Viscount bicycles!!

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Bendo
Posts: 292
Joined: 3 Nov 2010, 10:10am

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Bendo »

Goldie wrote:My Aerospace Pro is up on the workstand at the moment. When I spin the back wheel on the stand and let it revolve with the the freewheel block stationary, the freewheel block oscillates. Does this sound like a bent axle? And if so, does anyone have a replacement hollow axle (or a reccomendation as to where I can pick up one new)?


My Sport did the same thing when it came back from its resto, and that was with a NOS Dura Ace cluster. Like Busaste I've found all my bikes' freewheel blocks do that: Dura Ace and 600, Suntour Perfect and Winner Pro Compe. I guess it's just a tolerance issue— that it would take too high a tolerance to manufacture that out of a freewheel.

b
CTC London
Posts: 44
Joined: 7 Nov 2011, 6:01pm
Location: Greater London
Contact:

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by CTC London »

Bendo wrote:
Goldie wrote:My Aerospace Pro is up on the workstand at the moment. When I spin the back wheel on the stand and let it revolve with the the freewheel block stationary, the freewheel block oscillates. Does this sound like a bent axle? And if so, does anyone have a replacement hollow axle (or a reccomendation as to where I can pick up one new)?


My Sport did the same thing when it came back from its resto, and that was with a NOS Dura Ace cluster. Like Busaste I've found all my bikes' freewheel blocks do that: Dura Ace and 600, Suntour Perfect and Winner Pro Compe. I guess it's just a tolerance issue— that it would take too high a tolerance to manufacture that out of a freewheel.

b


It is my understanding that when the first Campag freewheels were manufactured the tolerance were so tight that on a long decent the freewheel seized up, hence a bit of float is a good thing.
Philip Benstead
Secretary
CTC London – Working to promote the use of the cycle as a means of utility, transport or leisure for ALL.
Email to ctclondon@yahoogroups.co.uk
CTC London Twitter: @CTCLondon)
Bendo
Posts: 292
Joined: 3 Nov 2010, 10:10am

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Bendo »

Thanks Philip. Nice to have Le Grand Fromage weigh in to our little Viscount "sub-forum". :D

To take the thread off the incredibly informative tack it's been on lately, just wanted to draw people's attention to a lovely little bike, not a Viscount, but one that could almost be in spirit. Lovely fillet-brazing, especially for a Schwinn! Even the canitlever bosses are filleted. For sale on easyBay for USD1,600.00.

Image

Image

Image

b
DannytheLuddite
Posts: 11
Joined: 27 Aug 2009, 3:06pm
Location: London

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by DannytheLuddite »

Bendo wrote:There's not much in the way of tyres in 27" (ISO 630) these days. I'm assuming that's the kind of wheel your Viscount has. If so, the most common size around is 27x 1&1/4 inches. 1.25in translates as almost 32mm, which is a respectably wide tyre by road bike standards, but not so wide as to ruin the look of your bike. It also depends on what you bike's frame will be able to fit. On an Aerospace frame, because the chain-stays are relatively thick and have no "pinch" on the inside near the chain-stay bridge, the widest they can fit is 1 & 1/4 anyway and that's only with about 1mm to spare on either side (any buckle in the wheel or even a badly seated tyre and you've got rubbing!). Your frame might have more clearance, you'd have to check. My favourite tyre is the Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard.

OTOH if your bike has 700C wheels then the world's your oyster.

b


Hmm. I have an Aerospace Sport with 27 x 1-1/4 inch tyres, and I have considerably more clearance than that - I'd say at least 5 mm each side. Having said that, the rims (original) were made for this size tyre and I don't know how well they would take to wider ones.
ACM911
Posts: 10
Joined: 18 May 2012, 12:40pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by ACM911 »

Further to my previous posts, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures now that the bike has been cleaned up a little in readines for ebay listing

Image

Anyone able to identify these chainrings?

Image

Image
busaste
Posts: 369
Joined: 1 Mar 2008, 10:18pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by busaste »

ACM911 wrote:Further to my previous posts, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures now that the bike has been cleaned up a little in readines for ebay listing

Image

Anyone able to identify these chainrings?

Image

Image


Wow! That looks good! Too good to sell infact - why not keep it?

Anyway, the chainrings look like TA Criterium (classic French stuff), presumably a 52/44 teeth combination. A new set of genuine bolts for these is £30+!
ACM911
Posts: 10
Joined: 18 May 2012, 12:40pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by ACM911 »

busaste wrote:Wow! That looks good! Too good to sell infact - why not keep it?

Anyway, the chainrings look like TA Criterium (classic French stuff), presumably a 52/44 teeth combination. A new set of genuine bolts for these is £30+!


Thanks for the compliment. I must admit the thought of keeping it did enter my head but I know the reality is that I would rarely get round to riding it. As I said in an earlier post I bought it 25 years ago just to have something to ride while I kept my kids company as they were learning some road sense. And to be honest for the last 25 years I have been ignorant of the fact that it was anything special; although to be fair the guy selling it to me did say it was but I put this down sales patter.

