RCMoeur 

Finished rehabbing a GT Windstream for my neighbor's very tall grandkid. The swoopy chainstay beltstay keeps out of the way of the Gates drive. Removing the rear wheel on this bike requires removing the chain guard belt guard, as the belt is much easier to slip off the front chainring beltring.

dmarkun

Saw this on eBay from a dealer in Turin. It was nasty but I had a feeling so I made an offer.

It's cleaning up nicely. Maybe late 70s Sannino before he standardized his style and started his company in Turin. There's not much info on him.

Red paint in there, not rust. Mostly his bikes were red. The frame had been rattle can painted white.

Internal RD cable. Portacatena holes. 126 spacing.

I rolled out a small dent in the bottom of the down tube.

After rolling a dimple remains.

Filled with silver solder using oxy acetylene

Filed and sanded.

A previous owner had used letter punches to engrave a word in the right stay cap. Very irritating.

More silver solder. I was nervous doing it but it came out okay.

mrv 

Used the wrong tools to remove headset cups and fork crown race.

usually I can just tap them out with a screwdriver. I know- you’re thinking buy the right tool for the job

This was after dissolving the quill stem stem in lye.
any way. Now I’m stripping the decals. Bummer velodecals is gone.

mrv 

hmmmm… that PTI stuff seems more efficient than the aircraft stripper from the hardware store….

Nemosengineer 

Well Here We Are... Post paint strip reviled the frame had a zinc phosphate coating that's why it looks dark gray in the the post strip photos, lucky for me it was a very thin coating. Striping of this coating is required to have a brazeable surface, it only took 6 hours to strip that coating using various grades of scotch brite and four brass brushes...

Untitled by nemosengineer, on Flickr

Brakes Revision 1. Due to the position of the springs of the Avid cantilevers being on the forward side of the brakes and the tight clearances of the frame a change to a more traditional cantilever brake was required. So I present to you "Cheap and Cheerful" Dia-Compe 980 cantilever brakes, the fit works in this application.

Untitled by nemosengineer, on Flickr

Noodle Soup... Under bottom bracket cable routing is required for best routing of the shift cable. So I chased down Cinelli noodles as this is the C&V forum it just was the right thing to do. It only took 2 hours to bring three of these to useable condition, I only need one for this bike so I have two extra for a future project.

Untitled by nemosengineer, on Flickr
Untitled by nemosengineer, on Flickr

Wednesday the frame and stuff will be delivered for braze, so the heat is on and I'm still waiting for parts... I'm very excited, things are going well.

: Mike

bikemig 

I'm rebuilding 3 British bikes. The first was a 1980 Raleigh Record Ace which I've finished and I've been riding it. The second is a 1979 Viking "European" model which is made of straight gauge Reynolds 531 with campy drop outs. By the late 70s, Viking bikes were built in Northern Ireland. I finished that yesterday and took it out for an 11 mile ride. It's a good riding bike. With suntour ratcheting shifters and a shimano light action rear derailleur, the shifting is very good. The bike originally came with 700c wheels but it fits wheels with 27 by 1 and 1/4 tires nicely. This bike was a parts bin build other than the cables and housing and the 531 sticker which I purchased for the bike. I have no idea why I picked up this frame but I'm glad I finally got it on the road. The last pic is the catalog page for the bike. It originally came with campy gran sport derailleurs.

VintageSteelEU

The brand was bought by some Indian company, if I remember correctly. I had the displeasure of getting one of those new ones back on the road (curbside find, step over frame, given away to a friend). Absolutely abysmal build quality, they couldn't even get V-brake bosses welded on evenly. Managed to get it working properly again, but gosh, I wish they actually paid some more attention to design and build quality.
Apparently back in the 70's, before the brand was sold, Viking bicycles were actually pretty decent. Should be a nice road touring bicycle

bikemig 

The Viking brand was very well respected in the UK. The second iteration of this company in Northern Ireland was not the same but I have no complaints about the bike that I have. It rides very well indeed. You may be thinking of a later version of this company as the operation in Northern Ireland eventually went out of business.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Cycle_Company

Here is some info on the N. Ireland Vikings:

https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2014...e-vikings.html

ascherer 

The tinkering has been nonstop, with a lot of time going into refinishing the road rash out of a set of Campy levers that were courtesy of your friend and mine, @Mad Honk McDuck along with new pivot washers. Repro hoods and a lot of elbow grease, and they're looking pretty darn good if I say so myself. The one on the left looked a lot like the one on the right.


