Olympia Sport
 

Me and my big mouth.

Five years ago on this forum I mentioned I would like an Olympia Sport, and this being BF C&V it was only a matter of time before someone would call me out. In this case it was @alexnagui, whom not only remembered my remark, but also my preferred size, and directed me to one that was for sale. I could have protested that it wasn't black, but there was really no way out.

So here it is, in all its gunky glory. As bought:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...644a504e64.jpg

Olympia Sport was the house brand of Rein Ruitenbeek's bike shop in Hilversum:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6930f549bf.jpg

As far as I know Ruitenbeek didn't build the frames and never divulged where he got them, other than "in Amsterdam". In those days - we're talking mid to late seventies here, I think - many bike shops had their own brands and most got their frames from Belgian manufacturers. In this case, however, the frame has a typical Dutch touch: an ESGE mounting plate where most bikes like this would have had the ubiquitous cylindrical brake bridge. The only other bike of this quality level that I know of that also has this feature is the Gazelle Champion Mondial semi-race model.

Ugly but practical:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fa0fa27522.jpg

The bars are later additions - the seller apologized for not having the original bars anymore - but the rest of the parts may well be original. An interesting selection of decent stuff. Dura-Ace brakes:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bbda33772b.jpg

SunTour Cyclone derailleurs and shift levers:


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2471ce8ec5.jpg

Tange Levin headset:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0848d9ea15.jpg

And SR Royal cranks and seatpost:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...303f48c648.jpg

The bottom bracket is a Campagnolo item, as are the dropouts and fork ends. There is a serial number on the bottom bracket shell, which looks like 560?20. I can't quite make out the fourth digit. It looks like a mirrored 'P':

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...25c431466c.jpg

I've disassembled the bike last night and other than a lot of scratches and some surface rust the frame seems to be in decent shape. Seat tube is 63 cm CT, the top tube 60 cm CC.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...630bc6e5d2.jpg

So far I'm pretty happy with it. Thanks, Alex! :thumb:

Cool, congrats! Glad that it worked out and you got the bike! I hope it rides well:) It's a saved search for me on Marktplaats even though that I don't really need another one. I still haven't done anything with this frameset but one day I will! And last year, I bought another Olympia Sport :eek: which I never posted here and currently have no pictures of. Another project... :innocent:

Could the serial number be 560720? Could it refer to '72 in this case?
I don't think I've ever seen those Reynolds 531 forks decals, by the way..

I've been wondering when they switched to the new style of the head badge. The older one looks like the one in the picture.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...07b1c3ae7d.jpg
From https://balhoofdplaatje.jimdofree.com/

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...is it only me or has anyone else noticed that every time an interesting vintage machine comes up in non-fixie's area it is "just his size"...or that of mrs. non-fixie ;)

learned yet another marque polderese. when saw the header was expecting a machine which hailed from the NE corner o' Italia...


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Yes, it had occurred to me that the fourth digit could be a "7" stamped over another, such as a "9". That would give a similar visual result. Maybe further cleaning will yield more information.

I don't know which - if any - of the decals are original. The seatpost measures 27.2mm and the "nail test" provided a nice musical sound, so I am fairly confident that it is indeed a Reynolds double-butted 531 frame. The seat tube decal is from the post-1973 period, the fork decals resemble the earlier series. Although I have yet to find another example sporting the quotes around the 531 number.

The frame also wears an early Dura-Ace decal -seen here under the pump umbrella, which seems to jibe with the Dura-Ace brakes. These have a a "ZJ" date code, suggesting October 1975.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...709d6431b8.jpg

There is also this decal, which I haven't been able to identify yet either. It reads "SUPERB" (note the absence of an "E" at the end) and below that in a smaller font "FOR THE DISCRIMINATING". Anyone recognize this?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fc7b14111c.jpg

The SunTour derailleurs both have an "RK" date code, meaning November 1975.

From what I've read on these bikes so far, a mix of SunTour and Shimano parts would not have been uncommon. Perhaps other owners can shed some light on this? @nishikiroadace also has one, if I'm not mistaken.

