Claud Butler Dalesman found in a Skip

Was passing by Penge and couldn't resist picking up the bike. I didn't take any pictures at the time but it was covered in twigs and whatnot. Chain was rusted and stretched and fused to the rear cassette but the front wheel moved and the frame seemed straight.

I have never refurbished a bicycle before but how hard might it be? Gave skip bike a good clean and doused everything that should move but did not in WD40.

Sadly the freewheel had seized so I had to resort to buying a replacement. Sourced a replacement from ebay (thanks ukrugman!) and with a new chain we were ready to roll!

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or so I thought. Trying to cycle for a few hundred metres and the pedals stop turning with a strange creaking noise from the BB.

Pedalling backwards and forwards a few times now seems to have put the ball bearings back into the right place and everything seems Ok now-ish but a little bit creaky. The non-drive side crank can be pulled but I don't have the tool to open the BB case so I'll leave it for now or take it to a shop with tools.

As far as I can tell the components are all original early '80s with Weinmann brake levers and vainquer calipers, Suntour front mech and shifters on the down tube. The original Brooks saddle is on there as well as the pedals (I think with original leather straps) pannier rack and mudguards.

I've just now replaced the bar grip foam stuff with some equally cheap 'n' nasty tape from ebay and given the cable guides a good rub down with rubbing alcohol to brighten up the colour.

My total cost of build is:

£15 new chain
£30 replacement rear wheel with cassette
£8 crank puller and chain tool
£3.55 bar tape

£56.55 total

Some of the pictures make it look better than it is, not sure when patina ends and rust starts but I suspect skip bike is on the wrong end of the spectrum. Tried with T-Cut to remove the surface rust, may try rubbing compound later if I'm feeling brave!

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Nice find

A good find! Are you sure about the stem? If it's a normal-length quill, there's can't be much of it inside the steerer.

I love the idea of at least attempting to give a bike like this a new life - and this looks a lot better than others I've seen abandoned!

No idea about the stem. I guess I can try and get it whipped off and check. There is a little guide mark on the stem so I'll see if it's beyond the limit

Nice :). Original ESGE mudguards too. I guess you have budgeted for brake blocks too :)

I had a set that were fairly worn lying around after I found out the hard way the brake blocks weren't too effective

Nice find!

this is well cool. nice find! is it Reynolds 531/531ST (super tourist)?

There is a badly damaged Reynolds 531 sticker on the frame somewhere as well as a Holdsworth one too

Forgive me if I'm teaching a grandmother to suck eggs, but it might need a precautionary spray of Frame Saver inside the frame. Claud Butler should have put some in when they built it. They probably did, but you never know. And maybe it's no longer working? I don't know how long it's supposed to last. If you're in Brixton you're welcome to borrow mine. It's one of those products where people have to buy about 100x more than they really need.

Cheers, didn't know about frame saver but this is my first rodeo! The seat post is fused in so I'll have to find a way to get into the frame.

As it happens I run a little brewery in Loughborough Junction on the weekends so not so far away!

Great! That's saved you a tenner and avoided the manufacture of a spray can. Msg me when you want to drop by. I hang around in Windrush Sq. some evenings. I can also lend you penetrating spray for your seat post. It's much better than lube for that kind of thing.