gaucho777 

A photo first before I lose the TLDR crowd:



When I was a teenager, my first race bike was a Mavic-equipped Vitus. A few months ago, I got it in my head to build another Mavic-equipped bike, though not necessarily another Vitus. I had some of the parts on hand and started gathering others while casually looking for a frame to serve as the canvas. Then a frame marketed as an Echelon Cycle Works frame caught my eye on ebay. It was an unfamiliar brand, but I'm drawn to obscure marques. The frame had some nice touches and looked to be built with care, so I took a flyer, made an offer, and it was accepted. (Link to original ebay listing)

After the frame arrived, I made contact with John Cully, builder/founder of Echelon Cycle Works, who confirmed this is NOT an Echelon Cycle Works frame. Note that the original decal (a lone downtube drive-side decal) reads "Echelon Cycles USA". There are a few Echelon Cycles bike shops in NY, but no relation to this bike. At this point, the builder of the frame is a mystery. If anyone has any ideas or possible leads, I'd love to hear them...paging @MauriceMoss

Despite not knowing the builder, I was eager to proceed with the build. I'll start with some photos of the finished bike, then add some notes on the build and give thanks to fellow forum members who contributed in some way. The photos don't really do the paint justice. It really sparkles in the sun but it was mostly overcast when I took the photos.



Delighted the RD can handle a generous 32t freewheel. Current gearing is 53-42 x 12-32.


With the solid paint color and no decals, I went with a bold choice for the handlebar tape.


Unusual seat cluster and worn (original?) 531 decal


Slender fork crown


Rear view



View of the bottom bracket from underneath. I ran liners inside the cable guides then heated the ends until they curled up at the edge to prevent them from drifting. Note the absence of any serial numbers.



Frame details:
*No serial numbers anywhere
*English/ISO threading
*Henry James BB
*Milremo dropouts & fork tips
*Fork crown: Zeus 2000?
*27.0 seat post
*Unusual seat stay treatment sculpted junction at lug plus a nice point at front of the post
*Nutted brakes
*126mm spacing
*Reynolds 531 on top of what appears to be original Imron sparkly blue paint with spots of red primer
*Thin rear brake cable guides brazed left of center

Here's a summary of the build list:
Wheels: Mavic 500/550 hubs/Mavic GP4 rims/Wheelsmith DB spokes - thanks @hazetguy for hubs & Mavic hub tool
Tires: Challenge Elite tubulars 27mm - thanks @Shrevvy
Saddle: Alloy-railed Ideale 90
Brakes levers: Modolo (comparable to Mavic -branded 420 levers)
Brake calipers: Campagnolo C-record (place holders until I find some Mavic calipers)
Crankset: Mavic 630
Bottom Bracket: Mavic 610 - thanks @Brewsmith for cranks & BB
Chain: Regina Superleggero (hollow pin) - thanks @sloar
Shifters: Simplex Retrofriction
Derailleurs: Mavic 851 SSC rear / Mavic 860 front - THANKS @Wharf Rat
Pedals: Mavic 645 LS (made by LOOK) - thanks @verktyg
Headset: Stronglight Delta (needle bearing)
Bars: Cinelli 63-40
Stem: 130mm Cinelli 1A (Milano logo) - thanks @zephyrblau
Tape: Benotto Cello
Pump: Silca Impero - thanks @deux jambes
Freewheel: Sachs Maillard Aris 12-32t

gaucho777 

A note about the bottom bracket. As many of you will be aware, the Mavic 610 BB is intended to be used with the beveled edge of the lockrings turned the other way and installed on a frame with a chamfered BB shell. These are sought-after because they can be used with BB shells with buggered threads and can also be useful when fine-tuning chainlines. I was reluctant to alter the frame, but I wanted to try to use this BB. I wondered, What if I just flip the lockrings around and don't chamfer the BB shell?

The BB shows some clean miters inside the shell. However, there was a little extra material at the bottom of the shell where the chainstays meet the BB. This prevented me from inserting the BB into the frame at first. It is a tight fit. I took a rounded file and removed just enough material so I could get the BB installed. It was tight enough that I had to gently tap it into place.




Once in place. I installed the lockrings with the beveled edge facing outward. Even though the BB fits snug in the frame, I used some Loctite on the lockring threads to help keep the BB in place.

SurferRosa

Awesome.

Is that a vintage freewheel?

gaucho777 

Oh, yes. Forgot to mention the freewheel. It's a vintage Sachs Maillard freewheel.

gaucho777 

Another kludge was to find a way to mount recessed brakes on a frame built for nutted brakes. It was easy enough to move the front recessed brake to the rear and use a nut borrowed from another brake set. For the front brake, I was able to find a female-to-female extender nut, which I mounted inside the fork crown. This allowed me to use a standard hex bolt to the extender instead of a recessed nut. I also filed the end of the extender nut to a curve so it would be flush with the inside of the fork crown.

gaucho777 

As I mentioned recently in the "What have you been wrenching on lately?" thread, I also improvised a way to get some more tension in the pedals. I like these pedals despite them being a little heavy and not having a lot of tension. They are essentially LOOK Competition PP75 pedals rebranded as Mavic pedals. The bolt on the back of the pedal attaches to a plate behind a set of springs inside the pedal. You are able to tighten the bolt to adjust the tension, but only a very small amount before running out of threads. I was able to increase the tension by removing the back plate and adding a "shim" to the pivot point, thus extending the fulcrum point and pre-loading more tension. I could definitely feel the difference.


