jan nikolajsen 

After a series of strictly utilitarian bike projects featuring semi modern Campy groups on older steel I wanted to say like John Cleese: '..and now for something completely different', yet still create a somewhat user friendly bike.

I also wanted to go back and pick up friction down tube shifters and freewheels and non aero levers where I left them a couple of years back. The ease of assembly and predictability of shifting that comes with a modern Campagnolo group is nice but also not terribly challenging, both regarding design choices in the shop and later on the road.

The luxury of having half a dozen rideable bikes is that one can occasionally mix in a more free-form, brainstorming kinda build, without being stuck riding the darn thing every single time!

Still, even these anarchistic concepts could benefit from having some sort of tangible thread that ties them together in one way or another. For this one I tentatively sniffed my way along two faint tracks, never committing completely to either: Matching black sections on the frame to various components, and (even less assertively) trying for the weight weenie thing.

In the annoying name of suspense and deliberation (and because the bike is barely underway AND since it's almost midnight here) I will start with a single picture of the derailleurs:



Why these very early Cyclone models? Well, they fulfill the black and weenie criteria admirably, but they also come from that one Japanese manufacturer that us Campy fiends can afford to let in the door: The vintage Suntour company.

..and why potentially not these? Because, upon closer inspection it is found that they predate the frame by a decade or so, which is a far more awkward situation than the other way around. But this is only one of the many oddities of this build.

jan nikolajsen 

While still pondering the wheelset of this project, I'll post a few more component choices:

Stronglight 99 crank. Really liking the TA on my Woodrup, I wanted to try 'the other' French maker. It took some tenacity finding one of the older models of the 99, with the more squarish profile to the arms, and especially finding one with a drillium big ring (crucial!) and overall good condition. Eventually the Bay Area Craigslist came through, complete with a seller not opposed to shipping.



But, as with most French parts, I'm starting to learn, this was just the beginning. The big ring is 54T, number 2 is 40T. Good combo for flatlanders but not around here. Had to convert to a triple to keep the drillium goodness. The unmarked 32T ring in 86 bcd was under $2 on eBay, and nearly as cheap was the NOS bolt kit, but finding them was another couple of weeks.

Then off course the crank extractor threads are a totally unique fraction of a millimeter, curiously enough placed slightly askew of the already unique threads of the TA crank. Alas, another tool to source, and again not easy to find. This one is supposedly an original Stronglight and less expensive than the Stein variation.

Various Internet inquiries revealed to me that the bottom bracket spindle for a triple needs to be asymmetrical and between 123 and 125mm long. Only a Stronglight original seemed to fit this bill, and again not costly but rare. It is my hope that I can use some of my Campagnolo Record cups from that era to complete the set-up....

At least the pedal threads were already re-tapped.

ColonelJLloyd 

Looking forward to seeing more.

rhm

So far, so good! There aren't many prettier cranks out there... nor prettier derailleurs.

nlerner

Hmm, I'm liking those components and have them on several bikes. For mechs, I also like the look of 1st generation Shimano Crane/Dura Ace, paired with a Stronglight 99 crankset.

Neal

auchencrow

Sounds like you're on the right path with this build Jan - Go for the really cool components with abject disregard for convention and conformity. - It will be something completely different, of that I am sure!

jan nikolajsen 

Thanks, guys! Yes, "abject disregard for convention and conformity", as Auchencrow says. Ahh, were I just so brave in all aspects of life!

Well, philosophy aside we'll get to the brake choices, which, compared to cranks, are less complex as to the fluid interface of everything. Roughly match the year of frame and caliper and one should be home free. So that's the expectation here with a 1984 brake set going on a 1988 frame.

In the early eighties I had my first round of passion for custom race bike builds, and after much studying we concluded the Modolo Professional brake set to be the cream of the crop. They didn't disappoint, neither in function nor looks.

'Modern' Allen wrench bolts throughout made them seem more sophisticated right out of the box than their Campy contemporaries. They also held their adjustment really well and the ergo shaped gum hoods were some of the most comfy at the time.

For this project I thought a black brake set would be appropriate and one of the easiest brands to find a vintage set of is Modolo. Off course it had to be the Professional of my old bike. These are not NOS but came in their original packaging with very little wear.

