Retro Bicycle Thread

[Loose cog]

I have just bought an old le Jeune "Super Prestige", and the brake hoods (shimano rsx) were squishy and sticky, so cut them off. Wondering now if that was a bad idea, but they were so horrible. Does anybody know where to get some, or have some lying around? I'll post pics of the bike this weekend.

According to LBS's in Jhbg they have not been able to source Shimano brake hood replacements from the Shimano suppliers for a few years. I suspect there is very little demand for older group set parts for the LBS's to bother.

Anyway, you will need to import them, check out eBay's UK site. There are normally lots of hoods for sale varying in price and location.

[MainRoader]

According to LBS's in Jhbg they have not been able to source Shimano brake hood replacements from the Shimano suppliers for a few years. I suspect there is very little demand for older group set parts for the LBS's to bother.

Anyway, you will need to import them, check out eBay's UK site. There are normally lots of hoods for sale varying in price and location.

 

 

Hey, thanks for the reply. Just stumbled upon these from rivbikes

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/bl1h.htm

they look right. If anyone else wants let me know and I'll put an order in.

[Fire Engine]

Came across a Zini cicli ,

Do you guys know the brand and is it worth trying to get hold off.

[HeyYou]

Zini is a South African bike, built by Gotty Hanson of HANSOM bicycle fame.

 

Nice frames, nothing wrong with them. Mostly, if not all, built from Reynolds steel, so have a look what tubing was used. I have a few of them, from Reynolds 501 through to 753. So.there's a wide range of 'lightness', 'stiffness'!

 

Some were beautifully put together, on a par with overseas frames, but some are not so well brazed!!!!

[Fire Engine]

Zini is a South African bike, built by Gotty Hanson of HANSOM bicycle fame.

 

Nice frames, nothing wrong with them. Mostly, if not all, built from Reynolds steel, so have a look what tubing was used. I have a few of them, from Reynolds 501 through to 753. So.there's a wide range of 'lightness', 'stiffness'!

 

Some were beautifully put together, on a par with overseas frames, but some are not so well brazed!!!!

Great thanks for the info it has a renolds 501 sticker on it.So that one is answered.

[Climate]

 

 

Hey, thanks for the reply. Just stumbled upon these from rivbikes

http://www.rivbike.c...duct-p/bl1h.htm

they look right. If anyone else wants let me know and I'll put an order in.

 

Just be sure to check what the shipping costs will be ... they differ dramatically for the same item!

 

Here's an alternative for you, with what looks like a reasonable transport component:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pr-GENUINE-SHIMANO-105-AERO-BRAKE-LEVER-RUBBER-HOODS-black-RSX-R400-/390681253468?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5af66ad65c

[HeyYou]

And another link for brake hoods

 

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cane-creek-weinmann-and-mafac-style-cane-creek-road-brake-lever-hoods-black-prod26321/

[Fixer]

Zini is a South African bike, built by Gotty Hanson of HANSOM bicycle fame.

 

Nice frames, nothing wrong with them. Mostly, if not all, built from Reynolds steel, so have a look what tubing was used. I have a few of them, from Reynolds 501 through to 753. So.there's a wide range of 'lightness', 'stiffness'!

 

Some were beautifully put together, on a par with overseas frames, but some are not so well brazed!!!!

Earlier Zini Cicli frames were hand built in Italy. I am told that in the late eighties the name was bought locally and that is when local production started.

I have had 3 Italian Zini frames. Still have one... will try find a pic.

[Fixer]

Italian Zini

[HeyYou]

Something I didn't know, thanks.

 

I knew they had bought the name, same as Alpina, but I didn't think about the frames before they bought the rights to use the name. Same as Le Jeune I suppose, except that they were built here and in Europe at the same time.

 

Lovely lady!

[divernick]

Here's a bike that was donated to my Build-a-Bike initiative yesterday. A mint Bridgestone MB-5. This thing is all-original, even the tyres.

 

What a blast from the past! This thing has hardly ever been ridden in it's 20-something year life.

Edited November 6, 2013 by divernick

[HeartCoppi]

i love looking at that zini.

[HeyYou]

Anyone know when Gotty started building Zini in SA?

 

I have a Campion MK 1, made from Columbus SL tubing, which I assume was one of the early ones, probably around 82 to 85.

 

All the others I've seen, the later models, are Reynolds tubing.

[javadude]

Anyone know when Gotty started building Zini in SA?

 

I have a Campion MK 1, made from Columbus SL tubing, which I assume was one of the early ones, probably around 82 to 85.

 

All the others I've seen, the later models, are Reynolds tubing.

 

Must be an early one. My MK 1 from 1986 had Reynolds 501. Cant remember where I read the story about Zini, might have even been somewhere on this thread. Zini was started by two Italian brothers, then somehow Basil Cohen got to know one of the brothers who came racing here in SA, and he subsequently bought the rights to the Zini name. I got my Zini from Deal and Huth in December 1986 from their store opposite Carlton Center. Best LBS in history.

[HeyYou]

Yeah, I read something similar once upon a time. Just found this on BIKEFORUMS

I have met Paolo Zini. He now works as a goldsmith in the province of Parma in Italy. He has absolutely no ties with cycling whatsoever and has some rather negative memories of the time spent among the pros (he raced for the SCIC team in 1970 and 1971). He is/was too intelligent to accept the life of a domestique in the 70's and not fast enough to race for himself.

 

He sold bikes out of a shop in Parma and exported quite a few to South Africa. My memory is growing somewhat sketchy about the rest that he told me, but I believe that by the 80's he had already given up frame building, so I doubt that your bike was built by Paolo. I seem to recall that Paolo 'sold' the rights to build Zini bikes to someone in South Africa, so it is perhaps more likely that the bike was actually made there. Given the large number of South Africans and Zimbabweans who have emigrated to Australia, it would be quite easy that the bike ended up in Oz.

[javadude]

Yeah, I read something similar once upon a time. Just found this on BIKEFORUMS

 

I have met Paolo Zini. He now works as a goldsmith in the province of Parma in Italy. He has absolutely no ties with cycling whatsoever and has some rather negative memories of the time spent among the pros (he raced for the SCIC team in 1970 and 1971). He is/was too intelligent to accept the life of a domestique in the 70's and not fast enough to race for himself.

 

He sold bikes out of a shop in Parma and exported quite a few to South Africa. My memory is growing somewhat sketchy about the rest that he told me, but I believe that by the 80's he had already given up frame building, so I doubt that your bike was built by Paolo. I seem to recall that Paolo 'sold' the rights to build Zini bikes to someone in South Africa, so it is perhaps more likely that the bike was actually made there. Given the large number of South Africans and Zimbabweans who have emigrated to Australia, it would be quite easy that the bike ended up in Oz.

 

 

Maybe yours is an Italian one, that would be cool.