Backpedaling - Restoring a 1960? Olmo to its Former Glory
#51
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Thanks Guys.
As long as I have your attention I have another question. Which pedal will better fit my wide feet, the Way Assauto or the Sheffield 673?
Brent
As long as I have your attention I have another question. Which pedal will better fit my wide feet, the Way Assauto or the Sheffield 673?
Brent
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Can't say about the Way Assauto, but I have wide feet and no pedal with that pointy thing at the end can work for me. So I sold all my 673s and bought 658s.
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Those slots in the stem are a little worrisome to me. At the very least, I would drill out a relief hole at the top of the two thin slots. I really have no idea how long the slots can be extended before it would becomes an issue, but I'd think twice about using that stem at the original "factory limit" height.
+1 to iab's "swag" regarding the previous owner's idea for an upgrade. the O bolt is a cool touch.
+1 to iab's "swag" regarding the previous owner's idea for an upgrade. the O bolt is a cool touch.
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I use extenders to expand the platform so the quill doesn't dig in since I ride with clips and straps a bit loose for lots of float.

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Brent
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I would love to use the 658's, but as you pointed out earlier they are hard to come by. I've found one pair for sale at a price that would break my budget. We'll see how much I love this bike: Maybe a pair of 658s will be affixed in the future.
Since I can just barely make Campagnolo pedals work it sounds like the Way Assautos should work for me.
Brent
Since I can just barely make Campagnolo pedals work it sounds like the Way Assautos should work for me.
Brent
If its that cramped I would consider MKS touring or the Atom's? that came with it for the Cino, it will be a slog with pedals that are less than ideal.

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Wowie Zowie Brent! That is a stunningly beautiful bike. Hopefully I'll get to Cino this year (if it's still on) and see it live.
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Thanks davester !
Too bad the Marinica was pre-empted this year!
Maybe we'll share the "longest-distance-traveled award at the Cino.
Brent
Too bad the Marinica was pre-empted this year!
Maybe we'll share the "longest-distance-traveled award at the Cino.
Brent
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I forgot to chime in about the stem bolt. Mine with the nice alloy Ambrosio Champion stem and bar combo also had a bolt with the "O" for Olmo on it. Ha, I even have a photo showing the extra long bolt!
So I'm quite confident saying that the bolt is original, or at least one with that same "O" on it. I've seen it on my example and a couple of others shared online.
-Gregory
So I'm quite confident saying that the bolt is original, or at least one with that same "O" on it. I've seen it on my example and a couple of others shared online.
-Gregory

Last edited by Kilroy1988; 04-29-20 at 07:36 PM.
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^Well, how ‘bout that?! I never would have thought that extra long bolt was original but that’s pretty convincing corroborating evidence.
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Mine is exactly the same at the top but I have never had it out.

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Do you know anything about the "Pedali in ferro anni 50 - 25 euro" that are above the single Sheffield pedal in the 2nd listing?
Brent
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at first glance it appears to be Sheffield Corsa Nr. 655
but lacks the "teeth" on the top edge of the plates, and has a slightly different cutout in the middle of the front/back plate
the dusctcap tells us it is definitely a Sheffield
it may just be a 655 variant rather than a separate model
the 655 was made for generations and came stock on hundreds of thousands of base model road cycles...

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Last edited by juvela; 04-30-20 at 12:48 PM. Reason: correction
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Here's one where I got lucky. On the left is the newer record derailleur that came with the bike. On the right is the 1960 vintage version which I happened to have in my box of miscellaneous Campy parts. The difference is the leg that protrudes below the clamp and accommodates a cable housing. Note that the cage on the right one is very worn, but it looks to me like I can remove the cage and upper arm from one and transplant it onto the other. I'll report back here on my success or lack thereof.
Brent
Here's a photo of the cleaned-up derailleur.

Brent
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That is a lot of cage wear. Some people just don't bother to trim!
Likes For gaucho777:
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Thanks very much for the update Brent!
Good to see you are moving forward with things on this project.
Both mechs incorrect for cycle.
If you survey the numerous well documented examples from this time at PeterB's site you will see that only the Professional Deluxe received the Record model front mech.
Since your frame is plain gauge the highest possible model it could be is the Professional, which received the Gran Sport front mech at this time.
---
You mention the need for a different bottom bracket cable guide to go with a mech which uses housing.
Instead of simply getting a Nr. 626 you could add a spot of interest to the cycle while staying period correct by going with Nr. 630 which incorporates a cup/cradle for the Silca cast metal pump head.


---
Verot LVII set -
unless you received the period correct dustcovers with the arms you shall probably need to run them without covers as the period correct covers would likely cost as much as the arms, if they could be found.
-----
Thanks very much for the update Brent!
Good to see you are moving forward with things on this project.
Both mechs incorrect for cycle.
If you survey the numerous well documented examples from this time at PeterB's site you will see that only the Professional Deluxe received the Record model front mech.
Since your frame is plain gauge the highest possible model it could be is the Professional, which received the Gran Sport front mech at this time.
---
You mention the need for a different bottom bracket cable guide to go with a mech which uses housing.
Instead of simply getting a Nr. 626 you could add a spot of interest to the cycle while staying period correct by going with Nr. 630 which incorporates a cup/cradle for the Silca cast metal pump head.


