Kona Stuff Downhill/Jump bike

Came as a frame/forks with a bag of parts... Nice bike though; )

Needed brakes (Shimano BR-M365 M355 Altus Hydraulic Disc Brakes Front/Rear) & some TLC to get it riding on Boxing Day: )

Still needs an 8 speed cassette, a chain & front derailler to get the 24 gears available.
Rear wheel - not original- has a 9 speed cassette & obviously does not work well with the original 8 speed changers. Getting 7 of 9 gears currently, after some fiddling...

High quality, tough alloy frame with Dart forks in good order & it rides nicely right now.

An 8 speed cassette is £13 at Halfrauds currently. £7 for a new chain and it'll be a super bike. I've got a front derailler to fit & it could really do with a couple of replacement front chain rings to be perfect.

It'll need a saddle also (this one is borrowed off my Raleigh Merlin: ) & some better pedals will also improve it.

I reckon this one is 2009ish & they cost £750 then, so a top machine in the day. And still good.

The cables for the Front Derailler are not in use here, but installed ready for use later.

This particular frame has a long seat-post, so it can be used as a 'normal' MTB for road use, but you can also lower it for hard core DH/Jump stuff: ) The bars can be raised with a suitable riser stem. It's a bit low here for a 6 footer: )

How you doing with it Woz??

WTB/Raleigh Technium composite MTB frame forks.

Check this frame forks... Recent ebay find: )

Looks like a Raleigh, USA version, of the composite Raleighs of the time.
Interesting? I think so. Early MTBs have a following & this one looks to be very interesting.

Looks to be an interesting period Raleigh frame. I'd previously looked at some of the UK Raleigh composite road frames, Dyna-techs? but they looked expensive to me.

Ebay pics above, not mine: )


Later... Dec 22 2019.
It finally arrived & it was really nice to have a closer look.

Nice paint & general condition. Takes 26" wheels & I happen to have a 7 speed Shimano Nexus wheel-set that might go very well with it.

This is looking to be Raleigh Technium, made in Kent, Washington. April 1989.
Has (I believe) 6061 T8 Aluminum main tubes (As opposed to Easton tubing?) & CrMo rear end & forks.

Not sure about the WTB connection, if any: )

But it has this rear rack mount on the seat-stay top & guard + rack eyes both ends.

Not seen another yet.
Nor any with the unpainted top & seat tube. Maybe I just need to keep looking: )

Current thinking is that this is an early Kent frame, which may differ slightly from the later established Raleigh models.

Will check & build it up meanwhile...


January 5 2020

Been playing with this over the holiday & just taken some pics of it. Tentative build here with Shimano Nexus 7 speed hub. Converting to V brakes rather than the original cantilevers. (Waiting for the new brake blocks here...)

Has a long wheelbase & appears to be designed for load carrying over trails/off tarmac, with rack & guard mounts both ends.

January 15th 2020

 
During a test ride here.
Pity it's way too small for me.

1980 Raleigh Merlin Timewarp Urban 5 speed

Recent find here.
It's just one of those you cannot ignore.
Even though I got too many already...

Raleigh Merlin 5 speed town bike here in very nice, original order.
A good spec. Raleigh at the time.
I'm guessing 1975/80 for this.

Alloy bars/stem, Weinmann centre-pull brakes, it looks like it's had little use.

I've not actually seen it yet. I travel to pick it up shortly.
Thanks Titch: )
And Pete; )

In very tidy condition when you look close. A little mark on the decal is all that detracts.

Nice Raleigh head-badge, cool Weinmann centre pulls, hardly used tyres, nice guards.
Even the chrome is shiny: )   


10th December 2019.

Been here a couple of days now, & out for a ride on it today: )
Had to replace a stuck rear 5 speed block, clean the frame a little & give it a check-over.
Here it is running very nicely.

     
Only a damaged front guard is letting it down here. (Removed shortly.)

Paint/decals amazing for its age. Alloy Weinmann brakes/levers, bars, stem excellent.

Chrome plated 27" rims (Superchromix) a little spotty but inside the rims are clean & the original innertubes have no punctures.

Pirelli World Tour tyres are as new. No frozen spokes, so the rims are straight & correctly tensioned now: )

Rear derailler is dated 1979 so I'm assuming the bike is 1980. Virtually no use. The brake blocks are just running in... Except for a squeal on the front left pad... A new set of softer pads will likely fix it. They feel hard to me.

