steve-d

Well I had some time and a lot of parts getting in the way, so I figured I’d take on a Weekend Project and build-up a Claud Butler Majestic frameset.

Claud Butler Majestic, 1980 First Rate Randonneur!

**SN: Frame and fork --016410

**Frame preparation: an absolutely super job by John Hollands, frame builder, Baltimore, MD. This included frame and fork alignment, rear triangle spread to 126mm, Drop outs aligned to be parallel, Bottom Bracket, Head tube and Fork Crown Race area faced to insure parallelism. Bottom Bracket, Steerer Tube and drop out eyelet threads were chased. Certificate provided. His number: 410 823 7691 if needed.

**Frame Materials and features:
--Reynolds 531 tubing and fork with braze-on pump pegs, down tube stopper for clamp-on shifters and top tube brake cable housing stoppers.
--Lugs beautifully outlined to make them really jump out. There is no mistaking, even from 20 feet away, this a frame built with lugs!

**Sizing, all measurements center to center
--Seat Tube, Center of Bottom Bracket to Center of Seat Lug cluster—56.0cm, 22 inch
--Top Tube, Center of Seat Lug cluster to center of Head Tube lug—56.0cm, 22 inch
--Down Tube – 61.0cm, 24 inch
--Head Tube—14.0cm, 5 1/2 inch
--Seat post—26.6mm

**Drop outs
Campagnolo Sport 1010/1. Eyelets and no adjuster. Single axel stop inserted in right rear drop out

**Weight
--Frame weight: 6 lbs 10 oz
--Complete bike weight as built: 25 lbs 9 oz

**Steering:
--Campagnolo Gran Sport headset, 24 + 24 Campy ball bearings, 5/32”; pn 1040/A. It is very smooth throughout the usable movement with the new bearings and the machining of the head tube and fork.
--GB Stem and handlebars, 42cm with a 55mm drop. Super engraving on exposed portion
--Cork Tape, black

**Drive Train:
--Crankset—Campagnolo Gran Sport, five bolt, 116mm chainrings, 53-42. New 53 tooth ring. Chainring bolts properly greased and tightened to avoid any unnecessary power loss. PN 0305
--Derailleurs—Campagnolo Front and Rear Triomphe with grey bodies. Disassembled and freshly greased and tuned.
--Shifters--Campagnolo Record clamp-on Twin Down Tube Friction Control Levers, pn 1014, NOS.
--Shift Cable routing--Campagnolo clamp-on Gear Cable clip, pn 626/A, NOS
--Shift Cables—Campagnolo cables
--Derailleur Cable housing—Campagnolo stainless steel
--Bottom Bracket—Campagnolo Record 68 SS. 114.5mm spindle (hollow), thick wall cups with rifled threads to remove debris, plastic shield to protect bearings from debris, new Campagnolo bearings and serviced with fresh grease.
--Chain—New Wippermann 808 Connex. Nickle plated
--Freewheel—Sachs Maillard seven speed, 12-28, NOS
--Pedals—Campagnolo Gran Sport, bearings and races overhauled with new Campy bearings and greased. Smooooth
--Toe Clips--Christophe Leather Wrapped, NOS (way cool!)
--Straps—Christophe Leather straps

**Seat Post--Campagnolo Victory aero, 26.6mm

**Seat—Norex French Leather Seat, Model 39. Manufactured by Ideale.

**Chain Line—Using the 68 SS bottom bracket assembly, I was able to achieve a 43.5mm chain line. Dead on!

**Wheel Set
--Fiame yellow label rims, 36 holes, DT spokes
--Campagnolo Nuovo Tipo large flange hubs
--Quick Releases—Flat handle quick release skewers, quick release skewer ends do not have Consumer Product Safety Commission domed ends (please be careful)
--Hubs serviced with new Campagnolo bearings and freshly greased.
--Tires—Performance, Nimbus EX, 700 x 28, Armadillo, Directional, new
--Wheels trued and are VERY STRAIGHT

