Chr0m0ly 

Chr0m0ly 

Chr0m0ly 

Slowride79

Hi Matt, Steve here. Great meeting you! I am very happy you ending up buying this frameset and I look forward to your progress! Would you please let me know if you see one in 21.5” +/- 1” ? One funny fact about your bike is when I pulled the Record crank I was surprised to find the non-drive arm was 172.5 and drive side 170...maybe mistake or maybe he/she thought nobody would notice....

gugie 

I think I'm up to nine right now, Neal. Three are that size, one is a bit bigger (all chrome 2-speed kickback). But if it were in Portlandia...

ascherer 

This should keep us entertained for months!

You can take an International in many directions. Mine is on it's third incarnation. First was kinda original spec, more or less. White bar tape lasted maybe a week. Here I was already experimenting wioth using wider tires, testing clearances with one I had hanging around thrown on the back wheel.


It gradually morphed to allow gravel and trail riding. Many changes here: full drivetrain, rear hub, fenders, saddle, bags, rack


These days it's my commuter/townie.

Have fun!

noglider 

There are many possibilities. Once I got mine on the road -- which took years! -- I felt tempted to buy a bunch of these frames and build them up in different ways. At first, I thought my Surly Cross Check would be my do-all bike. Too big. I sold it and bought another in the right size and built it up differently. Too heavy. The fork on the International weighs barely more than HALF the weight of the Surly fork.

Then I had a Bianchi Volpe. Very nice bike for what it is, and I have more affection for it than for the Surly. But it was slow. I gave it to a needy friend.

The International is better in just about every way. I think one reason is the fork. I think for liability reasons they don't make steel forks this light anymore. But I think it's safe enough. We never hear of them failing. Just don't put a hub brake on it.

When I got on my International, the words "long and lanky" came to mind. The wheelbase isn't huge but it feels longer than my other bikes. Maybe it's because the fork (again with the fork!) has a long rake to it.

Chr0m0ly 

How would you describe the ride in each of those incarnations?

Chr0m0ly 

One of well, a few really, reasons I wanted a nice quality older frame was the shock absorbing front fork. I thing you still have that quality into the early eighties, but I’d bet the 69’s and 70’s frames are where you really have some designed flex in those forks.

Anyone know the butting? Would this be butted 9 6 9? Any information about thicknesses being varied for different sizes?

noglider 

I don't know the butting of the main tubes. You may or may not know, stays and fork blades are not butted. I guess they're just too small to do that?

ascherer 

Chr0m0ly The ride is consistent in most ways. For context: my long-term road bike is my Mercian Pro which is tight, stiff, runs 23c racing tires, super responsive - some would say twitchy - and I absolutely love it. It was noglider that kept poking me about Internationals and pointed me to the frame I bought. He's my enabler! I was considering a frame that would allow me to ride all around NYC more comfortably than the Mercian, and the International delivers. It smooths out the rough and is stable without being dull or heavy. Since you spent some time in Manhattan, I'll presume you've ridden the Cherry Walk section of the Hudson Greenway that runs north of 103rd. It's probably the roughest section, and on the Mercian it is harsh and jarring. On the International it's just bumpy. I suppose it planes, even though I understand that more as a concept than as a physical sensation. It took a bit of getting used to, one of my first rides on the International was upstate with Tom. I used a bit of body English to avoid a small pothole that would have swept my Mercian neatly around it, but it wasn't enough for the International. I quickly adapted.

The comparison for the upright version is my 66 Sports 3-speed commuter. I loved it but it was too small and heavy. The new build gives me the utility of the sports with light 700c wheels and a 531 frame. The front basket prefers a little less weight than I expected, but that's fine and once I'm rolling it's stable enough to get my groceries home. The handling characteristics remain, there are differences due to where my center of gravity is but it's no less lively and the wide bars makes it plenty responsive. I'm riding it differently, and only have a few hundred on it this way - I don't think my office will be open this year so no regular commuting to "break it in". When I've stripped the bags and emptied the basket for a fun ride along Riverside Drive it still likes to go fast.

Equipment changes haven't made a big difference in the ride - except for tires! First I had 28c Paselas. OK tires. To me they're non-descript, not bad, not great. Given all the hoopla, I decided to splurge on Compass/Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass extralights. Remarkable, they stepped up the comfort level in a big way. I put a set with standard casings on my wife's bike and she noticed the difference immediately. I've got about a thousand miles on mine. For the upright commuting build I didn't use Bon Jons partly because of budget. I have 35c Pasela Protites and they're...ok. Next time I'll go back to the Bon Jons.

niliraga 

I have a 55cm ctc in beater condition, brought back from extreme neglect now looking like this. little paint, missing headbadge, the usual survivor. seems straight save for fork blades a smidge offcenter. would happily use this to trade for a similarly ratty International in 59/60 ctc

KASKetMaker

Are you a purist? will you put new Or nos?

here’s a rebuild I just picked up: can post pics until I have 10xFrame + Fork: Ochsner 63.5 cm NEW/NOS