---
Verot LVII set -
unless you received the period correct dustcovers with the arms you shall probably need to run them without covers as the period correct covers would likely cost as much as the arms, if they could be found.
-----
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Thanks again for the detailed information Mr. Mock Mondia!
How my bubble is burst! I was so proud of myself for having the correct front derr in my small cache of older parts! All is not lost however. I may be able to easily remedy my front derr mistake. There may be a Gran Sport front derr waiting for me in a friend's shop in Santa Cruz, but I shall have to wait until "Hunker At Home" is over. The same Santa Cruz friend has promised a few other parts for this bike!
List member WolfgangVerne was kind enough to supply me with the 626 clip. I have never seen the cast Silca pump head: another thing to keep my eyes open for.

Unless the Velobase photo is incorrect my Stronlight 57 crankset (also supplied by WolfgangVerne) is complete with the correct dust caps!

Brent
How my bubble is burst! I was so proud of myself for having the correct front derr in my small cache of older parts! All is not lost however. I may be able to easily remedy my front derr mistake. There may be a Gran Sport front derr waiting for me in a friend's shop in Santa Cruz, but I shall have to wait until "Hunker At Home" is over. The same Santa Cruz friend has promised a few other parts for this bike!
List member WolfgangVerne was kind enough to supply me with the 626 clip. I have never seen the cast Silca pump head: another thing to keep my eyes open for.

Unless the Velobase photo is incorrect my Stronlight 57 crankset (also supplied by WolfgangVerne) is complete with the correct dust caps!

Brent
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note on Verot dust covers -
have never known a specific date for the change from the model with the round holes to the one with the slot
so the question caused me to do a spot o' research
model 57 launch was October 1956
here it is on the cover of catalogue of 1958 -

round hole dust covers were in use for 1956, 1957, 1958 & 1959. 1960 seems to be the changeover year to the slotted type.
here is a page from a domestic French market catalogue for Peugeot of 1959 -

here is a page from the domestic French market catalogue dated 1961-62 -

you found an axle locknut date on your machine of 1959 which lets you reasonably think of the bicycle as either a 1959 or a 1960.
have not as yet been able to learn when in 1960 the dustcover changed. just know that it changed about that time.
if you elect to run your 57's without dustcovers you will want to have the correct black oxide domed head 16mm fixing bolts.
-----
note on Verot dust covers -
have never known a specific date for the change from the model with the round holes to the one with the slot
so the question caused me to do a spot o' research
model 57 launch was October 1956
here it is on the cover of catalogue of 1958 -

round hole dust covers were in use for 1956, 1957, 1958 & 1959. 1960 seems to be the changeover year to the slotted type.
here is a page from a domestic French market catalogue for Peugeot of 1959 -

here is a page from the domestic French market catalogue dated 1961-62 -

you found an axle locknut date on your machine of 1959 which lets you reasonably think of the bicycle as either a 1959 or a 1960.
have not as yet been able to learn when in 1960 the dustcover changed. just know that it changed about that time.
if you elect to run your 57's without dustcovers you will want to have the correct black oxide domed head 16mm fixing bolts.
-----
Last edited by juvela; 05-06-20 at 09:18 PM. Reason: spellin'
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I have been following this thread and noticed there is a great amount of expertise here on things Italian. I have a question you all might be able to answer.
At the Bike Exchange I often find rare or unusual parts in our bins. Sometimes they are worth a bit of money . A while ago I took a pair of Sheffield pedals over to my restoration Guru and he offered to buy them from the Exchange for a fair market value (he is one of the original founders of the exchange). Since then I have been on the lookout and recently found another pair. These are different though . While the others were Stainless? and shiny these are not. They are not rusty. they are just dull grey as seen in the photos. They are definitely Sheffield . if you look closely you can just make out the letters on the end of the pedal surrounding the dust cap.
Anyone have an idea what I have here. Why finish them this way? are they something special or are they cheap?

At the Bike Exchange I often find rare or unusual parts in our bins. Sometimes they are worth a bit of money . A while ago I took a pair of Sheffield pedals over to my restoration Guru and he offered to buy them from the Exchange for a fair market value (he is one of the original founders of the exchange). Since then I have been on the lookout and recently found another pair. These are different though . While the others were Stainless? and shiny these are not. They are not rusty. they are just dull grey as seen in the photos. They are definitely Sheffield . if you look closely you can just make out the letters on the end of the pedal surrounding the dust cap.
Anyone have an idea what I have here. Why finish them this way? are they something special or are they cheap?



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hello capnjonny,
thanks for posting these
the dull grey finish is due to a zinc/galvanized finish rather than chrome plating
there were no stainless models
this pedal is model nr. 663, your example has the economy zinc finish
it was also manufactured with a polished chrome finish at greater cost
the model came stock on gazillions of base model Italian machines for several decades
here is an image of the chrome version -

-----
hello capnjonny,
thanks for posting these
the dull grey finish is due to a zinc/galvanized finish rather than chrome plating
there were no stainless models
this pedal is model nr. 663, your example has the economy zinc finish
it was also manufactured with a polished chrome finish at greater cost
the model came stock on gazillions of base model Italian machines for several decades
here is an image of the chrome version -

-----
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Brent, I just came across this thread on your beautiful Olmo project. I'm glad that I can contribute a little to your restoration, even unwittingly. I'll be following your progress, as my old Olmo headset finds a proper home. Good luck with the project. Will you be starting a Legnano version next? 😉
Steve
Steve
