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@Knox
Evening everyone. I'm brand new to the site and this is my first post on the forum.
I started a new job at the beginning of March and planned to start cycle commuting again (having sold my cheapie last year to help pay my rent). Having cycle commuted fairly consistently over the past 10 years I am totally at ease on the busy (and some would say dangerous) streets of London. But before I could start the 10 mile a day round-trip I would need a bike.
As a result of the current popularity of cycling and the high price of new bikes, the amount of bike thefts has also increased, particularly in major metropolitan cities like London. So I had two choices:
Option 1: Buy a cheap bike with a semi-decent frame but cheap parts and then spend lots of time (and money) in the bike shop having it repaired.
Option 2: Buy a mid-to-high range priced bike, invest in some decent locks, get some bike insurance and hope that the bike doesn’t get stolen.
While contemplating my options I found myself taking more notice of the bikes around where I live and stumbled onto Super Secret Option 3……get a vintage 1970s or 1980s steel frame, buy some high quality parts and build a neo-retro bike myself!
To that end, I have just won this very lovely 1985 Gazelle Champion Mondial AA Special from a Dutch seller on a well known auction site.
Here is a brief description of the frame:
Gazelle Champion Mondial AA Frame and fork made from Reynolds 531 tubing
A few stone chips and marks from normal use, frame is straight. No dents.
Campagnolo Record headset
Campagnolo Record Bottom bracket
Seat tube centre centre 56 cm.
Tubing: Reynolds 531
construction: lugged, brazed
dropouts: Campagnolo 1010B
fork blades: Reynolds 531, curved
fork crown: Bocama microfusion with Gazelle logo
brake bridge: Cinelli
bottom bracket shell: pressed steel
So, what, I hear you ask, are your plans for such a fine looking frame? Well, I am currently narrowing down which parts I plan on buying (all brand new for the most part) but the only thing that has been decided at this point is that it will be a single speed (not fixie, as I prefer having front and rear brakes when negotiating London traffic and roads).
More updates and pictures to follow in upcoming weeks.