Friday, August 31, 2007

Waiting for Hubs


For my birthday my wife bought me a beautiful NOS set of Pélissier hubs and some nicely-designed, brand new in-house fenders from Vélo Orange. I'm waiting for them to arrive so I can measure them and order my spokes. Due to the almost outrageous price of spokes these days I will not be buying double-butted spokes from DT Swiss or Wheelsmith. Of course stainless is the only real choice so I will be buying Union spokes which I think are of moderate quality. But heck they'll be better than the period-correct high tensile steel spokes anyway. Oh and about those hubs: if you haven't read the history of Henri Pélissier check out the Wikipedia article.

On a side note, the other day I helped a guy lug a bunch of bikes to his house in the trunk of my old Volvo. In return he gave me a really nice 700c wheel with a near-perfect Helicomatic hub and freewheel, and stainless 14 gauge spokes. Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but it's a nice piece.

10 comments:

c-steve said...

Hi, Karl!
I Uploaded some pics on the very first Post on my blog. I abuse it as webspace...
There are also pics of a bike I found. A real treasure, I believe. But i don´t know what brand this exactly is. Gotta send it to the experts of classicrendezvous. Its gonna be British racing green with gold Mafacs and Gold Mavics (already got the stuff). Some day.....

c-steve said...

I just uploaded a video on youtube. You probably find it typing: mafac vintage bicycle cellar hetchins

K Matthias said...

Steve, that bike is sweet! Definitely looks English by the lug work. Definitely a handcrafted frame. Somone like Bob Jackson comes to mind: http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/

Those Peugeots in the background are nice!

I tried to find your video on Youtube with no luck. Got a link to it?

c-steve said...

Hey Karl, i just came home from the pub. The video upload didn´t work because I uploaded a photo instead of the video. My first time to post on youtube...
I am just having another try. Gonna send you the link as soon as it works.

c-steve said...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bc9Ee0KuEW0
Welcome to my "pblic world"...;-)

K Matthias said...

Steve, very nice! Looks like a bunch of great bikes. That NOS MAFAC brake set looks awesome. Have fun building up your latest British frame. Is that Peugeot you are selling another Super Competition? Cheers --Karl

c-steve said...

Hi, karl! The drop bar bike is also a PX10E from 1981/82 I believe. It is all original except the seat!!
Btw: The blue one is a 65/66 Carlton, as they told me on Classicrendezvous. Worked relly quick.
Bye, Stefan

K Matthias said...

Sounds like a great Peugeot... I need to save up some money. ;) Wow I didn't know Carlton had made such nice frames. That was before Raleigh bought them, then? --Karl

c-steve said...

No. According to the frame no. it should be from about 65/66. Raleigh bought Carlton in 62as I read on CR.
I signed to the mail list of CR. That caused the many views of my video...

K Matthias said...

Hey nice! Well cool frame--love to see it built up :) --Karl

 
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