Zieleman

Picked up my new bike today, a 1978 Gazelle Champion Mondial in metallic red.

It is fully equiped with Campy NR, my first complete Campy bike. It's a sublime ride even though there is a lot of work to be done. Needs new bartape, brakeleverhoods, greasing, spoking and lots of cleaning and waxing.

The thrill of getting into unknown territory and riding away on your new classic is a bit addictive...
Especially when the weather is like today:

sunny



Cockpit is falling apart, but nothing that can't be fixed


Ran into an old bicycle storage (I need one of those!)


Needed to take a couple of ferries to get back home


All in all a superb day to start the weekend (and the next project)

Force 

Beautiful - thanks for sharing. I think the bike looks great now and should really be fantastic after some work.

Narhay

We have to ask. Did you get it for a song or fair market?

iptem3000

Beautiful looking bike. Well done. I too am curious what something like that goes for where you are. Here in Vancouver when a bike owner sees Campagnolo they want the moon for it.

Zieleman

Haha, I wish I could sing that good! But 'fair market' is more likely. Fair, but affordable. I got lucky bidding on it, cause a high bidder pulled out and I placed a bid on this 'old' ad. Got a message of acceptance two days later.

Zieleman

Well the seller advertised it as '501 tubing with full campagnola'. So he kinda knew about Campy being nice, but obviously didn't know about Reynolds 531, or that Champion Mondials are all built with 531.

AZORCH

I predict that yours will be more than a short term love affair with this bike. If my own experience is anything to judge by, you may find this to be the best riding "fast" bike ever - my 1982 certainly is. Yours is a beautiful bike.

Zieleman

Tnx, I indeed believe this one's going to be a keeper. The ride is magnificent already, while it needs a bunch of work on greasing and adjusting to make it go smooth as it should be. I feel privileged that I live in a country where Champi's are all but scarse, so everyone can get their hands on such a nice bike.

gomango

A real beauty and great pics.

As you update the bicycle, please share some additional pics!

Chrome Molly

Those pictures look really nice, and the "as is" condition Gazelle looks wonderful. I was going to ask about your headwind on the way home, then the picture of the ferry (there are days I wish I had that option to get home). Best of luck with it, it looks like you will be very happy.

big chainring 

I think that might be my new favorite bike on Bike Forums now. I love everything about it. The color is magnificent. It looks fast standing still.

58 - 59cm?

Zieleman

Thanks for the kind remarks y'all! It is indeed a 58, top tube 56 (my favourite!) which is just my size, according to the charts. Will post pics of updates.

It is now all over the livingroom/repairroom (gf is on holiday). Setbacks are a driveside dustcap, which is stuck into the spider and pedals stuck as well. The dustcap allenkey hole is like a circle now, so that sucks. So much for dustcaps, worthless pieces of ****! I'll think of something/look through the threads on this one.

Btw there was a headwind indeed, but not much: 2 beaufort at most. Was pretty cold though and I wasn't dressed for such mileage.

AZORCH

Easy solution since the hole is circular and unusable for removal: drill two small holes symmetrically - i.e., one across from the other - and use a bicycle pin spanner to remove the dust cap. If it were me, I'd replace the cap and bolt with a self-extracting crank bolt: solves both problems, plus you don't have to locate a thin walled socket to remove the crank bolt.

Zieleman

Thanks for the tip Azorch! Was thinking of drilling those holes, but will have to get my hands on a drill capable of that...
Would such a self-extracting bolt work when the threads of the spider are wasted?

AZORCH

Yes, I would imagine so. If you can still thread the cap you should be able to thread a self-extracting crank bolt - the tension keeping the crank arm on the bike is the bolt threading into the BB spindle anyway. Is your dust cap metal or plastic?

Zieleman

I believe it's metal. It is campy and the non-driveside is metal as well.

Giacomo 1 

Great looking bike Zielman.

Looks like your first trip with it went very well. Not bad for a 34 year old Frenchy! Fix that cockpit up a bit and she's really going to be a beauty. Good pics of the trip to. I loved your country when I was there, especially the town of Breda - gorgeous city. Easily the most bike friendly country I've ever been to.

Good luck and more pics as you progress please!

Zieleman

Thanks Giacomo! Needs more than just a fresh cockpit though. And eeh... Gazelle is no frenchy I'm afraid, but one of Holland's largest bicycle manufacturers. And it feels like it's been build for this country as well: it eats 'polders' like it's chocolatepie!

Wildwood 

touche.

very nice bike. Keepers are fun.

Giacomo 1 

Doh!

Well, live and learn! Hey, still not bad for a 34 year old Hollander!

Drillium Dude 

Great looking bike - and the scenery is beautiful, too! Isn't it great to dedicate a day to a bike, one way or the other?

I for one am looking forward to updates as you get her freshened up

DD

Oldpeddaller

Lovely Gazelle, despite the tidying and service needed, it looks to be in brilliant shape. Thanks for sharing your day with us! I love Holland, we often spend a few days in Leiden, Amsterdam or Rotterdam and it's great to drive out into the countryside. Must take a bike with me one day! I agree, drilling two holes in the dust cap and using a pin wrench is the best way to remove it. Give the pin wrench a couple of sharp taps with a hammer (carefully, don't hit the chainrings or cranks) to get the thread started then wind it out. If you can't get the self-extracting type, the chrome finished Campagnolo plastic dust caps look nice and are easy to remove again. I'd try to get the pedals free with the cranks still on the bike - more leverage and less chance of marking the cranks than in a vice.

Zieleman

Thanks for the technical advice, will follow these since you guys have a little more experience than I.
btw
The scenery was indeed fantastic:

Dirtroad bikepaths (which I didn't know existed in the Netherlands)


A hunter



WWII memorial



Me arriving at the first ferry


And you're right DD, dedicating this day to my new Champi! And thanks to documenting on BF I will certainly never forget this perfect day.

GuyForget

beautiful bike and a beautiful place to ride it.. be sure to post more pictures as you get it looking even better.

Orrery

Beautiful bicycle, and enjoyed the pics of you bringing it home in your lovely country.