LeftCoastJon

Thanks, d_dutchison , appreciate that information. It shall ride again

Duke7777

There are brief write-ups on Carleton and Ken Legge here: https://medium.com/@labicycletta/map...s-df97dd17d524 Ken Legge also played a prominent role in the development of the indoor velodrome, following the loss of the old China Creek outdoor track.

Talbot bikes and Carleton team members were a common sight at Vancouver bike races in the late 70s and early 80s.

I have some spare Superbe brake levers if you're still looking.

LeftCoastJon

Thanks for the link, Duke7777 , I'll DM you about the levers, that would be awesome as I haven't got any yet

LeftCoastJon

Picked up a used front wheel a few weeks ago from a bike recycling store nearby, on the face of it a nice looking Araya rim. Finally go to put a tire on it today and i guess 700D is not the size I thought it was. Well, shiiiii.....

I guess the guys in the store didn't know that either. And I guess I can't recognize an ISO622 on sight...

clubman 

No, it's far from my size but I'd be happy to ship it to you!

Trueblood

I have a bike from this vintage, 1977 actually, which has the same rims (they are hookless rims, so be careful about the tire pressure - I wouldn't go above 70psi), chrome socks just as your frame, and those same wonderful ratcheted Suntour shifters. Many of the later Suntour friction shifters were not ratcheted.

could be your bike is from the late 70's vs early 80's

LeftCoastJon

Thanks for the prompt to check the wheels, Trueblood. Yes, the 700c rear wheel is hooked which is good as that's what I'd assumed and I will be reusing that wheel. But the 27 x 1 1/4 Weinmann is hookless, I hadn't noticed that up to now. I don't want to run a mix of wheels anyway so that's no problem, but I will make sure any replacement 700 front wheel I get is hooked (and the right size!).

With help on another thread, the serial number starting S1... was dated to 1981 and that tallies with both derailleurs and the cranks, which all date to late 1980/early 1981.

LeftCoastJon

Been absent from the forum for a few weeks, but I'm pleased to get back and pleased to report success with this project.

The frame still shows its scratched and scuffed past but that's OK with me, I intend to ride it regularly. Cables are still a little long in this pic, I shortened them up after this. I may still get a more period front wheel, but waiting and searching for one at the local recycler stores was stalling the build so I got this one as a placeholder so that I could ride it in the meantime.





I finished the handlebar tape last Thursday so that I could take part this past Saturday in the Tour de Victoria ("don't ride new equipment for the first time", whatevs, at 42 years old it's a long way from 'new'...).

I rode the 140km route and it performed really well. I enjoyed riding the Talbot a little more than my '85 Steve Bauer, and I like riding that (although I couldn't tell you quite why yet). It's rolling really nicely.



No major issues, no flats. I guess I hadn't tightened my bottle cage properly as it shook a little loose over the ride. The bike was a little reluctant to change into lower gears, I usually had to shift the lever more than needed and then back again once it changed cogs, probably I haven't quite got the b-tension right yet (but I was a little rushed to finish it up in time!). H & L screw adjustments were fine.

While putting it all together, I had to get the deraillleur hanger straightened at an LBS as it was bent just a little towards the wheel, otherwise no issues with the rebuild. I have Soma brake hoods on order now, I didn't manage to get them in time (but massive thanks to Duke7777 for the Superbe levers, they're great).

And got some complements on the ride too which is always appreciated, it's nice when people get a kick out of a 2x5 down tube shifting oldie flying along with the youngsters