steinbra

And so my journey as a vintage bicycle restorer begins! And why not start out with a bang!

I bought this quite banged up RIH Bustraan Model Campagnolo frame quite cheap of the net, after beeing adviced(told;-) to do so here in this forum, and yesterday it arrived at my post office. Sorry for the pics, better ones will come when I have cleaned it and have more time.

It is a beutiful, simple egg white, with black decals. It weighs just under 3 kg with the fork. Its is a bit scratched and has a small dent in the top tube. Now a few questions arise, that I would like to have peoples opinions as guide and inspiration.

Should I rebuild it vintage style, and try to match it with components that would be right for its time and model? And what would that be? How much should I worry about the decal on the top tube? Even the headset is not Campagnolo, so does is really only mean that the dropouts are Campy, and that I can put on it whatever I like(I know I can anyway, but you know what I mean)? Campy stuff is expencive!

Or should I modernize it, and use it as a core in a usable and enjoyable sporting bike?

As for style, should I go chrome and alloy components, or black and white?

I know I have to decide myself, but please feel free to give inputs and inspiration, and preferably with pictures of other white frame bikes.

lotek 

Steinbra.

Nice Frame (but you knew I'd say that). Could use a clean up, for sure but other than that
looks to be in good condition.
How to build it? depends on what you want and how much you are going to be riding it.
If its a daily rider, used for commuting etc. then something modern would be good. You'll
probably have to spread the rear to accomodate the larger cassette hubs.
If you want something more period correct, maybe a nice campagnolo Nuovo or Super Record
Gruppo. They are not too expensive if you keep looking, check the same site where you bought
the bike! sometime you can buy a 'donor' bike for little or nothing to get the components.
I'm not sure of when the model Campagnolo came out, but given the over bottom bracket
cable routing, and braze on for the brake cable I'd say the bike is late 70's.
Personally I don't like black components, however Marti here on BF built up a beautiful
Zunow with black (or are they dark grey?) campy c-record gruppo.
Again, personally I'd go with silver components, and black saddle and bar tape.


Marty

s70rguy

My unusual sharp eyes noticed tow things: framenumber 791?, I think thats pre-75, but am not sure. Please compare to Lotek's RIH, which is 75 or 76 if memory serves. His framenum,ber starts with 8, again if memory serves.
The other thing, a Hatta Swan headset! I always liked that name, and I think they were pretty good. This one might be completely shot for all I know, of course.

Nice bike!

lotek 

Pretty good memory, my RIH is serial number is 8902 and was built in 1975 (verified by Mr van der Kaay).
What puzzles me about Steinbra's bike is the braze on cable guides, I thought those came out later
say 78 or so, unless they were added later ( repaint?).
I have a Hatta Swan headset on my Zieleman, nice headset, I'd say if compares favorably with
the Campy N. Record headset.

Marty

steinbra

Yes I knew you would say that, but I didnt know myself how much I would love it!
Early 70-ies? That makes this frame older than me! The number is 791 43. I does not seem repainted in any way.

Its cleaned up good now. One problem is the left part of the bottom bracket seems stuck. Its still there, for one, and has signs of someone trying to brute it of with heavy tool. Good thing about that is I can see what it is...

The Hattaswan was a surprise. It was quite rusty on the outside, and the bottom bearings had the well known gravel sound and feel. The bearings were well greased, and a cleaning showed perfect conditon, but a fare share of sand in the bottom one.

I agree on the silver. It is what I see when I close my eyes...

Gotta keep building. Thanks guys! Check in for progress!

steinbra

I put some makeshift wheels, handlebars and seat on it, that I picked from an old gaspipe Gitane I had in the barn. Its all going to be top stuff in the end, but it was just to see the geometry and height and get a feel of the bike.

At least it got me a bit excited.

steinbra

Now just before the winter I finally got into riding condition. I have taken it for a couple of rides around town. This is a very good bicycle, although there are still a few adjustments needed.

RIH

Hello Norway,

Nice to here that you are happy with the frame you bought from me. Ik can tell you a litlle bit more about the bike. I bought it to strip it for the campagnolo nuovo record group with was on it. It was thus a real campagnolo model from RIH. I remember there was a stange detail on it. Normaly the tag with the RIH name has amsterdam standing on it and I thought this tag had Holland on it? But the framenumber was below the tag and not on the bracket. This is the place where the lower rated Covee RIH's witch are mass produced and not handmade by Bustraan has the tag.

Many pleasure with the bike.

