Current Projects chat and miscellany

Tough decision coming up - do I keep my Gazelle Champion Mondial frame or my Raleigh Something touring frame? I don't have the space or money to build up both.

The Gazelle (currently riding SS) can take 28c tyres with Crud guards, just about, but not a rack. I'm not planning on doing any loaded tours (moving to NZ at the end of next summer so it'll be in storage for the next five years, anyway), and if I did, I think I would prefer bikepacking anyway. Performance wise, it's a bit quicker and much more fun to ride, and it has decent brakes; it's also full 531c and looks fantastic.

The Raleigh (which I think is a Clubman with canti and rack mounts added later) can take enormous tyres, guards, and a rear rack. It's got 531 main tubes only. It's not as fun to ride, and now one of the canti-studs is loose so it'll need some money spent on it to get it riding. It's much more sensible, though, especially considering that I don't ride particularly fast.

Both would be built around a 7-speed triple drivetrain which I have been collecting. Brain says keep the Raleigh - more versatile; but heart says keep the Gazelle.

100% the Gazelle.