RVL's Ugly Ducklings

This is so awesome! Never seen a Nuke Proof stem before.

Could be interested in the frame if you are thinking of getting rid of it?

I vaguely remember them from the late '90s - came as standard on their hardtails but presumably were also available on their own.

I'll see how I get on and give you first dibs if I'm letting go of it

Thanks; I think it needs more fixie-crew stickers

It's almost impossible to be involved in West London cyclesport and not know Doug.

Although I've known him almost all my cycling life, our friendship has grown over the past decade through our Pedal Club connection (he was my mentor). I have the 1952 pic in my archive because I'd scanned it for him for the Pedal Club website (http://thepedalclub.org/ ).

The Dawes

You've certainly created an interesting machine. I'd like to hear how well that derailleur actually works - I have discussed this subject with a clubmate ( a highly competent bike mechanic) who was old enough to have dealt with single pulley gears when they were current, and his view was that they were pretty hopeless. Yes, they could just about be made to change onto all three sprockets, but they were never very reliable.

It looks as though you have 3/32" chain and sprockets - I didn't know that ever existed for 3 speed blocks. Do you think the jockey wheel was intended for 3/32" or has it just worn thin?

As for only having three gears, I have two bikes in use like this (although one cheats by having a double chain ring ) and I find it's quite satisfactory - as long as the gears you have are the ones you need for that day's ride. I think your block is 16 -18- 20, and with a 52 ring I'm not sure what sort of riding those gears would suit.

@clubman, thanks for the feedback.

I'd not encountered the Pedal Club - it looks fun

re: Dawes Derailleur - I'd hoped that by fully disassembling/rebuilding I'd maximise my chance of it moving smoothly across all 3 sprockets - I've yet to achieve this (but haven't expended much effort on it either, so watch this space).

Gearing was not intentional, merely what I had in the parts bin - I do the majority of my riding on 72" fixed so the current set-up gives me a bit on either side (66/72/83 -ish) which will be of little comfort with a bike so heavy!
With that in mind, I recently picked up a 46T williams C34 for £10 on ebay. This will give a more useful spread of 59/65/73.
(I live very close to the H10/10 course so once I've got the derailleur running well I'll take it round that on the 52T before I fit the Williams).

Having assumed the BW sprockets would be 1/8" I'd planned to fit a 1/8" chain but had nothing long enough in the parts bin so I was surprised to see that the 3/32" ran so well.
Your suspicions on the jockey are probably correct as it's rather worn and probably did not see much in the way of chain replacement or lubrication in its long life! (It came from a gents town bike that my younger brother @girodibeniamino acquired in italy)

A bit of parts-bin wheelbuilding today. I thought a coaster would make my sscx a bit more fun on the big descents vs. fixed.
36h ambrosio balance on a shimano coaster. I’m getting sensible in my old age

3 Attachments

Messing about with rat bike today. This one looks quite promising

3 Attachments

love a good, tall rat bike

Such a perfectly ratty Turbo (?). Excellent.

Cheers, me too, especially premium quality ones that have taken a real kicking...

Cheers. It's an Arius Gran Carrera - From what i can see it's a Spanish clone of a Cinelli Unicanitor - I doubt the leather has many miles left in it but it looks the part!

I picked up a magic 851 recently on eBay for cheaps. When I went to fit it I discovered I’m missing a vital part 801034

1 Attachment

I couldn’t be arsed to go hunting the internets forever so I thought I’d bodge one up.
I made a cardboard model and then rummaged for a 2mm thick penny washer in the shed.
I opened up the hole and chopped out the shape and then bent it in a vice with a hammer

1 Attachment

The final part works pretty well and has a pleasing ‘knife and forked’ look to it

2 Attachments

Latest iteration of the stallard - more pics to follow

1 Attachment

Finally got round to photographing the finished Rih which I’m using as a winter bike

3 Attachments

The kit is mostly ratty French rarities

3 Attachments

And it’s 1x9

3 Attachments

Narrow rando bars and a nice long stem

3 Attachments

.

3 Attachments

That's fantastic, the perfect rat!

Thanks, I’m pretty pleased with it

That's lovely! Really nice choice of tape colour.