Razesa Track Frame, Batavus Professional, Surly Steamroller, Vintage Unknown Ratbike

Nope. @markairsy1 will have the full story but I understand it was given to him by a LBS after as a replacement for a damaged frame? It was ratty to start with.

Polishing old parts is SOOO satisfying, I have run out of things to do now. Plus a very quick way to add £s to vintage parts.

Fingers crossed, it is a literally a one man operation doing it but for £76 frame and forks it is a bargain, just hope I don't regret not going to a specialist.

I have got lots of nice sparkly parts for it. The wheelset remains a conundrum.

I know I am biased but this bike deserves more love: it handles so beautifully. Had a mate posit that it may not be British built because of the weird lugs. Would love to find out where it is from.

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Teaser from the powder-coaters! He describes it as ok, and sent me a pic saying the coat didn't take too well here and so will be asking £60

But colour looks great!

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It is pretty much the same orange as my Guerc, pretty happy with it. Does anyone have a headset press I can borrow?

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If chalk farm area is convenient your welcome to use my headset press.

Thank you for the offer! Not London based unfortunately. Going to hold off until I have got the decals on which I will lacquer. Talking of decals a couple have gone on.

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The forks when they were chrome had those on them in blue but I found some in white. Google suggested it was the name of Columbus' alu tubing, but as it translates as 'Race Team' I am certain it is not, presumably decorative stickers for chainstays and fork blades on Columbus racing bikes. And I had a set of decals already and this is the headtube badge so I stuck it experimentally on the top tube. It shows my concept for the colour scheme like the orange Guerc I had.

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Frustrated because @BiCals was offering custom decals in the classifieds but hasn't responded to hails here and the contact form on the website. I basically want the below decal set but with all the yellow on it in white instead, and probably both the headtube badge and downtube badge bigger. I also want a second headtube badge for the seat tube .

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Got loads of bits for it gonna be a bit of a hybrid, with the wheelset the biggest conundrum. @IRLeo offered a pair of NOS Campy rims I still want but he hasn't been on the forum for a month. I have a Campagnolo C-Record rear hub so far. The cockpit is up in the air: I am thinking NJS Nitto of some form.

Oh and I stuck a Jag and EA70s on the ratbike

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Chills, looks so good.

Grr about the decals. You putting on the champion stripe thingys too?

Wheelset remains an enigma wrapped up in a riddle, but the rear hub looks boss in those ends

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Yep double world champ stripes on the seat tube I will make the decals happen

How not to lock your bike, but it this is the Shires not the smoke

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Seat cluster on point

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The Razesa has ground to a halt as the both the chap doing to the custom decals and the other chap with the NOS Campy rims have gone quiet so all the momentum has gone out of it.

That said it is a bit of a vanity project so happy to kick it down the road until the spring.

So in other news I spent an eye-watering amount on a custom fork from Orlowski. Suddenly as the weather has turned getting the Steamroller sorted seems to be the biggest priority. My plan has always been to put a disc brake up front to the point I have both a Straggler fork unfitted and a cheap disc front wheel. However I didn't want to change the geo so I sacked it off. Now selling the Straggler and my mate at Temple Bikes is trying to get me a 650b wheelset set built for it at trade. I am thinking tubeless 47mm Gravelkings or Byways.

And I always hated the colour so also considering a powder coat in red or orange again.

5-6 weeks for the fork, am excite.

Looking forward to seeing the orange against a full build. Can you remind what are the rear dropouts? Gipiemme?

Yeah the Razesa build proved frustrating as I was waiting on decals and rims so it have been kicked down the road for a while, probably look to complete it for the spring.

The Steamroller continues. I bought some cheap rims off Planet X, Pacenti 28h for the front and some WTB 32h for the rear. Briefly considered cannabalising existing wheelset but settled on this double-fixed Novatec for the rear and this front Novatec disc hub.

Going to get the wheels built up by local wheelbuilders and planing on using WTB 47mm Byways. To start with I will just lacquer the Orlowski fork and maybe after the winter get the whole thing resprayed. Still on the outlook for a Chris King headset for it.

Rims and hubs and headset all here. Well chuffed with the hubs, Novatec are lovely and very cheap compared to most, considering Novatec likely manufacture most of them. £30 for the front £40 for the rear.

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Got the headset for £63 off eBay condition is great.

Wheels are built, picking them up on Saturday. Deciding on tyres and mudguards atm, can you fit 47s with muguards? I remember reading somewhere the max is 45mms.

Also Orlowski has messaged me that he has all the materials for the fork and will be building it this week and shipping it Sunday so it looks like it will finally all coming together. Can't wait.

Any updates yet? Looking forward to seeing it!

Well the fork has finally got here to to say I am happy is a massive understatement.

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I thought it was coming raw but it's painted black with a lil sparkle

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Lovely crown

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