Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

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Salade_Lyonnaise
Posts: 91
Joined: 21 Jun 2019, 11:18am

Re: Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

Post by Salade_Lyonnaise »

Brucey wrote:IME these brakes work best with high MA levers (about 4:1) that are meant for single pivot side pulls and cantis. They also work well with levers meant for first generation DP calipers. NSSLR levers (eg most new shimano STI models 2008 onwards) will work but the brakes are liable to be a little 'wooden' in feel. I have seen these brakes fitted with Vee-brake levers but IMHO this is a pretty bad arrangement.

Word of warning; these brakes last a long time but the flip side is that they take a long time to bed in; up to a year and half (even in daily use), in flat terrain.

cheers


Cheers Brucey, thanks for the info. Definitely worth considering.
pga
Posts: 302
Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 9:40pm

Re: Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

Post by pga »

The best touring bike I ever had,and still have, is a Brian Rourke 531 with mudguard eyes built to racing dimensions with a 38 and a half wheelbase.
Very similar indeed to what the grand tour riders rode at the time. I thought if they could get around France, Spain or Italy on them they do the same for me and so it worked. With front and rear bags I toured in France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland and had no trouble climbing the biggest cols. I used the same bike in several road races, time trials and audax rides. It makes the odd appearance on vintage rides but aluminium and carbon are my present choices. Now with 105 brakes I often wonder how we managed to speed down the cols with only those old Weinman side pulls to save us from a drop into infinity.
AM7
Posts: 362
Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 10:24pm
Location: North West Essex

Re: Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

Post by AM7 »

Salade_Lyonnaise wrote:
AM7 wrote:
Salade_Lyonnaise wrote:Re: Brakes - The only options are calipers made for BMX or cruisers, or to braze on canti bosses...so, yes,


What about drum brakes. I’ve fitted Sturmey drum brakes to my 1984 531c Raleigh Classic 15 (which I believe has a pretty much identical frame to the 80s Record Ace) and they work just fine.


worth considering - is it both hubs?

Yes , X-FDD drum brake with dynamo at the front, and X-RD with a fixed sprocket on the back. I’m using Tektro R200 brake levers which I believe are for DP brakes and they’re working fine.
Salade_Lyonnaise
Posts: 91
Joined: 21 Jun 2019, 11:18am

Re: Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

Post by Salade_Lyonnaise »

AM7 wrote:
Salade_Lyonnaise wrote:
AM7 wrote:
What about drum brakes. I’ve fitted Sturmey drum brakes to my 1984 531c Raleigh Classic 15 (which I believe has a pretty much identical frame to the 80s Record Ace) and they work just fine.


worth considering - is it both hubs?

Yes , X-FDD drum brake with dynamo at the front, and X-RD with a fixed sprocket on the back. I’m using Tektro R200 brake levers which I believe are for DP brakes and they’re working fine.


Great, thanks for the info.
agilhespy
Posts: 3
Joined: 13 Jul 2019, 5:01pm

Re: Opinions - 531c frame okay for loaded touring?

Post by agilhespy »

hello

I once had to go on my annual tour with my "unsuitable racing bike" which is 531C.
(my touring bike was having repairs).
I had a back pack and I posted clean clothes to the hotels I had booked.
They all were happy to post my kit back to me.
i had a nice holiday.

anne
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