Note the limited number of threads at the end of the tension adjustment bolt


Pedal with greased "shim" (aluminum sheet stock trimmed to size)

steelbikeguy

That seat cluster is really nice!
Any info on the fork crown? It seems fairly distinctive, and rather wide for a bike with seat stays located close together (at least based on the seat cluster config).

The paint might be DuPont Imron, based on the era and the metallic content. That was a popular and quite durable choice for custom builders of the era.

Steve in Peoria

Force 

Great build and nice looking frame!

devinfan

Can’t contribute on the builder because I don’t recognize any of the details on the frame but that is one absolutely drop dead gorgeous build, it has all my favourite elements including my all time favourite bar tape. Fantastic job!!!

gaucho777 

Thanks. I don't know what type of fork crown it is. It looks similar to the Zeus fork crowns shown on the Retrogrouch blog here (LINK), though I'm not sure. That blog has a submission from our own @JohnDThompson with a photo of an assortment of Zeus crown and the following note: "One thing notable about the two road crowns is that they have tangs designed to be brazed inside the fork blades, rather than the other way around, similar to the integrated Cinelli-style crowns shown above. When finished into a complete fork, they should have a seamless transition from the crown to the fork blades. (submitted by John Thompson)."

I agree about the Imron paint.

juvela

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...crown almost looks like it could be one of the Haden family of investment cast sloping models

here is the "Europa" -



we need to keep in mind that builder may have performed some fairly extensive dressing...

https://velobase.com/ViewFramePart.a...f476&AbsPos=96

here is the Zeus for comparison:



https://velobase.com/ViewFramePart.a...960&AbsPos=107

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finish -

if paint Imron it is quite artuflly done

"usually" this paint cures with a fairly "thick" look


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clubman 

It's rather easy to take a fine rat-tail or round file and bevel just enough of the inside to hold secure while not creating a problem if you go back to a standard BB. I've done it for Mavic as well as TDC threadless BB cartridge style units. You don't need the chamfering tool.

gaucho777 

Thanks @juvela I see the similarity with the Haden crown, but the Zeus one looks to be a better match. The cutouts on the bottom the the crown appear to be a match. I also notice that the bottom corners of the "windows" extend closer to the center (the inner edge of the window on the Hayden crown is more vertical), which is a good match for my frame. The Zeus 2000 crown have some branding on the outer edge but I suspect that could easily have been filled and filed smooth prior to painting.

JohnDThompson 

I agree that Zeus is a more likely match. The OP's crown in internally lugged, like Zeus, not external like the Haden Europa.



Early Zeus crowns had cast-in branding along the edge, later production put a stylized "Z" on the shoulders of the crown. Either could be filled prior to paint. It's also possible that Zeus sourced their frame fittings from a 3rd party who offered unbranded versions of the same castings. I've seen unbranded track ends otherwise identical to the distinctive Zeus-2000 track ends (as seen in my profile picture).

gaucho777 

^Thanks, John. Good info about the Zeus fork crown.

gaucho777 

By the way, I was in touch with the ebay seller after realizing it was not actually an Echelon Cycle Works frame as described in the listing. I suspect it is a low-volume custom American builder due to the mix of building materials, lug filing, and lack of serial numbers present on the frame/fork. The seller told me that he purchased the frame about 9 years ago from someone in Sacramento, CA, for whatever that is worth. At that time it wore the Echelon Cycles decal. I know frames can move around, so perhaps that's a red herring, but maybe there's a California connection? Despite not knowing who the builder is, I'm glad the seller accepted my below-asking offer and I'm still very happy with the frame.

juvela

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did not wish to assert that either example is the same as the crown on subject bicycle

posted the two examples with the thought that they might stimulate discussion...which they seem to have done


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Sacramento is mentioned

one artisan builder in that town is Steve Rex


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enjoyed following along with your thoughtful and creative build


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Wharf Rat

gaucho777 Wow, that’s a real beauty, my size too. Nice to see those derailleurs hanging on such a classy build. I wish you lots of happy miles on it.

velomateo

Thanks for a really great post. I really like how your build turned out and nice work on the brake and BB issues. The bike looks beautiful.

juvela

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great to have one more thread featuring a cycle fitted with the MAVIC 1000 or SSC road ensemble

this is such high quality equipment and we see so few!

was able to visit on two or three occasions the MAVIC distributorship located in Sand City, California (near Monterey) during the early 1980's

please post an update when you secure the additional fittings sought to complete the set


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Roger M

Really nice looking frame, and kudos for going with Mavic stuff.

I don't have any knowledge or help with identifying the builder, but the seat cluster looks similar to this Jeff Lyon of mine(although filet brazed vs lugged).

bamboobike4

(That's an invitation)
(To make a reservation)

Can't wait for the Tour

gaucho777 

Thanks, Roger! Lovely red Lyon you have. I recall when you first made a post about your bike but didn’t remember the similar seat stay treatment. I notice the Jeff Lyon on Classic Rendezvous utilizes similar BB cable guides, too. I’ll try seeing if Jeff Lyon has any input to share. Anyone have an email address for Jeff Lyon? I’m just seeing an online order form but no contact email on his web page.

Wildwood 

Very stylish!!


I was going to put a bunch of Mavic (Starfish crankset most distinct) on a celeste Bianchi, but decided to go with a bit more modern components. Not sure where the components will go, still looking for that perfect (not too old) steel French frameset. ?Look in 59/60cm?