Show us your steel.....its real...

[fossyant]

Yes, we need a bigger picture of Bob.

 

[ShannonBall]

Yes, we need a bigger picture of Bob.

Here's a bigger Bob...

 

[MacB]

Here's a bigger Bob...

Zat is very nice, but brown fittings with a lightish blue frame....tsk, tsk.....

 

[Spokesmann]

Here's a bigger Bob...

Lugged steel, give me this any day over carbon , titanium or whatever...

 

[ShannonBall]

Zat is very nice, but brown fittings with a lightish blue frame....tsk, tsk.....

I was going for the faded blue jeans and hush puppies look. There, I've said it and will now regret it, no doubt...

 

[Ben M]

the best pic I have of my newly aquired tandem does include me I'm afraid, but you'll forgive me won't you?

Reynold's 531

 

[GazK]

I took delivery of this bike in the spring, from an older gentleman in our village who was trading up to a Dawes Super Galaxy:

It was in lovely nick, with a nice 531 frame and broken in Brooks saddle. But it suffered from all the classic symptoms of a midrange 80s bike: terrible centre pull brakes with suicide levers and bars designed for a child's shoulder width, and gearing too high to let this poor sap get up hills. Also it had done a lot of miles, and the drive train and hubs were pretty worn out.

So it became my project for the summer - to upgrade the bike to a modern/classic all day comfort bike for road and towpath riding. The aim is to give it the benefit of modern tech without losing the classic look of the bike.

Here is the end result:

Original items are frame, forks, saddle, headset, BB, chainset and pedals, Shimano Altus front mech and mudguards.

New items are: Nitto Randonnuer bars, Acor Cross Top levers and Shimano 105 brifters, Tektro dual pivot brakes, brooks bar tape, new 700c wheels handbuilt by me using Ambrosio Zenith hubs, Sapims and Rigida Snyper rims, 37mm Conti Sport Contact tyres, Deore 11/34 cassette (hills? what hills?), Deore rear mech and new chain. The rear triangle was cold set to 130mm to take the road hub.

The total bill has come in at £500, including what I paid for the bike. Seems like a good deal to me for a bespoke bike with quality kit, and a hell of a lot learned on the way.

The bike is a lovely ride, bumps are soaked up and rear shifting is a dream. Front shifting is occasionally off, I will live with it for a few months before I decide whether it rates a new mech. I have a couple of jobs left, e.g. putting M324 pedals on and swapping that cheesy bell for a nice brass one.

Thanks to everybody for answering all my interminable questions on this and that during the build.

 

[Spokesmann]

Looking a whole lot better!

Centre pull are Ok with the correct adjustment and blocks. What make is the machine?

 

[Jonnyrau]

 Looks fab, enjoy it!

 

[bonk man]

in the Welsh 100 mile time trial a couple of weeks ago..... 5hrs 5mins....

 

[steve at cornwall]

Excellent way of putting it!

Things were not quite a nice as they used to be post 1975 (the year both green Corsas date from), Raleigh were staring to rationalise and name badge everything. I have a Pro Am 12 - albeit in bits but that'll be going soon, not my cup of tea and no longer a Carlton in my view.

Maybe not "proper" Carltons , well, OK they're Raleighs my Pro-Ams.

and definately not for the purists

If somebody local(ish) has a correct rear wheel for a Pro-Am

 

[PpPete]

Nice one Gaz
similar concept to what I did with my Galaxy
the angle of the STI's look odd on the Nitto randonneur bars don't they.... but hey it works !

I took delivery of this bike in the spring, from an older gentleman in our village who was trading up to a Dawes Super Galaxy:

It was in lovely nick, with a nice 531 frame and broken in Brooks saddle. But it suffered from all the classic symptoms of a midrange 80s bike: terrible centre pull brakes with suicide levers and bars designed for a child's shoulder width, and gearing too high to let this poor sap get up hills. Also it had done a lot of miles, and the drive train and hubs were pretty worn out.

So it became my project for the summer - to upgrade the bike to a modern/classic all day comfort bike for road and towpath riding. The aim is to give it the benefit of modern tech without losing the classic look of the bike.

Here is the end result:

Original items are frame, forks, saddle, headset, BB, chainset and pedals, Shimano Altus front mech and mudguards.

New items are: Nitto Randonnuer bars, Acor Cross Top levers and Shimano 105 brifters, Tektro dual pivot brakes, brooks bar tape, new 700c wheels handbuilt by me using Ambrosio Zenith hubs, Sapims and Rigida Snyper rims, 37mm Conti Sport Contact tyres, Deore 11/34 cassette (hills? what hills?), Deore rear mech and new chain. The rear triangle was cold set to 130mm to take the road hub.

The total bill has come in at £500, including what I paid for the bike. Seems like a good deal to me for a bespoke bike with quality kit, and a hell of a lot learned on the way.

The bike is a lovely ride, bumps are soaked up and rear shifting is a dream. Front shifting is occasionally off, I will live with it for a few months before I decide whether it rates a new mech. I have a couple of jobs left, e.g. putting M324 pedals on and swapping that cheesy bell for a nice brass one.

Thanks to everybody for answering all my interminable questions on this and that during the build.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

These are Mrs A's and my beloved Dave Yates tourers. They are the comfortable things on two wheels.

 

[Ben M]

Gerry, why do you have bar-end shifters fitted when you're using canti-brakes? Why not use integrated gear and brake levers?

 

[Wardy]

My steel is this Santos Travelmaster CroMo. A very comfortable, go-anywhere and stable machine. Good for carrying enormous camping loads but equally happy with day runs on or off road.