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Yes, bearings got a good clean @TheShipwright, thanks for the information about the numbering.
Jobs done since last update: fitted rear/front Apex mech (front is temporarily shimmed with cut up inner tube), fitted Sram chain, cleaned headset now smooth, re-fitted existing brake calipers with Apex cartridge pads and barrel adjusters, fitted Flite saddle (temporary, want to switch for Cambum all-weather), decided to keep ITM Super Italia Pro-2 bars, serviced GXP BB with a ton of lubricant in anticipation of putting on new Apex chainset, got Apex shifters and cables readied.
Jobs to come: remove Mirage chainset and BB, fit Apex/GXP, fit new Zenith stem, cable-up, test-ride, sort seatpost, grease everything.
I am then left with a spare mostly-Mirage groupset, so a new build with that might be next on a beater frame. The wheels are undecided currently, the Mercian built ones are so nice and I think they will work best with gumwalls. I read up on the rear Mirage hub and I need to drift out the sealed bearings then fit new ones for smooth running. (Edit: I'll open up the seals first and see if a bit of grease in helps before drifting them out). The front is just a cup and cone job.
Front mech, with inner tube shim:
Like the bars a lot:
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Squaredisk
@TheShipwright
That's a pain but at least the sealed bearings are easy to replace.
I've had some success in prising the plastic seal off and cleaning the bearings with white spirit.
If they're not too far gone you get a bit longer out of them.
Nice you've got the fork to match and it's stamped etc.
I think with Mercian, the first two digits are the frame "number" so the 85th frame built in 98.
Those headset bearings look like they needed a bit of clean!