Rotorua-Taupo 2008

Made a last minute decision to ride the Hurlow because it had mudguards. Needless to say, the weather ws fine on the day.

W.B Hurlow at the Hangi Shop

Condor Superbe

Images from Ebay item # 170839836982

More Condor

In response to Oli's question in the comments on the last posting:

When the Condor frame arrived on Tuesday, I had collected most of the parts I thought I would need, and even built up a nifty pair of suitable tubular wheels.
Some of them have worked out, and some others caused me a bit of grief in the attempt to get the bike rideable for the SOLO bunch ride on Friday morning.

First up, the frame needed some love before any parts went on.
At some time the BB threads have been stripped, and rebuilt with bronze, so I ran the Campag taps through, and faced the shell.
The headtube had never been reamed, and is splayed from having oversized headset cups pressed in, so I reamed and faced with the Campag tool, skimming a couple of millimetres off the overall length to accomodate the still-low stack height of the Campagnolo Gran Sport headset.
The forkblades were bent to the right. I did a fair job of straightening them, using my Hague fork jig as a reference, but I may yet ask Oli Brooke-White to get them perfect on his world famous VAR fork straightening jig.

The drivetrain went through a few iterations.
The Campagnolo Record derailler that I wanted to use didn't have the capacity for the 52/42 rings and 14-26 freewheel, so I swapped it for a 1970 Nuovo Record, which turned out to be too worn to use.
Third time lucky, I degreased an '81 Nuovo Record as an interim solution.
Eventually, I'll get the drivetrain configured to work with the Record derailler.

The Campagnolo crankset, bottom bracket and pedals are all temporary.
I have a set of Campag 'con denti'* track pedals in need of a home, and a lead on a set of TA Professional* cranks.

Where I can, I use Suntour Ultra-6 freewheels on bikes with 120mm dropout spacing, but on the Condor the chain catches on the seatstay when shifting from the smallest sprocket. I dug up a nice looking Suntour Perfect 5 speed freewheel, but one of the sprockets was too worn, so I am using the largest 5 sprockets on an Ultra-6 14-24 until I can get an IRD 5 speed 13-24 from the House of Dogboy.

Most of my English bikes have centrepull brakes, so I was planning to use a pair of Universal Super 68 sidepulls, until I found a set of unused Universal Extra calipers lurking in a box of Trademe acquisitions. These are the 'period correct' Universal sidepull, so the 68s can wait for another project.
The gold Universal brakelevers are undeniably a taste crime, but I want to milk the last mileage out of their perished and tattered gum hoods before I swap them for a pair in plain aluminium.

Headset________________Campagnolo Gran Sport
Bottom bracket__________Campagnolo Record
Crankset_______________Campagnolo Nuovo Record 172.5mm
Chainrings ______________Ofmega 42/52
Brakes_________________Universal Extra sidepulls
Brake levers____________Universal
Shift levers_____________Campagnolo Record braze-on
Front derailler___________Campagnolo Record 1st Generation with cable stop
Rear derailler____________Campagnolo Nuovo Record PAT. 81
Hubs__________________Campagnolo Gran Sport 32/40
Freewheel______________Suntour Winner Ultra 6 14-24
Rims__________________Fiamme Red label tubular
Saddle_________________Brooks Professional, butchered
Seatpost_______________Campagnolo Nuovo Record 27.0mm
Stem__________________Cinelli Mod.1 steel 13cm
Handlebars_____________Cinelli Perfection 42cm

*John Barron photo

The Condor is landed

Words to follow
MORE PHOTOS HERE

Wherein DB blows a trip to Buck House

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.

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Market forces as a cure for CBAD

Despite a compelling financial, logistical and commonsense objections, I made an unsuccessful effort to acquire this WB Hurlow on ebay this morning.

This one is a late'70s racing frame (no mudguard eyelets) with similar seatstay treatment and lug cutouts to my Roy Thame.

The components, which look to be original, include a rare first generation Campagnolo Super Record rear derailler and fluted 2-bolt seatpost.

'No Record' Record

In anticipation this weekend's ride up Broomie's wall, I decided that the Hurlow needed some lightweight wheels. This proposition won't stand up to critical scrutiny, but the pair of 28h Fiamme Red Label wheels that I got last year from Cycle City have been preying on my conscience for 9 months, so I needed only the slightest excuse to disinter them.

The hubs are early Campagnolo Record, known in vintage bikenerd circles as 'No Record' because the hub shells are marked only with the Campagnolo logo.
From 1963 the hubs were also marked RECORD.

Rims are Fiamme Red Labels with the Cerchio Fiamme "helmet" logo.

To further enhance my hillclimbing, I swapped out the TA Cyclotouriste cranks for a set of Zeus 177.5s with 36/49 rings.
Combined with a 14-26 Suntour Ultra-6 freewheel, this is right on the limits of the Zeus Criterium derailler's meagre capacity.

Swings and roundabouts

The Auckland Anniversary weekend started with promise, when Dave from Wellington opted to Buy it Now, relieving me of my long-neglected GT I-Drive.
This was possibly my full allocation of good fortune for the holiday:

My plan to fit Mafac Top 63 centrepulls to the Hurlow foundered when I discovered that the brakes don't have enough reach, even though the bizarre sliding whatchamacallit appears to have plenty of adjustment left. It is possible to get the brake shoes lined up with the rims, however the lefthand anchor point for the straddle wire fouls the arc of the front brake arm. I think that swapping to 27" rims might solve the problem, but that's not an option.
Despite buying new bushes, and spending a few hours polishing, this is but a minor irritation, unlike the next calamity which really pissed me off.....

