UO8 before and after
 

I just finished this tonight and intended on getting better pics tomorrow but I ended up selling it to a guy that came to look at a different bike. :thumb:

I picked this up last year in really rough shape as you can see,

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...DSC03413-1.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC03427.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...DSC03430-1.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC03433.jpg

And the after, It's no prize winner but man did it ride nice.

It got a set of aluminum Arraya wheels with a seven speed cluster and a set of Suntour derailleurs along with all new cables, housings, aluminum handlebars and a thorough going over.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC04133.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC04134.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC04135.jpg

One more saved from the brink of destruction :D

Not so surprising it sold quickly. Those much-maligned U08's ride the way much "better" bikes should, and going over to alloy rims makes them even more irresistible.:love:

Good work, Fordsvtparts!

Nice restoration, hope the person who bought rides the heck out of it!

Cheers,
Chris

Nice work! I see you replaced the brake levers with the proper levers too. Good move. Still the narrow diameter steel seatpost inserted into a collar in the ST? Yeah, they were nice riders.

Thanks guys, I usually try to use as much original stuff as I can but on this one so much was junk that I couldn't and I also couldn't stand seeing those Schwinn brakes with turkey levers on a bike like this either so I snagged a set of Mafac levers from a really cool local shop with lots of old parts at great prices.

I really get a huge measure of satisfaction seeing a bike I built go to a new owner that will (hopefully) love it and care for it, Makes the whole process worthwhile really.

Nice, I had one of those and sold it before I got around to working on it.

I know full well the nuances and frustrations that come with old french bikes, and I know full well that UO's are just glorified gaspipe...

...but I can't help it. I love UO8's. They're just such great bikes. I had one and sold it, and I regret it all the time.

My UO-8 does not look like much, which is great for a theft-resistant beater, but it has all the right component upgrades and makes a delightful commuter and errand-runner.

Great job!

I sold my '72 UO-8 a few years ago that I had bought brand new. I ended up getting another because they are great all-round bikes.

One of these days I'll build one to keep, my grail bike is a PX-10 but I'll have to hit it really lucky to find one in my price range.

For now it's my trusty Raleighs :)


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