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Advice on rebuilding old Raleigh Olympus

herewardshawherewardshaw Posts: 3
edited December 2010 in Workshop
Having been home over Christmas to Devon I came across my father's old Raleigh Olympus in the back garden, covered in snow and rusting badly. Feeling sorry for it I have dragged it back to London and now want to convert it to a single speed for commuting (rather than using my Specialized Tarmac and denting my rims on the censored London roads).

Has anyone completed a similar project? I have had to remove the rims as they were rusted through. The seatpost is in a bad way too and is currently being inched out. I'd also like to replace the handlebars and headset. Finally I have no idea how to remove the cranks and bottom bracket on such an old model (it's the 1971 world championship edition - 5 speed cassette).

Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated. I've had a search on Sheldon Brown but it hasn't revealed much - that just may be my amateur understanding though.
Specialized Tarmac Ultegra
Felt RXC1
Ridgeback Velocity

Posts

  • gorgorachagorgoracha Posts: 25
    Try contacting this canandian lad:

    http://othelios.pinkbike.com/album/Raleigh-fixie/

    He seems to have done what you are intended to do...

    Have fun!
  • Monty DogMonty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Before investing effort and money, I'd inspect the frame carefully to ensure it hasn't rusted through - particularly the BB shell / chainstay junction. The Olympus was a popular model in the 70s/80s and has no real intrinsic value - basic chrome-moly 'gas pipe' frame, not Reynolds . Stem will be standard 1" quill i.e. 22.2mm diameter - you should be able to find some replacements on ebay/retrobike
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Berk BonebonceBerk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    Best left where it was.
  • herewardshawherewardshaw Posts: 3
    Thanks for the advice so far. I guess I could go and buy a new single speed, but I'd like to continue using my Dad's frame - it had done a lot of mileage before he had his stroke, so I'd like to keep it on the road.

    Frame hasn't rusted through anywhere - looks in good pretty good shape. It's mainly the components that have taken a battering.
    Specialized Tarmac Ultegra
    Felt RXC1
    Ridgeback Velocity
  • darren Hdarren H Posts: 122
    Companies like mercian will refurbish the frame. You would probably be talking a hundred quid by the time it's been primed and re sprayed.
    Depends if you really want to keep it.

    I
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