Narhay

I linked that one two posts above. I wasn't sure about the colour match but maybe you can tell me. I ordered it irregardless.

I have the big chainguard clamp as you can see in post #1 for it but not the little seatstay clamp. I'm thinking a p-clamp from a rack set might do the trick.

Narhay

My new wiring, bulbs and light bracket have arrived. I'll be posting up my progress on the refurbish of the light when I get to that project, probably this weekend. The chain guard has not yet arrived.

I have also splurged and purchased a brown Brooks B66 saddle and matching brown stitched leather handgrips. It is my first ever Brooks so we will see what the fuss is all about. The grips are coming from Taiwan and the saddle from Australia so I'm not sure when I will be receiving them. For the time being I'll work on my list of tweaks.

thunderworks

I predict you love the B-66. I've used them on all my upright commuters since 1975. They re extremely comfortable. BTW, last year I scored a 1980 Superbe. It's virtually NOS. It doesn't look like it's ever been ridden. It's identical to a bike I had for years but was stolen in 1985.

Narhay

I wish the frame on this one had better paint. It is ok but now that I've put so much time and money into it it is starting to let it down a bit. Oh well, it is patina. I still haven't found the paint code for touchup paint.

Narhay

Took the bike out for the first time this morning. Within the first 200m the drive side crank arm twisted torsionally and the pedal is now at a 60 degree angle to the body (as opposed to 90 degrees). Needless to say I'm disappointed that the new crankset did not even last a spin around the block.

At least I was close enough to home to swap out for my regular commuter but...what a PITA. Hopefully I can get my money back.

arex

I just couldn't bring myself to trust the Thai crank I got, something didn't seem right.

Narhay

I received a few goodies for this one.



Two new problems have cropped up. The generic headset light bracket I ordered is too short and holds the light too close to the stem. I haven't figured what I want to do yet. Anyone have a Raleigh bracket I could purchase?

Second is the rear brake. The brake arms vibrates badly during braking and makes a horrible rattling screeching noise. Not sure if anyone else working on these brakes has encountered this. I tightened what I could but no improvement.

oddjob2

Take a pair of channel locks and a rag and bend the brake caliper ears gently so the front edge of the pads touch the rims first. This usually takes care of the screech.

Narhay

I've put some adjustable brake pads on there to alleviate the problem but same noise with those. The caliper arm itself vibrates pretty badly. Maybe some rubber washers around the mounting bolt might isolate the noise.

noglider 

You should have taken oddjob's suggestion. You still can, and you should. It works, and it does not ruin the calipers. I prefer an adjustable wrench, because the jaws will be parallel. Your toe-in is merely insufficient. What pads are you using?

Narhay

Currently I have these on there and they are adjustable to toe them in: MEC V-Brake Shoe/Pad Assembly - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

Earlier I had these: https://www.rocknrollbikes.com/upload...%20caliper.jpg

It is not the loud screeching noise that some brakes emit but rather an audible shriek and shudder that runs through the entire frame as it vibrates.

noglider 

I hear you. But now, please hear me. Your adjustable pads are fine, but it's not enough. Bend the arms. I'm telling you, bend the arms. You will not ruin anything. You are not toeing them in enough. Bend the arms. Ya hear me?

oddjob2

I have never spent big money on Kool Stops, but I buy pads by the 50 or 100 count box. I like the Dia Compe grey matter on chrome rims. They stop better than the much cheaper Jagwires on steel, because they are slightly softer. $56/50 for grey matter vs. $40/100 for Jagwire Basic Triblocks.

noglider 

Big money? I pay about $8/pair for Kool Stops. Best value out there for my bike. Of course, I usually don't spend that on bikes I sell. But I have never found anything better than Kool Stop, and almost all pads cost MORE than Kool Stops.

Narhay

I hear you on kool stops. They are my pad of choice as well. Thank you for your continued troubleshooting and assistance. I toed them in further (to an absurd degree at one point then backed off as I adjusted and braked) but still quite the racket. I took some emery cloth and roughed up the braking track a little bit, the brake pads and this improved the situation for the most part. Lastly I inserted a rubber washer between the brake and the bridge and I can say that although the caliper arm still vibrates it does not make an audible noise.

The saddle, crankset and grips have been installed. At first I wasn't sure what to think of the B66 and foam leather grips but it is growing on me. The B66 has more of a skeletal open look whereas the previous saddle was more or less a big black block. I think I'll go take some pictures now.

Narhay

I had a test ride on it tonight. No brake noise but braking performance is average at best. Perhaps some Kool Stop Salmon pads will find their way onto it at some point. There are a few creaks and rattles here and there but I'll find and fix them over time. The hub takes some getting used to when shifting but I think I can handle it. It is finally a completely rideable bicycle. I'll take it to work on Wednesday as its first trial. If I don't post back you'll find me on the side of the road under a heap of gaspipe and leather.

