New fixed project - ebay bargain!

graham_g
graham_g Posts: 652
edited May 2008 in Road general
Had a nightmare evening on Friday taking apart my commuting fixed wheel Raleigh (70's/80's Record Ace) which was in a bit of a state, manage to completely ruin the cranks trying to get them off thanks to 'self-extracting' bolts which managed to extract enough thread to render my crank extractor useless. I'd already ruined the rear brake bridge trying to drill it out for allen key brakes and I had problems with brake drop (it needed deeep) so I decided that it wasn't worth paying someone to grind the crankset off and it got junked.

Quick check of ebay found me a nice 531 Raleigh for collection only, but also with 700c wheels, full 105 (c.1990 including biopace crankset). I put a low-ball bid in and it was successful!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=006

Changed the pedals (it had old 105 cleats and clips/straps style) and rode it in this morning, no problems - wheels true, gears indexed fine, brakes solid (need new cables mind) and there's not even any squeaking or creaking.

There's clearance for mudguards with 23mm tyres so I'm going to get eyelets brazed on when I get around to getting a respray (won't go without on a commuter!).

You could easily 'fix' this for the cost of a new rear wheel (or just hub and spokes!), bottom bracket and single chainring bolts, everything else would be fine as it is, even if the handlbars are the most uncomfortable things I've ever used.

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