steve-d

It looks very nice and rides just super. First the frame. Built in the Worksop facility, it isn't related to the Ilkensen Specal Bike Works, but it is a fantastic machine.

It is a Reynolds 531 double butted main tube, stays and forks. The paint is still very nice and the size is just perfect for me.

I had the frame prepped by John Hollands, custom frame builder in Baltimore. He faced the bottom bracket, head tube and steerer tube. The threads of the bb, steerer and fender eyelets were chased. The rear triange was out of wack and he straightened it and spread it to 126mm for my seven speed rear wheel. Interestingly, the fork was a little off so that was also tweeked. One fork drop-out was a tiny bit higher than the other. It was noticeable when mounting a wheel. Filing the drop-out a little equalized the situation and the wheel now hangs true when mounted and clinched. The seat tube was reamed to insure it wouldn't damage the seat post.

Here are the parts I threw at it:

Steering:
**Campy Record Headset. I believe it is the last generaion of threaded headsets they made.
**Wheels are Mavic GL 330 on Record 36 hole high flange hubs.
**Tires are Vittoria Competition, tubular of course.
**Stem is a NOS Cinelli 101 with the 'radiator' up front to keep everything cool. 26.4 clamp.
**Bars are NOS Ambrosio 13 Volte Champione del Mondo.

Brakes:
**Modolo Professional Calipers and levers. They are absolutely super. The pads are a little agressive, but there's no free lunch!

Drive Train:
**Campy Record Crankset, 53-39.
**Campy Record bottom bracket (carbon shell), 102 mm.
**Wippermann 808 nickle plated chain.
**Campy Super Record derailleurs.
**Sachs Maillard seven speed 12-28 (I'm not as young as I used to be!!)
**Simplex Retro Friction shifters. I absolutely love them over the pure friction types. They do look really cool too. That, ultimately is what is most important!
**Campy Record pedals and clips and Binda straps. Of course they have the required toe strap buttons!

Saddle and Seat Post:
**Brooks Swift, Ti rails.
**Thomson seat post. I'm really not yet sold on the 'non setback' posts from Thomson. The setback has a real purpose in placing your butt where is should be. They do, granted, make a bent post providing a set back, but they are kinda ugly when the end result can be achieved with the normal post. I'll ride it a little and see. On the plus side, the two bolt post is much easier to adjust vs the Campy.

That's it, I'll add some pics too. Hope you like it. BTW, it was a dream to assemble once the frame was set properly. My first ride on it showed it was dead on too. It really gives great confidence in riding it.

Steve

steve-d

Here are a few pics

steve-d

Some closer shots

steve-d

Some more pics. There's always a person who wants just one more!

steve-d

I hope you enjoy looking at it. I've had the frame several years. It was an Ebay score and came from somewhere in Europe. The parts, of course, are from slightly different eras. But they work well as a machine. They also look great too. I have to admit I was tempted to go for the Splash tape, but resisted. I still may slap on some polished shorty fenders. They do a great job of keeping the calipers clean. We'll see how motivated I get.

Steve

jon c. 

Very nice.

Pars 

Agreed, nice!

Kyte747

Awesome, great looking ride!

canyoneagle

Beautiful build!

Michael Angelo 

Very nice, I like the yellow tape. I may change the tape on my team pro.

steve-d

I checked the SN on the bb. It is WK7xxxxxx.
According to the S Brown website (rip) it indicates it was made in the Worksop facility, 11th 'fortnight' and the 7 indicates a 1977 build. Can't imagine it being a 1987 year.


Only a 36 year old frameset. Not bad. Lets see how many carbon frames can turn heads after that long!

Steve

jeffpepperdine

1977 Team Record. Not to be confused with the Raleigh Team Professional, or the North American Raleigh Record. These frames were available only in Europe, and are roughly the equivalent of a Raleigh Competition GS.

I've since sold mine, but here is it's thread.

steve-d

Yes, thanks for hammering that home, but I thought I made that clear in the initial post referencing the facility where made. You may have overlooked it. BTW, I have a Comp GS, Professional and an Ilkensen made Team. Regarding the late 70s models, other than paint scheme, there isn't really a meaningful difference between the 531 frame sets.

S

jeffpepperdine

You did previously mention the date; I was just confirming that and the model. There are some minor differences in the framesets, but they all ride nicely. Competitions, and your Record had eyelets for fenders, whereas the professionals & team professionals do not. I believe the geometry is slightly different as well.

Yours is a very nice bike, and I bet it rides like a champ.