RIH

steinbra

So what are you saying? THis is a massproduced frame? Not a Bustraan? But it says Bustraan on the decals?

lotek 

Steinbra,
I don't think that is a Cove built bike. my RIH has same badge and serial number location
as noted above
My RIH's headbadge says Amsterdam and has been verified by mr van der kaaij.

I also have an RIH badge that was sent to me, and it states Holland.
Maybe they were transitioning? not sure but would
be interesting to find out.
Marty

steinbra

Yes, this one too!

[IMG]file:///Users/torsteinb/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

Elev12k

Does say Holland instead of A'dam, but I am sure it has nothing to do with Cove.



Maybe 'Amsterdam' is easier to market abroad? (or the other way round) Maybe Rotterdam based people would walk away from an A'dam bike?

lotek 

From what I gather talking with sr70guy, I would say so.
My de Reus is rather snubbed since it's from the south.
Maybe one of you in the Netherlands could ask Mr van der Kaaij?

I know the shop is RIH SPORT Amsterdam (at least that is according to the web site)
https://www.rihsportamsterdam.nl/

Marty

Elev12k

Yes, Zwanenburg - way south of Amsterdam

Hope to visit the shop soon. Could very well be the question will be answered than.

Yes, ''bij ons in de Jordaan''

luker

This is certainly one of the most obscure, arcane threads that I have read on this forum.


Next, we shall discuss frame builders of the Congo.

urodacus

white enamel crank and levers, white hoods, white saddle, red wheel rims (or at least red tires on white rims), red cables, red tape, red leather toe straps.

s70rguy

Obscure? Arcane? OK, some explanation!

RIH exists for a long time already, from before WW2. They were primarily building for track riders, but road racers too of course. In the late 60s they had a licensing agreement with Fongers (Groningen), so Fongers could offer high-end touring and semi-race bicycles, made of hi-ten or Reynolds tubing. Those bikes had the RIH name, the framenumber was on the headlug, but consisted of 4 numbers and one letter, the letter giving you the year of build. The frames were handbuilt by craftsmen in Groningen, but to RIH design.
When Fongers was bought by Batavus (Heerenveen, not all that far from Groningen), the agreement with RIH was ended. I think in the late 70s RIH was bought by small bicycle producer Cove in Venlo. Amsterdam (mr. van der Kaay by this time) continued with the handbuilt and mostly cutomer specified frames, Cove had a line of mass-produced but still high-end touring and semi-race bikes. I'm pretty sure their framenumbers were on the bb shell, so thats a pretty good indicator of a RIH thats not from Amsterdam. For their semi-race RIH frames Cove used names like Mistral and Elan, on the toptube.
About framenumbers: up till the late 70s or early 80s RIH Amsterdam used 4 numbers (like Lotek's RIH), later there were two digits added, to indicate the year of build.
Mr. van der Kaay still has the records of everything he build, so in essence every frame is traceable.

Less obscure now?

steinbra

Well, to me anyway.
Im not convinced in any direction, but I went to the basement to get pictures of the BB-shell. I only brought my cell phone camera, so excuse the quality.

I dont know if it shows, but it has the frame number on it. It also says "Davis components", and what I believe is frame dimensions. 62 and 60.

Sticker claims Bustraan Amsterdam, but that is I guess not to be trusted.

However, this frame number has 5 digits, 3 + 2.

All I can say is it is beautifully built, very light and a very nice ride.

steinbra

Looks very nice! Do you have more pictures of this one?

Elev12k

Viola. It is a tall one. No longer mine btw, just because of its size.

steinbra

It is a beuty! I note it also has braze on cableguides on the top tube - like mine. All in all, part from the chrome, it is very similar to mine.

luker

Yes, thank you. Less obscure, but no less arcane, I'm afraid. Someday I may be able to follow the nuances of Lowland bikes with more alaricity...but no, I won't ever be as far into it as you and marty are.

lotek 

we could fix that for you. . .

CowboyJunkies

I just got an RIH and was wondering what the year might be on it. It has a Campagnolo Nuovo Record group throughout. There is a number underneath the head-tube badge that I'm guessing is the serial number. It is 8993.

Here is a picture. Bike is in ride-able condition but has fairly extensive signs of use and lack of TLC.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/datelin...to/3482425948/

Hopefully somebody might be able to help out!

Elev12k

Nice

It looks quite a lot like mine, except for the paintscheme (red/white/babyblue in case of mine) and the fact that mine has brazed on guides and shiftermounts. My bike is equipped with SR of the 1st generation. I do not have the framenumber here, so unfortunately we can't compare it.