Retro-modern TT build - '91 Boardman content

simon_masterson

Been meaning to share the build that's been consuming my life/spending money for the past few weeks!

Started out looking for a nice old lo pro frame from the early '90s to build up into a steel TT bike. I ended up being offered a rather special frame. It was made originally for Boardman, during his short stay with Ribble in 1991.



Paintwork's a little tatty, but that's fixable. Super Record BB w/Ti axle, and Chorus headset. It's 753, and ludicrously light.

So far amassed some Chorus cranks, Mike Burrows seatpost, a Turbo Lite I had that needed a bike, some old Profile bars, and some 8 speed Syncro shifters (a particularly brilliant find). 105 brakes for now.

It's going to be running (Campag) 8 speed. Got 2 rear hubs lined up for initial rear wheels - One Mirage and another that looks like early Veloce.

Put it all together tonight for fun, and it looks something like this...



Just to be clear, seatpost isn't going to be that high! Got some sticking issues with the tube that I need to sort.

Front wheel is an old 105 hub with Mavic rim and a Juniores tub. Not going to be using that rear wheel on this bike; I just bought it for the hub. It'll get some blingy carbon eventually 8). Also not keeping that stem on.

napoleond

Coooooooooooooooool!!

8)

matt-h

brilliant!

ugo.santalucia

Great bike, terrible photos...

lostboysaint

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Great bike, terrible photos...

That

simon_masterson

Cheers gents. Yes, apologies for iPhone!

term1te

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Great bike, terrible photos...

Great bike, and the photos (and dare I say rug) look contemporary. They look as though they've been processed in Boots, as they would have been when the frame was new, nice touch.

bluemoon17

Love that! Very nice.

napoleond

Simon Masterson wrote:

Cheers gents. Yes, apologies for iPhone!

iPhone is no excuse

Taken riding 1 handed on the move with an iPhone 4...

rgliniany

rider looks off-centered to the bike.... 4/5

napoleond

rgliniany wrote:

rider looks off-centered to the bike.... 4/5

Damn. He obviously needs a longer artificial leg. Then one day he might even be a world champion...

Paul 8v

Term1te wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Great bike, terrible photos...

Great bike, and the photos (and dare I say rug) look contemporary. They look as though they've been processed in Boots, as they would have been when the frame was new, nice touch.

Haha, great description.

Liking the bike though

Paul 8v

NapoleonD wrote:

rgliniany wrote:

rider looks off-centered to the bike.... 4/5

Damn. He obviously needs a longer artificial leg. Then one day he might even be a world champion...

Ah , just realised who this is, didn't notice the rainbow hoops to start with

sloppyschleckonds

Great bike, another Boardman Ribble lol

Yellow Peril

NapoleonD wrote:

rgliniany wrote:

rider looks off-centered to the bike.... 4/5

Damn. He obviously needs a longer artificial leg. Then one day he might even be a world champion...

World champ riding like that, I doubt it!!! Good job he's not a forum member he'd get a right slagging! Obviously not British or they would adjust his @rse centerage for a marginal gain...

Yellow Peril

Back on topic, love this build!. My old Dolan is currently at Rourkes getting a Yellow Peril paint job to be built up into a TT bike for next year. The plan is to scare the hell out of a long 26!

IrishMac

add an old school TT helmet to that when you're out! Looks sick!

rgliniany

NapoleonD wrote:

rgliniany wrote:

rider looks off-centered to the bike.... 4/5

Damn. He obviously needs a longer artificial leg. Then one day he might even be a world champion...

didn't notice the leg till you mentioned it :oops:

guess who feels like an arse now

simon_masterson

IrishMac wrote:

add an old school TT helmet to that when you're out! Looks sick!

As it happens, there was a Cinelli aero hat on eBay the other day - much like the ones LeMond and Hinault used to wear. I'll be honest, I did consider it!

I'm not sure where I stand on this issue, to be honest. On a bike like this, going without a helmet would also look perfectly correct, but I prefer to wear one - which also rules out the old school head fairing types. Perhaps if I had money to burn, I'd buy a full La Vie Claire/Gan kit to live out my fantasies at club 10s, but I also like to hope that technology has progressed; and I'm also trying to avoid the 'I burgled an old time triallist' look.

simon_masterson

Also, a slightly sharper shot from my camera, from the same evening.



Scored an 8 speed Chorus front mech this evening for £6.50, and got a Chorus rear in the post as well. Getting there! 8)

napoleond

This is ace 8)

IrishMac

Haha fair enough! I definitely wouldn't go for the no helmet look anyway

Seeing as the frame was made for him, a Boardman namesonframes sticker mightn't look out of place

Buckie2k5

could do with some more seat post showing

simon_masterson

Buckie2k5 wrote:

could do with some more seat post showing

I have long legs.

But in all seriousness, I think it will suit my proportions. I could have opted for a bigger frame, but many have a longer top tube than I wanted. With this one I'm confident that I'll have a compact position with saddle forward and a short stem.

Not dissimilar to this, I guess, but not sure I'm as flexible as Brad.

Paul 8v

Wiggins is pretty much perfect in terms of shape on a bike in my opinion. Even on a normal road bike

simon_masterson

Paul 8v wrote:

Wiggins is pretty much perfect in terms of shape on a bike in my opinion. Even on a normal road bike

+1 - you can tell he's been doing it since he was very young. One of those that looks at one with the bike rather than wrestling with it.

kafkathedog

Don't know whether there was more than one but here it is:





I hope you can get the retro clothing and helmet to wear with it

Paul 8v

Look at that summer clothing guide, wow!

kafkathedog

Paul 8v wrote:

Look at that summer clothing guide, wow!

Its worse inside believe me. :shock:

Luckily most of it's in black and white

simon_masterson

kafkathedog wrote:

Don't know whether there was more than one but here it is:





I hope you can get the retro clothing and helmet to wear with it

Thanks a million for these! Hadn't seen the bottom one. Would love a set of those wheels. 8)

simon_masterson

I realise I haven't posted in here for a while. Couple of little updates.

Over the last couple of days I've been doing a couple of extremely imperfect Halfords touch-up pen repairs. In the meantime, I've just put the cockpit together - got a Profile quill, and some Tektro levers (which seemed to be the best option for a bar end with external cabling, and were £13 from Ribble).







Pleased with that stem - Not to everyone's taste with the welds - I'd definitely use a Record 84 or 1A if I had one in the right size - but though a little scratched, it's nice and shiny. Fairly light for a quill, as well - less than 230g, though feels solid enough. Anyway, £8 delivered is a bargain.

In the background are Chorus 8 sp mechs, and a Mirage rear hub that I'll use for another rear wheel. Once finances have recovered from the festive season, I'm hoping I might find an 8 sp Chorus (if not better) rear hub to build up for a best rear wheel with a RALtech cover (unless someone decides to donate a Campag 8 sp disc!), to pair with a 650c carbon wheel of some sort should I eventually run into any money.

Probably going to put it together at the weekend and have a sit on it, but it's nearly done - really just need cassette, chainrings, chain, cables, downtube stops, bar tape etc. Pedals will be current Looks, in white of course - probably Keo 2 Max but not decided yet. 8)