New Addition - claud majestic

[mikeymustard]

I've been busy looking for a project or two; there's a Raleigh Sirocco frame on its way to me, to use up some bits I have sitting around from the Mercian conversion, so all I need is a saddle, stem and bars. Also I've just this morning picked up a Claud Butler majestic from a v.nice chap in Gloucester who had a small collection of tourers including a Super Galaxy and an extremely nice 50's Rotrax (unfortunately not for sale). When he said he'd got all kinds of stuff I asked "what sort of stuff? Handlebars?" He then led me to his shed where he rummaged around and found a Raleigh stem and bars, which he threw in as well, so job's a good'un!

Anyway here's a pic of the Majestic; I'd describe its condition as well-used but well-looked after. It's had a change of colour at some point in its life and the seat's tatty but otherwise everything looks pretty original. I've started cleaning it but it was a bit wet out today. Haven't even sat on it yet though - it's got a couple of loose spokes on the back so didn't want to risk it (being on the large side and all). Oh, and some decals and a head badge wouldn't go amiss just to give it back its identity!

edit: those wasp nest things (actually lanterns) are not attached but just behind it

 

[mjr]

It's a lovely colour though! Looks great. Hope you'll be enjoying it soon.

 

[Mrs M]

Nice

 

[mikeymustard]

It's a lovely colour though! Looks great. Hope you'll be enjoying it soon.

Thanks, it's an almost identical colour to my Mercian, strangely! Once I get those wheels sorted I'll be giving it a proper go

 

[biggs682]

being fussy sort out a pr of matching tyres

but nice

 

[mikeymustard]

being fussy sort out a pr of matching tyres

but nice

I knew you were gonna say that I just read Tomhenshore's thread about his Raleigh Royal!
Pair of amber wall it is sir! Now, who's got a 27" amber tyre they can let me have?

 

[biggs682]

I knew you were gonna say that I just read Tomhenshore's thread about his Raleigh Royal!
Pair of amber wall it is sir! Now, who's got a 27" amber tyre they can let me have?

this is where it gets fun as choice can be limited , keep an eye out for some Michelin World tours or Schwalbe do some or go mad and treat it to a pr of Panracer which are nice but pricey

 

[mikeymustard]

Had some time to take a closer look and do a bit of fettling today; the rear derailleur turns out to be a sachs huret duopar, but the fd and shifters are suntour, is it likely that this was original? It seems like a rather expensive component for a middle order machine.
Anyway, I removed the cable (had to cut it, it was frayed so bad) then couldn't find the new cables I thought I had, just some cables and an outer that I'd helpfully labelled "brakes". An hour's drive later and I had me a new gear cable, fitted and adjusted.
I took it for a ride down the road and found that the brakes were shocking, so I hauled it back and tried to adjust them, but the back was already at its limit.
I ripped the old cable and outer off it and went to get the brake cables, only to find... they were all gear cables!
So another hour's trip tomorrow to get some new brake cables
Oh, and it's a really comfy ride!

 

[biggs682]

i am glad i am not the only one who has days like that @mikeymustard

try some koolstop or swiss stop pads they will help with braking bu centre pulls when set up should stop ok

 

[raleighnut]

Looks nice.

 

[mikeymustard]

I'm driving to Wales for a few days camping in the morning. I'm taking the Majestic with me (cos it's the only bike I have with mudguards), I've spent a couple of hours sorting the back brake out after a lorry stopped suddenly in front of me and I nearly didn't, so I've taken the caliper off, cleaned and reset it, replaced the pads with some of the Clarks 3 colour ones and now it seems to be working perfectly.
I'm hoping to get properly reacquainted with the dreaded downtube shifters while I'm away!

 

[biggs682]

@mikeymustard I will keep an eye open if you make it as fas as Llandudno

 

[HertzvanRental]

I've just got a Majestic. My rd, fd and shifters are all Suntour and I'm sure I read somewhere that these were standard components on this cycle.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I concur with @HertzvanRental I've just done a bit or work on a CB Majestique (the Mixte version) and the RD was Suntour. (The FD was missing, but I've replaced it with a Suntour Cyclone that I had handy).

 

[mikeymustard]

@biggs682 - lol, if you see me in Llandudno then I'd be very concerned cos I'd be hopelessly lost!
@Dogtrousers and @HertzvanRental - from what I can tell by studying catalogues on the holdswoth site the earliest 1977 model had huret, then there's a gap of a few years so by 81 or 82 (can't load the pages with my current barely 2g connection) they're using suntour all the way. I've dated my chain ring to 1980, colour and braze-ons look like the later models, so I also think it should be suntour.
As a way of making this bike owe me a little less I was wondering whether I should sell the duopar and replace it with something cheaper and possibly a little more robust - I've heard they're a bit delicate due to their complexity. I think they're quite rare