OP
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Falcon Majorca Restoration
- Thread starter mjr
- Start date
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mikeymustard
Guru
yes, more pics all round please!
theScu
Regular
- Location
- Waltham Abbey, Essex
OK, with apologies for not having had time to clean it properly; the chain, in particular, is a disgrace!
The Campag QR hubs:
The other Special feature was the lug linings. They missed a bit here, though...
The bars, like yours, with an SR stem:
The Shimano 600 rear mech. I think the pimpled part originally had a black background; that's what the levers suggest, at least:
Replacement crankset Shimano 600 ax with big fat axles and weird pedals (I have a spare set, plus the toe clips)
Saddle is a recent addition (thanks again, Tim Coward!) and the seatpost may well also be new. It's an easy Allen key adjustment, so maybe I got rid of the tricky one you mention, @mjr:
The Campag QR hubs:
The other Special feature was the lug linings. They missed a bit here, though...
The bars, like yours, with an SR stem:
The Shimano 600 rear mech. I think the pimpled part originally had a black background; that's what the levers suggest, at least:
Replacement crankset Shimano 600 ax with big fat axles and weird pedals (I have a spare set, plus the toe clips)
Saddle is a recent addition (thanks again, Tim Coward!) and the seatpost may well also be new. It's an easy Allen key adjustment, so maybe I got rid of the tricky one you mention, @mjr:
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mikeymustard
Guru
Bloody hell, that chain is disgusting - anyone would think you'd been riding it or something!
theScu
Regular
- Location
- Waltham Abbey, Essex
theScu
Regular
- Location
- Waltham Abbey, Essex
Fraid I'm not the one who can answer that. Indeed I am 95% certain the seatpost is a more recent replacement.
I do rather like the fluting, though. Gives the appearance of added strength (falls comically into road as over-designed seatpost buckles under his weight
)
I do rather like the fluting, though. Gives the appearance of added strength (falls comically into road as over-designed seatpost buckles under his weight
)
OP
OP
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
As far as I understand it, it's a "posh" upgrade. I'm not sure if I like the fluting or not, but it sounds like the adjustment method is better than the dexterity test on mine!
theScu
Regular
- Location
- Waltham Abbey, Essex
I've found my original Shimano Tourney brakes! They're in reasonably good condition, so if yours are not, @mjr, you're welcome to these (I can take a photo if you'd like to compare them). I'm not enough of an enthusiast myself to insist on all the original kit, although I quite understand the attraction. And I suppose I did ride the bike from new, so I've had all that pleasure already.
I used to do the 17 miles from Waltham Abbey, Essex, into Broadcasting House during the summer months, leaving home at 04.20 to get there in time to start preparation for the Today programme. Roads were very quiet in those days at that hour, so I could shoot down the A10 ignoring most red lights. Record time was 53 minutes. Happy days.
I used to do the 17 miles from Waltham Abbey, Essex, into Broadcasting House during the summer months, leaving home at 04.20 to get there in time to start preparation for the Today programme. Roads were very quiet in those days at that hour, so I could shoot down the A10 ignoring most red lights. Record time was 53 minutes. Happy days.
OP
OP
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Thanks @theScu. I'll look at mine more closely but I think they're in pretty good condition too. The only brake fails I've noticed were both human error (once reaching for a suicide lever that isn't fitted and once failing to close the quick-release).
I'm still having fun rebuilding the bottom bracket. It seems Stronglight 99 is ISO taper but the bike had a JIS spindle (size 3SS) fitted which combined with a nut-end spindle means there wasn't a whole lot of thread trying to hold the cranks on. I've had trouble buying a bolt-end spindle - I think I know which shop stocks them, but I've been too ill to get there for a few days (just a cold, but it affected my balance so I've not moved far).
I'm still having fun rebuilding the bottom bracket. It seems Stronglight 99 is ISO taper but the bike had a JIS spindle (size 3SS) fitted which combined with a nut-end spindle means there wasn't a whole lot of thread trying to hold the cranks on. I've had trouble buying a bolt-end spindle - I think I know which shop stocks them, but I've been too ill to get there for a few days (just a cold, but it affected my balance so I've not moved far).
OP
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
BB back in. I couldn't find an axle of the right length that was bolt ended (do they even exist in 3SS?) and the neco nut end axle that I got has longer threaded stubs, so at least there's a full nut of thread holding each crank on now. Bit of fun and games adjusting it (I need a thinner 24mm spanner... I will soon have one of every garage hand tool in existence...) but a short five mile shakedown ride went OK. I gave up then as time was getting on but I should test it more later this week and take some pictures.
OP
OP
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I finally remembered to take more pictures again today. Current overview:
Here's that saddle clip from hell:
The new wrench-compatible adjustable cup (marked BHOGAL):
And the right crank which I'm pretty sure is a Stronglight 99... also shows the Arabesque front mech. Sorry for the grub - it's been ridden at least twice since the last wash and the harvest is putting mud on the roads still.
Arabesque shifters:
Which makes me think this SunTour Vx rear mech probably isn't the original equipment...
Here's that saddle clip from hell:
The new wrench-compatible adjustable cup (marked BHOGAL):
And the right crank which I'm pretty sure is a Stronglight 99... also shows the Arabesque front mech. Sorry for the grub - it's been ridden at least twice since the last wash and the harvest is putting mud on the roads still.
Arabesque shifters:
Which makes me think this SunTour Vx rear mech probably isn't the original equipment...
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theScu
Regular
- Location
- Waltham Abbey, Essex
Nice
Yes, I think I remember that awkward seat fitting.
Given that your shifters and front mech are identical to mine, I think that rear mech is definitely a later addition.
Can't remember ever having those cranks, but it's possible. My memory isn't what it was.
Some of your lugs (not the bottom bracket, but top of down tube, for example) do appear to be lined, after all...
Yes, I think I remember that awkward seat fitting.
Given that your shifters and front mech are identical to mine, I think that rear mech is definitely a later addition.
Can't remember ever having those cranks, but it's possible. My memory isn't what it was.
Some of your lugs (not the bottom bracket, but top of down tube, for example) do appear to be lined, after all...
OP
OP
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Ha! I thought it was crud. Only some and not as neatly as yours.
I've done a bit more work on the bike over the last few days, trying to eliminate a few creaks. Seatpost removed, cleaned, greased and refitted - also found an access hole into the top tube so I put some rust preventer in that. Headset bearings cleaned, greased and refitted. Steerer is in pretty good nick. I've still got one creak to track down, so next job is to check the spokes, remove the wheels and clean the dropouts. Then all being well, I'm hoping to ride it at Saturday's ride.
OP
OP
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
It was still the seatpost!
So I've retired the devil-clamp one and put a new (longer) 26.4mm microadjust one in. It seemed to have stopped creaking but I'm a bit worried about how much I had to tighten the clamp bolt to stop the post spinning left-right. I'm considering trying chalk or carbon assembly paste instead of grease if it keeps on, based on what I've read online. Probably chalk first as it's more readily available to me.
