Falcon Majorca Restoration

[mjr]

Can't you keep both, but only have 1 set of wheels that you can swap between bikes. Less storage space needed for a finished frame without wheels.

It doesn't really seem fair to the bike for it not to be ridden. In any case, it didn't come up because the Condor was even larger than the Falcon, leaving me more stretched out and less in control. I could have started swapping parts and so on, but I've stayed with the Falcon and let the Condor trot off to a new owner.

Anyway, here is a recent photo. I'm still fiddling.
View attachment 111647

 

[biggs682]

looks good @mjray

 

[mjr]

Current configuration (changes I can see: black cork bar tape, bell on stem side, the Brev.M Sellino saddle is currently on it but has a cover on there and there's a handlebar bottle cage).

Next trick is to replace the left crank as described at https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/fluted-square-taper-left-crank-170mm.205302/ and I'll probably take the chance to open and service the bottom bracket bearings, if I can figure out what to use to unscrew the Tange Industries two-dent adjustable cup.

 

[raleighnut]

Current configuration (changes I can see: black cork bar tape, bell on stem side, the Brev.M Sellino saddle is currently on it but has a cover on there and there's a handlebar bottle cage).
View attachment 139747

Next trick is to replace the left crank as described at https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/fluted-square-taper-left-crank-170mm.205302/ and I'll probably take the chance to open and service the bottom bracket bearings, if I can figure out what to use to unscrew the Tange Industries two-dent adjustable cup.

You can often tap the BB shells round with a hammer and a 'drift' to get those out.

 

[Tony Raynor]

@mrjay, what's the cup like, I probably have a tool to get it off if it's what I think

 

[mjr]

@mrjay, what's the cup like, I probably have a tool to get it off if it's what I think

It has two dips either side of the spindle. I wonder if a suntour two prong freewheel tool will fit or if removing the lockring will reveal wrench flats.

 

[Tony Raynor]

Still not quite sure but sounds like you need these

 

[mjr]

Still not quite sure but sounds like you need these

I think I've got one of those somewhere but the dips are more like prong flats. With any luck, I'll get to it in the next day or so and take a picture. I've far too many bikes needing minor fixes just now.

 

[mjr]

Got the BB out. Lockring wouldn't budge with a C spanner even after lots of penetrating oil, so the locking grips were used carefully and it seems to have worked without damage. Suntour tool probably would have worked but it wouldn't fit over the BB axle but peg pliers worked. I'm probably going to replace the adjustable cup with one with spanner flats (26mm which of course my usual toolbag spanner doesn't adjust up to...)

It all looked surprisingly healthy inside. No obvious corrosion, although the old grease does look and feel like chocolate spread and the caged balls are essentially dry - so it was high time to service before riding through another deluge. BB axle is stamped 3SS and seems to be 121.5mm taper end to taper end. I'm also likely to replace the BB axle with one that has bolts that thread into the taper ends, instead of the current one with threaded ends whose nuts have corroded.

 

[raleighnut]

Got the BB out. Lockring wouldn't budge with a C spanner even after lots of penetrating oil, so the locking grips were used carefully and it seems to have worked without damage. Suntour tool probably would have worked but it wouldn't fit over the BB axle but peg pliers worked. I'm probably going to replace the adjustable cup with one with spanner flats (26mm which of course my usual toolbag spanner doesn't adjust up to...)

It all looked surprisingly healthy inside. No obvious corrosion, although the old grease does look and feel like chocolate spread and the caged balls are essentially dry - so it was high time to service before riding through another deluge. BB axle is stamped 3SS and seems to be 121.5mm taper end to taper end. I'm also likely to replace the BB axle with one that has bolts that thread into the taper ends, instead of the current one with threaded ends whose nuts have corroded.

Be aware that the hardening and machining of a 'new' shaft will not be to the standard of the old un. They used to be built to last but not any more.

 

[theScu]

Hi mjr. Thought you might be interested in my Falcon Majorca (FW Evans special), which I bought in around 1980. It's no longer got all the original features, but I may be able to remember things if you still have any unanswered questions. I'll see if it'll let me post a picture, but as a newbie, I may not be allowed, yet.
Well, looks like it's there... Let me know if you'd like to see any details and I'll take new pics.

