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Woodrup 753, Pavement & Dirt

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Woodrup 753, Pavement & Dirt

Old 05-18-16, 07:21 PM
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Woodrup 753, Pavement & Dirt

Well, I wasn't exactly searching for a new bike...

I have a Windsor 650b conversion that fits 38s.



It's not light, but it's a great utility bike for covering longer distances over mixed terrain. It's stiff (sometimes overly so - gas pipe), provides a good French fit (25" frame), has a very wide gear range, and I don't really care too much if it gets laid down, scratched, etc. Still, a few rides last summer like D2R2 and F2G2 had me wanting for a bike with roughly the same utility (fat tires, wide gear range), but in a more compact, lighter overall package.

Enter the Woodrup.



At first I thought a bunch of components from the Windsor would transfer over to this and I'd let the Windsor move on. That was stupid. Instead, I decided to keep the Windsor and the Woodrup.

The Windsor for really rough stuff that a road bike has no business being a part of (plus maybe a camping trip or two):


(A friend and I started that day a few degrees below the horizon in the pic. Two dudes on full suspension MTBs were amazed that a road bike could make it up to this spot, let alone such an old bike ).

...and the Woodrup will be for slightly less...adventurous rides. Still, a long distance, go where you want bike, but this one will be a bit more pampered than the other.

I have a spare set of 650b wheels that will go on it to start. As expected, this frameset doesn't quite fit 38s (only ~1.5 mm clearance at the fork blades and chainstays with the DO adjusters removed), but that's okay as this will see lighter duty. Unfortunately, there aren't too many super nice tire options between 38 mm and 32 mm. I grabbed a set of Nifty Swiftys that should come in around 34 mm on these rims. I don't have them in hand yet, so no first impressions.

If 650b doesn't work on this for whatever reason I'm thinking it'll get 28ish mm tubulars, but that's getting too far ahead. Even if it won't fit fatter tires, 650b still gives a nice handling nimble set of wheels for rougher sections of the road/trail, especially at lower speeds.

The (first) build will be a mix of stuff I have on hand and stuff to fill in the blanks. Mostly a mix of French and Japanese.

On to the pics.












Last edited by Sir_Name; 05-18-16 at 09:05 PM.
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Old 05-18-16, 07:29 PM
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2 thumbs up!
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Old 05-18-16, 07:37 PM
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I haven't quite figured out what this is yet. If anyone knows...



The Campy 1010/B dropout with portacatena holes places this at late 70s to early 80s. The serial number, 5473, seems to place it around '82-'85 according to the Classic Rendezvous Woodrup date chart. I believe the portacatena DO helps to focus those dates around '82/'83 ('83 being birth year). Of course, stock may have hung around for a bit.



And a mockup with wheels:



Mafac Racers just reach.



Thanks again Fender1

Ah, the camera lens on the phone was cloudy. Shucks. More to follow.

Last edited by Sir_Name; 05-18-16 at 09:18 PM.
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Old 05-18-16, 08:00 PM
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Lovely. Slim fork crown goodness.

And both brown and black go with yellow, so you have some choices to make re: saddle and tape.
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Old 05-18-16, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by BluesDaddy
2 thumbs up!
Originally Posted by TenGrainBread
Lovely. Slim fork crown goodness.

And both brown and black go with yellow, so you have some choices to make re: saddle and tape.
Thanks guys. In the works are a set of Mafac levers with black (Rustines) hoods on blue Newbaums. Black saddle - maybe a Regal, maybe a Ti Flite (though it may be too narrow), maybe something else. Want it to be light to help offset the derailleurs, crankset and tires.

Last edited by Sir_Name; 05-18-16 at 08:21 PM.
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Old 05-18-16, 08:48 PM
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That is a very pretty bike. Great decals, great color. Cool sculpted chainstay bridge.

I think if there were ever an excuse to do a weight weenie 650B, this would be it!

What is your component list?
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Old 05-18-16, 09:09 PM
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great frame and good choice in the purchase. I was salivating when it came up in the sales section but could not swing it.
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Old 05-18-16, 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by jyl
That is a very pretty bike. Great decals, great color. Cool sculpted chainstay bridge.

I think if there were ever an excuse to do a weight weenie 650B, this would be it!

