minimalina

Hello!

I have always wanted an old racer, but also to take part in the rebuild process - which I can do now with my amazing and sweet Falcon Ibiza frame saved from the dump, and happily obtained for a fiver!

I have a very basic knowledge of bikes, can change a tyre and repair a puncture, that makes me feel proud every time - not too bad for a lady...

So, the point here is that now that I need to find parts and hopefully put them on, too, it's like a big old journey! I realise I don't know much, so I thought I'd pop round here - I need some help please!

My first challenge is finding new wheels and tyres. I'd like them to look good and ride good, but I need to be very £££-consious as well, as I've been forcefully unemployed for the past three months.

Could you give me some advice on where/what to buy in terms of wheels and tyres?

Here is the information I could gather on the bike:

The dropout is 133mm outer edges, 125mm inner edges.

I also have some information on the old back wheel - managed to fins some engravings on the rim by scratching through the rust! The rim is a Superchromix RIGIDA, made in france, 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8_700c

The wheel has 36 spokes, and there are 5 freewheel sprockets.

The tyres are ...(some missing letters)destein Vederlicht-s 35-622

I am not going to become a pro racer or spend a thousand quid on this bike - so I don't really mind the weight - or the absolute slickness - of the items, so with that in mind could you recommend:

- some wheels, front+back
- some tyres, not too thin, not too thick, am thinking 23-25-28, ideally white or otherwise that nice old-style yellow with black
- last but not least, am thinking maybe going single speed. a single speed certainly looks very nice, none of that gear clutter - but how heavy is it to ride? am i going to have to walk uphill? :)

Sorry for the loooong post, all input very much appreciated. This is my first ever bike project and it's very exciting. Some (bad phone) pics of the frame are attached.

Oh, and if anyone knows the provenance of the Falcons, that would be lovely to know - I tryed googling but with v. little success...

Many thanks in advance,
Alina.

unworthy1

Hope somebody close by in the UK can sell you some used wheels with alloy rims: that will improve the ride and braking of this Mixte (what the style of frame is called) enormously. Since you're financially challenged (aren't we all these days?) you can probably wait to do any more upgrades, but the next big one would be replacing the steel cottered crankset with anything alloy and cotterless. That alone will save a couple pounds of weight. The Huret shifters can work on any brand of derailleur, and anything from SunTour or Shimano will probably work better than the Huret Allvit it looks to have. Again, a member in the UK that can provide you with this will save on the massive shipping cost from No. America, and time.

old and new

Nice find ! 28 x 1 5/8 = 700c wheels, the most popular size, a more racey size traditionally. These days though most lightweight road bikes including current tourers use the size. Just about everything including the wheels is standard. The threading and other dims. are commonly used on most bikes the past 25 years and beyond in the case of better bikes. It's an English Co. who amoung other things provided bikes to Eddy Merckx early on in his carreer. Being English; the crank threads, stem... all super regular. It's harder to find stuff that won't fit than will. Parts from another junk bike for instance could be swapped over. I'll only comment towards its worth by satating that Falcons are a brand of interest and good quality. Historically important' all this well documented.
Just think regular, free even, it's a no brainer. The rear spacing as you've meas. is typically more like 120mm than 127 (126 = proper), good job meas. it and the small disparity if there is one, SO doesn't matter. Finding a wheel with a freewheel (cogs set) in 6sp. is easier and is officially 126mm. Having a shop or otherwise having access to a temp. loaner will help you sort that out if you're skeptical.
Changing it to fixed gear ?? Up to you, I hate it. "heavy" don't get it. If you've not exp. the whole fixie trip yet, I've little possitive input. The frame isn't heavy. You mentioned tires, the last thing to go on the bike; 28s might be nice. 23s ARE skinny and 25 is only marginally fatter.
LOADS o' stuff on the internet using Google so I don't understand that reckoning on your part. I can see the bike get perfectly rideable at VERY little cost, rendering a very cool bike from another that's bogus.

minimalina

oooh that's a good thumbs up - thank you for taking the time! old and new, that's a great piece of info on the Falcons, thanks a lot... will have to look up some pics of Eddy on a Falcon now! I have decided to go for single speed freewheel, fixed bike is too much work for my taste - and here in London it is too much of a fashion statement really, it's not about 'feeling one with the bike' anymore. also, having read up, it demands technique and getting used to. so just a single speed for now, and see how it goes...

the little project is advancing, i have ordered some wheels and a 16 tooth freewheel sprocket, now am looking for a 1/8 chain. i'm starting to learn things, but the amount of information still makes my head spin from time to time. just on chains, i've read something like a ten-pager! who would have known!

feels great to get some advice on here, it's like fast-tracking to results. thanks again!
Alina.

wrk101

Find a donor bike, and move the parts from the donor to the Falcon. Buying parts and pieces one at a time can get very expensive. I finished my $20 mixte frameset with a $20 donor bike. And I still have the frameset from the donor bike for future projects.

redisnotdead

I am looking for a Falcon Ibiza for a lady.

Can you help?