 

[raleighnut]

Hi mjr. Thought you might be interested in my Falcon Majorca (FW Evans special), which I bought in around 1980. It's no longer got all the original features, but I may be able to remember things if you still have any unanswered questions. I'll see if it'll let me post a picture, but as a newbie, I may not be allowed, yet.
Well, looks like it's there... Let me know if you'd like to see any details and I'll take new pics. View attachment 142896

Nice.

 

[mjr]

Be aware that the hardening and machining of a 'new' shaft will not be to the standard of the old un. They used to be built to last but not any more.

I suspect so but I think the benefits of socket end BBs over the threaded-end one will be worth it. I suspect the replacement will be impac from the colour of the chart that the man in Anglia Motor Cycles was looking up 3SS on to see if he had a suitable alternative. He apologised for not having 3SS in stock (one should have been in but things get misplaced) and will be ordering it... which leaves me with a quandry: do I fit a 3S which I think is 3mm shorter on the left side or wait for the 3SS?

Well, looks like it's there... Let me know if you'd like to see any details and I'll take new pics.

Wonderful thank you. Looks great. Is that an updated rear mech? Other than that and my pedal/saddle changes, it looks suprisingly similar. Your special seems clearly a higher-spec bike, such as having proper loops for the back brake cable instead of my bands. Do you remember what else was special on it?

 

[raleighnut]

I suspect so but I think the benefits of socket end BBs over the threaded-end one will be worth it. I suspect the replacement will be impac from the colour of the chart that the man in Anglia Motor Cycles was looking up 3SS on to see if he had a suitable alternative. He apologised for not having 3SS in stock (one should have been in but things get misplaced) and will be ordering it... which leaves me with a quandry: do I fit a 3S which I think is 3mm shorter on the left side or wait for the 3SS?


Wonderful thank you. Looks great. Is that an updated rear mech? Other than that and my pedal/saddle changes, it looks suprisingly similar. Your special seems clearly a higher-spec bike, such as having proper loops for the back brake cable instead of my bands. Do you remember what else was special on it?

The choice of BB shaft will be determined by what the crank needs to be able to fit the frame, these are the 'rejects' from my last conversion from cottered to square taper on the Raleigh 'City'




This is the crank I used on the bike

 

[theScu]

Glad you like it. For the premium of an extra £10 (ooooh!), taking it to £179.95 – probably quite a lot of money in 1980 – the main thing on the Special was Campag hubs (not sure which model), which are lovely, and still on it, though a friend has rebuilt the wheels for me with Mavic rims (still 27x1¼) to replace the original Weinmann (I think) ones. Funnily enough the cable loops were not on the original frame – I also had bands – but I snapped the frame round the bottom bracket pedalling home too hard one day a couple of years later, and the frame you see is the replacement under guarantee. I was pretty delighted to get the loops upgrade, though I remember they were a bit tight, and I possibly had to ream one or more of them out a bit to get my cable through without tearing the cover.
The frame is the same Tange no. 5 tubing as yours. The front and rear mechs are the original Shimano 600, although I changed the (Sugino? SR?) crankset and chainrings for Shimano 600 AX, which I found remaindered in Whiskers or somewhere, and which feature an oversize axle, based on the theory that all your weight is pushing on there, and a spindly spindle is maybe not so good. It was a short-lived development, though, I think, and of course unless I change the cranks I'm locked into using the AX pedals. The original brakes were Shimano Tourney, which I've replaced recently with Shimano RX100 BR-A550s The Brooks saddle is from my generous wheel-building friend, and the bars are the original Sakae Road Champion like yours. I've ditched the mudguards, which were Essgee, I think. Seatpost – probably the original – is SR LaPrade.
The only other thing I can possibly dredge up from my memory that made it the Special is that the lugs featured hand-painted gold lining. But I can't tell from your pic whether yours does too. Do you want to see detailed pics? I'm very happy to take some, but don't want to bore anyone.