Gordon Brown called earlier today.As the man in charge of a major economy headed down the gurgler, you would think he had better things to do, but he said he was calling to thank me for singlehandedly boosting the British economy by the purchase of the 1959 Condor frame below.
Now, anyone who has ever read this blog will immediately realise that I was motivated by not even the slightest flicker of altruism but by a relapse of my chronic CBAD , induced by the curly-lugged fabulosity of this fine specimen of Bill Hurlow's work; however I didn't want to upset Gordo and so let him prattle on a bit.
After a couple of minutes of waffle, he cleared his thoat, hummed and harred a bit, then blurted out that I might like to contribute a similar kings ransom to the British Labour Party, and that in return, he'd fix me up with a knighthood.
I was gobsmacked, and let Gordo know it in no uncertain terms: " You miserable Scots Git, for the price the Condor, I'd expect a peerage"
Fortunately for my personal economy, a quick inventory of the shed reveals a suitable Classic Hits selection of components- 50's Campag Gran Sport wide flange hubs that Simon Kennett rustled up from a recycling centre; 1st generation Record front derailer from John Rhodes; and, just arrived from Wayne Davidson, a Record rear derailler.If the cable stops under the top tube are not offset to the right, I will use Universal Mod 68 sidepulls, otherwise there's a nice set of Dia-Compes that will serve while I look for some Weinmann or GB sidepulls.
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12 comments:
Verily and forsooth, Sir DB, yon steed is indeed a fine one. Sally forth upon her at your earliest pleasure, my good man...
Don't you worry about that, young fella.
If it arrives by the end of next week, I'll ride it on the Retro Ride on 12/7.
Do you still have the 63 Condor?
My 91 Condor (653) needs a spin - if I bring it to the Retro Ride, will two Condors be sufficient to call it a Flock of Condors?
My workmate Jimmy has the 63 Condor these days- part of the complex transaction that got me my Holdsworth Professional frame, of which I shall blog more soonish.
If I can persuade him to come out too, we will definitely have a flock.
So what other Avian classics are there? Falcon, Coventry Eagle, anything else?
The Condor does indeed look fine. What 50s crankset do you plan to use?
Guess it's too late to tell you I'll be in the UK later this month...
Cranks will be either early 70s Campag Nuovo Record or TA Cyclotourist with a Williams 151pcd 5 arm adaptor. The smallest chainring that will fit the Williams adaptor is a manly 44.
More bird brands: Kestrel, Merlin
Pah! 44... the smallest on the 1950s Frejus is a 47. That on the uphill, combined with wet steel rims on the downhill (brakes, what brakes?) made for a proper retro ride over Twilight rd. Then the cotter pins came loose and I ended up on the side of the road watching every Ferrari in Auckland howl past.. and rode back using the 50 tooth big ring. Not good for my dodgy knees.
How could I miss Kestrel, I even have one.
I am humbled by your hardbastardism. Your small chainring is bigger than the large ring on my first racing bike, also a Frejus.
When I got the beast from you it had a 14-19 cluster too.. must have been a proper hardbastard in its past. I'm not nearly hard enough for that so resorted to a 14-24. Even that is marginal for my skinny running legs and stuffed knees.
Frejus is a bit classy for a first racing bike, mine was a Team Morrison...if that can be called a racing bike!
On the subject of bird brand names, how about "Imperial Petrel'?
Where'd you find that?!
I think I saw an article about Imperial Petrel in Cycling Plus a while ago. There is a reprint of one of their catalogs in Lightweight Cycle Catalogues Volume 3, which I will be ordering this weekend.
Let us not forget Flying Pigeon either.
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