You can see the upside down light bracket. I was trying to be creative with fitting the light but a bracket that holds the light further off the stem is my best bet. I could perhaps fashion a longer attachment on the light itself but it might look a bit odd.

Commando

Beauty bike Narhay, you've done a nice job! I've got a 75 Superbe, bought new by my grandfather. A real pleasure to ride, I'm sure you'll grow to love it, mine is like an old friend!
I hope to add a set of aluminum rims and a B66 in the next 12 months as well.

Narhay

The rim swapout was relatively simple and a direct replacement...if you're ok with truing the wheel. I haven't had much time on the B66 but it was relatively comfortable yesterday. It's basically like sitting on a big couch.

Ankheg

I commuted most of last year on a Raleigh-built Hercules, and the second thing I did was replace the brakes and levers, in order to get satisfactory stopping power. I used VO city bike levers and some Dia-Compe centerpulls I scrounged from the LBS, and they made a huge difference. Big catch was I had to use a "rear" brake both front and rear, for adequate reach. Detracts greatly from the originality, of course, but on an AMF-import Hercules, I'm not sure anyone really cares.

(First thing I did was swap out the 18t cog for a 19t one, but I live in a very hilly city.)

Just got another Hercules (who knew 3-speeds were a drug?), and will be doing the same to it over the next couple of weeks, hopefully.

noglider 

The bike looks outstanding!

This frame has a very slack seat tube angle. Normally, you would put the seat clamp on the other way, with the clamp bolt ahead of the seat post. This puts the seat farther forward. It's up to you, but you may want to try this.

Are you saying the brake squeal you were getting was not from riding on the road? And now that you've ridden the bike, the problem is gone? I'm confused. If you still have a problem, post close up pictures of the brakes that display the contact angle of the pads.

Narhay

Thanks for the comments. The brake shudder was from testing on my workstand when turning the cranks then applying the rear brake. The pads are correctly toed in (brake pad angled so that the point closest to the front of the bike touches first, then with more pressure the rest of the pad will contact the rim). When braking the caliper would vibrate (pad/caliper arm skipping along the rim at a very fast rate creating vibrations) and send these vibrations through the frame. I roughed up the pad, braking surface and put a rubber washer on the brake mounting bolt to insulate the caliper from the rest of the frame. This stopped the vibrations from shaking the rest of the bicycle. All is well with the braking now.

I'll try flipping the seat clamp. It looked too far forward when I put it on that way and so I went with the standard way I've used these clamps before.

I took the bike on its first 10km jaunt today. Rolls well, brakes ok (levers hard to actuate, braking performance so-so, but it doesn't make any more noise), and after some adjustment the shifting is down pat. The non-driveside crank arm came loose about 1km into the commute so that was rather annoying. I'll sort that out and hopefully will solve the issues I had with the crankset this morning.

Beckpatch

Beautiful bike, Narhay. I shall keep an eye out for that bike, as I live near enough to Burnaby. I got my Superbe almost 2 years ago, and find myself riding it more and more, even commuting despite the hills we have here in Vancouver.
That's a good suggestion, Tom, regarding the position of the saddle vis a vis the clamp bolt. I thought that flipping it would bring the seat further back, but I may give it a go. I would like the seat further forward a tad, which would have my hands exactly where I 'd like them, but I may find my legs and feet too far forward of the pedals. Think I'll give it a go, though.

Narhay

Nice Superbe. Yours looks like an original survivor for sure.

Some interesting things happening in 1978 when this was built:
-I was a far-off notion in my parents' minds
-Soyuz 28 lands
-VW starts production of the Rabbit in the USA
-Several Boeing aircraft crashes
-Afghan civil war starts
-Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Dominica gain independence from the United Kingdom
-Somalia invades Eritrea
-Pope Paul VI dies (succeeded by Pope John Paul I, who dies and is then succeeded by Pope John Paul II. First 3 pope year in 1605 and first non-Italian pope since 1523)
-Defector Georgi Markov is assassinated by poison pellet injected via umbrella in London, England.
-Spain ends 40 years of military dictatorship
-Vietnam invades Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge
-Harvey Milk, Mayor of San Francisco is assassinated
-2 million protest against the Shah in Iran

You can read more about the happenings here: 1978 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Narhay

Tried to fix the crank situation this afternoon. The threads on BOTH cotter pins received with the Thai cranks are stripped. Hooray, very happy about this and of the quality. Time to find a place that stocks 9.5mm cotter pins locally and hopefully I can remove the current pins.

noglider 

The consensus is that Bikesmith is the best source for cotters. Not convenient, but it may be worth your while. They're inexpensive, so stock up.