Basso Scout (frameset): Columbus SL touring frame + unknown forks - 58cm x 56cm (ctc) - now £100 - SOLD

SOLD SOLD SOLD

Hi all

Selling my beloved commuting/touring frame. It's a pretty great ride - feels super fast and stiff, even when lugging around heavy panniers, but still comfortable and forgiving. Lots of nice details too.

A picture built up (had just removed the mudguards, racks, and tape for disassembly):

Link to Flickr album for pictures

Details:

• Basso 'Scout' touring frame, unknown forks (not original).
  
• Colmbus SL frame tubing, uknown tubing on forks (I assume 531 as they're nicely made).
  
• 58cm (ctc) seattube; 56cm (ctc) toptube.
  
• 27.2mm seattube.
  
• Italian threaded bottom bracket.
  
• 1" threaded headset.
  
• Double eyelets on rear dropouts and single eyelets on forks; braze-ons for rear rack and front lowrider; bosses for cantilever brakes; mounts for two water bottle cages.
  
• I used 700x28 tyres with mudguards and had plenty of room to spare. Could easily go up to 32s and, probably, 35s, though I have no tyres to test this with.
  
  

Condition:

• Structurally sound - no dings or dents, everything seems straight and true and all the threads seem good.
  
• One cantilever boss on the fork is sligtly off-centre. When I first picked up the forks I took them to an LBS near King's Cross and the mechanic said they were sound. I've ridden them like this for about four years now without any issues.
  
• The fork is unpainted, with only a light coating of boiled linseed oil to keep it from rusting. I know, I know... this was meant to be a temporary solution until I could find a matching chrome fork but none were forthcoming. Some very light surface rust beginning to show but, again, four years of use and they've held up well (always dried off after a wet ride, always kept indoors, linseed oil reapplied once a year, etc).
  
• The paint, while awesome, is in pretty poor condition. Lots of chips and scratches.
  
  

As is, it makes a nicer-than-average beater/commuter. If I were keeping it, I'd get someone to rebraze the fork cantilever boss (and add a second set of eyelets while they're at it), and would then repaint the frame and fork - with a bit of work it could be something really nice.

Looking for £130->£100 for the frame+fork, which is a bit less than I paid for the two (probably around £160?). Viewing and collection welcome around Richmond or Kingston, or can meet around central London. Would prefer not to post for now. And feel free to let me know if you have any questions or need any more pictures. Thanks!

Just some confusion uploading pictures, please ignore this comment...

Price drop to £120

Price drop to £110, trying to declutter and would prefer not to have this taking up space. It’s an awesome commuter/touring frame (Columbus SL is lovely tubing) and I wish I could keep it, it’s just a bit too big for me.

Hello @EPR! I know this is a slightly awkward time to ask, but would you be willing to post? I need to be able to get around due to the nature of my job (pharmaceuticals) and my mum's Decathalon city bike isn't getting me there particularly smoothly!! No worries if not, obviously. All the best to you and yours. Cheers

i'm also interested if you would be willing to ship

May I ask what cantilever stirrups you have been using, as I am trying to find something that might fit a 1980s frame with Mafac braze-ons?

I once met a Dutch guy who cycled from Amsterdam to Singapore on one of these #csb

Thanks all.

@Slabber I really wish I could help but I’ve just come down with a cold so will be self-isolating for a couple of weeks and therefore can’t think of a sensible way of getting a box from a bike shop... likewise @bradi. If either of you are still interested in a few weeks (obviously depending on the situation) I was going to drop the price again to £100. And thanks for keeping going Slabber, I’m somewhat in awe of all key workers atm!

@user65565 I had a set of NOS Dia Compe 986 callipers, which are great and easily picked up online. If I’m not mistaken though (and I’m sure someone on here will know more) aren’t Mafac bosses for centre-pull brakes? If so then they’ll be too high and close together for cantilevers (the Mafac boss puts the pivot point above the rim, whereas with cantilever bossss it’s below the rim). I think the Mafac posts are also a bit shorter. If that is what you have then you’re actually in quite a lucky spot - I’ve seen lots of people, especially in the US, say centrepulls are just as powerful as cantilevers, with as much clearance for mudguards, but lots more modulation. Haven’t had a chance to try them myself but I thought about it for my touring bike. Paul and Compass (Rene Herse?) have some lovely (and extremely expensive...) sets of centrepull callipers, or you can pick up vintage Mafacs. I’m not sure if they have to specifically be for braze-on though... here’s a rundown of various models.

@kjlem that’s so awesome thanks for sharing! Amsterdam to Singapore is one hell of a ride.... I’ve had a couple of other Basso frames but haven’t seen many other Scouts online and none irl, nice to hear what they’re capable of :-)

@EPR not a problem of course mate, rest up and take it easy. Like you say situation pending I'm sure we can get something sorted when everything has calmed down a bit! I'll be making my way down South at some point (if that's your neck of the woods) so I'll keep in touch anyway. Cheers

Thanks for that very helpful information. Definitely canti bosses on my frame - I have the build specs, and the bosses are most definitely below the rims. I did try Paul cantis but it turns out they are designed to work with wider fork blades, so they didn't give good sensitivity. But really helpful comments. Thanks.

Thanks @Slabber! Stay safe bud and just keep me posted.

And no worries at all @user65565, sorry for the ultimately pointless information haha! For good old fashioned cantis I quite liked the Dia Compe 986s - I found them slightly more rigid than a few others I tried (various other vintage Dia Compes and a set of new Tektro CR720s, all of which fit 'narrow' forks well). I also ran Shimano Deeheads for a while (can't remember which generation) which were on a par with the 986s. I've since changed to some new Dia Compe DC980s, which are pretty fantastic and fit my current 'narrow' forks well. They don't look as good as the original 980s but I much prefer setting up threaded shoes to straight rods, and the other contenders were either just out of budget (those beautiful Pauls) or difficult to track down (TRP EuroX in silver)... And for all the above I've always used aftermarket cartridge shoes so I can get some decent road pads in, that's always made a huge difference to the performance of vintage cantis. Anyway, best of luck with your search and I hope this monologue was slightly more relevant!

Hi - is this still available - can collect in London if so

Sorry for the slow reply - just PMing you now.

Essentially it's still available, but only for collection from TW10 at the moment unfortunately.

Bump, now £100.

Still available for pickup from TW10 but will potentially be reunited with it next week so could also start meeting people further afield from then.

Can give that a good home here, have dropped you a PM.

Brilliant, PM replied to. Thanks :-)

If not sold I may be interested if you’re willing to ship it :)

I want this if you can ship!

Thanks both. Looks like it’ll be going to the first dibser I’m afraid, we’re just arranging things now. Had another person PM yesterday too. In the unlikely scenario that they both fall through I’ll let you know - I’d be happy to ship now.

I did ask if you would ship two months ago :D hehe . But I totally understand no worries

If the sale falls through I'd be happy to come and collect it. I can pick it up this weekend.

Sorry I didn't explain myself very well! Pickup is still my preference, but if the current dibsers (who can both pick up) fall through then I'd be happy to fall back on posting, and I'd of course give first refusal to the initial people who asked for postage, i.e. Slabber and you :-)

Like I said though this has very likely gone, just arranging pickup now. Will keep you updated either way though. Sorry it hasn't worked out, in normal times I'd have done my best to make shipping work, I know how annoying it can be when sellers rule out postage! Hope that all seems fair.

Thanks for your interest - noted! This has very likely gone I'm afraid though. Will let you know in the unlikely case all the above falls through.

This is now sold. Thanks for the interest everyone and thanks for making it so far out West @mattpurdon, excited to see what you do with it.