The picture does unfortunately flatter, there are a few minor faults that need sorting out; to quote from my ebay description:
There is some corrosion on some of the chrome parts.
The outer bearing protection cap is missing from the left hand side pedal.
The rubber guards on the hand brake levers are perished.
There are slight scuff marks on the saddle.
The tyres are serviceable and hold pressure but are showing their age.

I've started the bidding at £85 and I hope it attracts some attention but more importantly I'd like it to go to someone who (unlike me until it was too late) will appreciate it.
Bendo
Posts: 292
Joined: 3 Nov 2010, 10:10am

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Bendo »

I agree with Busaste, that's too beautiful to sell. If I was local I would be bidding for sure! And I don't think the pictures hide any of the flaws. Truth is, it has only minor ones anyway. For a bike of its age, it has cleaned up beautifully.

Are you intending to give up riding altogether? Because should you ever decide to get back on a bike, or buy a new one, you will have to spend +£1000 to get a bike that rides as well as this. OK so I'm biased, but just saying.

b
busaste
Posts: 369
Joined: 1 Mar 2008, 10:18pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by busaste »

Bendo wrote:I agree with Busaste, that's too beautiful to sell. If I was local I would be bidding for sure! And I don't think the pictures hide any of the flaws. Truth is, it has only minor ones anyway. For a bike of its age, it has cleaned up beautifully.

Are you intending to give up riding altogether? Because should you ever decide to get back on a bike, or buy a new one, you will have to spend +£1000 to get a bike that rides as well as this. OK so I'm biased, but just saying.

b


Couldn't have put it better myself!

A modern bike would never look so good either. Is it any wonder what with gawky 'compact' frame geometry, overblown alloy tubes or worse still 'creaky' carbon, hideous brake/gear levers, razor blade seat, garish graphics, etc - YOWSER...
ACM911
Posts: 10
Joined: 18 May 2012, 12:40pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by ACM911 »

busaste wrote:
Bendo wrote:I agree with Busaste, that's too beautiful to sell. If I was local I would be bidding for sure! And I don't think the pictures hide any of the flaws. Truth is, it has only minor ones anyway. For a bike of its age, it has cleaned up beautifully.

Are you intending to give up riding altogether? Because should you ever decide to get back on a bike, or buy a new one, you will have to spend +£1000 to get a bike that rides as well as this. OK so I'm biased, but just saying.

b


Couldn't have put it better myself!

A modern bike would never look so good either. Is it any wonder what with gawky 'compact' frame geometry, overblown alloy tubes or worse still 'creaky' carbon, hideous brake/gear levers, razor blade seat, garish graphics, etc - YOWSER...


Would I be offending anyone or breaking any forum rules if I included a link to these endorsements in my ebay advertisement?
Bendo
Posts: 292
Joined: 3 Nov 2010, 10:10am

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Bendo »

ACM911 wrote:
busaste wrote:
Bendo wrote:I agree with Busaste, that's too beautiful to sell. If I was local I would be bidding for sure! And I don't think the pictures hide any of the flaws. Truth is, it has only minor ones anyway. For a bike of its age, it has cleaned up beautifully.

Are you intending to give up riding altogether? Because should you ever decide to get back on a bike, or buy a new one, you will have to spend +£1000 to get a bike that rides as well as this. OK so I'm biased, but just saying.

b


Couldn't have put it better myself!

A modern bike would never look so good either. Is it any wonder what with gawky 'compact' frame geometry, overblown alloy tubes or worse still 'creaky' carbon, hideous brake/gear levers, razor blade seat, garish graphics, etc - YOWSER...


Would I be offending anyone or breaking any forum rules if I included a link to these endorsements in my ebay advertisement?


Haha! That would be fine with me at least. :D b
Spudh
Posts: 42
Joined: 11 Aug 2011, 10:42pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Spudh »

My Wife did her second triathlon on the Viscount yesterday. :D :D

Everything was going great until about 1km from home she went to change from the small chain ring to the big one and the chain came off! :cry: She's not very experienced and it took her a good while to put it back on so she lost 3 or 4 minutes ( she ahd teh bike upside down like she learned as a kid but was putting the chain on the wrong ring so it kept coming off again). It was pretty frustrating for her as she's done quite a lot of training and the chain had not been coming off at home.

When we got home I took it out for a spin and repeated the problem. Of course I was able to get the chain back on without even stopping (it was coming off outside the chainring). The day before the race I'd changed the cable to the front derailleur as she was finding it too hard to change gear. I did a bit of work re-routeing the cable and getting beter alignment on the lever which improved it a bit. When I put it back together I never adjusted the stops on the derailleur as I'd assumed they were fine from before. OOps :oops: :oops: The killing part for me is that I had adjusted the rear derailleur as I had changed the rear gears to suit the hills more. I'm kicking myself!!

Tune the derailleur and no more chain off :roll: :roll:

I haven't come clean to her yet about it being my mistake but I've told her I'll show her the quickest way to get the chain back on again.

Other than that the Viscount has performed brilliantly and even with the chain off incident she still beat loads of people on much 'fancier' hardware.

