triumph rodeo frame an forks

[Illaveago]

What an awkward set up !
I was wondering if the nipples are just lead or brass which has been soldered on ?
In the old days you could re solder nipples back on if they were brass. I had to do it on my clutch cable on my motorbike .

 

[raleighnut]

Omg! Using a different search term (Clarke’s co trip cables) I found these. They look like the right ones....
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/164276954727

Thoughts???

They look more likely.

 

[Richardmulcaster]

What an awkward set up !
I was wondering if the nipples are just lead or brass which has been soldered on ?
In the old days you could re solder nipples back on if they were brass. I had to do it on my clutch cable on my motorbike .

They are lead, not brass. And I have considered soldering as an option. I have a small soldering iron (nicked from school 27 years ago, well, just not returned!) and I have a role of solder, but I don’t think solder by itself would be strong enough to take the pull on the brakes.
But thanks so much for your input, much appreciated.
I m thinking of getting the ones I found this morning- I think they will be a bit too long, but at least they will be the right colour and fittings, so they will work plus it seems the chances of finding the same but shorter to suit a small ladies bike are no looking like almost zero. However, My neighbour wants a new wicker basket fitted so I think I could hide excess cable behind that.

 

[raleighnut]

They are lead, not brass. And I have considered soldering as an option. I have a small soldering iron (nicked from school 27 years ago, well, just not returned!) and I have a role of solder, but I don’t think solder by itself would be strong enough to take the pull on the brakes.
But thanks so much for your input, much appreciated.
I m thinking of getting the ones I found this morning- I think they will be a bit too long, but at least they will be the right colour and fittings, so they will work plus it seems the chances of finding the same but shorter to suit a small ladies bike are no looking like almost zero. However, My neighbour wants a new wicker basket fitted so I think I could hide excess cable behind that.

I've had a look and I seem to have the front brake only, it has a drop of about 80mm from pivot to slots but has a clamp fitting at the bottom and a screw adjuster at the top. It is however a genuine Raleigh bent chromed steel caliper and looks like it should clean up nicely (no rust)

 

[Richardmulcaster]

I've had a look and I seem to have the front brake only, it has a drop of about 80mm from pivot to slots but has a clamp fitting at the bottom and a screw adjuster at the top. It is however a genuine Raleigh bent chromed steel caliper and looks like it should clean up nicely (no rust)

Hi Raleighnut, that is incredibly kind of you, thank you for the offer. I’m afraid good ole FOMO got me earlier today and I went and bought the ones I found on eBay, the listing said that 2 others were watching, and as I couldn’t see them anywhere else I got them bought. Arrival next week so will have to wait and see, but I might be back on to you yet if these don’t work.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[raleighnut]

Hi Raleighnut, that is incredibly kind of you, thank you for the offer. I’m afraid good ole FOMO got me earlier today and I went and bought the ones I found on eBay, the listing said that 2 others were watching, and as I couldn’t see them anywhere else I got them bought. Arrival next week so will have to wait and see, but I might be back on to you yet if these don’t work.
Thanks again for your help.

Well the caliper is in the shed and I'm never gonna use it, I thought I had both but the rear must have gone in the bin but even if the cables you've bought are a bit long using bottom entry to the rear means you can lose a bit of that by having a wider curve by the chainguard.

I'd post a picture of the front caliper but my old Windows 7 computer is having a sulk and refusing to talk to the camera saying that it is 'low' on memory. I think it's a microsoft ploy to get me to buy a new W10 machine.

 

[Richardmulcaster]

So, this is where I got to last Thursday, sorry, been slow on updating this thread. New Old stock wheels arrived on Thursday and I eventually got them on, but not without issue!- so after I polished them up, cleaned out the original bearing grease (50+ years old!) and bedded in new, fitted the new old stock tyres and tubes I offered them up to the frame, only to find out the axles are too big in diameter to fit the frame slots on the Rodeo! Argh! So back to the old wheels, strip out the axles, back to cleaning with petrol, mix and match all nuts and bearing seats until I can find a combo that works, then re apply assembly grease and eventually get them fitted. Just another 2 hours!
just now waiting on these elusive and complicated brake cables (due to arrive on Wednesday) and then I get to present it back to our lovely neighbour.

 

[midlife]

Looking good. You can file 'flats' on the axle to fit the narrower dropouts if you need.

 

[Richardmulcaster]

Looking good. You can file 'flats' on the axle to fit the narrower dropouts if you need.

yeah- I see that’s exactly what the original axles had done to them. So I had to weigh up the chances of me making apigs ear’ of filing the new axles and the time involved versus pulling out the old original axles Cleaning them up and making them work. I went for the latter eventually.

Interesting point though for all the vintage enthusiasts out there- These new ‘old stocks wheels I bought- reckon the rims are old stock for sure, there’s even some very slight rust spots on them.... but I reckon that’s it for old stock, I think the axle, the bearing seats, the chrome outer axle (for want of a better name) and the spokes are all newly made. In terms of quality all those parts just don’t compare to the old original ones and the centre chrome outer axle / spoke holder is a completely different profile, much fatter than the old 1958 originals- Thinking about it, they resemble the old fatter chrome centres from bikes in the 1990’s when I was growing up.

anyway- Brake cables have arrived and they look like the right ones, so.... it’s time for the final piece.....

