Should I??
Schoie81
Posts: 749
Hello, in spite of Rule #12, I'm not in the market for a new bike at the moment. But.....one of our clients has a custom built Geoffrey Butler steel framed bike which he no longer rides and has offered it to me when he found out I am a cyclist. I know very little about steel bikes, nor do I know much about this one, so I don't know whether to buy it or not.
Is Geoffrey Butler Claud's brother?
Never heard of Geoffrey Butler before today, but a google search tells me its a bike retailer, but can't find anything about them building their own bikes?? I've been to have a look at it today, it fits me, which is the most important thing I guess... It looks a nice bike to my untrained eye. Has modern Shimano brake calipers and doesn't have downtube shifters, looks like it may have had, but its been converted to use modern brake lever shifters. He wants £50 for it. Does that sound reasonable? A bargain?? Like I'm being made an idiot of? What should I be asking about the bike??
Is Geoffrey Butler Claud's brother?
Never heard of Geoffrey Butler before today, but a google search tells me its a bike retailer, but can't find anything about them building their own bikes?? I've been to have a look at it today, it fits me, which is the most important thing I guess... It looks a nice bike to my untrained eye. Has modern Shimano brake calipers and doesn't have downtube shifters, looks like it may have had, but its been converted to use modern brake lever shifters. He wants £50 for it. Does that sound reasonable? A bargain?? Like I'm being made an idiot of? What should I be asking about the bike?? "I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"
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For £50 ? It's a bargain. With what you've told us - (not much) its got to be worth that - what bike can you get for less than that ?0
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Buy it!!!
This is the same Geoffrey Butler Cycles now...
I assume they bought in the frame sets and had the paint jobs done like many a shop up until, well, still do really!
http://www.gbcycles.co.ukInsta: ATEnduranceCoaching
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I've asked him a few questions about age and what exactly it 'is' - waiting for him to come back to me. Its got Conti GP 4 Season tyres on it, which look almost new - so I guess there's about £50 worth of tyres on it if nothing else!"I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"0
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If you have the space for it I'd go for it. You're getting a pair of lightly used GP4S for £50 with a free bike thrown in...
My last 2 bikes have been alu and carbon respectively; I'd forgotten how a steel framed bike can ride till my son did up an old Peugeot rescued from a skip. It's very smooth indeed.
My next bike will likely be steel, but I'll probably go for something contemporary0 -
Got a bit more information over the weekend. He did have the bike made specifically for him by Geoffrey Butler around 1990. He says its never been modified from how it was built, so although the gear cables come to some sort of mount on the downtube which looks to me like it was intended for the downtube shifters, there is then a barrel adjuster and the cables continue to the brake lever shifters - he says it has always been this way.
He's also chucking in the frame pump, the rear light, the bike computer (although he says he's not sure if it works or not) and the pedals.
Thinking I'm going to take the plunge....
"I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"0 -
Live dangerously eh ?0
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I don't have loads of spare cash, so it's not an insignificant amount of money for me to spend on a bike I wasn't particularly looking for and with Christmas just around the corner! I can afford it, but knowing absolutely nothing about steel bikes, I just don't want to buy it and then regret it!!"I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"0 -
You won't. The £50 will soon be forgotten and you'll still be enjoying the bike.I just don't want to buy it and then regret it!!0 -
Geoffrey and Claude Butler have no relation. I'm no expert but do remember that the UK built CB frames were highly regarded here in the States in the 90's. I don't believe he/they produced a large number of frames but their quality control was some of the best for the time and build quality was excellent. I don't know if they just built high end bikes or some with plain type steels but as the orig owner mentioned it's a custom build it most likely is made with one of the better types of tubing. As long as you know it's a genuine CB I would jump on that deal for 50 quid.0
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I'd buy it if I wasn't on the other side of the continent. People sell junkers for that kind of money around here, so don't waste a chance like that. You can still sell it on if it goes sour on you, maybe even with a bit of profit.
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You won't. The £50 will soon be forgotten and you'll still be enjoying the bike.I just don't want to buy it and then regret it!!
Nail / head0 -
Thanks everyone. I've asked him if I can take it for a little ride and he's agreed, so unless I hate riding it, it'll soon be mine. "I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"0
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Even if you don't have a good test ride you should buy it anyway as I'm sure you could sell it at a profit. However I can't see any reason why you shouldn't enjoy the test ride, unless some parts like the gears or brakes need servicing or replacing. Even if they did, it would still be worth buying it.0
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If the OP does not want it let me know and I will have it.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0
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He says its never been modified from how it was built, so although the gear cables come to some sort of mount on the downtube which looks to me like it was intended for the downtube shifters, there is then a barrel adjuster and the cables continue to the brake lever shifters - he says it has always been this way.
That was the standard way frames were set up for STIs/Ergos initially. As down-tube shifters were still widely used, the down-tube braise-ons were either used to mount shifters or the cable bosses.0 -
He says its never been modified from how it was built, so although the gear cables come to some sort of mount on the downtube which looks to me like it was intended for the downtube shifters, there is then a barrel adjuster and the cables continue to the brake lever shifters - he says it has always been this way.
That was the standard way frames were set up for STIs/Ergos initially. As down-tube shifters were still widely used, the down-tube braise-ons were either used to mount shifters or the cable bosses.
If it was good enough for this lot.....
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