claud butler majestic vs kellogs pro tour

[alexasleep]

Hi guys, just got into riding racing bikes this summer (wiggins n all) and thought for my first bike i'd start with a bit of a project. I've managed to pick up an old claud butler majestic and a raleigh kellogs pro tour and was thinking about fixing one of them up, putting some new parts on etc.

Was wondering if anyone knew much about these bikes, which one's better and more worthy of a bit of effort?

The claud butler is a nice shiny dark blue (this frame i think http://www.lfgss.com/picture.php?albumid=878&pictureid=5427) but is fairly marked and chipped (rust showing through but no one bit bigger than a 5 pence piece and a little rust on the end of the forks where the wheels join) this an issue? It's all reynolds 531 tubing. Back gear cabling's snapped, chain probably needs replacing. It also has pretty fat wheels (27 1/2), can i fit thinner sprint wheels like 700cc jobs to this?

Kellogs pro tour's 501 tubing (what's the difference?) but is in much better nick, actually rideable.

Cheers

 

[biggs682]

well 531 tubing is higher up the ladder than 501 although not much difference in kgs . a full 531 frame with fork will normally sell easier .
if the Claud has whats known as age related marks then leave as is as once its painted it could almost be any bike ! why not just make it rideable and use as is , 700 wheels will fit although you might need longer drop brakes .

the kellogs if rideable just use as is and sell the Claud on ( i will give you 50p for it !!) unless of course you want to start cycling the correct way and have a spare bike or 2

just enjoy them

 

[robgul]

Your expression "racing bike" ... the Majestic is a "touring bike" [arguably Claud Butler's equivalent of the Dawes Galaxy] whereas the Raleigh Kellogg is a "sportier" bike. [This model was to capitalise on the Tour of Britain in the late 1980s when it was sponsored by Kelloggs ... that always amuses me as it used to be the Milk Race .. as in add to Corn Flakes!]

So - what sort of rider are you - tourer or racer? (I use those terms lightly)

If the Raleigh is in working order with less rust I'd go with that - there is a difference between 501 and 531 tube but it's fairly marginal ... you'd get a reasonable price for the Claud on a forum or ebay ...

Or as suggested do them both up and be a REAL cyclist with more than 1 bike ... I'm at about 10 including a Majestic and a Majestique, the ladies version that my wife has.

Rob

PS : A respray/powder coat + the original transfers (easily obtainable) would reincarnate the Majestic ... I've done it! - see Machines at www.beewee.org.uk

 

[shouldbeinbed]

re the above and sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs but a quick glossary for a newbie

there isn't really much visible in it in terms of frame set up, responsiveness etc but if you have a close look at the bikes you'll see subtle differences between race set and tour set bikes etc

A tourer: a more relaxed, sat up position on the bike, less strain on the neck but the wind hits you more firmly in the chest, geared usually to take hillier ground and roll swiftly rather than bomb along the flat
A racer: you will be more hunched down and stretched out on the bike, craning your head up to see (particularly when on the drops) but have a more aerodynamic position when its howling a gale, steep hills may make you breathe a bit harder.

in general the tourer bike will soak up bumps and holes in the road surface better than a racer but a racers steering is a tad more responsive and precise - needs to be if you're in a flock of 30 other fast moving bikes in a sharp corner.