Who Builds Up Their Own Bikes?

8valve wrote: »

SNAP! Picked up an old Olmo myself today, on a four hour roadtrip. Grand way to start the year!


SL tubing and mostly old Shimano 600 in good shape.


As if I needed another project bike!

SNAP x 2!! Have this Olmo Competition as a winter project. Not done much lately apart from strip the yellow paint off the fork which was originally chrome plated. Will try to get a match with the red of the frame and spray the fork as the chrome is in poor condition. Recently got a Cinelli quill stem and bars, but still looking for parts.

8valve wrote: »

A friend got a pair of columbus forks powder coated in a chrome finish recently at Tallaght Powder coating, with good results.

Not as durable as genuine chroming but a viable option if on a budget?

Thanks, I had heard of spray painting to replicate chrome. I'll give them a shout. Got a quote from Derby Plating in UK of £130 + vat for re-chroming fork.

ridelikeaturtle wrote: »

So I finally got all the stuff together for this one and it's built - I just need a nice-enough day so I can get it out for more than just a quick test spin.

While a little smaller than what I'd typically go for, it is surprisingly closer to a 57cm size (or my 57cm Bianchi is closer to a 55cm!) than I would have expected, and I don't think it will be uncomfortable or un-rideable.

http://www.ridelikeaturtle.com/sport/olmo-i-cant-resist-a-beautiful-italian/

Quite simply beautiful.
Great to see another vintage steel machine going back o the road.
Well wear!

jimm wrote: »

Just looking at the underside of the fork crown and noticed that there is a wooden dowel inserted in the steerer tube, Its the same diameter as the tube and is stuck fast. I did a bit of research and discovered that these wooden dowels were usually made of Dogwood and were inserted as a safety feature should the fork snap mid ride!!! Used by French riders/Race Teams.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/987834-vintage-steel-forks-wooden-dowel-not.html

The wooden dowel in my fork is exactly like the one in Post#9 on the above Forum. Another poster also warns of the build up of moisture between the dowel and steel fork tube leading to corrosion.:eek:

My question is: Should I remove the dowel or leave it in place?

Thanks

I've only ever come across these dowels once; coincidentally, it was on a 70s Motobecane, which ties in with the ''French'' connection.


Mainly used to keep 5hite spraying up into the steerer tube off the tyre in wet conditions and purportedly to aid as a brace to prevent catastrophic fork steerer/crown brazed joint failure in a crash.


The downside being that wood will indeed soak up moisture and start surface corrosion inside the steerer tube...not needed on touring bikes or everyday bikes as both had mudguards, so mainly for proper racing bikes back in the day.


For originality, I'd say keep it, if there's no signs of corrosion around the edges of it and if you're not going to constantly cycle the bike in the wet. Little touches like this are great conversation starters.



If in doubt at all, do as I did: remove the brake caliper (as the bolt goes through the dowel) and (carefully) ream it out with a long wood drill bit.

P.

8valve wrote: »

I've only ever come across these dowels once; coincidentally, it was on a 70s Motobecane, which ties in with the ''French'' connection.


Mainly used to keep 5hite spraying up into the steerer tube off the tyre in wet conditions and purportedly to aid as a brace to prevent catastrophic fork steerer/crown brazed joint failure in a crash.


The downside being that wood will indeed soak up moisture and start surface corrosion inside the steerer tube...not needed on touring bikes or everyday bikes as both had mudguards, so mainly for proper racing bikes back in the day.


For originality, I'd say keep it, if there's no signs of corrosion around the edges of it and if you're not going to constantly cycle the bike in the wet. Little touches like this are great conversation starters.



If in doubt at all, do as I did: remove the brake caliper (as the bolt goes through the dowel) and (carefully) ream it out with a long wood drill bit.

P.

Thanks for that. I'm swaying more towards removing it than leaving it in place. From reading posts on that other forum, I find it hard to believe that frame/fork designers wouldn't have engineered a better solution to reinforce an area subject to excessive stress, (a solution that didn't require a lump of wood to be hammered in). I'm sure they would have beefed up the joint between crown and steerer tube. Maybe the practice was a relic of times past when fork failure was common.

I got the frameset (as shown in my earlier post with photo) without brake calipers so there is no bolt to remove, although the dowel is drilled for one.

Even if I do remove it, it will still be a conversation starter!!

Here are a couple of bikes I have been working on.

This Viner I have had for a few years and have slowly been building up. Going to swap the stem and handlebars for something more modern and that should be it.



A more recent project was this Raleigh Tourer. Built in Dublin in 1979. A few small details to be tidied up like stainless steel cable clamps and little bits of painting

Before:



After



For anyone interested here are the internal workings of the 3 speed Sturmey archer hub which needing servicing but no replacement parts. A very enjoyable few hours!

8valve wrote: »

Sturmey archer hubs are filled with witchcraft, black magic and shattered dreams.....dismantling should be avoided at all costs

I made sure to cross a stream before going to bed that night ;-)

swarlb wrote: »

Seemingly that was a very common practise years ago. I have a reference to it in an old book (yes, a book, thing with pages that you need to flick through with your fingers to read).
I'll try to dig it out and post a photo.

Was it only on French bikes I wonder. I have a Peugeot with one fitted. When I flip the bike over it slides up the fork column and makes a little thunk sound as it hits the bottom of the stem

I fix up bikes [old bikes] for myself all the time but not quite build from scratch. Only issue I tend to have is spare parts, I often have to spend time on eBay looking and then find getting things sent on can cost twice as much as the part itself.