This machine has Shimano Positron shifters. The early Shimano attempt at indexed shifting, prone to problems apparently! Not on this one. They are very interesting to deal with & learn about. (If you get problems it's very easy to change to a later 5 speed friction, or indexed system.)

Liking this one a lot. Bit of a time warp & very cool with it.

December 23 2019.

Out for a ride on it today. Sporting its newly fitted Stainless Steel guards.

Rides & looks like a new bike.

The new guards are neat to my eye & I keep the damaged pair for posterity.
They are green & gold & do match the frame colours very nicely.

3 Raleigh RSWs conquer the Worcestershire Beacon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raleigh RSWs are Shoppers, not MTBs.

Right?

But we took 3 for a ride up the 'hill': )

On these 'mad', but very cool, vintage 3 speed machines.

To climb the Worcestershire Beacon.

For a picnic.

Was an amazing day. A proper 'one off'.
Check the pics below: )

Remember these bicycles are 50 year old, 3 speed Shoppers!

3 together is rare anywhere.
3 on top of the Malvern Beacon is unique.
Peter, Darren & John with our sturdy steeds. We hold this record!; )

We did it.

And we never saw a single MTB.

We set out from Worcester. That's where we're going. The highest bit between the two chimneys. Pete looking apprehensive!

On the way up we are looking down on houses...

3 little bikes two big smiles. Halfway up rest point.

Peter did check the skip before we set off: )

We thought these were after us, but we just lost them...

Were you calling the sheep here Pete? ; )

Final resting place on the ascent. We going to the highest point with the two little markers... This is the hardest bit.

Pete went for it!

Darren was a Hero! Just the last few yards here.

Done it: )

My machine here with its original white tyres. The highest RSW in Worcestershire ever!

The only pic we got of the three of us, courtesy of a lovely lady passer by. Thank you: )

Royal Enfield vintage machines

1950s Superlights? 1960s Revelations? 

I do like Royal Enfields: )

Here are 2 nice Superlights. One modernised & refinished. The other has its original paint & running as a Single Speed here.

The red one is 1955ish & the black one 1960.

Original spec was as a flat bar (Allrounders anyway: ) tourer, with a 531 main frame & 26" steel wheels, with Sturmey Archer hub choices.

Superlight was an optimistic description of a 35lb machine, but this was 60 years ago. The red one, weighing 26lbs here, makes a great Town Bike/Light Tourer, with a period FM hub, 700 alloy rims & mostly alloy parts, brakes especially. Good for another 60 years now.

The black one is trialling 27" wheels here. Not a lot of clearance but they work! (It'll get 700s eventually.) Was intending to refinish it when I got it, but when you look at the original paintwork/decals it'd be a shame to do that. So I'll tidy up the paint & polish it, & I think it makes a great comparison with the other machine.

I've got the original Ebay pics of these two machines to compare: )

Looks a little odd to me as seen, but although it was well used, it was well maintained also, & upgraded over time. Front wheel hub brake?? Raleigh Roadster rack! Big Sturmey Archer lamp: ) Interesting Raleigh chain-set...

This one is odd too, but in a different way. This was originally fitted with Allrounder bars. These are Track bars! And it has the original RE alloy chain set. I just wanted the 531 frame with the great Royal Enfield 'Made like a Gun' head-badge: )

My red RE Superlight is now in good hands: )

With Worcester Cathedral in the background. Nice bike & very cool new owner. In good hands now!
I'll take a better photo next time I see him, with my black Superlight hopefully: )

Another pic here of our group before we set off for a social ride along the River Severn.

Note the Social Distancing: )

Revelations revealed later...

Meantime here's a couple of interesting Revelation variations.

White one has it's original 20" steel wheels with an AG hub.
Blue one has 22" steel rims with a 2 speed coaster rear. One cable to front brake only.

Standard Revelations are cool too.

More anon.

Reynolds 531C versus Singer 431G

Vintage Reynolds 531C bicycle frame tubing & Classic Singer 431G Sewing machines?

Why? What is the comparison? 
Bit of a mad one maybe, but I was thinking 'Crossover'.

In the early 1960s if you were a cyclist in UK a top option would be a Reynolds 531 frame.

In the early 1960s if you were a 'sewist' in UK a top option would be Singers 400 series sewing machines. Slant-O-Matics. 

Both being at the top of their 'curve' in the 1960s. 

That's the connection. Experience with both tells me there is a considerable & satisfying crossover between the two. Knowledge of one helps the other, I say.

That is my 'Thought for the Day,' but more to follow. Possibly.

