Cuevas Custom - "Rode hard and put away wet"
11-21-22, 12:35 PM
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Cuevas Custom - "Rode hard and put away wet"
Those with sensitive feelings turn away now, this poor bike has been used and abused. I had a decent idea what I was getting into, based on the bad pictures in shade and my talk with the seller, was still impressed with how much abuse this bike had taken. As with many of the bikes I have bought I was "pot committed" by the time I got there, too much invested and price too low to walk away.
The Good:
Franscisco Cuevas custom frame - 531 fork blades, stays and butted frame tubes
Dura Ace EX - Derailleurs, headset, crank, pedals, brakes & levers, neck
Dia Compe Silver - downtube shift levers
VeloOrange - 700c rims w/105 hubs
Cinelli bar
price
The bad:
frame/paint condition
seatpost - zigzagged/marred
pedal missing clip/frozen
seat - trash or re-upholster
tires - hold air but cracking - need to be replaced
needs full overhaul
The Good:
Franscisco Cuevas custom frame - 531 fork blades, stays and butted frame tubes
Dura Ace EX - Derailleurs, headset, crank, pedals, brakes & levers, neck
Dia Compe Silver - downtube shift levers
VeloOrange - 700c rims w/105 hubs
Cinelli bar
price
The bad:
frame/paint condition
seatpost - zigzagged/marred
pedal missing clip/frozen
seat - trash or re-upholster
tires - hold air but cracking - need to be replaced
needs full overhaul
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11-21-22, 12:45 PM
#2
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11-21-22, 12:55 PM
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Oh come on, that doesn't look too bad to me... I've seen and dealt with much worse. Very cool bike, nice score!
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11-21-22, 01:07 PM
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Agreed , not that bad. I ride bikes that had a much worse history, its called patina!
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11-21-22, 01:12 PM
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Yeah. Talk about putting away wet, I took the BB apart from a Frejus fromt 1968 that looked like this
68FrejusBBSpindleon Flickr
68FrejusBBSpindleon Flickr
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11-21-22, 01:13 PM
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^^^Agreed, obviously crusty to be sure.
I would scrub, massage and cleanup as best you can, mitigate anything life threatening and get it fully operational.
Ride, ruminate and evaluate how you really want to proceed.
Full DA, nice score, pretty cool.
DOH! If by frozen you mean the pedal won't spin then you'll have to swap out the crank for now but I would do everything you can to save it regardless.
I would scrub, massage and cleanup as best you can, mitigate anything life threatening and get it fully operational.
Ride, ruminate and evaluate how you really want to proceed.
Full DA, nice score, pretty cool.
DOH! If by frozen you mean the pedal won't spin then you'll have to swap out the crank for now but I would do everything you can to save it regardless.
Last edited by merziac; 11-21-22 at 01:16 PM.
11-21-22, 01:17 PM
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-----
recall that following Francisco's retirement and move home to Barcelona there was a period where his son kept the workshop going for a time
he offered painting and repair but no new construction
Zeus Cyclery Corporation of New York City was a Cuevas agent for a period in the 1980's
there is an issue of BICYCLING! magazine with a profile on Francisco and his work
the frame's dropouts with provision for the Portacatena feature are a helpful dating aid here
-----
recall that following Francisco's retirement and move home to Barcelona there was a period where his son kept the workshop going for a time
he offered painting and repair but no new construction
Zeus Cyclery Corporation of New York City was a Cuevas agent for a period in the 1980's
there is an issue of BICYCLING! magazine with a profile on Francisco and his work
the frame's dropouts with provision for the Portacatena feature are a helpful dating aid here
-----
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11-21-22, 01:21 PM
#9
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I agree with everyone else, the bike is awesome. Clean it, knock the rust off of it, ride awhile and decide on touch up or full paint later on.
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11-21-22, 01:31 PM
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At the risk of this becoming a version of the ....
... I think that your bike is actually in pretty decent condition.
My finds tend to look like this:
... I think that your bike is actually in pretty decent condition.
My finds tend to look like this:
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11-21-22, 01:36 PM
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Yeah. Talk about putting away wet, I took the BB apart from a Frejus fromt 1968 that looked like this
68FrejusBBSpindleon Flickr
68FrejusBBSpindleon Flickr
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11-21-22, 01:48 PM
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Here are a few detail shots:
On both sides there are wear/rust spots at the downtube shifters - This was what made me think "rode hard and put away wet" - marks from heavy use
wipeout or storage?