After I got those done I was able to take back the drillium Weinmann levers and put my Falcon back together which was the donor for my Paramount build. The wheelset, rear derailleur, crankset, bars, stem, and seatpost ware replaced and the placeholder Brooks Pro is going to be changed to a B17 Imperial that's on it's way from @philbob57. The cranks are contemporary Holdsworth 48/34 from the UK that look proper and are well-suited to the local terrain (after I put a bigger freewheel on), I had a Pat. 11 NR rear that I bought from Sal Corso when I freelanced for Stuyvesant Bicycles almost 45 years ago. Old logo Giro d'Italia bars,narrower than I like but should be fine for the times I ride this one, and I flat-out forgot what stem is on it. SR fluted post. The wheels are high-flange Dura-Ace laced to VO rims from @recarcar. It's sitting pretty once again.

Nemosengineer 

The frame, wheels, brakes, and braze on bits have been delivered to the frame builder. Like a consultation with a surgeon the black marker was taken out, lines and marks were made and notes were taken. The green light was given and soon the torch will be lit...




: Mike

ascherer 

The big PX10 got the Retrofrictions from @75lechamp. I put them on a Simplex band but the rear lever wouldn’t hold its position. They seem happy on this Huret band which is nicer finished than the Prestige band I had. In any case, they shift the SLJ6600 like butter.

DAbiker2023

Found this on FB marketplace. It is s missing the rear wheel and discovered upon getting it home that the lugs for the eater bottles, rear brake housing and pump mount had been "removed". Sad, but the frame has no dents or bends. Has Araya/Miche wheel, Suntour Cyclone derailleurs and shifters, Weinmann 610/999 centerpulls, SR crank and seatpost, Vetta saddle and looks like Shimano something brake levers (replaements). There are fairly new hoods. I was not looking for a new project, but I do have an orphan 27" rear wheel (and whitewall tires).
I read in another post here that this has (could have?) Swiss threaded bb cups. Any ideas?
Thanks, DA

VintageSteelEU

Short cutout lugs, decent dropouts and fork tips (any stamps on those?), brake bridge not lugged. Grand Record, 1976-78? Give the derailleurs a good, long soaking in penetrating oil. These can be a massive pain in the neck to get out when seized...