Ex Pres 

Just a warning: My attempt to match up Stronglight spindles with Campy Record (thick/rifled) cups was a no-go. My DA and Sakae attempts failed as well. I didn't like how much the adjustable cup protruded. The Stronglight spindle has a flange to flange (race) width ~55mm, or at least all 3 of the ones in my hand did. Campy Record is 52mm. Now I did match up thin cups (mine are from a Victory group) with success.

<---My avatar pic is a Stronglight 104 on my '78 Raleigh Pro with Stronglight spindle and the Victory cups.

junkfoodjunkie

Looking forward to the end product!!

Jake

jan nikolajsen 

You're right. Here's my attempt with rifled cups and Stronglight spindle: even using a 3mm spacer on the fixed side leaves the lockring way too far in. And this is without considering chainline, stay clearance etc.. The saga is far from over. Which is why we love C&V, right?

Picchio Special

Beat Breu set the standard for weight-weenie 753 frames in the 80's with his climbing special - he won a number of mountain stages on it with the Cilo Squad. It was very weenie-esque, with CLB brakes and no bar tape, though I don't recall all the component details (I think it had composite shift levers, and maybe brake levers too, but don't have the pics in front of me). It was very mix-and-match and very cool. I have always though it would be a cool idea to replicate, either as a direct or indirect tribute.

k_as_in_knife

I can't see it as any more awkward than Campy 9-speed on a 70s or 80s frame. I have a set of these (not GT, though) on my '96 Rivendell. They're perfectly at home there, and yes they're about 15 years older than the frame.

By the way I'm jealous - a GT set in black, and the extended-cage front no less. My black Cyclones are short-cage, and I'm going to have to do some cage-swappin' to accommodate my old legs :-)

CV-6 

Look for an SR/Suntour spindle. Right taper and about 5mm shorter where it counts.

-holiday76

I'm sure it will be great. I've also bee thinking a lot lately about giving up conformity and just building bikes purely based on function. That's really all that matters when you're riding a bike anyway.

Can't wait to see more pics!

jan nikolajsen 

Installed the fork tonight using the good old VO economy headset. Prior to that I did the Frame-Saver thing and all the facing/chasing business. All in all a quite satisfactory time in the shop - which could have been spent browsing Bikeforums...

cudak888 

SBDU frame, eh? What year?

-Kurt

jan nikolajsen 

Kurt: SBDU, yes. Year? Too late for Ilkeston.


Spent my morning messing around with the Raleigh. Bar and stem are Cinelli - 63-40 and 1A, 120mm respectively. Both had minor issues. Its funny how that tiny little exposed section of handle bars always take a beating. These ones, a generous Pay It Forward from Zorro, needed the full treatment: 80 through 800 grit, followed by paste. But as always it's worth the mess.


The stem came without a bar clamp bolt, so I had to dig deep in the parts locker to come up with something suitable. When it was all finished up I had been machining and fabricating for over an hour. Here's a pic of my Poor Man' Lathe: Two spinning interfaces, 90 degrees to each other, with the part chucked in a drill and the grinder clambed in a vise. Works pretty good, actually.


After all that I got to move over to the bike and install a few parts.

ColonelJLloyd 

Oh, yes. This is going to be very cool.

jan nikolajsen 

I might actually get this one on the road this week, if I didn't mess up the pedal threads yesterday. Tomorrow will tell when I get to work and borrow the taps.

Not as cool colors as Afilado's, not as period as MichaelAngelo's, not with the patina and originality of CV-6's.. but definitely with an eclectic mix of parts.

Bianchigirll 

I love it!

cudak888 

There's something about that black Cyclone group that makes it pop; that and the skinwalls. Very nice...

-Kurt

Wildwood 

Really stunning.
How long has this eclectic-ism been in the planning?

afilado

Love the patient, instructive unfolding of your story, Jan. And, of course, the organic rave-up of components is right up my alley. Rich, mystical stuff.

This is a great bookend thread to KonAaron Snake's "Ultimate Aesthetics" thread.

J

abarth

Amazing! Can't wait to see pictures of the Raleigh outside.

junkfoodjunkie

Coming along nicely Jan!
Always love your builds and threads.

Jake