Originally Posted by
TruF
The wheels look straight to me, no signs of damage. Just some rust. And I can always ask the original owner if she ever had an accident while riding the bike.
I'll order the new brake pads. I'm thinking of keeping the blue theme when I replace the handlebar tape. And I've always wanted an excuse for a Brooks saddle. Overkill for this bike?
Comfort is not overkill. Besides, if you do like the Brooks but not the bike, you can keep the saddle when you sell the bike.
I just got a B17 from Ebay seller American Cycle Center for $80!
Those bars are probably best described a Maes-style bend, after a Belgian racer of the same name. Today the Nitto B115 and the Noodle are similar, at least in hook and ramp shape. These were probably made by GB, since the stem is GB.
Your frame is made by Gazelle of Netherlands, one of Raleigh's better (for want of a better term) subcontractors. Well made, carbon steel, seamless tubing (I think); a high-quality frame with middle grade materials.
You have the original Simplex derailleurs. Many people will tell you to dump them, but when new they functioned at least as well as the Campagnolo Records of the day AND over a wider gear range. If they didn't wear out in their first life, they'll be good to you in their second -- worth a try. The brake calipers are saleable on their own for a decent fraction of what you'll pay for the Brooks. Ditto for the 'bars and stem, especially with brake levers. Most of us back in the day ditched the safety levers on the brakes, but some liked them - you might. Certainly a lot of these bikes survived with the safety levers.