roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
That looks like a good buy to me.
Looking for opinions on a second hand bike
- Thread starter Jimmy Doug
- Start date
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OP
OP
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
Well, there's news. I took the bike to my local LBS and it turns out that my gear-shifting problems are due to worn out shifters. I suspected this, which is why I took it to him. He reckons it's irreparable but he'll give it a go. Apparently, it's a common problem with these Shimano 600s: if they're left for too long without usage, they stop working. Cost of a new pair: €120. Now I know why it was such a good buy!
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
I had a quick Google and it seems to be doable, but a bit of a pain in the derrière.
OP
OP
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
My LBS didn't seem very optimistic. He also gave me an age for the bike, by the way. 25 years, which is well older than what the seller said. All in all I feel a little cheated. He lied about the age, lied about the weight, lied about the gears (having said they needed only a small adjustment). Still - it remains a nice bike.
Tojo
Über Member
- Location
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne
My Italian is pretty limited does that maybe be saying something to do with triple butted tubes......
SteCenturion
I am your Father
- Location
- The Dark Side of the Moon.
A quick look at the Canyon website brings up their lightest carbon bike, the Ultimate CF SLX 80 Superlight at 5.6kg
It has a frame weight of 780g (medium I presume) a fork of approx 320g & has a sub 1kg wheel set, the Lightweight Obermayer.
This bike is also dripping in Campagnolo 80th Anniversary Super Record groupset & cost £7299.
To get any steel bike under 8kg is a great achievement & expensive to boot.
Having said that...
Lovely looking bike with an unusual & attractive paint finish.
It has a frame weight of 780g (medium I presume) a fork of approx 320g & has a sub 1kg wheel set, the Lightweight Obermayer.
This bike is also dripping in Campagnolo 80th Anniversary Super Record groupset & cost £7299.
To get any steel bike under 8kg is a great achievement & expensive to boot.
Having said that...
Lovely looking bike with an unusual & attractive paint finish.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
I'd be tempted to fit downtube shifters and standard brake levers to it, go for the 'retro' look.
OP
OP
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
Just to give you all an update on this. After the bike had spent a week sitting around in his workshop, my LBS told me he hadn't had time to look at it. I understand - as the best bike mechanic in the area by a very long margin, he's totally rushed off his feet. He explained to me how to strip the shifters and what to do afterwards, but he was pessimistic of my chances. Anyway, I decided that I had nothing to lose by flooding it with WB40 before attempting the time-consuming and risky procedure of stripping down and putting back together this delicate mechanism. A few minutes and half a can of WB40 later, it's working like a charm! Took it back to the LBS for verification, and he confirmed that it's now in perfect mechanical condition.
Probably the guy I bought it from was also told by his bike shop that the shifters were a gonner, and that's why he sold it so cheap. Well, thanks to the wonders of WB40 and Youtube I managed to turn the tables round: he thought he'd got away with ripping me off, but he'd effectively given the bike away to me! For once in my life, I've actually come out top!
Edit: here's the youtube video that helped save me over €100.
Probably the guy I bought it from was also told by his bike shop that the shifters were a gonner, and that's why he sold it so cheap. Well, thanks to the wonders of WB40 and Youtube I managed to turn the tables round: he thought he'd got away with ripping me off, but he'd effectively given the bike away to me! For once in my life, I've actually come out top!
Edit: here's the youtube video that helped save me over €100.
Last edited:
SteCenturion
I am your Father
- Location
- The Dark Side of the Moon.
Excellent news @Jimmy Doug 
Now if only you could bag me a bargain NOS Gios Torino Pro or Super Record boxed & never seen tarmac for under £200
Well I can but dream.
Now if only you could bag me a bargain NOS Gios Torino Pro or Super Record boxed & never seen tarmac for under £200
Well I can but dream.
OP
OP
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
Two weeks after my purchase, I've at last had time to give it a bit of TLC. I've bought new brake and gear cables and housings and replaced the old ones. But there are a few things that I'd like people's opinions on, as I'm not the best bicycle mechanic in the world! Now that I've got down to a bit of tinkering, I've encountered a few surprises.