**Brakes:
--Universal Model 61, cleaned and greased
--Front Quick Release
--Brake Levers—Modolo gold lever with new hoods
--Cables—New Campagnolo
--Wheel Trueness allows for very tight brake pad positioning for instant response

**Mudguards—ESGE Chromo Plastic silver.

**Frame Pump--Silca
***********************************************************************

**Spares
--Randanneur Special if you so desire!!
--Tripilizer set-up! Turn the Gran Sport Crankset into a Triple!
--36 tooth 116 bcd chain ring; Campagnolo chainring triple bolts and spacers. PNs 830, 831, and 832, Catalog 18, page 45
--Triomphe ‘Leisure’ Front and Rear Derailleurs to take on the additional teeth spread of the triple crankset. These derailleurs were overhauled and greased, PN, rear 0102057; front 0104027
Campagnolo Triple Bottom Bracket—Spindle is marked: “Gran Sport 68 SS 120, X3”.

--Spare Front and rear derailleurs (Tromphe and Victory) matching the ones on the bike.

--Spare 52 tooth 116bcd chainring, used but in great shape.
The bike rides very true. It is effortless to keep your selected line. It allows for a relaxing ride not having to constantly ‘keep after’ the bike to maintain the direction.

The bike’s frame and wheel set are very comfortable and forgiving. It truly will allow for a long distance touring.

It is a 1980 model and was a very expensive machine in its day! The Majestic 10spd was £185 in July, £190 in Oct.


It is a great looking Retro Old Skool ride. Go out on your next Club ride on something like this and you’ll really have something to discuss!! Learn about Claud Butler bikes here: https://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/

https://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgar...77/Jubilee.jpg

https://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgar.../CB_Cycles.htm

steve-d

Some more pics

steve-d

A few more

USAZorro

Nice restoration.

That saddle has more character than than a lot of people.

steve-d

more

steve-d

few more

steve-d

Last ones

These show the completed bike with the bar tape, brake cable housings properly trimmed and the Campy rear derailleur stainless steel housing.

The previous shots of the bare front bar were taken prior to the housings properly trimmed. It was a good day with a lot of light and I wanted to take advantage of it. The next day, I finished the bars, housings and tape.

Steve

francophile 

Ok, it's been 10 years. Time to zombie-resurrect because I can add some pics here. Granted, this one is from '81, someone couldn't be arsed to even get the vinyl decals straight at production, no classy metal headbadge, and it came with half a pound of potentially-Hantavirus-laden dust on everything, but the price was right there aren't any other BF threads I can find for the Majestic model specifically, despite its touted magnificence, so ... here's another Majestic.

juvela

-----

Good to see the Prugnat 62/s; we see so much of the 62/d (not too much mind you!).

So is the mixed gear ensemble OEM?

Front mech on your actual machine appears Club model.

Headset looks to be Brampton.

If you post additional images you might want to wait until you can do so in bright sun. This would flatter the colour mo' beddah.

Thanks very much for sharing this wheel.

CAUTION: The courier may be on his way with the George A. Romero Award.

-----

79pmooney

Those LowRider mounts are generator mounts! 1981. I've never seen another bike outside my Mooney's 1985 replacement fork with those fittings for LowRiders. (I asked Peter for braze-ons for LowRiders when I ordered the bike. He refused, saying he wouldn't drill fork blades. (An easy non-sale. I was one year out from a near fatal fork failure.) I asked again when I ordered a replacement fork 5 years later. Peter said he could with those mounts since he wouldn't have to drill. I love em.

I wonder if he got the idea from Claude.

Ben

JacobLee 

Wow, tan randonneur, red formula firebird, yellow corvette. My eyes were wandering.

juvela

-----
@francophile,

thar be a wee dram o' background on the Beta Bikes shoppe in residence here -

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/about-us


-----