Originally Posted by
AdventureManCO
Look what the cat dragged home...
Funny story about this one. I saw it last year for sale at a local community bike shop that I have volunteered at a little bit. I kept hearing good things about the ride on these Super Courses and didn't yet have a good British boom bike example in my stable. So, negotiated a price and was about to buy it but looking it over, I saw a big gap in the chainstay-to-BB brazing that I guess horrified me enough to put it down and walk away.
A few weeks ago, for some reason I started thinking about this bicycle again. Because of all the closings, I hadn't really yet been to the shop as of this year, but finally decided to go, and lo and behold, it was still there lol. So I thought 'what the heck' - I'll buy it anyway. The gap in the chainstay is not as bad as I remember it, and was pleasantly surprised to find that while tearing it apart for a complete rebuild, it looks like the chainstays are flared inside the BB shell, so there is a mechanical connection as well - peace of mind, if you will.
Whoever had this bike before it was neglected out in the sun for several years must have really liked it, because it was
very tastefully upgraded - Suntour drivetrain all around, aluminum SR type seatpost, and newer-ish 27x1 wheelset (Miche Competition hubs and Araya rims) that show barely any riding at all. The good stuff, like the stem, brakes, etc, have stayed original to the bike.
The rebuild has since commenced and I'm in the home stretch. Completely disassembled - the headset came out well, the wheel hubs/bearings came out like new, the crank spindle and bearings are a little rough but serviceable, I have a Brooks from a donor bike that was refurb'd and put on this one. Sanded out the casting lines in the GB stem and gave it a bit of a polish and came out well. Polished one set of brakes, need to do the other. Have natural veg-tanned leather for bar tap, cut and stitched some leather brake hoods, got a new chain to put on it, and now I just need cables and tires and it should be ready to go!
Thanks for turning me on to this project! I'm digging the British racing green color, the Capella lugs, and how everything is shaping up!
Wow, over 2 years later and here is the update...
I cleaned, polished, repacked the bearings, got it a B17, a new chain and change to more cruiser-eque handlebars, and here is where we are -
lol...don't look too closely!
It really is a beautiful bicycle. Probably the best bang-for-the-buck bicycle I have in terms of cost, looks, and ride quality. It is lighter than you'd think (thanks to whomever decided to very tastefully decided to upgrade to Japanese alloy components years ago), and wherever it lived (outside or in a sunny window) for many years, it put a nice fade on the non drive side to give it a super cool faded, turquoise color. The chrome turned out to be in great shape, and after it was upgraded with new parts, it must not have been ridden much, because the components are in great shape.
Future plans for the bike are to eventually change to north road bars, drop down to a single front chainring (just don't use the big ring often enough AND the fd is the most rusty part on the bike and stands out in a bad way), get a different seatpost (and avoid the grooves going down the seattube) and get some real copper fenders for it, which will go great with the green/aqua paint.