Slight/Shallow dent - only on I have noticed so far
On both sides there are wear/rust spots at the downtube shifters - This was what made me think "rode hard and put away wet" - marks from heavy use
wipeout or storage?
Slight/Shallow dent - only on I have noticed so far
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11-21-22, 01:51 PM
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Shifting is fun!
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Sorry, I still don't see anything remotely resembling a problem. Just a (very) nice frame.
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11-21-22, 02:03 PM
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Cuevas Custom - Clean
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/27251391
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/27251391
Last edited by SoCaled; 11-21-22 at 02:07 PM.
11-21-22, 02:05 PM
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One little TT ding? ZizZag is better than stuck. Almost complete Cool Bike.
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11-21-22, 02:08 PM
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Look underneath the fork crown 
Agree with all the others, this is a great find, and if you feel you got a deal, you most likely got a smokin' one. Also, what easier color with which to perform near-invisible touch-ups, right?
Even keeping the original components, it won't take much to clean this up and have it looking really good, whether you see to the paint right away or not. But yeah, it sure did need a rescue!
DD
Agree with all the others, this is a great find, and if you feel you got a deal, you most likely got a smokin' one. Also, what easier color with which to perform near-invisible touch-ups, right?
Even keeping the original components, it won't take much to clean this up and have it looking really good, whether you see to the paint right away or not. But yeah, it sure did need a rescue!
DD
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11-21-22, 02:16 PM
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that's a nice find. It's gonna clean up well. Have fun.
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11-21-22, 02:22 PM
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Look underneath the fork crown
Agree with all the others, this is a great find, and if you feel you got a deal, you most likely got a smokin' one. Also, what easier color with which to perform near-invisible touch-ups, right?
Even keeping the original components, it won't take much to clean this up and have it looking really good, whether you see to the paint right away or not. But yeah, it sure did need a rescue!
DD
Agree with all the others, this is a great find, and if you feel you got a deal, you most likely got a smokin' one. Also, what easier color with which to perform near-invisible touch-ups, right?
Even keeping the original components, it won't take much to clean this up and have it looking really good, whether you see to the paint right away or not. But yeah, it sure did need a rescue!
DD
11-21-22, 02:28 PM
#20
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Fork Cross brace:
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11-21-22, 03:57 PM
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At the risk of this becoming a version of the ....
Four Yorkshiremen
... I think that your bike is actually in pretty decent condition.
My finds tend to look like this:
Four Yorkshiremen
... I think that your bike is actually in pretty decent condition.
My finds tend to look like this:
...these examples appear well "polder seasoned"...
...what about some images of examples which have come from the canals...
sign posted along polderese kanal -
"WARNING - Keel clearance down to one metre. Fiets removal scheduled for next month."
-----
Last edited by juvela; 11-21-22 at 05:58 PM. Reason: addition
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11-21-22, 04:42 PM
#22
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Please, you call that rust? Where I live everything that doesn't move fast enough grows rust, then fungus, then lichen. 
Enjoy your new ride! 
Enjoy your new ride!
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11-21-22, 06:21 PM
#23
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recall that following Francisco's retirement and move home to Barcelona there was a period where his son kept the workshop going for a time
there is an issue of BICYCLING! magazine with a profile on Francisco and his work
the frame's dropouts with provision for the Portacatena feature are a helpful dating aid here
-----
recall that following Francisco's retirement and move home to Barcelona there was a period where his son kept the workshop going for a time
there is an issue of BICYCLING! magazine with a profile on Francisco and his work
the frame's dropouts with provision for the Portacatena feature are a helpful dating aid here
-----
11-21-22, 06:42 PM
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Great find!
I saw that one and was tempted to ask for a facilitator but, with my recent Mooney purchase and two others unfinished, I have my hands full of projects. I'm happy to see it go to a good home.
Brent
I saw that one and was tempted to ask for a facilitator but, with my recent Mooney purchase and two others unfinished, I have my hands full of projects. I'm happy to see it go to a good home.
Brent
11-22-22, 12:14 AM
#25
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It's always in good shape when the seatpost and stem aren't stuck - the classic definition of "put away wet" in my book
That thing would have had a pound of extra rust on the bare bits by now in humid South Florida.
Don't kick your new purchase. It looks great and I bet it rides fantastic (which is 50% of the fun, right?)
-Kurt
That thing would have had a pound of extra rust on the bare bits by now in humid South Florida.
Don't kick your new purchase. It looks great and I bet it rides fantastic (which is 50% of the fun, right?)
-Kurt
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