Retro Bicycle Thread

[Wazza_pe]

Some more frames for sale in Classifieds:

Somec SLX 56cm

Benotto Mod 800 58cm

Gianni Motta 55cm

I only saw the Benotto. Is the Somec gone??

[Fixer]

I only saw the Benotto. Is the Somec gone??

Sorry. Somec and Motta have already sold.

[Loose cog]

Nearing Completing, my 1964 (I think) model Vitesse.  Anyone know anything of this brand?

Hey Ren8gor, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw your post this am.

 

I have a Vitesse track bike which was generously gifted to me by a kind hubber in PE. My bike is a 1959 frame and the paint work has similarly "disintegrated"over time. My frame has a great history having originally been owned and ridden by a Belgium rider who become the 1962 Pursuit World Champion. I am not sure if the Vitesse was the bike used for this title but it has UCI (Union Cycliste Internationace) certified stamps on the frame stating 1st Prix, Championnats du Monde and Pursuit Amateurs 1962.

 

My frame was sold to certain SA riders racing in Europe at the time and then brought into SA where it is alleged to have been sold through a certain bike shop in East London. The hubber who I received the frame from acquired it from the estate of a track cyclist friend who had raced on the frame in the 1960's. I understand one of the previous owners is still alive and lives in the Eastern Cape.

 

I have not managed to establish exactly who built the frame but have tracked it down to having perhaps been built in Belgium. The Vitesse (or VM Sport) brand doesn't seem to have been well known. The frames could have been build and sold through one of the LBS in the 1950-1960's.

 

My frame was built using Reynolds 531 butted tubing and Nervex Professional lugs. BB markings 59c 3064c (degree and second angles I believe) followed by O22 (next 2 small letter) F38. Serial number HC 13 > (or a t) A. Here is a site to check your lugs against http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/components/nervex.html

 

Why I say Belgium origin is the Reynolds decals are all in Belgium language with Verdenmnesteren "World Champion"branding on the top tube.

 

The parts as seen in the pics are not period correct. She rides real well but has a serious steep angles with the pedals overlapping the front wheel by about 10cm! 

 

I too would appreciate it if anyone could provide additional information on the Vitesse brand.....................

 

[ren8gor]

 

Wow Loosecog  That's amazing.   The colour schemes are identical.  I got my one from my uncle who bought in in Cape Town in about 1964. 

 

He was quite a serious road cyclist in his younger days.

 

I was him that was instrumental in coaxing me thru my first Argus cycle tour in 1980 at age 12.

 

He is too old to ride now and the bike was in pieces in his garage in Pretoria.  He offered it to me and i have basically just stripped it, cleaned it up and re-assembled it to what you see in the pics.

 

Still need to do gear cables and one side of handlebar tape and then we set for a test ride.

 

I too have not found out much about the brand so it would be great if anybody else could shed some light.

[Loose cog]

Amazing! Please have a word with your uncle and ask him if he can recall more information as to where the bike came from (import). This information may be very valuable in tracing the frame builder. Also, would be interested in the price he paid back then.

 

The Campagnolo Valentino group set is a classic. Although the critics don't like it much compared to the Nuovo Record group, I think it is one of the best classics made by Campy. I have some parts from this group set but still looking for the rest. I am using the front derailleur on one of my Vitus' frames in the interim. It changes beautifully and I love the "laced"effect.

 

Please post a pic of the brake callipers.

 

P.S. Don't part with it, but if you ever do I want first dibs!

 

 

[LeTurbo]

I hate you both. Officially.

[Fixer]

An interesting 1972 Cinelli SC? for sale on Gumtree in Port Elizabeth...

 

http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-other/port-elizabeth/bike-4-sale/1001207176130910369093609

[ren8gor]

Amazing! Please have a word with your uncle and ask him if he can recall more information as to where the bike came from (import). This information may be very valuable in tracing the frame builder. Also, would be interested in the price he paid back then.

 

The Campagnolo Valentino group set is a classic. Although the critics don't like it much compared to the Nuovo Record group, I think it is one of the best classics made by Campy. I have some parts from this group set but still looking for the rest. I am using the front derailleur on one of my Vitus' frames in the interim. It changes beautifully and I love the "laced"effect.

 

Please post a pic of the brake callipers.

 

P.S. Don't part with it, but if you ever do I want first dibs!

P1050024.jpgP1050025.jpg

The front derailleur you show is identical to the one on the Vitesse.  The current rear derailleur is a Nuovo Record version. 

I have the original Gran Sport one, but it is a little tatty and very heavy and in need of some TLC so i have installed a Nuovo Record version that i had knocking about. 

The shifters are interesting in the sense that each lever is on its own band rather than both shifters on one band.  For each one, the Campy logo is correctly orientated too.