Sir_Name 

Lots of details here are similar to or same as my ‘81 Grand Touring. I’m not saying that’s what it is (no contrasting head tube paint, for one, plus no lug windows on my GT), but I am saying mine has an English BB and I’d question whether yours is Swiss. That thought’s worth the paper it’s written on, though. Best to just check.
~~~
I worked out a stubborn crank arm situation today. I found these 49d arms for pretty cheap a while back and nabbed ‘em to try out 165 mm crank arms. I like the length very much, but this particular NDS arm always creaked and had questionable threads. Figured I’d find a set in better condition at some point to swap in when it was time to replace the BB. Now’s that time and the threads gave up. A $20 gear puller from Napa resolved it sans drama, which is always nice. This was after trying to work the NDS arm off by riding with the bolt backed out given it was already a goner.







Pretty soft…will use a bolt in the threads should I need it again.



BB shell Evaporust soak while it’s accessible. It was getting a touch crusty as a year-round bike.

RCMoeur 

I've never had much good luck with jaw pullers on stripped cranks, even after patient application of penetrant and other methods of persuasion (heat, concussive force, strong language). Could be that the resistance that resulted in the puller threads stripping is also mighty enough to laugh off the puller. Glad it worked for you.

Sir_Name 

I just decided to use up my good luck early.

RCMoeur 

Enjoying the cool mid-90s weather in the back yard while it lasts (rumor has it summer is finally unwelcomely enroute next week). Today was re-covering more crunchy saddles for the Recycle Your Bicycle program this coming fall.


Sun and age take their toll on the cover, but the rest of the saddle is still reusable

Pop the staples and start carefully peeling

Clean pad and frame ready for a replacement cover

Looks like new - ready to go on a foster kid's bike

Using the original under-seat cover attachment hardware whenever I can - looks nicer that way and lasts longer

I was able to knock out 6, but one of them (not pictured) didn't turn out all that smooth, so it'll be reassigned to other duties that require a good-functioning saddle but not necessarily a perfect-looking one.

jamesdak 

Well this afternoon was spent messing with something only 23 years old. Grabbed this one this afternoon about a mile from the house. Spent the rest of the afternoon and evening giving it a bit of a going over.

A bit grubby when I brought it home and some decent dried up grease on the drivetrain. But really doesn't look like it's seen much use.


How I got it, mostly original

Not stock tires but they are dry rotted.

Hmmm, a mismatch on the shifters but I have that covered in my stash of parts



So I started with a bit of a bath for it. Very few spots of paint damage and I didn't see any dings of any sort. Far amount of dried grease on the bike and drivetrain in spots but to be honest the headset, hubs and BB felt fine as if freshly greased. I'll still check them. The Rolf wheels cleaned up great and show hardly any wear on the break tracks. Cassette looked spotless too one I got all the old dried grease off of it. Cables look recently replaced also.

After cleaning the frame you could see the wonderful Klein paint had held up well. Went over it with some paint polish anyway to really make it pop. Pedals definitely could use a service but I left them alone tonight. Been riding flat pedals since the knee replacement so I'll use these for awhile on this before I put proper pedals on. Never a fan of Rolf wheels so I grabbed a pretty much brand new set of Zonda's I had in the basement, mounted some Vittoria Corsa 700 x 25 tires, moved over the cleaned cassette and swapped them out in place of the Rolfs. Instant 1/2 lb off the bike. Adjusted the brakes for the new wheels, cleaned and oiled the chain and then checked shifting. All seemed good. Adjusted the saddle, fixed the tilt on the handlebars, checked all the other hardware to make sure nothing was loose and then took it down the street for a little test. All seems fine.

Still more to do but how it's sets tonight. 19 lbs 1 oz.

etherhuffer 

650b

650b

DAbiker2023

No markings on the lugs or dropouts. Looks like a serial # on the steerer (428CI). Serial # bottom of bb shell (4183159). Crankset is SR Spex. Shifters labeled Suntour Power. I'm leaning towards 77-78 Grand Touring because of color (Champagne Gold). Could be GT, GJ, SM, 77-78? I haven't seen a 79 catalog. And then there's that Araya/Miche Competition wheel. Well, anyway, my biggest concern is having the water bottle and top tube brake housing braze-ons replaced. Anyone know anyone in North Florida/South GA that can do that work?
Thanks again for all your inputs,
DA

Sir_Name 

You could always use clamp on cable guides and bottle cage mounts. They’d fit the aesthetic and the time period. My GT has the same paint, but with a dark brown head tube and two stripes or panels on the seat tube. Plus painted branding, of course. Short point lugs, but no windows. Pretty sure I decided mine’s a ‘79 rather than ‘81 mentioned above, actually. My S/N on the BB shell fits the same pattern as yours (5487795, then 0580 which fits the ST length CTT).

EDIT: Here’s a ‘79 catalog
https://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/mot...979/index.html

Mine’s not ‘79…I never really committed the year to memory, I guess! Maybe 80/81, time to figure that out again

RCMoeur 

It's just been that kind of a week for fixing flats.

bulgie 

Selling this ASC (sold already) so I took the opportunity to overhaul it, mostly for my own curiosity. I started taking pictures of all the steps but forgot to take the last few, but there's most of the rebuild anyway, for anyone interested: Flickr album

Sharp-eyed viewers will notice, I neglected to remove the secondary Sun gear from the axle, just cleaned it in-situ. That's because I didn't want to bend down the ears of the keeper-washer just to disassemble, then bend them back up after re-assembly. Those ears will break off eventually after being bent up and down enough times, and it's not an easy part to find. Plus, dis- and re-assembly are easier if you leave that alone — win-win.

-Mark B, whose old knees are too weak to ride fixed in hilly Seattle

Desert Ryder

Been working on the Fisher Montare.

mrv 

chasing Nemosengineer …
not happy having only one project going, I picked up a SteamRoller frameset with a few bits.
then noticed a Paul hubbed wheelset nearby- which the owner parted with for a very accommodating price- with lots extras.

Ultimately I’m shooting for canti brake 650b with IGH hub. Maybe a 4spd S-A

right now I just want to get a crank set so I can take a spin…. maybe I’ll like it fixed so much I’ll call out good….



My seat and stem added

New bits purchased today