Pcampeau

Okay, after looking around it turns out I’ve got suitable replacements in my parts stash for the Drooping handlebars and suspect stem.

I bought this 105mm 3TTT stem last summer at a bike swap for $20 simply because I buy them whenever I find them at a good price and since my 73 Motobecane Le Champion has one of these too, it doesn’t look out of place on a French bike. Luckily these stems fit everywhere I put them.

These are the handlebars I’ll be using. I parted out a too small for me late 70s Vitus tubing grand Record a while back and these were on it. They’re not in perfect condition and they look a bit dull but they fit nicely.

I had been intending to swap out the Suntour V for a Cyclone so that I could move the Suntour V over to my Dawes Galaxy as a replacement for the Simplex Prestige on that bike, but then…I also decided to swap out the freewheel. I had a hell of a time removing the Pro Compe freewheel that came with the bike due to damaged notches where the removal tool fits, I won’t use that freewheel again. The only good replacement I have in my parts bin is this 6 speed Suntour Perfect with a too big 30T large cog. This means I cant run the Cyclone here. Gonna have to use my other spare Cyclone which is the GT version.

The used but still viable Suntour Perfect freewheel.

It’s back into the parts bin for the short cage.

Pcampeau

One more thing, I’ve now finished the rear wheel. I’ve run out of daylight however, you’ll have to settle for a nighttime pic from my kitchen

I’ll take some updated pics with the wheels installed and more of the build completed in the daylight tomorrow. Now it’s time for a beer.

juvela

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pillar/binder/shim/saddle shown in post viii -

pillars of this longeur are frequently encountered on machines such as folders, muscle bikes & exercycles; never on road models

shim appears to be a Wald item

binder appears to be an ALGI

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replacement stem/bar -

nearly all 3TTT Record model stems one encounters have a 26.0mm clamp size

Chas hath writ that 25.4's were produced

suggest to check this; think it unlikely that the Belleri bar has a 26.0mm centre

not a location on the cycle where one wishes to mix sizes.


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Pcampeau

Well here’s my “this will work for now” build. I’ve heeded Juvelas advice and switched the stem and bars again. The other setup seemed to cinch up okay but I’ll not take any unnecessary risks with it. Now I’m running Cinelli. Both the stem and handlebars came off of a too small Motobecane Grand record from 71 or 72, they were not spec on that bike either and stem fit the headset a bit snugly but not problemmatically. I can adjust it up and down. They were inserted into a Stronglight headset on the Grand Record too and both parts measure 26.0 at the clamp. I just need to find some bar plugs.



A couple of other things:

I had to rob my PX10 of its pedals because I haven’t yet refurbished the set that came with this bike. They will take some work and I’m not sure they are worth saving. I may need something else long term.

I lost the clamp bolt for the GT Cyclone I was going to use so I needed to use the short cage Cyclone for now. The large cog on the 6 speed freewheel has 30T and the max capacity on the Cyclone I’m using is 28T. Had to lock out the big cog in the rear for now.

The only 26.4 seat post I had at this time is this Campagnolo but it’s spoken for on another project so it can’t stay. I’ll look around for something from SR or Simplex.



I’ll also be looking around for some new lever hoods. These black hoods are really worn and looking greenish.

The mystery saddle turned out looking beautiful and after comparing it to my Ideale 80 Type Record I’m convinced that’s what it is. I cleaned it and gave it one small treatment of proofide, that’s all I’ll give it for a few years. It’s still hard as a rock of course but I’m determined to be the guy that actually breaks one of these in. It has no cracking on the surface at all.

I rode it on my 5 mile commute to work today, and I’ve still got some adjustments to make, but so far I’m impressed. I can’t wait to ride it home.

gthomson

Very nice looking bike and great job on the restoration. I really like that colour, would that be original? i have a 1971 Gitane in a faded burnt orange medley that looks hideous but was thinking of painting in a colour like this.

Pcampeau

Thanks, yes this is the original paint color from 1972.