the bike. He did when I collected it from him mention that it was his second road bike so it sounds like he has confused it with his first but then he was very drunk at the time.

 

[Niallsspence]

1995 Claude Butler Criterium 531 - Dead Rats Cycles

New customer Jonathan has owned this highly original Brigg-built beauty from new, and brought it to us for a full rebuild to encourage him to ride it once again after it sat unused for many years. By the mid ’90s these handbuilt lugged steel frames were going out of fashion as aluminium was...

deadrats.co.uk

 

[Niallsspence]

 

[Peachy!]

1995 Claude Butler Criterium 531 - Dead Rats Cycles

New customer Jonathan has owned this highly original Brigg-built beauty from new, and brought it to us for a full rebuild to encourage him to ride it once again after it sat unused for many years. By the mid ’90s these handbuilt lugged steel frames were going out of fashion as aluminium was...

deadrats.co.uk

1995 Catalogue image