Any Thoughts On This

[huggybear0]

Just wondered if it would affect the appeal since I am renovating it to make it look new again.

 

[midlife]

It's what appeals to you. I have a pink Falcon in the garage (in bits) but it should have left the factory in blue.....

 

[Fab Foodie]

I’d keep it as it is. looks a nice bike for the money!

 

[rogerzilla]

Fairly sure it's French. Two things to beware of:

1. Those stems snap. Don't use them.

2. It probably has French threading and a French stem size. Replacement components are harder to find.

 

[huggybear0]

Fairly sure it's French. Two things to beware of:

1. Those stems snap. Don't use them.

2. It probably has French threading and a French stem size. Replacement components are harder to find.

Thanks. Is it best to put a new stem on??

 

[rogerzilla]

Yes. It may be French diameter, which is 22.0mm. You can reduce a normal alloy 22.2mm stem to 22.0mm with abrasive paper as the difference is so small. Mask off above the min insert line, and it will look factory.

 

[huggybear0]

Any recommendations on a better stem I could replace it with.

 

[rogerzilla]

Zenith from VeloSolo are good quality. Or PlanetX sometimes have the Nitto NY-3 at under £20.

Do check the bar diameter if you're keeping them. It may be 25.0mm, which will need shimming to fit a 25.4mm stem. Two thicknesses of Coke can should be right. Cut them neatly to the width of the stem clamp and just fractionally less than the circumference (25 x pi). The shims will be invisible when fitted. I doubt you'll find a commercial shim for 25.4 to 25.0.