cuda2k

Last night I finally got the new Gazelle out on the road. I had decided to get geared up so I could do some trouble shooting on a noise in the wheelset on my Serotta. A couple laps around the block on the Serotta followed by the Fuji allowed me to deduce that it was indeed the rear wheel. Back at the apartment, water bottle still mostly full, still a little day light left, and only a wheel change away from the Gazelle being rideable - I couldn't pass it up.

Granted I only got around the block a few times on it, and my legs were still feeling very much dead to any idea of a longer or faster ride, it was unmistakable that it was a Gazelle I was riding. The slightly longer wheel base did give it a slightly more steady feel than my 83 AB-Frame, but the handling and the zip (as much as my legs would put forth) was still there.

There were the usual to-be-expected first ride annoyances. I think the saddle needs to come up a tad, the nose down just a hair as well. The front derailleur position was causing chain rub in many gear combinations without constant adjustment, and both derailleur cables need a little readjusting as well. I've also come to the conclusion I have become completely spoiled by the feel of my Specialized Carbon Pro shoes and the LOOK Keo pedals I typically use. I had put my spare set of SPD pedals on the new Gazelle and put on my mountain bike shoes to go with. My feet were unhappy about the change, and could tell my knees would likely follow suit on a longer ride. It did help me decide (only 2 months late) what to ask my wife for my birthday though!

I will ride the bike as built with SunTour derailleurs and crank, simplex and assorted Campagnolo other bits for the time being. Perhaps later this summer or in the fall I will revisit the idea of putting the Nuovo Record & Universal parts on the frame. For now though, it will just further support my new position in my local cycling club as the 'vintage guy' who brings a different lugged steel bike to ride every day of the week(end).

John E

Looks good to me, and there is nothing wrong with SunTour derailleurs!

cuda2k

Nothin wrong with them. Just not sure if they are the parts I want on ths frame.

Cool Steel

Hey, you new kid up there with the white bar tape,

I think the two of us have things in common ...



Yours,

Willem


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Seriously, congrats on your nice new 'Antelope', Jon!
I'm absolutely certain that it will be a great rider!

C'mon, there's nothing alike [Suntour der.] - you know you want it ...


(BTW: lovely photo with the fountain in the background - no white garage door in sight )

East Hill

I really like being the person who has a different bike every time I show up at an organised ride .

The Gazelle is beautiful!

East Hill

karmat

Gorgeous bike!

Karl

cuda2k

S.O.S. !!

In need of a Campagnolo Nuovo Record front derailleur in good to very good condition ASAP.

This evening while adjusting the SunTour Cyclone front derailleur I realized that the bottom bracket spindle was very loose, which led to me trying to fix that, which led to me pulling out the suntour crank and bottom bracket and replacing it with my Nuovo crank and bottom bracket. Which of course then led to me swapping out the rear derailleur and front derailleur for my Nuovo Record parts. THEN I discovered that the cable clamping screw's threads were stripped. Ultimately it was the threads on the derailleur pivot arm that were stripped, not the screw. So I need a replacement ASAP, hopefully before the 8th, so I can have this bike ready for the Dallas vintage ride!!

mswantak

See what happens when you can't leave well enough alone?

cuda2k

Yeah, to my credit I did fiddle with the suntour bottom bracket for the better part of 20 minutes before I said screw it and started yanking off more stuff. Not sure what was going on with the Superbe bottom bracket, think I may have had a bearing not seating correctly in the cage, when I pulled it apart a bunch of the bearings had come loose from the cage. Think all that would really be needed is a new set of bearings, but I'll deal with that later. On another frame.

Oh, and I had all this cleaned up at one point this week... really I did:

karmat

If it's just the derailleur itself that is stripped I've had success getting a new bolt in fine pitch from the hardware store slightly larger and drilling/retapping the derailleur. My hardware store sells chrome parts and you can hardly tell I did anything. If you call around I'm sure someone near you does, too. They might even be curious enough to help you re-tap it.

IMHO this is a design flaw with the NR front derailleurs.

Karl

cuda2k

I'll consider tapping and getting a larger bolt. There's not a whole lot of metal there to work with as it is. Will use it as a last resort if I can't get another derailleur in time for the ride on the 8th. That or put the wheels back on the white Gazelle and ride it! You'd think with all the spare wheels I have laying around (see photo above) I'd have more than one wheelset between the two bikes. But I still haven't glued the tubulars (been too hot in the evening to do it outdoors and I've been riding every weekend morning) and the other set is 27" which barely fits the blue gazelle, and of course will also require brake pad adjustment.

cudak888 

Cuda, don't make me send another box out with my post '78 Campag FD...intended for my Guerciotti!

-Kurt

P.S.: I won't trade it, but you're welcome to borrow it if you can compensate me for the USPS Priority shipping to you. PM me.

cuda2k

Thanks for the offer Kurt. I've got a temporary replacement arranged and a long term solution soon to be figured out.