Members' bikes

[vantage]

Nope. The front front stays are mounted on top of the rear front stays and that lifts them just enough to clear the dropout. I did need a spacer to clear the disc mount though.

[menthel]

Is that a rear mudguard on the front ?

Sure is! Same seller was flogging a set of 10 without stays or fittings for 15 quid and I thought why the hell not 
It helps keep the crap off the headlights and my face. Dunno why mudguards are so stupidly short.

I like the idea of that.  The f.'guard on my condor snapped just at the bridge and I've not got round to replacing it yet. Loads of spray comes off.
Did you have to bodge the front most stays to fit on the (rear side of fork) eyelet ?
Cleaning time by sg310, on Flickr

Fratello non-disc with disc paint scheme? Nice! I will have to put a piccy up of my disc soon. And the wife's tiny custom 650c fratello disc they made her!

[Torslanda]

That's uncanny! Right down to the clamp on pulley for the front mech. Wonder if John got his frame from the same eBay seller as me?

Maiden voyage was constant stops and tweaks and there's now a shorter stem on it, but I have to say it's a lovely handling bike 

Nidderdale Cycles?

TBH it's the one bike I have built that I regret not riding before I sold it.

[vantage]

Yup, that's the one.

[Blodwyn Pig]

Just finished building her 

Raleigh side by William McFadden, on Flickr

How do you rate it, compared to the vantage, must be a bit heavier, but more comfy? out of 10

looks classy and understated, yet capable.

[vantage]

The weight is a tricky one I must admit. The Vantage off the shelf and according to Dawes, weighed just over 30lbs. I've no reason to doubt that as mine weighed a little more (can't remember the exact figure) and that was with lights and all the other crap that was on it.
This one, the 'Raleigh' with lights, dyno hub, gps, full mudflaps and guards but also with lighter stem, bars, seatpost wheels yadda yadda yadda etc weighs a shade over 32lbs. There's probably not much in it to be honest. However...The ride!
Wooooooo it's soooooooooooooooooooo smoooooooooooooth 
I needed a Zoom suspension seatpost on the Vantage. Needed it! Not so with the Raleigh. Granted, a steel tube doesn't quite have the same shock absorbing qualities as a spring, but there is definitely less of a sting over rough roads and trails with this over the Vantage.
The steering isn't quite as lively as the Vantage and that's a good thing. Believe you me! I could never relax on rides with the Dawes and whilst the handling on the new build is still quite sharp, it isn't the "Oh shit I better not turn too hard incase it folds up and kills me" kind of sharp as the Vantage. I feel I can make tighter turns but more smoothly so.
The Raleigh has a shorter wheelbase (10mm or so shorter) and shorter chainstays (again by about 10mm) and I do feel that climbing is easier.
Overall I'd say it's a nicer bike to ride. Not because of any one particular thing, but little subtle differences here and there that all mount up.
Things that really wound me up though are the lack of planning for what is a touring frame and fork. No mounts on the fork for a rack. None. nadda. That's just stupid.
Top tube routed cables. That meant a silly expensive pulley to use a road mech with a road chainset. Again, stupid. No bottle cage mount under the down tube. And best of all, no brake hanger for the rear brake. That meant an aftermarket bolt on jobbie that flexes a lot and makes the cantis a bit too spongy.
But for a frame and fork that cost £140, it's bloody good 

[Blodwyn Pig]

have you ever used the Voyager Hypers before? if not, fit the tyres off the other bikes then compare the two. Fwih the hypers are a cyclists best friend .  I'm using Schwalbe Spicers, a very similar tyre, and about £13.50. I might get some brown Hypers in 35mm flavour from Planet X at £9 a pop.  Was the Vantage Alluminium?

[vantage]

Yep,  the Hypers were on the Vantage. Everything but the seatpost, seatpost clamp, headset, mudguards and front mech were lifted from the Vantage so the only real difference to anything is the new frame and fork.
The Vantage was indeed aluminium. It'll eventually be rebuilt as a shopper/runabout so that the Raleigh is at less risk of thieving scumbags.
 

[Blodwyn Pig]

that's a good comparison then. looks very well sorted. hope you get on well.

[Samuel D]

Why is looking at other people’s bicycles so fascinating? Not to mention hearing them talk about their machines (thanks, vantage).

[+paul]

I bought the frame for this bike in 1987, and built it up using whatever I could lay my hands on for a reasonable price. I sold it in 1993 due to lack of use, and having two other bikes in the garage (I know, I know...!). Anyway, last year I was at John's Bikes getting a run around for my daughter, and I was taken by the stuff being brought back to life there by John. A quick message revealed that the friend to whom I sold it to still had it, and was willing to let me have it back for nothing! Following a complete strip down and clean, I replaced the rear derailleur with a 105 of the correct vintage, and managed to get two nearly new rims to replace the originals (same type). After riding it around for a bit, I was suffering with the saddle post not being secure, as the original clamp had partly collapsed and no longer tightened up properly. I decided there was nothing more to do, so I stripped it again and took it to over to Bob Jackson in Leeds for a new seat clamp and a respray. I will be out on it this coming Sunday for a 70km ride on the Belgian cobbles. Looking forward to it!

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's good when a bike has a story to tell.

[Torslanda]

That's the kind of story that I don't mind being involved in...

[+paul]

It took me around the "Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Cyclo" today south of Gent. Two of the three sections of cobbles were a real shock to me (never ridden cobbles before); the third section was much more comfortable (smaller blocks laid in semi-circles, as seen in Germany quite often). The only thing I need to do is tune the indexing slightly, so very pleased (and improve my fitness - this ride doubled this year's mileage!).

The rest of the bikes were quite a sight. Mostly Carbon, with some Titanium and aluminium. Quite a few mountain bikes being ridden furiously! Clearly the cyclists here take things seriously and are strong! For €10, we had the route marked out, and were also fed at the half way point. Not bad at all!

[Samuel D]

Good job, +paul. What tyres were you using and at what pressure? You can make cobbles slightly (and only slightly) more tolerable with modest pressures and tyres wide enough not to pinch-flat at those pressures.

[+paul]

I put 25mm tyres on, and to be honest I was probably running them a bit hard at 95psi. Pinch punctures at the pressure are of course no issue, but the tyres don't flow as well as they would have at a lower pressure. I think more power in my legs would have also helped!!

[Ham]

Shiny shiny 

[Jurek]

Ver' nice!

[Kim]

Cor!

[tiermat]

If you are taking that to catalonia, remind me to always be ahead of you! Who am I kidding, that'll never happen, but I bet it might be a bit dazzling in bright sunlight! Looks good BTW.

[Torslanda]

Excuse to put the 'Piss Off!' lenses in your Oakleys . . .

[zigzag]

looking good! yet still some scope to tart it up more

[trumpet]

Shiny shiny 

I'd advise clamping the bike by the seat post - save risking a dent in the top tube from the clamp.

[bumper]

very shiny

remove all stickers from the wheels for a more silver look

[Cudzoziemiec]

Total tartmobile!