Anyway, my guesstimate would be that this bike was put together sometime in 1976. As for the serial number decoding, I can only guess. The first digit may be the "5" of 1975 or maybe this was the fifth frame to be built on the 20th of July 1976? Or finished at five o'clock on that day? :)

My aim is getting better, I think. And in this particular case I had professional outside help. ;)

Aha! Found it! Probably came with the derailleurs in a box like this:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b31de88b8e.jpg

The decal has been used by Ruitenbeek for a long time, probably left over. These were used up until 1971, but my '78ish has the same fork decals. The other 2 also, one is a '75ish (parts) and unknow age.

Thank you for responding. Much appreciated! :thumb:

Do you think Ruitenbeek applied those decals? I would have thought they would have come with the tubing, from the frame builder, and would have been applied by the painter.

Oh, and I'd really be interested in the serial numbers on your frames.

Yes, I think so. Someone made the frame, it was then sprayed in the Bellamystraat and Ruitenbeek fitted all the parts and decals. (Imho) My '78ish has Suntour Black Cyclone shifting and Superbe brakes and hubs. Suntour freewheel. It also has different seatstays, more wrap around style, Bocama Professional lugs. <> wiebertje

I only have a serial on the '78, which starts with WZ 8.....
I'll see if I have some pictures, lost most of them.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...afc532fcd8.jpg
Actually, I have the idea it could well be '81. Derailleurs say '78, but I think the brakes, CB-4700 Superbe Pro, were first seen in '79. Frame has cable guides and it does have welded Campa cableguides for shifter cables.

Thanks again, @nishikiroadace! That is a mighty big serial number for such a bike. Too big to be non-significant.

Saw your remark about the Bellamystraat. Was there a paint shop there?

81.04.29 #3 makes sense. What or who is WZ? Builder? Client?

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...03a73ba6cf.jpg
The 1975 Olympia Sport. Shimano and CLB handles and Mafac Racer brakes.
SR super light stem and seatpost

I think it could have been Wim Zoon........ from Laren, not too far away from Hilversum.

That is a beautiful bike. Thanks for posting it.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...564e8dce98.jpg
sorry for the blue tyres 😁

:) I can see why, but it does detract somewhat from that beautiful frame.

BTW, found Centrix. And they seem to have worked for Wim Zoon.

CENTRIX, did the paint for a lot of builders, including Zoon. Bellamystraat 80. No longer excists

Here is another Olympia Sport I bought last year in as found condition.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...56e359a3b0.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...00924e89ae.jpg

The bike has been repainted, possibly with a brush, so no decals. The original color is to be seen here and there and seems to be red. The fork is a replacement. I couldn't find any serial number whatsoever, maybe I just couldn't see it under the paint.
It came with Suntour derailleurs and shifters, Suntour Perfect freewheel, Campagnolo cranks with SR chainrings, SR SP-150 pedals, Campagnolo high flange hubs laced to Mavic Module E2 rims, SR 27.2mm seatpost, Tange headset, Mafac Competition brakes with Mafac (Course?) levers, Cinelli stem and bars.

The DS crank has no markings, the NDS crank is marked with "11" in a square which means 1985.
Components could have been changed throughout the years, it's hard to say what's original anymore...

Nice find! Even with the replacement fork. Early seventies at the latest, I would think. Looking forward to seeing that cleaned up. For some incomprehensible reason I like that paint job. :)

Thanks, I like the paintjob as well! I think it's better to live it as it is, it's part of the bike's history now.

As I was cleaning the seatpost that came with the bike tonight, I noticed a couple of marks: "27.0" and "75 8". Ties in neatly with the rest.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8bff8e09df.jpg

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looks like good fun! :thumb:

suspect blades of replacement fork (TANGE Mangaloy?) longer than those of OEM fork. note how the cycle sits at a slight up-bubble in relation to the brickwork in the background. note how brake pads of front caliper must be at the very bottom of the travel in order to reach. you might be able to get rid of some of the up-bubble by deepening the axle slots in the fork ends...

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