Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I've been trying to relive my youth by building a tracker bike, as built and thrashed off road by the youf of the 50's, 60's and 70's.
It's a mishmash of bits I've acquired here and there, but this is what it is:
1978 Elswick Hopper Chinook frame, c.22". I've had it powder coated in black, and very nice too. It's with matching JPS Lotus decals, as they won the F1 championship in 1978 and the colour scheme looks good.
Shorty mudguards, cleaned up and repainted gold to match the decals.
New Nutrak tyres.
NOS cowhorn bars.
New NOS period style pedals,
New NOS brake levers.
New tubes.
New chain and 5 speed freewheel.
New BMX grips, but in brown to mach the style and period.
Wenmann Centrepull brakes for that Seventies man about town look. Commoners and kids had sidepulls - sophisticates, men to be reckoned with, had centre pulls. Stripped, cleaned up, new brake blocks.
Chainset of unknown source cleaned up and fitted.
New cables all round.
Seat from my Box O' Crap.
Wheels cleaned up fairly well and a few missing spokes replaced. Wheels reasonably true, perfectly rideable. Not mint, but you have to be very close to see the patina.
All it needs to finish is a Sachs/Huret type 10 speed derailleur. The original one was corroded solid and wouldn't free up so it went in the bin. I've tried a modern Sora item from my Forbidden Cupboard of mystery, but it doesn't change well in the lower gears. So, I've been hunting for a Huret mech but never actually bothered to buy one. A quick scan of eBay shows many available, so not much to spend and it'll be ready to go.
However, I'm running tight of space and if I'm honest I'm unlikely to use it much as it's a bit small for me. It's a great looking bike, very evocative of the sort of thing us naughty boys used to build, but being ruthlessly sensible is has to go.
£70 ONO, collection from South Northants, a few miles from J15 M1.
Pictures here, scroll down a bit...
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/triumph-rodeo-and-tracker-bikes.216983/page-5
It's a mishmash of bits I've acquired here and there, but this is what it is:
1978 Elswick Hopper Chinook frame, c.22". I've had it powder coated in black, and very nice too. It's with matching JPS Lotus decals, as they won the F1 championship in 1978 and the colour scheme looks good.
Shorty mudguards, cleaned up and repainted gold to match the decals.
New Nutrak tyres.
NOS cowhorn bars.
New NOS period style pedals,
New NOS brake levers.
New tubes.
New chain and 5 speed freewheel.
New BMX grips, but in brown to mach the style and period.
Wenmann Centrepull brakes for that Seventies man about town look. Commoners and kids had sidepulls - sophisticates, men to be reckoned with, had centre pulls. Stripped, cleaned up, new brake blocks.
Chainset of unknown source cleaned up and fitted.
New cables all round.
Seat from my Box O' Crap.
Wheels cleaned up fairly well and a few missing spokes replaced. Wheels reasonably true, perfectly rideable. Not mint, but you have to be very close to see the patina.
All it needs to finish is a Sachs/Huret type 10 speed derailleur. The original one was corroded solid and wouldn't free up so it went in the bin. I've tried a modern Sora item from my Forbidden Cupboard of mystery, but it doesn't change well in the lower gears. So, I've been hunting for a Huret mech but never actually bothered to buy one. A quick scan of eBay shows many available, so not much to spend and it'll be ready to go.
However, I'm running tight of space and if I'm honest I'm unlikely to use it much as it's a bit small for me. It's a great looking bike, very evocative of the sort of thing us naughty boys used to build, but being ruthlessly sensible is has to go.
£70 ONO, collection from South Northants, a few miles from J15 M1.
Pictures here, scroll down a bit...
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/triumph-rodeo-and-tracker-bikes.216983/page-5
Last edited:
