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Walton Racing Cycle

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Walton Racing Cycle

Old 06-08-21, 01:41 PM
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velomateo
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Walton Racing Cycle

Last week I found this Walton on the Santa Barbara CL while I was doing my non workday coffee and Craigslist routine. It was still quite early but I knew if I didn’t get in early it would be gone, so I sent a text at 6am. I got a reply and set up a meeting with the owners wife. I started doing some google searches on Walton bikes while I ate my breakfast, but they only produced pics of NBA legend Bill Walton. CR’s American builder list didn’t mention him…I got nothing.
My wife and I drove up to SB to get the bike, so after we could walk around and get lunch. The bike did not disappoint, it had been sitting a while but it was still very clean. Full Dura Ace 7400 group, wheels were a mismatched pair of Mavic MA40 rear with a Wolbert Alpine up front. Both with the correct Dura Ace hubs and showed hardly visible brake wear. The seller wanted to keep the old tri bars it had, so the brake levers were left hanging and a Dura Ace AX stem was left still in place.
The frame is nice, with nicely filed lugs. Paint is thin, but nice as well. Decals are applied over the paint, and show some wear. The seller said it was from 1986, purchased in St Paul MN. There’s a shop decal from Grand Performance Bikes in St Paul, so I looked them up…and it’s still there. I found there email on the website and shot off an inquiry about the bike and builder. I received a reply from the then and still owner Dan. He told me that Mike Walton built frames in the shop’s basement for a few years during the 80’s and was a team sponsor for a couple years. He said this bike looked like a team frame and wondered whose it might have been. I later got the sellers full name and they both remembered each other and commented on what a long time ago it was when that bike order was placed.
Dan said that he believed that the frames were made with Columbus SL. This frame has no tubing decal, but with the 27.2 seat post and Campagnolo dropouts that would have been my guess. He said that Mike Walton had moved to Tucson in the late 80’s and that they had since lost contact.
I gave the bike a good cleaning, mounted bars and stem that I had and replaced the 30 year old tires with a set of takeoff Vittorias. I did do a quick spin on the bike with the old 20mm tires. I was very impressed with the ride even on some very rough pavement, so with these new 25mm Corsas it should be sublime.
The gearing it came with was very tall 53/42 12-21. I dug through my parts stash and found a correct Dura Ace 40 tooth inner ring and a very clean Shimano 600 12-24 6 speed freewheel. So it should be (a little) better equipped for SoCal hills now instead of the flat roads of the Great Plains.
I have new bar tape on order, so I haven’t taken proper pics yet. My main goal of this post was to get something online for the next guy that digs up one of these Waltons. Here’s a few shots, “as found” and after a good rub down.



As found

Shop decal

Head tube lugs

Seat tube

Cleaned up

Last edited by velomateo; 06-08-21 at 03:33 PM.
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Old 06-08-21, 01:48 PM
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Looks decent. Don't like the "trimmed nail" pump peg, but I am sure it works.

If you monitor the SB craigslist, search Celmins. A now retired SB builder. Nice machines.
I have my example.

Last edited by repechage; 06-08-21 at 01:52 PM.
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Old 06-08-21, 04:22 PM
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Originally Posted by repechage
Looks decent. Don't like the "trimmed nail" pump peg, but I am sure it works.

If you monitor the SB craigslist, search Celmins. A now retired SB builder. Nice machines.
I have my example.
I will keep an eye out for a Celmins. Santa Barbara barely adds a page a day to the bike ads, so no need to search really.

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Old 06-08-21, 08:33 PM
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Can you take a close up of the bottom bracket treatment and inside of the fork leg please??

Beautiful bike! Very, very cool.
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Old 06-09-21, 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Senrab62
Can you take a close up of the bottom bracket treatment and inside of the fork leg please??

Beautiful bike! Very, very cool.
Sure, I’ll post them later.
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Old 06-09-21, 08:53 PM
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@Senrab62
Here's a look at the bottom bracket and inside of the fork leg.


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Old 06-25-21, 10:31 AM
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Over the last few weeks I have been dialing in the Walton and really enjoying getting it out on some rides. I mentioned earlier that I had found a Shimano 13-24 freewheel in my stash to replace the 12-21 it came with. Yesterday the new freewheel started to hang up a bit, I obviously didn't provide it with enough lube after it's many years residing in a cardboard box. After I pulled it off I noticed that it also had two broken teeth on the 19t cog, so I decided to pull it apart. In my trusty stash box I found a ridiculous 12-19 6 speed Dura Ace freewheel, that I would never have a use for. It did though appear to have very low miles and spun like new. So I put the cog set from the gummed up freewheel on the free spinning Dura Ace freewheel body and all was right in the world. Even though this gearing still isn't optimal for my age + skill + age... it's still ride-able.

This bike has made very good use of the stash box. I have been able to find nearly everything I have had a need/want for - without having to go out and buy it. So far bar tape and a couple stainless water bottle cages are the only thing I've had to pop for. That and having the tools to be able to rectify my freewheel situation provides a certain level of satisfaction.

Here's a few updated pics.