What is your component list?
Thanks, my thoughts exactly...

The parts list is as follows:

7410 headset
7410 seatpost (I was hoping the fluted post pictured below would work so I could get some paint fill in, but it's a few cm too short on this frame with lower profile saddles)
Mafac brake levers w/ black Rustines hoods
Mafac Racer brakes (need to either extend the threads on + trim the existing mounting bolts or replace them with ones meant for recessed braking)
TBD bars (Sakae Randnner like the Windsor?) with blue Newbaums
Milled SR stem with Ti hardware
Deer head derailleurs
Simplex retrofriction DT shifters
Sugino AT triple (170 mm versus my typical 175. Chainrings will be 46, 36, 24 like the Windsor to start - still needed)
IRD 6 or 7 speed freewheel (14-32 or 13-32, respectively. Still needed. 14/24 maxes-out the RD, so not sure yet. I don't think I mind going past that, but need to make sure the rear hub and frame will allow the 7sp w/ 13t. There are times on the Windsor that I could use a higher gear)
Wheels are 32h Mavic 500 to Velocity Synergy w/ Wheelsmith 1.8/1.57/1.8 spokes (forget what they're marketed as, but that's pretty much what the calipers tell me)
Sugino Aero Mighty pedals
Jagwire Ice Grey cables
Just nabbed a Ti Flite, we'll see if it fits.....
REG bottle cages
Maybe Velox bar end plugs
Not sure on straps and buttons yet
Shimano BB-UN55 for now (not a fan, this was on the Windsor and I kept torquing it loose...might have to do with plastic spacers needed to get the chainline right, though those were replaced with metal spacers before abandoning it over a year ago...this will certainly be replaced at some point)
Tires are Panaracer Nifty Swifty 650b x 32.8 mm

This wheelset is the first set I built, actually. It was originally on the Windsor, but I crashed hard and tweaked the rear pretty good a couple weeks before D2R2. On a C&V ride between the crash and the Deerfield ride rhm was kind enough to sell me a replacement set that was better suited to the Windsor anyways (36 OC synergy rear, 32h Synergy front laced to 7400 freewheel hubs). Those were put on the Windsor for vetting before D2R2 and never left. As a result, theses Mavic/Synergys need some attention... I'm hoping I can get the rear back to true with fairly even tensions. It's close.

I think that about covers it...wanna know what grease I used?



I'm thinking of eventually moving to a 50.4 bcd double, probably TA, but I'm worried about winding up 'between gears'. The triple is great on the Windsor as the 46 is a good pavement gear, 36 for gravel, 24 for steep dirt climbs. Don't want to have to shift between chainrings much while on the gravel. I need to spend time with a gear calculator to really figure out if the wide-range double will work. Just riding as a triple should tell me after a while, too....

Love the Phat Bianchi btw.
---
Edit, yum:


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Old 05-18-16, 10:34 PM
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Oof. This is gonna be good.
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Old 05-18-16, 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted by jetboy
great frame and good choice in the purchase. I was salivating when it came up in the sales section but could not swing it.
Thanks! I'll be sure to share pics so it can (hopefully) be enjoyed vicariously. Your Look Hinault 753 sounds real interesting. Post it here if you want. I'd say the tubeset alone makes it relevant.
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Old 05-18-16, 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by whatwolf
Oof. This is gonna be good.
Heh. Thanks, I sure hope so.

BTW, the MTB wheelset you got to me is killing it. Thanks again.
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Old 05-18-16, 11:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Sir_Name
Thanks! I'll be sure to share pics so it can (hopefully) be enjoyed vicariously. Your Look Hinault 753 sounds real interesting. Post it here if you want. I'd say the tubeset alone makes it relevant.
@jyl has a hinault 753 too as i recall - and it may be why we are both interested in your build. your woodrup has fancier cut out lugs and 2 bottle cage mounts which is nice. In the end I guess 753 was just too much trouble for most frame-builders, but the payoff is quite real. its my favorite bike (though sometimes my ironman sneaks in and scores some points.. because.. ironman)
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Old 05-18-16, 11:11 PM
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Originally Posted by jetboy
@jyl has a hinault 753 too as i recall - and it may be why we are both interested in your build. your woodrup has fancier cut out lugs and 2 bottle cage mounts which is nice. In the end I guess 753 was just too much trouble for most frame-builders, but the payoff is quite real. its my favorite bike (though sometimes my ironman sneaks in and scores some points.. because.. ironman)
Thanks. I certainly appreciate (as best I can) the care that was taken in building this frame (necessary as a result of the fairly unique properties of 753 and mirrored through Reynold's qualification process). I imagine the windows in the lugs helped the builder gauge the bonding between tubes and lug, in addition to being freakin' pretty. I should have taken pics, but the top tube is completely sealed off from the rest of the frame - no vent holes into the ST/HT. There's a small silver bb rolling around in there. The down tube is open to the BB shell, but no opening to the HT. I wonder if this was done to help focus the heat during brazing, therefore requiring less of it. I can't wait to see how this thing rides.

