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My first project..... Peugeot Carbolite 103

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My first project..... Peugeot Carbolite 103

Old 06-17-09, 02:22 PM
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My first project..... Peugeot Carbolite 103

Hi

I thought I'd have a go at converting an old peugeot into a fixed speed bike. As it was my first project i figured i'd keep it real and start with a cheap ebay purchase. Apologies in advance for any mistaken ID on bike parts by the way! I got the original biken for less than 20 quid all in which was fine. I kept the front 52 chainring and removed the inner 42 chainring. I lost the rear groupset which i learned was Helicomatic (not much positive feedback on this bit of technology on the forums!) I purchased a shimano hub and rear chain cog for about £70 quid from velosolo (no assoc' with me) which was a stinger but by then i had the bug! I quite liked the old rigida rims which have cleaned up nicely. I had fun rebuilding the rear wheel with the new hub, new spokes (under a tenner) and the original rims (tips required on this later!)

Most of the other outlays were on tools which i'm sure i'll be using again in the future so i'm not adding this to my costs. I scored an old brooks saddle on ebay. In fact I got two old bikes for £2, yep £2 and one of them had the brooks saddle which was pretty dry so i gave it the neatsfoot oil treatment and it seems to have done the trick.

A good ebay trick seems to be to search close to your own postcode for sellers who are not offering postage. This reduces the amount of bidders to very few. I live in aberdeen and picked the two bikes up in rural aberdeenshire on the way back from a hike in the cairngorms. I sold one of the frames (dawes) for £25 after stripping it and offering postage so that took the edge of the price of the rear hub.

Just waiting on some tires and i'll give it a test ride. I am going to get the gear lever bosses removed before painting the frame (my metalworking mate is going to do it properly for me - i'd mess it up.

Chain cost a tenner or thereabouts. On the lookout for a stubby brake lever and that's about it.

when i've made up the rear wheel some of the spokes ends are emerging through the nipple more tan others and some noticably so - any tips on sorting this? I have it almost true but i though the wheel might be distorted into a slightly oval shape!

I have an old raleigh frame to sell but don't think it's up to much. Not reynolds or anything and weighs a ton!

not sure if i've attached the picture properly - soon see....
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Old 06-17-09, 02:28 PM
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Another question.....

I stripped the frame as best I could but my friend has a sandblaster to finish it off. For painting i need to remove the bottom bracket and am waiting on a tool for this - has anyone removed a cabolite bottom bracket before?

The bearing bosses (might have just made that name up!) ie the silver bits on the part of the frame that that the forks fit into need to come out too before painting - can anyone tell me how to remove these without causing any damage to either the components or the frame?

I had a nightmare getting the forks out in the first place but got there in the end!

I was glad i never chucked the seat post as i've since learned these are narrow and hard to replace.

thanks

James
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Old 06-17-09, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Jamesherbie
when i've made up the rear wheel some of the spokes ends are emerging through the nipple more tan others and some noticably so - any tips on sorting this? I have it almost true but i though the wheel might be distorted into a slightly oval shape!
Couple of ideas.

If you are seeing a pattern of 2 spoke ends sticking through the nipples followed by 2 that don't all the way around the wheel, you've mislaced the wheel. You are off by 1 hole on the hub side-to-side.

If you think that you've ovalized the rim, loosen all of the spokes until you have exactly 1 spoke thread showing. Then start at the valve hole and tighten each spoke exactly 1/2 turn. It'll take several rounds of the wheel to bring the spokes up to tension but your patience will soon be rewarded. Assuming all of the spokes are the same length and you have tightened each spoke the same amount, you will have pulled the rim into a nice, round shape.
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Old 06-17-09, 02:48 PM
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AH!!!

Right. I've checked it and that is exactly it! I'm guessing there is is no quick fix other than to start again? I thought i had done something wrong assuming my spoke lenght calculation was correct!

Thanks so much for that. I was thinking the rim was bust but it seems quite flexible and should work ok if i can lace the wheel properly.

James

where are you mailing from Retro Grouch?
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Old 06-17-09, 04:18 PM
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The parts you describe are called the headset (at least in the States). They can usually be easily knocked out from the backside with a hammer and punch (drift?). Some folks make a tool to do it by taking a piece of copper pipe, cutting slots into the end of it and bending the flaps out a bit. That way you can pull it through the headset cup until the flaps are through and then hit the top of it to force the cup out.
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Old 06-17-09, 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Couple of ideas.

If you are seeing a pattern of 2 spoke ends sticking through the nipples followed by 2 that don't all the way around the wheel, you've mislaced the wheel. You are off by 1 hole on the hub side-to-side.