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Old 07-10-21, 09:13 AM
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So it seems that my parts stash has just been waiting for this Walton to arrive, and my parts stash is not extensive by any means. It's been amazing how many things I had on hand that were just perfect for this bike. I noted before that the one annoying thing about this bike was the mismatched wheels, Mavic - Wolber, although they are both in very good condition, with hardly any brake wear marks. The other day I was pulling out a set of wheels for another bike, and there laying on top was a Mavic MA40 with a Dura Ace hub. The wheel also has very little brake wear and the decals are perfect... so it's a perfect match. I don't even remember what bike this wheel came on, but I'm so glad I hung on to it.
I'm going to service the hub and tidy up the eyelets a bit before installing it. BTW, free pro tip, I picked up a new brass bristle brush the other day, and it works really well to remove light corrosion and tarnish on spoke eyelets, and doesn't damage the anodizing on the rim.
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Old 07-10-21, 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by velomateo
There’s a shop decal from Grand Performance Bikes in St Paul, so I looked them up…and it’s still there.
Our son used to live 2 blocks up Grand Ave from there.
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Old 07-11-21, 06:56 AM
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That's a pretty sweet looking bike by my standards, nice find!
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Old 07-11-21, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
That's a pretty sweet looking bike by my standards, nice find!
Thanks, I think so too. It's been fun getting it out on the road.
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Old 07-16-21, 04:14 PM
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Did a service on the Mavic front wheel today. The hub was very much ready for new grease. After removing the dust cover, the bearings were filthy, and gave the appearance of being coated with oily grit instead of grease.
The bearing cups had a bit of pitting, but once clean and packed with fresh grease the wheel spins pretty well.


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Old 07-16-21, 04:21 PM
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This forum is always an education -- I had never heard of a Walton bicycle until today. Looks good to me.
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Old 07-16-21, 09:29 PM
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So satisfying when the parts stash works in your favor.

Bike cleaned up really nicely, almost looks like you got a brand new bike after all these years. That might be my favorite Dura Ace group too.
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Old 07-16-21, 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by habes78023
So satisfying when the parts stash works in your favor.

Bike cleaned up really nicely, almost looks like you got a brand new bike after all these years. That might be my favorite Dura Ace group too.
Honestly, it really wasn’t that dirty when I got it, but it does look nice after a bath. I’m really amazed at the condition of the Walton for how long it’s been around…and it was actually ridden. Kudos to the original owner.
I too really like this DA group, it just works so darn good. Love the seat post of the earlier group much more than later aero design.
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Old 07-18-21, 08:37 AM
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So, you had the red Benotto Cellotape, a Rolls saddle, proper handlebars and a matching wheel in your parts stash? Perhaps you should buy a few lottery tickets! I initially wrinkled my brow at that red and blue paint scheme but the red bar tape brings it all together, nicely. That's a beautiful bike! Great job on the restoration.
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Old 07-19-21, 05:40 AM
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Originally Posted by T.W.O.
So, you had the red Benotto Cellotape, a Rolls saddle, proper handlebars and a matching wheel in your parts stash? Perhaps you should buy a few lottery tickets! I initially wrinkled my brow at that red and blue paint scheme but the red bar tape brings it all together, nicely. That's a beautiful bike! Great job on the restoration.
The Benotto tape was purchased, as were the new bottle cages, but everything else was there…waiting. My first impression of the paint was similar to yours. The red fork is what bothered me originally, I wished they had gone with a red head tube instead and used the blue on the fork. I was told by the owner of Grand Performance that the bike is team livery paint, and now over time it’s really grown on me, and the new red tape really did a lot to bring it together. Maybe on my next ride I’ll stop and grab those lottery tickets

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Old 08-12-21, 12:30 PM
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Swapped out the stem on the Walton after several rides with the Cinelli 115mm and feeling a bit cramped. I decided I wanted to change it out,
and I had some inspiration from a bike I saw online recently. Some of you may have seen the absolutely beautiful and outrageously overpriced Legnano on eBay recently. Reported to have been Maurizio Fondriest’s 1988 team bike, it’s just stunning in Legnano colors with C Record gruppo, including Deltas brakes. Up front are 3ttt Record 84 stem with Competizione bars. I’ve always loved the aesthetic of a black stem, like Fignon and Mottet back in the day.
Seeing that ad reminded me, I had one of those stems. I picked it NOS for a Bianchi I had a few years ago. At 130mm, it had been too long for that frame. But on the Walton, with a 54cm top tube, it’s a good fit. I would like to track down the 3ttt Competizione bars in a 42, like the on the Legnano, but the bars I have now will work until those pop up.



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Old 08-12-21, 01:16 PM
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Gorgeous Bike. Perfect DA group too.
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Old 08-12-21, 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by EricWade
Gorgeous Bike. Perfect DA group too.
Thanks. Yeah, DA group is in nice shape. I really lucked out on this one.
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Old 08-12-21, 10:53 PM
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Pure 🔥 looks incredible 👌
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Old 08-13-21, 05:45 AM
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Is this the same Mike Walton from WSC Racing?
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Old 08-13-21, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by nomadmax
Is this the same Mike Walton from WSC Racing?
I would say no, this Mike Walton lives in Arizona.
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Old 08-14-21, 01:05 PM
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I was going to make a snide comment about the frame being too short for Bill Walton, but decided not to.
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Old 08-14-21, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by velomateo
Looks great.

If you ever want to sell it, I would think that Fayetteville, AR Craigslist would be worthwhile.
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