Speaking of Centurions...a Pro Tour 15 is the bike I largely associate with my renewed interest in all of this (not that it was gone for long). Still need to get that frame repaired. Such a wonderful bike.

Last edited by Sir_Name; 05-19-16 at 12:00 AM.
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Old 05-18-16, 11:15 PM
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I have two 753 bikes. The Look is a long term project, but the Raleigh Team Pro is a complete bike. It is very similar to yours, in many respects. I venture to say that you're going to like the ride :-)
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Old 05-18-16, 11:29 PM
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Originally Posted by jyl
I have two 753 bikes. The Look is a long term project, but the Raleigh Team Pro is a complete bike. It is very similar to yours, in many respects. I venture to say that you're going to like the ride :-)
Hah, fantastic.
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Old 05-19-16, 05:05 AM
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Nice bike! IIRC, that inlay in the brake bridge had something to do with 10 speed Drive, an importer of frames etc. back in the early 1980's. I don't know if that is true but that is what I was told. I can confirm it is an excellent ride.
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Old 05-19-16, 05:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Sir_Name
I haven't quite figured out what this is yet. If anyone knows...








Ah, the camera lens on the phone was cloudy. Shucks. More to follow.
Looks like your brake bridge has one of those really useful directional arrows so you know which way to ride the dang thing, .

I'm surprised more bikes don't have them. Very classy touch on a classy bike.
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Old 05-19-16, 05:40 AM
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That Woodrup frame set looks fantastic, nice lug work and the colourway with the panels is classic. I'll definitely be following your build up of it. The Windsor looks like a dependable, do it all kind of bike, something you can go where you want, or need, and not sweat the ride.

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Old 05-19-16, 05:45 AM
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That casting on your brake bridge is the 10 Speed Drive Imports logo.

Nice Woodrup! I have a 531 tubed one myself, but it doesn't appear to have been imported by them.
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Old 05-19-16, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Sir_Name
I haven't quite figured out what this is yet. If anyone knows...

Looks like a rider on a bike. As if viewing the Woodrup from
behind, not as the image is oriented in this post.
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Old 05-19-16, 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by fender1
Nice bike! IIRC, that inlay in the brake bridge had something to do with 10 speed Drive, an importer of frames etc. back in the early 1980's. I don't know if that is true but that is what I was told. I can confirm it is an excellent ride.
Yep - that's the TSD (Ten Speed Drive) logo.
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Old 05-19-16, 04:00 PM
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I've been riding my 753 Gazelle for about 3 months now and I'm absolutely in love with the ride quality. I figured it would be harsher than a 531 frame but the ride is nicely dampened while the frame remains stiff. Ithink you made a graet choice and what a paint job!
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Old 05-20-16, 05:28 AM
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Thanks, all. Glad to hear good impressions of 753, and glad to have the mystery of the brake bridge engraving cleared up - though I can't stop seeing it as a smiley face dude with weird hair / a headdress.

The tires arrived yesterday, they're pretty stiff compared to some of panaracer's other tires for Soma, Compass, etc. Michelin also has a 27.5 x 1.4" slick that could work if I don't like the ride of these.
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Old 05-20-16, 08:08 AM
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Dig...also impressed about what you put the windsor through,
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Old 05-21-16, 01:02 PM
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^Thanks.

It's beginning to look a lot like bikemas...



There's still work to be done in cleaning some of the parts and getting the brakes mounted, just wanted to see where things are headed. The freewheel, chainrings and FD are placeholders.
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