Alembicbassman
Confused.com
New project. Got this from my LBS, NOS Tange Cr-Mo DB frameset for under 50 nicker 
Slightly oversized tubes, 130mm spaced.
Slightly oversized tubes, 130mm spaced.
Show us your steel.....its real...
- Thread starter Cooperman
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Idoru
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Rhuddlan, UK
Just rescued this from the brother in laws garage, trying to figure out if it's worth converting into a winter hack
stumpy66
Veteran
- Location
- Lanarkshire
Of course it isJust rescued this from the brother in laws garage, trying to figure out if it's worth converting into a winter hack
I had a bad cartilage op and couldn't run anymore but I could pedal so I thought it a good time to get a bike. Argos of Bristol made me a beauty which I will show you a fifteen year old photo of. It was 753, very comfortable and springy; I thought it was what a Ferrari must feel like or a thoroughbred; when I pressed the pedals it sprang forward. Mr. Needham of Argos measured me up on his special jig and interestingly enough Terry Dolan was there on business so he attended the fitting with the boss.
A couple of years ago I was riding on that path in front of Santa Monica and my leg didn't seem to want to work so I thought I must quickly sell my Argos when I get home. I did and very soon regretted it for the following year in LA again visiting my daughter my leg was fine and I was going up and down that path from Santa Monica to Manhattan Beach every day - not a long journey but the leg was fine so when I got back I bought a carbon framed Planet X R57 which I think is one of the prettiest of the new sloping top tube designs, as nice as the Canondale SuperSix. It had a Sram Force groupset and was about half as much as it could have been in terms of price.- Planet X are pretty good for price. However through the long wet summer of 2012 I fell out of love with the dull thud of the carbon and thirsted for steel.
I'm writing to you now to show off my new steel. It's a Mercian custom made for me in 853, with Ultegra 6800 groupset, (which doesn't look as good as a silver spider but then I wasn't building a retro machine.) Brooks Ti Swallow, cheap but elegant Kalloy seatpost, lovely 3TTT quill stem, exactly the same one as on my Argos, bought from Planet X again for very little, Deda 215 Deep bars, silver would have been preferable but the 5 bars that I returned were not quite right, Gilles Berthoud bar end stops, Mavic Kyserium Elite S wheels, Shimano A600 touring pedals (ultegra really) Other stuff I haven't put on the bike yet of which I'd just like to mention the great AJS saddle bag advertised on ebay as 'leather saddle bag not Brooks,' it is a wonderful leathery smelling thing and although the Brooks Challenge bag is a sweet little thing it is too little. Anyway I just wanted to share these photos with you as I know you like to drool over steel.
A couple of years ago I was riding on that path in front of Santa Monica and my leg didn't seem to want to work so I thought I must quickly sell my Argos when I get home. I did and very soon regretted it for the following year in LA again visiting my daughter my leg was fine and I was going up and down that path from Santa Monica to Manhattan Beach every day - not a long journey but the leg was fine so when I got back I bought a carbon framed Planet X R57 which I think is one of the prettiest of the new sloping top tube designs, as nice as the Canondale SuperSix. It had a Sram Force groupset and was about half as much as it could have been in terms of price.- Planet X are pretty good for price. However through the long wet summer of 2012 I fell out of love with the dull thud of the carbon and thirsted for steel.
I'm writing to you now to show off my new steel. It's a Mercian custom made for me in 853, with Ultegra 6800 groupset, (which doesn't look as good as a silver spider but then I wasn't building a retro machine.) Brooks Ti Swallow, cheap but elegant Kalloy seatpost, lovely 3TTT quill stem, exactly the same one as on my Argos, bought from Planet X again for very little, Deda 215 Deep bars, silver would have been preferable but the 5 bars that I returned were not quite right, Gilles Berthoud bar end stops, Mavic Kyserium Elite S wheels, Shimano A600 touring pedals (ultegra really) Other stuff I haven't put on the bike yet of which I'd just like to mention the great AJS saddle bag advertised on ebay as 'leather saddle bag not Brooks,' it is a wonderful leathery smelling thing and although the Brooks Challenge bag is a sweet little thing it is too little. Anyway I just wanted to share these photos with you as I know you like to drool over steel.
Last edited:
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
This post is worthless without pics...
Yes, I know; I don't know how to add the photos. Tell me what to click on in order to download the photos.
Crocket
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
When you first join you are limited in what you can do as an anti-spam measure. When you've made the requisite number of posts (which I think you just did) a button will appear marked "upload a file" next to the "post reply" one and you can use this to load pictures to the site from your computer.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Decided to winterise my Ribble 653 at long last (I commute on a fixed mudguarded bike).
Main reason for not attempting it before, is the clearances are very tight under the brakes and from wheel to down tube.
Just received some SKS Raceblade Longs, and fitted them. Fairly straight forward, but the front brake brackets needed cutting short where they mount to the brake and the stays needed bending so that the guards cleared the down tube (less than 5mm).
Now complete for club runs and weekend winter (read all year) rides.
Main reason for not attempting it before, is the clearances are very tight under the brakes and from wheel to down tube.
Just received some SKS Raceblade Longs, and fitted them. Fairly straight forward, but the front brake brackets needed cutting short where they mount to the brake and the stays needed bending so that the guards cleared the down tube (less than 5mm).
Now complete for club runs and weekend winter (read all year) rides.
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
I like the festive red pedals with the green paintwork.
SWSteve
Guru
- Location
- Bristol...ish
Excellent!