Headset: Shimano 105 NEW/NOS

Handlesbar: ITM Super Racing PRO 260 46; double groove

Stem: ITM "Ochsner" 100 NEW/NOS

Seatpost: ITM 27.2; fluted

Saddle: Selle San Marco Squadra "Ochsner" Titanium rails NEW/NOS

Pedale: Look PP247

Bartape: BBB NEW



Rims: SunRims ME14A 32 hole NEW

Spokes: Sapim race, butted 2.0/1.8/2.0 NEW

Nipples: DT Swiss Brass NEW

Hubs: Shimano Ultegra 600; 8-speed 32 hole

Skewers: Shimano Ultegra 600



Tires: Vittoria Corsa Graphene 28 mm NEW

Tubes: NEW



Brake Lever: Shimano Ultegra 600 STI

Shifter Shimano Ultegra 600 STI

Cable stops: Shimano

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra 600 6403

Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 600 6401; braze-on

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 600 6403; 8-speed

Crankset: Shimano Ultegra 600 175; 53/39

Bottom Bracket Shimano HG71 113; ITA

Cassette: Shimano HG72 12-25; 8-speed

Chain: Shimano HG91 8-speed NEW/NOS

Cables + Housing: Jagwire NEW



Bottle Cage: Elite Ciussi Inox NEW

Chr0m0ly 

I want to go old school, this is such a pretty frame I want to put some polished parts on it.

The reality is I am have most of the group from a Cannondale tourer from about ‘94. It’s a 7 speed Mountain group from Suntour, And since I have it, that’s most likely what I’ll do.

When I get back to my parts stash, I’ll have a better idea. But that will be a few weeks from now...

ascherer 

That's a perfect way to start. Put known good components on, ride it around and decide if you want to refine it in any ways. That's what happened with me, except the stuff collecting dust happened to be most of the Campy NR components that the original would have had. It was more of that than a desire to go original, to be honest.

Chr0m0ly 

I’ve aimed myself in a new direction. You know how you can start a build around anything? Like “I have this bottle cage, it just needs a bike to go around it...?” Welp, I took a gander and realized I needed BB cable guides, so I went looking for them on FleaBay, and I found them for about a hundred and a half, but they came with a free Suntour Blueline group.





Along with the Blueline set, it has a cable stop and bar end shifters. This all came of an 81-83 Trek 610. I know they aren’t the lightest, but I have to bet a Suntour group 10 years newer than the Campy set up will just as, if not more functional. And I think the suntour branded BB guides are sexy.

Factor in those bar end shifters with DT stop...

Ok but really factor in the navy color bars on an orange bike!? Sweetness! And they go with the blue leather stitch on bar wrap I picked up earlier! Maybe navy cable housing? White? I like the blue accent, but I don’t want too much. The lugs should be the star of the show.

I think this will be quite handsome when it all comes together.

I picked up a chrome strong-light roller bearing headset for the front end, and I need a good threaded BB suggestion. I’d like something reasonable in weight, but the is not a weenie build, I’m thinking mixed surface randonneur build.

I want to put a “high rider” front rack on it (whatever the correct terminology is) with some smallish from panniers, and a big supported saddlebag. I’m thinking of using the “Eclipse seat post thing” I picked up a while back, to mount a bar bag on the rear.





And I know they get flack.... but I kind of want some chrome shortie fenders on it. To keep the headset and the Brooks saddle dry, and I think it will pull your eye to the chrome lugs.

So Blue line derailleurs, blue stitched bar wrap, white hoods, black or tan brooks saddle, (I was toying with the blue brooks, but I think it reads too modern for a boom bike, but I’m willing to be talked into it... ) SP11 peddles, white leather to straps, those Chromed wire toe clip I’ve seen somewhere, bar ends, front loader...

I still need a BB but I have a crankset. One with drillium drive gears, the name escapes me...

I have a stack of wheel sets to dig through, but I’m planing on a new sunrace freewheel with the big 34 tooth bailout gear. The rear derailleur is has a mid reach cage, apparently there was a short, a long, and then the one I have, so a 14 speed.

I have some seat posts to choose from, (this takes a 72.2? It’s 531, so I assume that’s correct) and with this bike being in the tall side I can use one of the stubbier ones.

So that’s the plan!

I still need
hoods,
cables,
a good BB,
an old school front rack,
stubby fenders,
wire toe cage,
white toe straps.
oh, and I have hopes of a seat stay mounted, chromed pump, but that can wait.

I do want centerpull brakes, but I’ll use what I have for now. (What are best stopping centerpulls?)

but the parts gathering is well under way, and I’m getting excited to start!

natterberry 

Nice choices. Going similar on mine (Cyclone, bar ends, stitched leather handlebars.)

ascherer 

Oh yeah! I'm all for serendipity. Great-looking components...IMO Mafac Racers outperform Weinmann/Dia Compe and look better to my taste. I've tried Zeus 200s but they didn't have enough reach.

noglider 

Are those criterium bars?

Chr0m0ly 

I think they are, but I just have the wrap, the bars were for the sellers photos. I’m planning rando bars.

natterberry 

Are you going to flip the stitching? What are your cable route plans?

Chr0m0ly 

^^^
This. I’ll put the stitching at the bottom of the drop, so I can route the cables under the threads, and they can exit through the seam.
Then continue up so the brake lever clamps are in the seam too. The previous owner just slid the wrap right off the bar, so I have two empty sausage casings to deal with. I think I’ll be cutting the stitches and sewing them back on, I don’t see a way around it. This is my third stitched wrap though, they’re my favorite way to cover a bar. It’s the closest thing to a permanent wrap that I’ve come across.