The bike has Weimann centrepull brakes.  Again, the levers were ratty and in disrepair.  I have replaced them with a set of GB levers bought from a hubber.  Not the original part, but looks ok.

Handlebars and Stem are GB.

The front wheel is also not original, but i have a plan in place to get a wheel that matches the rear Gnutti 5 speed hub and Fiamme rim.  Still looking for some decent gumwall tyres in size 27 X 1 1/4.  Anybody have any ideas?

 

And i still would like to change the toestraps to a natural brown colour

 

I will certainly ask him more of the history of the bike and share with him your history and see if we can get some additional info.

 

With regards parting with the bike.  Not likely.  Lots of sentimental value within the family.

[Louis for real]

so I found this yesterday.not fully retro but it is a thing of beauty

 

It is in need of some tlc though.

The non-driveside crank arm is cracked- looks like a campagnolo c record see attached pics.

it has veloce brakes

veloce shifter/brake but the one is damaged beyond repair.

i threw away the rest as it was also damaged beyond repair.

it has a columbus aluminium frame.

 

components needed...

 

Veloce shift/brake leaver.

Veloce rear derailleur

non driveside crank arm.

 

can you guys please advise what sort of cost i am looking at?

Edited November 15, 2014 by louicx

[lefthecountry]

Here's some of the stuff I had:

 

 

Peugeot. Can't remember the model name and the year. It was about 20-25 years old.

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb9206343/p4pb9206343.jpg

 

It was a lot of fun converting that bike from an old piece of garbage to what you see on the picture, but after riding it for a bit more than half a year, I decided to sell it because I really wanted to start another project. Really enjoyed the progress of having an old bike in terrible shape and bringing it back to life.

 

After I sold that one I bought this a Gazelle Champion Mondiale '79. It was in a bit better shape, except for the bent forks / frame bent like a camel's back, that I didn't notice when I bought it. Still it was a nice deal for €30 / 400ZAR. Especially since I ended up selling the Shimano 600 groupset for more than that. Another fun project that in the end didn't cost me anything.

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10020307/p4pb10020307.jpg

 

This was my bike until I moved to Amsterdam. With all the tram rails in my street and neighbourhood, those skinny tyres didn't seem like the best choice for a commuter. That's when I sold that bike and replaced it with the 1991 Kona Cinder Cone frameset, that I have custom built myself:

 

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10789208/p4pb10789208.jpg

 

I still ride this bike

[Guest notmyname]

I have those same hoops, but they need re anodising to bring them back to former glory.

[Cippo]

so I found this yesterday.not fully retro but it is a thing of beauty

 

It is in need of some tlc though.

The non-driveside crank arm is cracked- looks like a campagnolo c record see attached pics.

it has veloce brakes

veloce shifter/brake but the one is damaged beyond repair.

i threw away the rest as it was also damaged beyond repair.

it has a columbus aluminium frame.

 

In keeping with the Italian theme i  would like to use i-ti parts(so campag it is) and also from the time it came from but i also dont want this project to cost too much...

components needed:

 

Veloce shift/brake leaver.

Veloce rear derailleur

non driveside crank arm.

 

can you guys please advise what sort of cost i am looking at?

There are some good deals on shifters in Classifieds. Any Campag 10 speed parts will work with each other

[Rolfalps]

So here is my Peugeot Chorus built with a mix of C Record and Croce' D Aune . Needs another saddle - have a Rolls I wanted to use but I can't get the saddle angle right with the seatpost I've got.

[Rolfalps]

so I found this yesterday.not fully retro but it is a thing of beauty

 

It is in need of some tlc though.

The non-driveside crank arm is cracked- looks like a campagnolo c record see attached pics.

it has veloce brakes

veloce shifter/brake but the one is damaged beyond repair.

i threw away the rest as it was also damaged beyond repair.

it has a columbus aluminium frame.

 

In keeping with the Italian theme i  would like to use i-ti parts(so campag it is) and also from the time it came from but i also dont want this project to cost too much...

components needed:

 

Veloce shift/brake leaver.

Veloce rear derailleur

non driveside crank arm.

 

can you guys please advise what sort of cost i am looking at?

That is a Veloce bb and the drive side crank looks like Veloce as well , so the damaged record crank is not original.

[FlashingPedals]

Finally managed to get another vintage from dumper to a race ready jumper... Quite chuffed with the end result. Wheeler triathlon T62 with 26" wheels. This bike has now introduced a junior 11 year old rider to the sport and he's loving every moment.. Gotta love that.. 

[Louis for real]

There are some good deals on shifters in Classifieds. Any Campag 10 speed parts will work with each other

 

Thanks and that is good to know...i only know mtb stuff.

That is a Veloce bb and the drive side crank looks like Veloce as well , so the damaged record crank is not original.

Noted how do you tell the difference between the two bottom brackets and cranks?