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@jambon
Since buying my girlfriend a Bobbin Birdie at the beginning of the summer all I’ve ridden is my Brompton S1L, and it’s mainly been slowly along canal paths or generally living life using it for commuting/shopping/pubbing. I’ve since changed jobs too, so I’m not really riding the fixed Cannondale Capo that consumed the 2 hour round commute before.
With that in mind I want to build something that’s handsome yet functional for pootling around town – a functional Sunday best. I’ve missed owning a steel bike so have given in to something British and custom made (not to me) which was always the dream.
The bike is badged as Walvale Cycles and was built by Norman Roberts:
Norman Roberts, Jim Soens mechanic, deserves a mention. Norman was team mechanic on the Tour l'Avenir as well as Peace Race. Though Norman considers his crowning glory was building the frame Bill Nickson used to win the Milk Race (1976). As well as frames for other great riders.
Notable bits on the frame are having no mount for a front derailleur and also internal routing for the rear derailleur. This is through a hole in the headtube with the gear cable running into a spring which is suspended above the bottom bracket by tension between the rear derailleur and shifter. I think this means to change the gear cable the bb has to come out, which sounds like a faff.
So plans for the build are a porteur bike, Campag Chorus 95 throughout, a downtube shifter mounted on the handlebar, Brooks saddle and leather bartape. Wheel, seatpost, saddle and levers aren't staying