yes, making slow progress. Trying not to stress my shoulder . . . But today I got the rim tape tubes and tires on the wheels, and I'll cut the brake and shift housing to size.

Bike is now fully cabled, except that I surely must have another Mafac cable hanger (for the seat bolt) in my piles of parts . . . . Fret fret fret

I'll look for the hanger again tomorrow, and also see if I have a bottom bracket that will fit.

Oh, the tires are 35mm wide, and there is plenty of space between tires and frame and fork. Only snag is that I have to deflate the rear tire to get it in or out of the frame.

Looks like I'm going to need to take the frame to a shop to get the fixed cup off. I have the VAR 30 bottom bracket tool but not the proper insert for this particular fixed cup. Pah.

(PS Remember I am recovering from shoulder surgery so can't really just whang away on the wrench with a mallet, as one does with a stuck cup.)

I ended up grinding open a park tool for Stronglight. It works good, however I found out that their 8 sided cup was not a consistent dimension.

I have six sizes of "jaws" for the Var #30, and I'm in your town... Your shop of choice may be closer, or maybe you just like going there — my feelings won't be hurt! But I'm cheaper, unless they also work for free. PM me.

319, Not orange and 11 sp Ultegra.

Very cool! I assume that is a repaint? Great choice of color.

Repaint, in go-fast red 😉

I should have known! Sure, we can fettle the beast and take a look at your Follis. Thanks!

Do more research. I recall reading that Varberg was somewhat schizophrenic about standards and, thus, some bottom brackets were French or Italian: “rightie tightie” on both sides. I cannot recall what my 1974 is nor which bikes were which. “Danger here Will Rogers”. I cleaned mine from the NDS, inspected with a very bright light and left it alone.

Maybe a frame shop can determine the threading by inspection from the NDS. This “sparky” could not.

Could you perhaps be trying a Nuovo Record spindle with Record (thin, no rifling) cups? The thick Nuovo Record cups need a spindle with the bearing shoulders closer together than Record cups use, so if you try a Nuovo Recpord spindle with Record cups, the adjustable cup can bottom out, as you describe.

The existing cups are unmarked but are definitely not Campagnolo. I suspect they are Stronglight. I do appreciate your comment though; I've never come across the thick/thin cups issue before.

I checked the non drive side with a known French cup and it fit perfectly, so for the nonce I'm going to assume the fixed cup is also French. But of course I'll be careful with removing it.

I have had 19 of these Crescent 92320 (and Monark 90320 - the same bike - different decals and colours) thru the years. They all have French bottom bracket threads 35x1 and English threaded headset (Italian will work too). If they do not have threads for an English headset - the frame is not a 320 but a lesser model (unless it is a late 319 with black Dura Ace)

Monark I built and that I still own:



Crescent that I restored before digital cameras (paper photo scanned). It was just a bit over 10 years old when I restored it...

Gorgeous bikes! Thanks for sharing the pics, especially the Monark. I've never seen one. For that matter I can remember seeing only a couple Crescents over the years too.

Progress, thanks to bulgie and his remarkable workshop. We removed the fixed bottom bracket cup in about three seconds once we fastened down the VAR 30 tool (and yes, it was French.) Then Bulgie got out his reaming tools and evened out the seat tube. Seatpost slides in nicely now.

Thanks Bulgie! I really appreciate your help.

For posterity I thought it wise to add a link to the Classic Rendezvouz page on Crescent, showing a few catalog pics and setting out the components for various models.

https://classicrendezvous.com/countr...eden/crescent/

I have used adjustable reamers and overhauled them and understand how finely you can set them and use them but ……. that picture still looks SCARY 🫣. I need another cuppa coffee.

Definitely fortuitous to have an awesome and generous frame builder in your town!

Oh indeed! And what's also cool is that I got to learn about yet more great tools and how they work. I always find that worth while.

This morning I put in a French threaded Campagnolo bottom bracket. It fit perfectly, and the crank of course fit perfectly as well. No pics right now; I'll wait until I get the bar tape on so that there is something different to look at!

Yeah or someone like me, if that's all you can get.

Crescent also made children's bikes.
They had a tiny little mixte that was pretty decent. It looked like a scaled down adult bike, rather than something that was made for kids.
Sis had one, and put it through a lot of riding. This was in the mid '60's, and I have no idea where that tiny 20" wheeler was made- Chicago, or Sweden...

-D.S.

Interesting history!

Don’t sell yourself short. I’ve seen some of your work on here. You’re a talented builder.