genejockey 

After finding and restoring the 1982 Lotus Supreme I've posted multiple times on BF, I wasn't really looking for another project, but one morning my search of Craigs List turned up a 1982 Lotus Classique in my size. After dawdling for a week, hoping somebody else bought it and saved me having to make a decision, it still hadn't sold. I contacted the seller who offered me $75 off the asking price if I'd drive across the Bay to meet him rather than trying to find Neutral Territory. Turns out, he'd bought the bike new in Boston in 1982, brought it out here, and barely rode it, BUT he kept it in nice, clean garages for the next 3+ decades. He'd barely ridden it, and had barely had any work done on it. Original everything, possibly including the tires. Full Shimano 600 Arabesque groupset. Even the dork disk and reflectors all still there. I jumped at it.

Brought it home and discovered the one fly in the ointment. The NDS crank arm was a replacement. Fortunately, I managed to avoid panic-buying a full Arabesque crankset on Ebay for $150 including shipping, that was promised to arrive sometime in August. Posted a WTB in the C&V marketplace subforum, and seypat came through! The crank arrived on Wednesday, and the new grease (I'd used the last of my Phil's rebuilding the hubs), and the 'small hook spanner' for the headset arrived Thursday - which turned out to be the hottest day of the year.

It was such a hot day we ended up not eating dinner until almost 8:30. Then The Boys and I engaged in a political discussion that ran till about 9:30. So, I didn't get started until nearly 10 PM. I figured I'd just install the fork/headset and bottom bracket. But then, once that was done it wasn't even 11:00, so I figured I'd install the cranks. I installed the driveside crank, and realized the BB wasn't nearly tight enough, so I fiddle around trying to get the pin spanner into the holes behind the crank spider and getting it adjusted, which took a good 10-15 minutes.

By now, some of you will be saying, "Why would you need to get the pin spanner behind the crank spider? The adjustable cup is on the other side."

Oops.

Okay, so off came the crank I'd just installed on the wrong side. Then I put it on the right side, adjusted the cup and locked it down. Then I put on the NDS crank I'd just received. Went right on, and the self-extracting insert screwed right into the threads, like butter.

Now it's not even midnight, so I figure I'll install the derailleurs and brakes. That went smoothly, and it was barely 12:15, so I figured I might as well install the derailleur cables. Then it wasn't even 12:30 yet, so I figured I might as well install the bars. And as long as I've got that done I should run the brake cables. That took a while, trying to get the cable taut enough! Then, it wasn't even 1 AM yet. Might as well install the chain and adjust the derailleurs.

Now it's 1:15, but I'm so close to done I can taste it. Might as well wrap the bars. On slight hiccup - the right lever wasn't properly tightened down. No way to tighten it with the cable in place. SO I had to loosen the cable I'd spent so much time getting right, pop the cable end out of the socket in the lever, tighten the clamp nut, reposition the cable end, and pull the cable taut and clamped down again. NOW I can wrap the bars.

Now it's 1:40, but I'm still not sleepy, so I spend a good 15 minutes installing the band to clamp on the bottle cage. Most of this time is spent on a bottle cage I soon realize is just not going to work. FINALLY at 2:00 AM, the whole thing is put together. But I'm still not tired, so I figured I should oil the chain, the brakes and derailleur pivots.

2:10 AM, finally finished!


I think I got to bed at 2:30. I turned off my 7:30 alarm, figuring to sleep in since I'm WFH that day and have no meetings. Woke up at 7:15 anyway, feeling like I'd been run over by a bus.

That afternoon, I took the bike for a shakedown cruise. Important lesson: Don't trust derailleur adjustments made after midnight. Important lesson number 2: Kashimax Super Pro saddles were NOT designed for my tuchus.



I had to replace the seatpost, because it was 2 cm too short (long legs). Also, of course, cables and housing, tires, brake hoods, and bar tape. And now the saddle. And I have to find the right decal to replace the black band you DON'T see on the seat tube - the old one was all ripped up and basically trashed.

It's a 'sport/touring bike', so it's got a longer wheelbase, long cage derailleur, and 13-32 6-speed cassette with 52/40 chainrings. I'm still tweaking it. The bike itself is comfy and handles well, but the saddle really messed up the shakedown ride, and my position needs some tweaking as well.

seypat

Glad to see the crankset went to good use. That bike is in fantastic condition! It's so pretty and shiny.

