jambon's Walvale porteur

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

Nice, looking forward to seeing this built up. I actually bought this and got a refund as I wasn't convinced it was right for me..... I'm feeling a little jel now ;)

Thanks, I'm looking forward to getting this built up and rinding something more relaxed than the usual track frame. What weren't you sure about with the frame?

Looking classy.
What make of rack do you have there?
Cheers.

Thanks. It's a Soma Porteur rack

right up my street, are you still in holloway?

Cheers, living in Wapping now so obviously I need something to tackle those cobbles. Are you still in the area? I miss the kebabs.

Yup, still here, will be 5 years soon. Just had an excellent kebab whilst waiting for the locksmith to fix the work of an incompetent burger

The burger was so incompetent you decided to have a kebab?

Ah no, sounds like a bad evening. Hopefully the kebab numbs the pain.

5!? More like just gone 3 mate.

I'm including the time I lived with my aunt

I want to use a campag downtube shifter mounted on the bars to operate a campag chourus 8 speed rear meach... Would all campag downtube shifters be compatible?

I'm confident with how I'm going to mount it, just not sure on shifter/mech compatibility.

Hmm, by mounting on the bars the tension will vary as they turn, and your gearing won't work.. unless fully sleeved, for which you'd need a ferrule stop. Sjs stock those

Very cool looking build, looking forward to seeing it complete!

btw nice fir wheel there on the rear ;)

Thanks. How do you mean fully sleeved? I presumed because the bars move left to right the gear cable would need to be tensioned between shifter and headtube (where cable enters frame.

Thanks, chorus callipers and chain set arrived today, so one step closer. I always planned on shallow rims, but a set of Shamals would amazing.

you should be alright then, as long as there's constant length independent of bar rotation.

A few more parts have arrived but the bike looks very similar, new bits:

• Brooks B17 Ti
  
• Campagnolo Chorus calipers
  
• Campagnolo Chorus chainset
  
  

Got a little insecure after all the talk of stepped ferrules in the porn thread.

As the rear derailleur cable is routed internally I can't fit the chainset and BB until it's all plumbed in. Parts in the post:

• Campag Chorus BB
  
• Campag Chorus headset
  
• Campag Chorus chain
  
• Campag Chorus cassette
  
• Campag Chorus rear mech
  
• IRD SOS power ratchet Thumb shifters (thought I'd never find a pair)
  
  

Any suggestions of bar end brake levers (in silver) that accept the brake cable inside the handlebar? I don't want to drill the ends of the handlebar. The levers I've fitted are Tektro TL720, being black I can sand them back and polish to match the group, but thought there might be a lever that's already silver and less aero.

Mafac 1B's would be my preference but seems they're quite hard to track down.

Nice nice, can I have it back when you're done

I'm about to return a pair of these if you're interested http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-188-reverse-action-bar-end-fitting-brake-levers-brown-silver-prod38008/
Under-tape routing I'm afraid but they look the part. Shame they didn't fit in my 22.2 bars..

brake cable inside handlebar how does that work? why not just go with under tape routing, Ive go these on VO porteur bars and they work nicely
http://www.velovitality.co.uk/products/tektro-inverse-brake-levers

Hmmm I don't think so, glad you approve.

Thanks but will pass, going to hold out for an internally routed inverse lever.

The brake cable runs through a hollowed out allen bolt. Obviously you need exit holes near the centre of the bar for the cable routing.

You're right it would be easier to run the cables on the outside of the bar, but I want to just wrap the ends of the bars in tape and all that flapping would annoy me.