Cycling UK Forum

I have recently finished doing a mild clean up of a very old CB. It has GB bars and stem, Butler 531 forks and frame, Williams cottered chainset 49T, Brooks Blue B17 Standard (New), Shimano 105 rear mech (non original obviously), Mafac Brakes and levers, Suzue front hub on Weinmann rim (very, very nice), Campagnolo flip flop Chromed steel rear hub on unknown rim and New SKS silver Chromoplastic Mudguards. Still to do is replace cabling and add blue housing, get a nice bottle cage because the one it has is a 'needs must came free with something and completely ruins bike' cage and add Blue bar tape. The Paintwork is most definitley worn to say the least but I think it adds a "ye olde" nice touch.

What do people think so far?

P1050472 by mattraisin, on Flickr


P1050475 by mattraisin, on Flickr


P1050476 by mattraisin, on Flickr

Hey, Matt, that looks like a proper bike!
Sensible relaxed frame angles, decent fork offset, should be a comfortable ride.
Funny though, to you its "very old", some of us have fond memories of riding that stuff!
Mafac...check....Williams cottered.....check.....GB bars and stem....check check.....all that stuff was "what you had".
Was years before I could afford a Campag hub....is it all steel, or alloy flanges on a steel barrel? By my count its 40 spoke, so its an old one.
For the front, somebody has had a fair go at making a wheel to look like an old one, but I dont think its that old actually...its 36 spokes by my count, the old standard was 40 rear and 32 front...I don't know how long Suzue have been around, probably longer than I think. I can't make out the spoke pattern, is it 4 cross? Traditionally it was 40 hole 4 cross rear, 32 hole 3 cross front.
No need to get hung up on originality of the front wheel, its a nice looking bike!
I'm too comfortable riding modern stuff with nice low gears (and better brakes!) to want to ride the old stuff again, but its nice that some folk are keeping it going!

edit did you get the gears sorted?
Somebody said your lever might pull too much cable for a small movement.....is it a Huret lever?.....a Campag lever might be better with a modern rear mech....somebody will know!

edit edit looked at the other thread, skating round on top, you said...there was a make of block which specialised in that, it had a little groove in the tips of the teeth....really its just a case of getting the hang of shifting without the clicks, you'll get there.

very nice indeed... just needs a simplex rear changer and a TA bottle cage

Apart from the black logos on the front and seat tubes I could have sworn it was my dads Majestic. Same colour and a triple on it but mostly identical. It's ok, I know who has got my Dad's old one and if I get my hands on it I will be restoring it too. Beautiful ride

very nice keep enjoying it

very nice (except the gears )

what tyres are those?

I've almost finished a good clean up of a 1958 (?) FC Parkes with almost all original components.
Pictures here http://cycleseven.org/a-fifties-revival ... #more-5082 if anyone is interested.

On a budget Halfords tyres. I would replace the rear mech with a more period one but would rather get the tape and brake housing done first and as I am pretty much peniless it will take time.

mattraisin wrote: I would replace the rear mech with a more period one.

an AW hub would look the part for c.£20

Took it our for a quick 13 mile ride today and up quite a steep hill. This is not a bike for hills!! I knew the first gear was high but now I know how high it really is. Was criss crossing all the way up at about 3 MPH. Still it is a good ride and felt stable at 35mph. Anyone got thoughts on installing a double at the front? How hard is it to track down a cottered chainset with a double ring?

You could just fit a smaller single chainring, or a freewheel with a larger sprocket?

mattraisin wrote: How hard is it to track down a cottered chainset with a double ring?

Have a look on ebay - you'd be surprised. I noticed several today when I was looking for something else.

mattraisin wrote:This is not a bike for hills!!

That's done it!!

You'll get loads of replies from leathery old gits who used to do 300 miles a day on a bike like that, up cliffs, into a headwind, all without a gear lower than 65"