If you ever decide you need a smaller ring on front, look up a Takagi Tourney AD or GS crank. Those were made in both 130/86 and 110/74 BCD. Shimano bought Takagi which became Shimano's crankset maker. The 600 Arabesque crank is very similar to Takagi cranks. That's probably who produced the crank for Shimano.

brixxton

tribute to Senna JPS Lotus Special

genejockey 

I saw that one on CL, but it's WAY too small for me - I couldn't even use the standard seatpost on a 57cm!. Is that the seller's pic? Be sure to post some of your own!!!

seypat

If you're looking for another project, I think there was a SR Semi Pro in your area posted on the "Looking for/Ebay listings" thread. Those are nice bikes.

genejockey 

Heck, I wasn't even looking for another project when I picked up THIS one!

seypat

I wasn't either, but I acquired another one on Tuesday. A rare Japanese high end bike similar to one of the top end Lotuses. It popped up, so I had to save it. 1985 Centurion Prestige. It will be detailed in the Ironman thread. I might start it's own thread. I'm going back to Wichita Falls, Tx in August to ride the Hotter N Hell with some other C & V Ironman riders.(It's the area I grew up in) I was going to ride either my 83 or 84 Centurion Turbo, but this one came into the fold. It's a 54cm and some of the other riders ride 54s. They would get a chance to take a spin on it. Otherwise, it won't happen. There's been only one other one pop up in the flesh in the 10-15 years I've been on Bike Forums. More 85 Centurion Cinelli Equipes have surfaced than the 85 Prestige. The 86 version has only been seen in the catalog. There's never been one spotted in the wild, or even in a picture, period. They also made one in 89. Not as nice as the 85-86 version. A few of those have been spotted. I removed the pedals that came on it and hung it on the scales today. 19.94lbs is what it weighed. That's Tange Prestige tubing for you.

genejockey 

I'm consciously trying to avoid feeling like I have to save bikes. That way madness lies!

Charliekeet

"I don't really need another project right now, but..." - that's the C&V tattoo/tombstone inscription!

seypat

Actually, it will be addition by subtraction. I made a deal with myself to sell some in order to get that one. I have a few that don't fit that well or didn't impress enough to move up the pecking order. They will be moving on. I have a couple of smaller frames that my kids rode during their growing years. They will be leaving as well.

genejockey 

I was feeling that way about the Classique after the shakedown cruise. It seemed slow, the shifting wasn't great, and the saddle was a torture device. An hour spend on the derailleurs and brakes, another half hour spent refining the truing of the wheels, a new saddle and slight modification of position, and I did the same 25 mile route 5 minutes faster. I'm still not that happy with the gearing, but overall I'm warming to it.

When I bought the FIRST Lotus, the Supreme, it was an experiment to see if I could fix up a bike and sell it. I ended up getting so into the restoration (which was a LOT more work than the Classique has been) that now I wouldn't dream of letting it go.

seypat

That's the fun of C & V. You can make it whatever you want it to be. The hard Type A personality would say, "That's wrong, it should always be about setting goals, getting PRs and being the best you can be!" Yea, whatever. You have to some fun along the way. Whatever it takes to get a person off the couch and out the door. I was a good run and jump athlete playing the other sports until injuries and Father Time drove me out of them. About 10-15 years ago I moved into endurance sports. Cycling, distance running, swimming and the occasional tri. I absolutely suck at them, but have a good time and don't beat myself up.
Climbing rides are the worst. I'm 5'8" and around 200lbs.(trending down because it's fall marathon training season) Every year except for the first one I have done this ride. Pure torture for me. The climb in the middle is a killer for a flatlander. One of the members in the other thread you frequent did it this year and commented on it.

https://www.ymcacva.org/storming-thunder-ridge

But you know what makes it fun? Every year I acquire a different bike, fix it up and ride it on that ride. So every year I get that new bike experience. I get that experience you went through with your recent restorations. Half the fun is figuring out the gearing and the setup of the bike. Most of the years the bike has only had a short shakedown ride before the start of the event. I've even worked on some in the hotel room the night before. Even put on new tape in the parking lot. It's the ultimate blind test ride! I've never been disappointed yet. After that, the bike goes into the rotation. If it doesn't knock any out above it then it moves on. Right now I'm planning out which bike will go to Hotter N Hell with me and the setup. That's part of the fun for me. What does an upper level bike cost these days? I just won't get that kind of entertainment with one bike. That's why I do C & V.

smurfy

That's what I said when I got my Nashbar touring frame but that was two bikes ago!