1) I can't get the rear derailleur cable tight enough for my liking - first gear jumps ever so slightly and I can't tighten the cable any more. The derailleur only just stops a few mms short of the spokes, so I don't want to screw out the L limit screw any further. The barrel adjuster doesn't seem to do anything and the tightener on the down tube is only for tiny adjustments. The only way I've managed to get the cable anywhere near the right tension is by pulling the cable like b*ggery with a pair of pliars, resulting in some slight damage to the new cable. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the fact that the cable doesn't fit snugly into the barrel adjuster. I originally put a ferrule on the end of the housing that enters the barrel adjuster, but it seems to fit and work better without it. Could there be a piece missing on the barrel adjuster? You can see the situation quite well in this photo:
As you can see in the next picture, my pulling with pliars has damaged the new cable slightly:
2) My next question concerns the wheels. First there is an oddity in the wheel size. The back tyre was punctured, which gave me the opportunity to investigate this. Unless my eyes deceive me, it's 16-622. That seems tremendously thin - in fact, I don't think such a think wheel exists:
But that's not the only thing. The back wheel (the one in the photo above) has a 25mm wide tyre ...
... whereas the front tyre is 20 mm:
My guess is that the guy just shoved on whatever he had available. The back wheel in particular concerns me. 25mm seems far too wide - so I guess I'll have to replace the tyres (they look like they're made of cheese anyway). But what about the 16mm width? Perhaps it's actually 18mm, and with wear the 8 has started to look like a 6?
3) The steel frame has had quite a nasty scrape at the back. Any suggestions about protecting it from rust? I don't like the idea of respraying - the frame does look quite classy right now, and I'd hate to disfigure this old bike:
4) I've recognized the manufacturer's logo. It would appear to be Gitane, which is a classic French make, but I haven't been able to find any information on this particular model (Gitasprint) :
Note the cock-up I've made of wrapping the handlebars! I used Lizzardskins which look great in the shop, but which are a PITA to put on - I might try to re-wrap!
5) My last question is about the spokes. A couple are very slightly bent. You can see one of the damaged spokes in the picture below - look at the white packet on the left of the coffee machine and you'll see the kink. It's very small - and there's another one similar to this elsewhere on the wheel. Would it be OK to just leave it be? The wheel seems true enough.
Otherwise, I have been able to ride it for the first time today. Very sweet indeed. You can tell it's a steel frame - a lovely, smooth ride. And the gear change is like treacle, you hardly notice it. All in all, it's been a worthwhile project - if I could only sort out that pesky first gear!
1) I can't get the rear derailleur cable tight enough for my liking - first gear jumps ever so slightly and I can't tighten the cable any more. The derailleur only just stops a few mms short of the spokes, so I don't want to screw out the L limit screw any further. The barrel adjuster doesn't seem to do anything and the tightener on the down tube is only for tiny adjustments. The only way I've managed to get the cable anywhere near the right tension is by pulling the cable like b*ggery with a pair of pliars, resulting in some slight damage to the new cable. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the fact that the cable doesn't fit snugly into the barrel adjuster. I originally put a ferrule on the end of the housing that enters the barrel adjuster, but it seems to fit and work better without it. Could there be a piece missing on the barrel adjuster? You can see the situation quite well in this photo:
As you can see in the next picture, my pulling with pliars has damaged the new cable slightly:
2) My next question concerns the wheels. First there is an oddity in the wheel size. The back tyre was punctured, which gave me the opportunity to investigate this. Unless my eyes deceive me, it's 16-622. That seems tremendously thin - in fact, I don't think such a think wheel exists:
But that's not the only thing. The back wheel (the one in the photo above) has a 25mm wide tyre ...
... whereas the front tyre is 20 mm:
My guess is that the guy just shoved on whatever he had available. The back wheel in particular concerns me. 25mm seems far too wide - so I guess I'll have to replace the tyres (they look like they're made of cheese anyway). But what about the 16mm width? Perhaps it's actually 18mm, and with wear the 8 has started to look like a 6?
3) The steel frame has had quite a nasty scrape at the back. Any suggestions about protecting it from rust? I don't like the idea of respraying - the frame does look quite classy right now, and I'd hate to disfigure this old bike:
4) I've recognized the manufacturer's logo. It would appear to be Gitane, which is a classic French make, but I haven't been able to find any information on this particular model (Gitasprint) :
Note the cock-up I've made of wrapping the handlebars! I used Lizzardskins which look great in the shop, but which are a PITA to put on - I might try to re-wrap!
5) My last question is about the spokes. A couple are very slightly bent. You can see one of the damaged spokes in the picture below - look at the white packet on the left of the coffee machine and you'll see the kink. It's very small - and there's another one similar to this elsewhere on the wheel. Would it be OK to just leave it be? The wheel seems true enough.
Otherwise, I have been able to ride it for the first time today.
Very sweet indeed. You can tell it's a steel frame - a lovely, smooth ride. And the gear change is like treacle, you hardly notice it. All in all, it's been a worthwhile project - if I could only sort out that pesky first gear!