Classic Singer 431?

The Singer 431G is the last of the best machines Singer made. IMHO. The Japanese finished Singer in the late 1960s, (As they did with motorcycles/cars/electronics; ) by producing better items at less cost.



Classic 531 frame?

This is a late 1940s Bates Vegrandis, with its distinctive forks. Slightly exotic, amazing even, bulbous 531 tubing, but it was a top 531 choice in its day. 

Come the 1960s 531 was looking old, but cool technology. As with Singer? Alloys came along, then carbon fibre.

I rest my case here.

Orbit Gold Medal 1984ish

New arrival Monday this week from Whitchurch.
Orbit Gold Medal 531C frame/forks & well used.

Cool bike for the money I thought, but it needs some TLC...

So it gets a good service/rebuild & we'll see how we go.


Rides very nicely this morning, as below.

Very light frame for the time, weighing 23lbs here ready to go: ) Not bad, & I intend Allrounder flat bars eventually. It'll do good service for a long time as a Town/Commuter/General Purpose bike. (Fixie/Single speed also: )

Overall I'm very pleased with it & we'll see what happens.

Later.

Running very well now. I'm fitting alloy Allrounder bars on this, just waiting for the right levers & aiming at a light, fast Town Bike/Commuter. Will use a saddle bag for light shopping. Or a rack.

Researching this company, & its various models I realise that this machine seems a little odd to me.

A 531C frame used as a tourer? With relaxed angles that you would expect on a Tourer in 531C?? Most Tourer builders would opt for Reynolds 531ST, wouldn't they? It is designed with strengthened areas, precisely for load carrying. Whereas 531C tubing is lightened, not for load carrying, but for minimum weight & it would normally have steeper angles.

Here's a brochure from 1985-ish which shows the details.

The only thing I would argue with is No7:
A 'High Quality Stove enamel'...

It was never High Quality, & the frame finish, before 'Stove Enamelling' was hardly touched by a file.

On a good 531C frame I would expect a reinforced seat-stay bridge. Not on this one.
Same with the chain-stay bridge. This one could have come off a 1950s entry level Raleigh...

But it is still a usable 531C frame & I'll persevere with it. Might even get a refinish at some point: )

11 July 2019.

Latest iteration here:

Allrounder bars on here with suitable stem for me, & next job is to move the DT changers up onto the bars.

Indexed 7 speed with a single chain-wheel sounds good for a Town Bike around here. So I try 700 wheels with 28 tyres. The current Weinmann 730 calipers will reach the extra 4mm & leave lots of room for guards.

July 12 2019.
Trying out the new bar levers today. The Shimano SL TX50 changers look a little chunky/ungainly on top, but fit easily on the curved sections of the Allrounders & work well.

I also changed the RD for a short cage Shimano 600, which can just handle a 28 cog on the 7 speed 14/28 block. My best wheel-set fitted here, with Shimano 600 hubs & Mavic Module CD rims. Top spec touring wheels in the 80s & still top quality now: )

Currently got slightly skinny 25 tyres here above which are a little harsh at 100psi, so it awaits a pair of 28s which I know will be better here.

Then a pair of guards to make it 'All Weather'. And also, disguise the 700s which do look a little small to me in this 27" wheel frame. Not a big deal though.

The bike is coming along well right now. Needs some minor adjustments for me, & then I'll tidy up the paint.

This pic nicely shows the clearance for guards with 700s. Fatter tyres optional here.
Brakes are working very well considering the long drops.

I found a pair of 700x32 Schwalbes, so I fitted them to try.

Feels way more comfortable & still rolls well at 70psi.  These will do for a while yet: )
Pair of guards now & it just needs the paint sorting.

Bit of a dark horse this one is.
The tyres are great on the bumpy local roads & it is comfortable on canal paths, & 'gravel'! A great, go almost anywhere, light tourer is how I'd describe it.

December 22 2019.
Been using this for a few months now. Just for local shopping, down town trips, etc.
Even had people saying: "I used to have one of those!"

Got some Pannier bags & it can carry bulky loads & be nimble in traffic. Been ultra reliable up to now: )

January 27 2020.
Earning its keep now & pictured below this morning.

8 June 2020

 

Now it has its original 27" wheelset back. 5 speed Regina block, Pelissier hubs & Alesa eyeletted rims.

Out for a test ride this morning & all is well: ) The Nutrak tyres are OK, but feel more like 28s rather than the 32 Schwalbes as above...