If you think that you've ovalized the rim, loosen all of the spokes until you have exactly 1 spoke thread showing. Then start at the valve hole and tighten each spoke exactly 1/2 turn. It'll take several rounds of the wheel to bring the spokes up to tension but your patience will soon be rewarded. Assuming all of the spokes are the same length and you have tightened each spoke the same amount, you will have pulled the rim into a nice, round shape.
Ok.... Tonight I've relaced the wheel. Not trued it yet but all the spokes seem to be in the right place now. Thanks again.
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Old 06-17-09, 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Sturmcrow
The parts you describe are called the headset (at least in the States). They can usually be easily knocked out from the backside with a hammer and punch (drift?). Some folks make a tool to do it by taking a piece of copper pipe, cutting slots into the end of it and bending the flaps out a bit. That way you can pull it through the headset cup until the flaps are through and then hit the top of it to force the cup out.
Great, thanks for the help! I'm tentatively looking forward to riding it. I smashed my elbow about a year ago in the unluckiest accident ever (for me at least!) and haven't really ridden since. maybe I'm mad to make my first ride a fixie?!
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Old 06-17-09, 08:19 PM
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Carbolite 103 is not the model name. It identifies the tubing used in the frame. It's Peugeot's proprietary tubing and was used in their less expensive bikes.
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Old 06-18-09, 02:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Dirtdrop
Carbolite 103 is not the model name. It identifies the tubing used in the frame. It's Peugeot's proprietary tubing and was used in their less expensive bikes.
yeah i was aware of that from the reading I had done but figured if i quoted the tubing name that would help find others working on the same frame. I think the model was Aubisque.
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Old 06-18-09, 04:04 AM
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Hey thats a good job youve done so far

good way to learn

I live near Dundee and have a large Raleigh frame that I cant fit on. Its Reynolds 531 tubing.
You can have it if you collect.
Got lots of parts too.
No fixed gear hubs tho. I was wanting one for my Elswick Hopper Whirlwind. I just made that into a single speed.
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Old 06-18-09, 07:25 AM
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Thanks for that. I googled the elswick - very nice indeed.

My flatmate asked me what i was going to do when i finished the bike. I said that i was going to try and start another one - she just couldn't understand it and went back to the housework!

Might take you up on the 531 offer. I'm about 6"3' so I need a large frame. I drive to edinburgh regularly so could stop past on the way. what would you like for it?

James
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Old 06-18-09, 02:09 PM
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Its no use to me. So dont want anything for it.
Its blue. Got long drop out slots.
Dont think its got gear lever bosses on the down tube. Think its early 80s.
Got a couple of other big Raleigh road frames. There a bit newer. Ones got nice Unicrown forks.
You could have them too.

Will have to have a look at it again. I will take some pictures and measurements.
Got some road and MTB parts too. Like stems, Bars and brakes that can go with it.

Heres a picture of my Elswick Hopper Whirlwind single speed.

I think its an early 70s bike that had 26" steel 5 speed wheels, cottered cranks and steel drop bars. I built a 27" steel rim onto a Maillard alloy hub that I messed with the spacers on. Its got SR alloy cranks. The big ring had corroded teeth, and couldnt be removed. So I cut off all the teeth and filed it round, its a sort of chainguard now. Its got Weimman 500 sidepull brakes with CLB aero levers. The SR stem has cut of drop bars with red foam covering from an exercise bike. The mudguards were from a ladies roadster. But there a bit close to the tyres. Think I'll run it with shortie mudguards. Or maybe build a pair of 700c wheels for it.

Last edited by griftereck; 06-18-09 at 02:12 PM. Reason: missed a bit
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Old 06-19-09, 04:37 AM
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That's a nice build, good thinking on the chainring - that must have taken some time! I like what you've done with the bars. I might do something like that as i rarely ride in the drop position. The colour reminds me of a raleigh my sister had when we were kids.

That's a very kind offer. I'll need to drop in sometime, would be good to have a chat anyway.

I should make some more progress next week even if it's just getting the new tyres on so might stick on some more pictures.

cheers

James
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Old 06-19-09, 03:27 PM
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The cranks are alloy on the Elswick. The teeth are thinner than the rest of the ring. So I sawed off 3 or 4 teeth, then filed it down to the thicker bit. I sanded the complete cranks down. As they were old and scratched. Nice and shiny now.

The Elswick is a rebadged Raleigh. Raleigh had a lot of bike Marques. The mudguards I fitted were from a Phillips roadster. Which is another Raleigh owned company, so thats why the colour matches.
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