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Heh. Thanks Anidel for your kind offer! I already have the derailleurs and shifters though, I'm afraid, and I bought the brakes today.
As for headsets, I was planning on using the one that came off the frame, but it was pretty wrecked when I actually looked at it today in my LBS. (I don't own a headset press... yet...) Anyway, they've offered me a new threaded headset that someone had ordered in, but didn't take in the end, so I think I'm sticking with that. It's not Golden Arrow but it's a fraction of its original cost. It also makes it easier if I decide to move the GA to better frame at some point.The bottom bracket is tempting though. I'm not sure whether to go with that NOS bottom bracket, or a modern sealed one. The sealed one will be far cheaper, but I'm not convinced it will last as long.
I also have, as I briefly mentioned before, some wheels with Dura-Ace hubs that I was planning on using. Again, they're not Golden Arrow, but I have them already- I bought them before everything else (except the crankset).
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So, I had this frame kicking about, I was originally going to sell it, never got round to doing so, then discovered that I had grown taller and so it now fits me. I also had a rather nice Shimano Golden Arrow crankset that I'd bought, that was far too nice to butcher and fit to my fixed. Conclusion- clearly, I need to build yet another bike.
The plan is to build it up with a (nearly) complete GA group, and use it as my winter/spare road bike. Admittedly, this is probably far too good a specification for a fairly boring frame, but still.
Current status of the project is that I now have Golden Arrow dérailleurs, shifters, levers to match the crankset (courtesy of eBay), a selection of saddles that aren't currently doing much, and a set of 27" wheels- Mavic rims on Dura-Ace hubs (courtesy of EPR of this forum). I also have everything else I need to build it up (mostly a mishmash of spare bits) with the exception of the stem, bars and brakes. I'm planning on buying bars/stem of a similar vintage, or something fairly timeless like the Cinelli Giro d'Italia bars. As for the brakes, I'm unsure of whether to fit centre-pulls or not, as the frame has the fittings for them, but I'd quite like quick-release brakes.
The frame looked like this until a few days ago:
Following much paint stripping with pathetic new nitromors and lots of sandpaper, followed by much spraying, it now looks like this:
Not a particularly fantastic picture, but it's now gold with block lettering (very 70s!). It's also not faded and covered in corrosion. The picture doesn't do it justice at all.
The next tasks will be to re-fit the headset and to re-tap the bottom bracket thread as it is covered in around 35 years of muck and corrosion. More to follow soon, I hope. -
Exactly what Regal just said. This stuff was all the rage: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Vintage-Benotto-Dark-Gray-Road-Bike-Handlebar-Tape-with-Plugs-/121352504888http://rover.ebay.com/roverimp/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&pub=5574889051&toolid=10001&campid=5336525415&item=121352504888&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
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Whilst it is most probably perfectly legit, something about this frame for sale doesn't sit right with me. Mainly that it's got one of those University of Oxford bike registration stickers on it, is anyone missing an "MBA" branded bike?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/55cm-fixie-bike-frame-/111371035711http://rover.ebay.com/roverimp/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&pub=5574889051&toolid=10001&campid=5336525415&item=111371035711&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER] -
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Everyone there seems perfectly content to lock the back wheel to the frame with a cheesestring and assume all will be well.
Everyone seems to free-lock in Oxford. Probably due to the fact that there are usually only three options for bike parking:
- Sheffield stands with decrepit rusted mountain bikes locked to them permanently.
- Useless wheelbender racks that you can't actually lock any significant part of your bike to.
- Walls and railings to lean your bike against.
- Sheffield stands with decrepit rusted mountain bikes locked to them permanently.
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I think I've seen him around before. Narrow risers, fulcrum 5 front wheel, no foot retention?
As far as I could tell he had straps and clips, although I could have been mistaken. Didn't catch the name of the bike, but it was a steel frame. Traditional construction, lugs, quill stem (I think) and curved forks, but the paint looked new and tidy.
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This doesn't look that legit, anyone lost a Pinarello Veneto?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-road-bike-/251501550485 -
Ah, I didn't realize that you got pedals with it! Clean them up by all means. It's probably worth greasing the bearings in them too so they're less stiff, if you can.
Also, just a pointer, if (and only if) you can beg/borrow/buy a headset cup remover and headset press, I'd personally take the headset cups out if you're respraying, so you don't damage them with sandpaper or fill them with paint. If you can't do this, then make sure they're masked up really well.
Otherwise, it's not looking too rusty now! It's cleaned up fairly well from what I can see.
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From my personal experience, the build price can very quickly rocket far more than you planned. A bike I was building as a "budget" build has happily sailed over the £200 mark without much effort.
As for tyres, I've heard good things about Gatorskins. I'm generally riding 27 inch wheels, so I'm not all that au fait with what's out there for "normal" size wheels.
Inner tubes are inner tubes.
Seatpost, price depends on diameter. Having owned quite a few 70s Carltons, my money is on it being a 25.4mm one if the frame is tru-wel. Best way to get it, probably ask your local bike repair place if they have one in their spares bin, probably cost around £5.Yes, Brooks saddles are pricey, they're about £60 new I think.
As for pedals that take clips and straps, MKS are a good starting point, albeit costly. -
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I have a few bits of advice, as a poor student who tends to go through bikes quite quickly.
Pedals are a personal choice thing, decide what type of pedal you want (i.e. clips and straps, clipless, or just flat pedals)
Headset locknut- eBay is your friend. Or your LBS. Or this forum.
Chain - KMC S1 if you're on a real budget. I think they can be had for around £4 these days.
Leather saddle- If you can splash the cash, Selle San Marco or Brooks are good starting points, though you're probably looking at £40 upwards for this.
Handlebars are again a personal preference. I assume that you already have an old-style stem that fits this frame.You also probably want crank bolts, as you suggest the old ones are mashed.
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Just my two cents, but if the cranks on the bike aren't too worn, see if you can undo the bolts holding the smaller chainring in, and use the larger one on its own. The ones on the bike are much lighter in weight (and likely better quality) than the one you're looking at on eBay. You'll probably get a better chainline too, in my experience.
Edit: If you aren't too bothered about looks, you can just leave the other ring on unused, it will be ugly but work fine.
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Yes, I might lower it a bit, that's the thing, it's easier for prices to go down rather than up.
As for the things I'd throw in for free, there's a battered rear wheel and Huret Svelto derailleur from another Carlton (both need a little bit of work), a cheapish 46t crankset, and I might have the lamp bracket somewhere too.
There's also some Cinelli bars and stem that I would sell for £25 with the bike.
Yep. Student on a bike. PM me questions and I'll answer them.