Perils of buying 2nd hand and goings on in my garage

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Webbo2

Veteran
I like Gators hence my interest

Clearly you have never ridden up hill in the wet or gone round a corner at speeds in double figures. 😉
 
OP
OP
biggs682

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
A busy morning what with a gentle 12 miles and a fair bit of tinkering with my new to me Carrera intercity 8 disc .

First job was to remove the humongous and soft saddle and replace with my seller SMP lite 209 in red of course 😁 and attach an under saddle pouch.

Then a set of clip in pedals and a drinks cage then it was off for a ride.

Drinks bottle rattling inside the cage , saddle needs to go higher and that's all within the first mile.

Press on with ride and once saddle lifted which feels better. Next thing is the bell doesn't ding it does nothing usable.

So once home swap metal cage for a plastic one and that helps with rattling but bottle moves around to much so swap for another one which seems to be better and also swapped the bell for one that does go ding when asked too .

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Dogtrousers

Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
I needed a derailleur hanger type h so a quick hunt around and sure enough that's the same as our tandem spare one so swapped out the bent one and fitted the new spare one and get presto 8 gears are selecting , why can't they all be that easy.

View attachment 816799

2 years on, when you have a problem with your tandem, "but I know I had a spare - where has it gone?"
 
OP
OP
biggs682

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
2 years on, when you have a problem with your tandem, "but I know I had a spare - where has it gone?"

One has been ordered
 
OP
OP
biggs682

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
Literally just back from picking up this abomination of an Alan

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Thankfully the black stem riser popped out and the original stem went back in and tightened up, on a quick inspection I can't see any cracks apart from what looks like one through the L .

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And the Campagnola seat pin is free 😁 , might have to give it a ride around the block tomorrow.
 
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Ajax Bay

Legendary Member
Location
East Devon
Your glued and screwed 'early aluminium' ALAN has, as you say, been subject to a ghastly restyle.
It needs a set of drops back on it: you have replaced the threaded quill adaptor, thank goodness.
I suspect it used to have cantis on but those have been replaced with the V-brakes.
Campagnolo BB and headset?
I have an '81 ALAN (nude like this one) with Nuovo Record but SunRace chainset (with its odd BCD (118) rings) and 'normal' road calipers.
The frame size of mine is shown just below the seat tube lug (58x59). This looks smaller.
Lots of knowledge on the ALAN f-book page/group.
 
OP
OP
biggs682

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
Your glued and screwed 'early aluminium' ALAN has, as you say, been subject to a ghastly restyle.
It needs a set of drops back on it: you have replaced the threaded quill adaptor, thank goodness.
I suspect it used to have cantis on but those have been replaced with the V-brakes.
Campagnolo BB and headset?
I have an '81 ALAN (nude like this one) with Nuovo Record but SunRace chainset (with its odd BCD (118) rings) and 'normal' road calipers.
The frame size of mine is shown just below the seat tube lug (58x59). This looks smaller.
Lots of knowledge on the ALAN f-book page/group.

According to the Facebook group Comp884 is year and month of production.

It's a 52 so a bit smaller than my normal size but it didn't feel small.

Headset feels tight so that needs a look at along with the seat post clamp as it's got a hex head bolt instead of an Allen key .

Initially I just want get it rideable then I can see what I think .

I guess it might have had bar end shifters initially?
 

Ajax Bay

Legendary Member
Location
East Devon
This frame has brazed-on cable stops on top tube and down tube.
Mine has clips for the top tube (full length outer, see image) and braze-ons for down tube friction levers. Bar ends is an assumption. What is the function of the black zip tie on the down tube?
I assume the OLN is 126mm. Mine had a 5sp block but after that failed has a 6sp block now.
Am away from home for a few more days but will look at my seatpost clamp. Pretty sure mine is a straightforward allen key job. The bolt thread should be 'standard' whatever its head.
My seatpost is a straight Campagnolo one in an unusual OD, not your fancy fluted one!
Wrt frame size and 'feel', you've fitted a ?120mm stem. To get mine manageable I found a same make 'GB' stem 78mm to replace the ?110mm one on it first build. Bought it 2 years old in '83.
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OP
OP
biggs682

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
This frame has brazed-on cable stops on top tube and down tube.
Mine has clips for the top tube (full length outer, see image) and a 'clamp-on' for down tube friction levers. Bar ends is an assumption. What is the function of the black zip tie on the down tube?
I assume the OLN is 126mm. Mine had a 5sp block but after that failed has a 6sp block now.
Am away from home for a few more days but will look at my seatpost clamp. Pretty sure mine is a straightforward allen key job. The bolt thread should be 'standard' whatever its head.
My seatpost is a straight Campagnolo one in an unusual OD, not your fancy fluted one!
Wrt frame size and 'feel', you've fitted a ?120mm stem. To get mine manageable I found a same make 'GB' stem 78mm to replace the ?110mm one on it first build. Bought it 2 years old in '83.
View attachment 817674

The zip tie is holding the gear cables as they come out of a built in outer cable guide.

I am also away from the bike.

I am tempted to try a set of down tube shifters as I think I have a set somewhere......

Pretty sure I saw 52 stamped on the bottom bracket shell but I need to check it.

The feeling is that the bar is a shade longer than needed as I can see the front axle before the bars , not sure if my seat post is fluted again I need to check.

Not sure what the oln is another thing to check
 
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