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Strange times. The world in crisis and our State governor ordered the majority to bunker down.
Anyways, got back into working on it this late afternoon. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...093b4ea6c8.jpg Nervar bottom bracket. Plastic bearing cages with only 7 balls per side! Remarkably in excellent condition. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ddeb12f9c2.jpg Nothing special. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...774bad6947.jpg Cranks were crusty corroded. Cleaned up nicely. Chain rings are next. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...80269e6c77.jpg Shop stash of snacks. Time to re-order and delivery from Amazon. |
Nice job with the cranks.
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Spent a couple of night hours on cleaning components.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...694752d03a.jpg Simplex flat lever meets Simplex dropout https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b24c5c9d0e.jpg Nothing official here. Derailleur mount parts. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...088eab325a.jpg Lets establish, Helicomatic ain't no freehub. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c676d84ed3.jpg Huret meets Simplex dropout. Photo bomb pooch https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d951f8cf02.jpg French threaded Atom pedals with Lapize toe clips and straps. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1e3d8460ce.jpg Polished the aluminum centers. Platform is chrome plate steel |
Remarkable condition on the headset and bottom bracket! Reminding me I need to tear down my UO-8 after winter riding.
Cool project. |
You may want to switch to loose balls so you can increase the ball count. And yes, that's an impressively well made BB.
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It's great when you open up a bike and find that the HS and BB are in great condition like that. That is remarkably few bearings in the HS and BB. I reckon Follis was trying to save a few centimes!
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 21378588)
You may want to switch to loose balls so you can increase the ball count. And yes, that's an impressively well made BB.
But then had a moment and laughed, asking myself how could such cheap and quirky French stuff like this last so well? My gosh, bb's are pittance cheap, so why did they do this? This cheapazz factory bearing arraignment fits the build and so I decided to re-use. Lol |
Ball cages aren't to save money on balls, they are to save on labor because they make assembly easier.
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Originally Posted by crank_addict
(Post 21378756)
This cheapazz factory bearing arraignment fits the build and so I decided to re-use. Lol
Mark B |
Settling in Covid19 Winter.
Making a bit of progress. For grins I weighed it, sans brakes, chain and cables. Few pounds lighter than expected, right now at 22.0 lbs.. Thinking of using blue brake cable housing I have on hand. Prefer silver but I'm short on supply or perhaps just go plain with black? https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bac0d7689b.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3138828e00.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dc9faf2549.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05fba3041f.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3535dd025c.jpg Time to try a pair of near new vintage Trimline tires. Thailand rubber, wire bead that fit perfect to the non-hook Weinmann concave rims. Labeled as 700x28 but they measure 23mm width! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0f14f05fc3.jpg |
Day break for brake-
Calipers were seized and had sprayed them the day the carton arrived yet took some persistance to dismantle. One is deeply pitted though should be safe to use. Springs are rough. I may swap a few parts from a second set of Racers. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b0c9338338.jpg |
I wish replacement hardware was not so expensive; it would cost more than you have in the bike is my guess:
https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...erpull-brakes/ |
How could we not mention the great Jean Forestier. Still with us, from Lyon France same as Follis. Long successful pro cycling career, early on started with Follis. Cheers
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...62f601e978.png https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d213ce4107.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3774ea4f89.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9ae7bdf15f.jpg |
Originally Posted by bikemig
(Post 21381538)
I wish replacement hardware was not so expensive; it would cost more than you have in the bike is my guess:
https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...erpull-brakes/ |
Originally Posted by crank_addict
(Post 21381550)
Yep. He's offered that rebuild kit for quite a few years. At that price, curious if he sold any.
For those with less $, the obvious answer is cannibalizing other brakes for good hardware. Even then it's not often necessary. The MAFAC hardware is surprisingly resilient despite corrosion and can often be cleaned up, greased, and reused. If the thin pivot bolts get rounded off or broken, there's no rule that you need the exact same bolts. A trip to the hardware store for some stainless M6 bolts does it unless you are going for ultimate "correctness". |
That rebuild kit is silly, at least for those of us who can get our hands on spare calipers. Take four calipers and make two working ones out of them. I hoarded a pair of RAID calipers with the idea that I'll one day have a project worthy of them. They are seized, but I'll be able to get them working for not much money.
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Chiseling away very late night, I'm asking myself why on earth would I be screwing around with this old corroded stuff, especially during these times? No conclusive reasoning other than it might be some whacky therapy. Haha
The MAFAC pile. Had planned to swap out the corroded center arm on the Competition with a spare set of Racers though the backside had cast in maker marks and subtle detail difference. The bushings on the Competition are brass vs nylon on the Racer. I decided on taking them down a bit by sanding and polishing. Good enough. I forget where to have acquired the Racer set, but here I found a better set of levers with half hoods. One has a slight split but still soft. The AME aftermarket hoods that came with this project just didn't have French mojo. Was able to sneak them on without removing the original bar wrap. Last on the list: Awaiting replacement grommets and dropout adjuster screws. -technical difficulty, wuhan neutron - upload pic problems https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...26d8bde278.jpg Time burned on 64 pieces of old corroded MAFAC cal's |
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Originally Posted by crank_addict
(Post 21387903)
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Originally Posted by bikemig
(Post 21387909)
That dork disc will make the bike more aero for sure. Nice touch
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e0808c2357.png |
I love those brake calipers. You didn't waste your time shining them up.
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^^^^^Agreed, no time wasted ever bringing Mafac's back into service and making them look good while doing so. :thumb:
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Originally Posted by crank_addict
(Post 21387886)
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Originally Posted by merziac
(Post 21388375)
I would shore up/stabilize that with clear silicone, get it in and underneath, wipe off excess on the outside and carry on. ;)
Is there a specific formula in clear silicone you would recommend? On a Viscount project, I saved the same style half hoods that looked far worse. Viscount / Lambert had their own but now curious if the MAFAC type interchange. Looked like fungus growth plus splitting. Cleaned them in bleach and then made a slurry of shoe glue clear and some sort of thinner. I don't exactly recall and was just experimenting. Probably let them sit for 6 months before installing. They turned out pretty good and so far are lasting. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fdd7d82cd0.jpg Viscount bars and preserved brake 1/2 type hoods |
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