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10-15-02, 02:00 AM
Rode my custom built audax/tourer in this morning, having rebuilt it at the weekend after it's return from Bob Jackson where it had been resprayed, canti braze ons fitted, lowrider fittings and extra bottle cage and mudguard eyes fitted.
I've had this bike since it was built for me in 1984, and I have to say the ride in this morning was as pleasurable as meeting up with an old friend.
I haven't ridden the bike since May or June, having been using my Flying Scot for the summer(and it's no slouch!), and I had forgotton how light, taught yet comfortable a good 531c frame could be.
It also made a difference having full guards rather than the salmon profils on the Scot.
The new canti's (cheap Shimano's) are superb when compared to the old centre pulls, and when I get my new 700c wheels think that the feel will improve.(I'm using old 27" at the moment)
No problems on the way in other than the fact that the saddle feels a touch too low at the front, or is maybe too far back, as I kept sliding forward a bit. Also I thought felt the right hand crank loosen slightly, but I plan to tighten up every 25 miles (i.e every day) for the first week.
I may lock out the inner ring of the new Stronglight triple chainset as it lakes a long haul on the campag downtube lever to get up to the outer ring. Locking out the inner and shortening the cable will make it a shorter arc, and I can always readjust for touring.
I also think it looks great, all black with no luglining (though I may do that myself), simple white "Sandy Gilchrist" decals, chromoplastic silver guards, blackburn rack, large flange campag hubs with Mavic rims and stainless spokes.
It won't stay clean for long given the winter weather here.
As for the Scot, it's now on the workstand to get a summer and autumn load of dirt washed off, and then re-equipped, hopefully with some age related equipment.
On the ride in this morning, I remembered how excited riding that bike( my first "lightweight") for the first time, when I was 23, made me feel. I got the same buzz this morning.
I've had this bike since it was built for me in 1984, and I have to say the ride in this morning was as pleasurable as meeting up with an old friend.
I haven't ridden the bike since May or June, having been using my Flying Scot for the summer(and it's no slouch!), and I had forgotton how light, taught yet comfortable a good 531c frame could be.
It also made a difference having full guards rather than the salmon profils on the Scot.
The new canti's (cheap Shimano's) are superb when compared to the old centre pulls, and when I get my new 700c wheels think that the feel will improve.(I'm using old 27" at the moment)
No problems on the way in other than the fact that the saddle feels a touch too low at the front, or is maybe too far back, as I kept sliding forward a bit. Also I thought felt the right hand crank loosen slightly, but I plan to tighten up every 25 miles (i.e every day) for the first week.
I may lock out the inner ring of the new Stronglight triple chainset as it lakes a long haul on the campag downtube lever to get up to the outer ring. Locking out the inner and shortening the cable will make it a shorter arc, and I can always readjust for touring.
I also think it looks great, all black with no luglining (though I may do that myself), simple white "Sandy Gilchrist" decals, chromoplastic silver guards, blackburn rack, large flange campag hubs with Mavic rims and stainless spokes.
It won't stay clean for long given the winter weather here.
As for the Scot, it's now on the workstand to get a summer and autumn load of dirt washed off, and then re-equipped, hopefully with some age related equipment.
On the ride in this morning, I remembered how excited riding that bike( my first "lightweight") for the first time, when I was 23, made me feel. I got the same buzz this morning.