Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

The champagne colour of the shoe is very nice. Not sure how you'd finish the bike off with such a soft colour. White?

The stronger pinks could be finished with black tape and saddle.

The right pink would'nt look out a place with plain cork tape, and biege saddle.

Plain cork tape and honey Brooks is the plan, with polished aluminium/silver anodised components. It's been a long time since I've had a bike nice enough to put my saddle on, it's been beautifying my 'nice things' shelf for too long.

I think I'll just get it built quickly and do some touring on it before customising it properly though. I might get to like the foul metallic forest green!

Huh yeah I've seen that frame before. Didn't know it was an Atlantic Boulevard paint job. Still, the bad reports that I read were about the longevity of the paintwork rather than the quality. Plus I think I'm right in saying that it's extremely expensive to get a frame done there, compared to e.g. Bob Jackson or Argos.

There's a thread about Atlantic Boulervard on this 'ere forum. http://www.lfgss.com/thread52153.html?highlight=atlantic+boulevard

More occurences if you UT(F)S.

I've not had work done their but did pay a visit their as I work nearby. The quotes come in expensive, but the finish on the work looks amazing - if your frame is vintage, then it could be a good option, they can make up new decals too if needed. I can't comment on the longevity/durability of the paint finish.

Yeah I read that thread, I know their work *looks *top-notch. But a few google searches came up with people that were unhappy about the state of their paintwork after a year or so. Considering that it's a touring bike I think durability is pretty important. I'm just gonna build it as-is, use it for a bit, then consider a respray.

lae, it's likely due to the health and safety law that the original enamel paint were harmful, of which is now weaker.

in the past they were quite strong, almost as strong as powdercoat, but nowadays they chipped easily.

Yeah I read that thread, I know their work *looks *top-notch. But a few google searches came up with people that were unhappy about the state of their paintwork after a year or so. Considering that it's a touring bike I think durability is pretty important. I'm just gonna build it as-is, use it for a bit, then consider a respray.

The trouble with google and product / service reviews is that there's a bias to bad experiences. For all those reviews you can find, there's n customers who have had either a good or bad experience and haven't detailed in on the interwebzernet. Edit - you could always give AB a call, have chat, explain your reservations and see what response you get.

lets says 100 people says it's good, but it only take just the one bad review to make it sound like a bad choice.

Back to function me thinks, I'm not that worried about colour as long as the thing works

Ooh a Condor, them are awesome bike, very indestructible.

lets says 100 people says it's good, but it only take just the one bad review to make it sound like a bad choice.

You're unlikely to find 100 people saying it's good online though Ed, particularly for something as small as the service AB provide. People are much more likely to write about their perceived bad service than good, when unprompted (i.e. it's not the ebay feedback system etc).

It was a mere example, Brixton Cycles almost got a bad reps simply because one of the staff member was having a bad day.

like you?

lae, it's likely due to the health and safety law that the original enamel paint were harmful, of which is now weaker.

in the past they were quite strong, almost as strong as powdercoat, but nowadays they chipped easily.

Yeah old enamel is incredibly tough. I don't wanna powdercoat my frame though. I don't know what the toughness of 2-pack acrylic is compared to modern enamel but it's pretty bloody tough too.

I get what you're both saying about bias towards negative feedback, I hadn't thought about it like that. Still, not paying £300 for a paint job on a £150 frame like, but I guess it's not as bad as I'd thought.

All I'll says is this - if you love this frame and wish to keep it for a long period of time, go for it.

handshakegrippss

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handshakegrippss

Originally thought it was soap. Are those plastic, rubber, or some other shit?

Fucking hideous is what they are

They are actually made from whale's ear-wax.

Meanwhile, my local body shop has a whizzy web-cam in a tube thingy that they hold over a paint/colour sample and it gives then a mix formula in about 15 seconds, for which they charge nothing. Mean they can match aged paint etc apparently, though of course the finish is better unless you cut down the old stuff. If you do, it's perfectish, even under sodium lights.

Having ridden this today, it's a very impressive touring bicycle;

Has the look of something you could tether a blimp to in a hurricane.

Having ridden this** today**, it's a very impressive touring bicycle

I bow to your superior experience of touring Ed but surely test riding a bike for a day (did you test ride it all day or just have a little go on it) doesn't fully represent it's aptitude for touring. For me, touring = days (plural) in the saddle.

:)

For me, touring = days (plural) in the saddle.

For which those bars are a fail, are they not?

For which those bars are a fail, are they not?

depend on the tour you're doing.

I bow to your superior experience of touring Ed but surely test riding a bike for a day (did you test ride it all day or just have a little go on it) doesn't fully represent it's aptitude for touring. For me, touring = days (plural) in the saddle.

I'm kinda doing research on which bike to go for the 2012 tour of South America actually.

Things I wouldn't necessarily take on a tour of somewhere where you're potentially going to have to do all the repair work yourself:

1. Aluminium frame, for all the lightness, if it fucks up, steel can be repaired by a random dude in a shed.
   
2. Internal geared hub. If that fucks up, you're fucked
   
3. Disc Brakes. (especially hydraulics)
   
   

Simplicity = king.

N.B. all my knowledge is from reported advice, I have never done a long enough tour to merit my own opinion.
frankly I don't have the patience.