03062012504.jpg
03062012503.jpg
busaste
Posts: 369
Joined: 1 Mar 2008, 10:18pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by busaste »

Spudh wrote:My Wife did her second triathlon on the Viscount yesterday. :D :D

Everything was going great until about 1km from home she went to change from the small chain ring to the big one and the chain came off! :cry: She's not very experienced and it took her a good while to put it back on so she lost 3 or 4 minutes ( she ahd teh bike upside down like she learned as a kid but was putting the chain on the wrong ring so it kept coming off again). It was pretty frustrating for her as she's done quite a lot of training and the chain had not been coming off at home.

When we got home I took it out for a spin and repeated the problem. Of course I was able to get the chain back on without even stopping (it was coming off outside the chainring). The day before the race I'd changed the cable to the front derailleur as she was finding it too hard to change gear. I did a bit of work re-routeing the cable and getting beter alignment on the lever which improved it a bit. When I put it back together I never adjusted the stops on the derailleur as I'd assumed they were fine from before. OOps :oops: :oops: The killing part for me is that I had adjusted the rear derailleur as I had changed the rear gears to suit the hills more. I'm kicking myself!!

Tune the derailleur and no more chain off :roll: :roll:

I haven't come clean to her yet about it being my mistake but I've told her I'll show her the quickest way to get the chain back on again.

Other than that the Viscount has performed brilliantly and even with the chain off incident she still beat loads of people on much 'fancier' hardware.

03062012504.jpg
03062012503.jpg


Hey, I am sure all of us have done it at some time! You should see some of the mechanical howlers I've done (and continue to do...).

It is good to see that Viscounts can still be competitive. Call me smug but I am not surprised. Back in the day, the Coventry Olympic Viscount racing team on bog stock factory Aerospace Pros won over 100 championships in the UK. An incredible achievement since the guys were racing against bikes that cost 3 times as much. This is a little known fact, which makes for an uncomfortable read for fans of other - far more expensive - 'classic' marques. Imagine giving your all on a £600 Holdsworth only to be left for dead by someone on a £178 Aerospace Pro that had been picked out of the nearest LBS!!!!

By the way, those early Shimano large flange hubs on your Viscount have super smooth bearings. In a recent visit to my LBS I couldn't help but snigger at the difference in smoothness and build quality between my NOS Shimano hubs (as fitted to your '78 Viscount) and new Dura Ace hubs. It certainly raised an eyebrow when I pointed out the difference to the shop owner. Lets hope the new Dura Ace hubs bearings 'bed in'... If I dug out my 1978 NOS Dura Ace hubs the mismatch in quality would be even bigger :) .
Goldie
Posts: 77
Joined: 16 Jun 2010, 9:03pm

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Goldie »

Does anyone know whether the dust caps for MKS Sylvan pedals fit Viscount cast alloy pedals? It was chucking it down on Sunday and the rain seems to have cleaned all of the lubrication. If anyone's got a spare set of Viscount or Lambert dust caps knocking about, that'd be even better :D
Bendo
Posts: 292
Joined: 3 Nov 2010, 10:10am

Re: Viscount bicycles!!

Post by Bendo »

Just had a look. MKS pedal caps are slightly too big to press straight in, not by much though. They're threaded unlike the pesky Viscount ones (I had four, lost one already! Busaste told me not to ride with them in!). You could carefully trim the threads off the MKS ones and that might be enough to get a fit. You'd still have the same problem of them popping out unannounced.

In other news, I was out riding the Supa Sport today and because I ran out of time to get where I wanted, I took a detour to my lbs. The owner is a nice guy and a BMC dealer (got the franchise just before Cadel won the TdF last year, nice timing). Decided I'd take him up on his offer of a test ride. So I took out one of these: http://www.bmc-racing.com/us-en/bikes/2012/road/model/racemachine/rm01/rm01_sram_red.html

I knew full well that this might be like heroin. You know, you get your first taste for free. It blows you away so you need more and more. Pretty soon you need it just to feel normal. That sort of thing. It happens!

Took the bike out of the shop. Lifted it onto the road. Thought process went something like this:

"Yep, it's light (<7kg?). OK, bar set up is a bit weird. Brakes work well. So many bloody gears! Pedals pretty easily. Up a 10% hill, not too bad. Gee, it's twitchy at the front when you're up on the pedals. Dead straight forks'll do that I suppose. Down big hill it's smooth and fast (60km/h?) but I'm wary because the only weight keeping this thing on the ground is me, and I don't weigh that much. Glad there's not a crosswind!"

Took it back to lbs. Told the lbs guy it's nice but didn't notice that much of a difference. Said to him I probably would when I get back on the Viscount. Got back on the Supa Sport. It didn't pale in comparison. At all. Rolled just as well. Felt just as lively but less twitchy. Harder up the same 10% hill but I'm moving an extra 3 kg and more to the point am running bigger gears (note to self, are there smaller Dura Ace rings than 42T?). If anything I think I fell in love with it a little more! :oops:

Verdict: Viscount holds its own. I reckon it would be the lbs guy who would have the revelation if he got on my bike! b
Post Reply