 

[Kent]

So, this is where I got to last Thursday, sorry, been slow on updating this thread. New Old stock wheels arrived on Thursday and I eventually got them on, but not without issue!- so after I polished them up, cleaned out the original bearing grease (50+ years old!) and bedded in new, fitted the new old stock tyres and tubes I offered them up to the frame, only to find out the axles are too big in diameter to fit the frame slots on the Rodeo! Argh! So back to the old wheels, strip out the axles, back to cleaning with petrol, mix and match all nuts and bearing seats until I can find a combo that works, then re apply assembly grease and eventually get them fitted. Just another 2 hours!
just now waiting on these elusive and complicated brake cables (due to arrive on Wednesday) and then I get to present it back to our lovely neighbour.

Not got very far with mine had issues with axles so going for some 700c wheelset now with a coaster break like how the frame looks with out breaks an cables also looking like the bottom bracket is going to be challenging aswel was told to go for a square taper bb so might go for that. an also not sure if I'm going to repaint as the paint is very chipped an flaky but the graphics are nice but cant find another rodeo frame photo with the same as mine think it would be a shame to cover them. forks had already been stripped when I got it would look alot nicer with a coat. Coming from bmx background to attempting to get this bike working has taught me alot! I do think this rodeo is going to end up more tracker than a full restoration. Like I said not got very far but still working on it 👍

 

[Richardmulcaster]

Not got very far with mine had issues with axles so going for some 700c wheelset now with a coaster break like how the frame looks with out breaks an cables also looking like the bottom bracket is going to be challenging aswel was told to go for a square taper bb so might go for that. an also not sure if I'm going to repaint as the paint is very chipped an flaky but the graphics are nice but cant find another rodeo frame photo with the same as mine think it would be a shame to cover them. forks had already been stripped when I got it would look alot nicer with a coat. Coming from bmx background to attempting to get this bike working has taught me alot! I do think this rodeo is going to end up more tracker than a full restoration. Like I said not got very far but still working on it 👍

looks Impressive Kent!
You’ve done all the stripping down- now it’s time for the elbow grease for the cleaning up part. Then you gotta buy new bits - which is the fun part. The tricky part is trying to make it all go back together!
Good luck!

 

[Richardmulcaster]

Right, so it’s done! See photo. And it works!
Trouble is- those darn brake cables aren’t right. I got them fitted and thought they felt too tight and it’s true. I can operate them but my daughters and the 61 yo lady owner also can’t because they’re too tight. Being fixed at both ends means they have a Pre set amount of travel and it seems the travel is not enough for the set up and so most of the travel is taken up by simply being in position and then come to pull the lever and it’s way too tight for anyone other than a man with large hands.
So it’s back to the drawing board. The cables are certainly the right fittings and type but the sizings are wrong.... so the mission continues!

 

[raleighnut]

Right, so it’s done! See photo. And it works!
Trouble is- those darn brake cables aren’t right. I got them fitted and thought they felt too tight and it’s true. I can operate them but my daughters and the 61 yo lady owner also can’t because they’re too tight. Being fixed at both ends means they have a Pre set amount of travel and it seems the travel is not enough for the set up and so most of the travel is taken up by simply being in position and then come to pull the lever and it’s way too tight for anyone other than a man with large hands.
So it’s back to the drawing board. The cables are certainly the right fittings and type but the sizings are wrong.... so the mission continues!

Still got that front brake caliper.

 

[Richardmulcaster]

Still got that front brake caliper.

Very kind, but I have the same issue on the rear cable too, and need to
So, I’m either going to have a go at a strong solder (been watching YouTube videos on that and seems possible...?) or I’m going to get a little pinch bolt and use single ended cables and just add a little crimp end- it won’t look quite as smart but I think that will do the job.

So, I’m either going to have a go at a strong solder (been watching YouTube videos on that and seems possible...?) or I’m going to get a little pinch bolt and use single ended cables and just add a little crimp end- it won’t look quite as smart but I think that will do the job.
This does of course mean I now have 4 x Clark’s Control cables for a vintage Raleigh cable model number 5014, still with original packaging. Any takers? Anyone know which bikes they do fit so I can advertise them?

 

[Richardmulcaster]

Ok, so after a summer holiday, and time away from the bike, I finished it off this morning....
Got board with those totally original preset cables- I ruined two by trying to cut off 30mm of cable to increase the travel- that didn’t work. (And I now have two brand new, unused ones of this if anyone is interested?)
So take a look at the final pics.... brakes sorted using standard vintage cables and pinch bolts, allowing me to adjust the calliper end as much as I like!
So we’ll do the ‘hand over ceremony’ Later today after the kids get back from school.
Overall, I think it’s turned out ok. We decided on tan colour scheme for the tyres, handle bars and seat instead of white, but I think that is ok and old lady is happy- especially with the bigger more comfy seat!

thoughts or comments always welcome, and thanks for your guidance!