Got her done

I completed the restoration of the bike I have been working on the last couple of months today after picking up a few missing pieces at the Velodrome Annual Swap Meet this morning.

Although I've not been able to determine what the actual make of the bicycle is, for a variety of reasons, I suspect it is a very early Andy Gilmour. Andy has been building frames since 1974 and is still in business. I sent him a some photos of the frames and he thought it looked very much like one of his early frames, but it is impossible to tell for sure. While the bike is of uncertain heritage it is definitely a high end bike based on the Reynolds 531 tubing and the Campagnolo Nuovo Record components. Both were high quality items when this bike was constructed (~1975-76).

Here are a few photos of the completed project:















Nuovo Record Campagnolo Components, Regal San Marcos Saddle w/ Titanium Rails















Very unusual chainring. I've only seen one other during my countless hours of internet surfing. An identical, slightly smaller chainring sold on Ebay a couple of months back for $80 and was listed as a "Campagnolo Nuovo Record Chainring drilled Merckx". Eddy Merckx is the most famous professional cyclist of all time, and a 5 times winner of the Tour De France. Apologies to Lance Amstrong. Campagnolo Pedals, Christophe Toe Clips, Ale Toe Straps, and Elite "Lightweight Tubular Cage" water bottle cage.















Cinelli "Campeone Del Mondo" Bars, Cinelli Stem, Bennotto bar tape. Period correct mustard yellow cable housing. Period correct Campagnolo Derailleur cable set. Contemporary brake cables. Replica Campagnolo "gum" brake hoods. I hand painted the yellow "G" with some model paint I found at the game store.















The University of California, Berkeley water bottle is not original ;) but it sure matches the color scheme very well. Pasela 27-1 1/4 "gumwall" tires. Very Rouler. This tire ended up being slightly too big for the bike and they will be eventually replaced with something sportier.

I rode it today for about 10 miles and had to make a few adjustments to the brake pad position. It rode very well. I'm going to have to come up with a longer, more suitable maiden voyage ride for it to really give it a run.