French fantasy in steel

[GordonB]

This is my Mecacycle Turbo recently finished but I'm already thinking of changes as the handlebars don't look quite correct even though they are immensely comfortable to ride on. If anyone has any Cinelli Campione del Monde or Giro d'Italia bars for sale please let me know.The cassette is now a close ratio version but the one that's shown is what the wheels came with. Apart from the chainset and cables (bought from Madgetts in Diss) everything has been bought from EBay or other cycling forum members. Here's the spec;

Super Vitus 980 tubing Serie Extra Legere (waiting to hear about a set of SV980 frame stickers, the Mecacycle Turbo decals are originals and came with the frame when I bought it). I know this because the tubes actually have SV980 stamped on them.
58cm centre of bb to top, 56cm centre to centre top tube
Powder coated in RAL1016 Sulphur Yellow by JT Finishing Solutions Ltd, Bury St Edmunds
Mainly Shimano 105 including chainset, rear mech, brake calipers, brake levers, shifters, hubs.
Crank Bros Quattro pedals
Merek integrated carbon bars and stem fitted to quill/ahead adapter
Suntour Cyclone 2 front mech heavily modifed and fitted with own manufacture adapter to fit bottle boss fitting on split seat tube
Mecacycle quill fixing seat post 26.6mm
Prologo Choice saddle (might change to a SI Flite Titanium I have spare)
Mavic rims
Shimano bottom bracket
Shimano cassette on rear hub
Weight exactly 10 kilograms

Heres a close up of the front mech, I had to modify a Suntour Cyclone 2 by milling off the front and making my own mounting adapter from a chunk of aluminium.

 

[dan_bo]

That is a disgrace. You should be shot. I will dispose of the goods in the appropriate manner.

 

[bauldbairn]

Well done, that's one very nice bicycle!

 

[GordonB]

That is a disgrace. You should be shot. I will dispose of the goods in the appropriate manner.

Hmmm, pistols at dawn?

Gordon

 

[AndyCarolan]

Very pretty... superb job with the ally mount

Whats with the ribbed seat? does it make the ride more enjoyable?

 

[raindog]

Very nice. What year is it?

 

[GordonB]

Very pretty... superb job with the ally mount

Whats with the ribbed seat? does it make the ride more enjoyable?

Never heard of a French tickler?

It's a Prologo Choice and I reckon they are drain holes.

Gordon

 

[GordonB]

Very nice. What year is it?

Early 1980's is the best guess. It's definitely early production as the bottom bracket shell is fillet brazed to the tubes and later versions used a cast bb shell with "Mecacycle Turbo" pantographed into it. Under the BB shell is stamped the number 11, so this may well be extremely early production.

Last week I was in Howe Cycles, Cambridge and found that they used to sell Mecacycles. Apparently one or two customers may still have them tucked away somewhere. They did several versions including one for the track. The best resource I have found for the marque is - naturally - in French but there are some cracking photos. Take a look at http://www.pignonfixe.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=16909

Gordon

 

[raindog]

Thanks for the link - interesting stuff.
That ultra short wheelbase must make for a very nervous, choppy ride though?

 

[GordonB]

Thanks for the link - interesting stuff.
That ultra short wheelbase must make for a very nervous, choppy ride though?

My experience with different bikes is somewhat limited but compared to my Holdsworth Mistral - which is a tourer and I suppose fairly sedate - I would say that the Mecacycle is anything but nervous and choppy. It is rock stable over rough road surfaces and seems to want to stay in a straight line if that's where you're pointing it, although my bum feels the bumps a bit more, and it tracks round corners like it's on rails, even at high speed. To be honest, I expected it to be as twitchy as hell, for the same reasons as you, but it ain't and the more I ride it the more I like it. How it compares with other race bikes I've yet to find out but when I do I'll post my impressions.

Gordon

 

[Flying_Monkey]

That is very unusual and really rather cool!

 

[Tail End Charlie]

That is one lovely bike. It's the type of thing I like building up, but I'd never heard of the make. Will have to keep my eyes open. Well done, it's a credit to you.

 

[TheDoctor]

Oh, I do like that. Very good
*approves*