The seat tube on my Holdsworth Whirlwind cracked. I was intending to restore the frame this year, so I guess its a good thing that it happened now, and not after I had spent hundreds on nickel plating and new paint.
The frame is repairable, so I may yet grind out the old tube and braze in a new.

The CBAD chronicles- remake/remodel

One of the symptoms of chronic CBAD is when you start seeing your existing bikes as a source of parts for other projects.

This is no big deal if you only cannibalise your own fleet, but once you start coveting widgets belonging to your Significant Other you are living dangerously.

The situation became critical recently when I took the Zeus seatpost off Donna's road bike as part of the ongoing pimp-my-Hurlow program.

There was nothing wrong with the original clamp that came on the Ideale No.90 alliage legere saddle, but a recent saddle swap on my Holdsworth Whirlwind had liberated a set of Zeus-for-Ideale saddle clamps that cost too much to leave unused.

These also fit Campagnolo Nuovo Record posts, but, nah, it wouldn't be the same.

Luckily, ebay provided a NOS Campagnolo Gran Sport post for Donna's bike before my stuff got put out on the front porch.

The Hurlow didn't just get a gratuitous seatpost upgrade- the 12cm Fiamme stem, though a thing of beauty, was just too short, so I swapped it and the Ambrosio bars for a 13.5cm TTT Record stem and a pair of Fiamme London bars.

Taking some care, I even managed to reuse the bar tape.

The crusty looking Mafac Racer brakes got a polish and a set of Matthauser brake shoes.

The seatpost that started all the trouble. I outbid a Japanese collector for the Ideale seat clamps, which should have made me realise that I'm not totally rational about this bike collecting thing.

Thanks to Robert S Broderick for the Zeus catalog page.

Okoroire Mid-Winter Fun Ride 2007

Due to truly Biblical weather, a number of people stayed abed yesterday and missed the Okoroire Fun Ride.

I was not one of them.

Arising at 5:45 to the sound of torrential rain, I breakfasted, packed my bag and awaited the arrival of Richard Oddy with the Pedaltours van. Collecting Richard's son-in-law Ivan from Ngaruawahia, we headed for Okoroire, where it was merely drizzling, in good time. By the 10am start, it was raining steadily, and as the day went on, the wind and rain increased steadily .

Usually I ride the fixie at Okoroire, but this time I rode the Hurlow. With my present lack of fitness and the strong wind, I made frequent of the 12 gears as I shamelessly wheelsucked my way to the finish. This strategy got me to the last couple of kms, but a strong effort up the last rise (and past the official photographer) finished me off, and I crawled to the finish.

RESULTS 'alla Francaise'

Wild Bill Hurlow rides again

Saturday was devoted to final parts acquisition and assembly of my W.B.Hurlow.

Tony Mahon very kindly gave me a Zeus Criterium derailler & shiftlevers and a pair of Zeus track pedals; and to complete the gear train a Zeus front derailler arrived in Saturday's mail.
Most of the other parts came from my collection of junque- T.A. Cyclotouriste cranks, Mafac Racer brakeset, aluminium railed Ideale model 90 saddle, Fiamme stem and 44cm Ambrosio handlebars.

By bedtime, all I needed was to attach a bottle cage, and strap on a spare tubular.

I haven't achieved my goal of no-Campagnolo- my trusty pair of Campag Record-hubbed tubulars were pressed into service until I get time to build some Mavic MA2s onto a pair of Zeus Gigante hubs.

MORE PHOTOS at the Wool Jersey Gallery

Spec:
Headset________________Tange
Bottom bracket__________T.A
Crankset_______________T.A. Cyclotouriste 175mm, 38/47
Brakes_________________MAFAC Racer
Brake levers____________MAFAC Course 218 ?
Shift levers_____________Zeus Criterium
Front derailler___________Zeus
Rear derailler___________Zeus Criterium
Hubs__________________
Rims__________________
Freewheel______________Suntour Winner Ultra 6
Saddle_________________Ideale Mod.90, light alloy frame
Seatpost_______________
Stem__________________Fiamme 12cm
Handlebars_____________Ambrosio 13 Volte Campione del Mondo
Pedals_________________Zeus Pista, Christophe clips, ALE straps

Thanks to Robert S Broderick and Brad Stockwell for posting the Zeus, Ideale, T.A. and other catalogs that I have linked to.

More Hurlows- updated

In the absence of my Hurlow frame, apparently scheduled to arrive early July, I googled up a couple of others:

This super-spanky 1969 Hurlow is featured at the V-CC New England Section blog.

Over at Fixed Gear Gallery, the lugwork on Adam Schwarcz' Stan Miles track bike is unmistakeably by Hurlow.

Some more Hurlow factoids and a couple more examples of his work at Hetchins.org.

Over at Bike Works NYC's bikecult site, a Hurlow-built 1962 Condor Italia, and a 1968 Condor with Hurlow's Superbe lugs.

Ebay relapse

Today I planned to buy a Ron Cooper frame on ebay from a guy in Texas, but ended up buying a W.B Hurlow from English collector Hilary Stone.

The Ron Cooper would have been a nice match for my Gillott, but I fumbled my last-second bid.
The Hurlow looks very similar to my 1963 Condor Italia, but with the advantage that it is my size. I maintained my bidding resolve by surfing through photos of Kevin Krugers similar '72 Hurlow on Wool Jersey.

Hilary's auction spiel:
'Offered for sale is a very original 24in ctt W B Hurlow frame from 1969. Top tube length is 22in and rear dropout width is 124mm. This beautifully built frame was built with Prugnat lugs. Bill Hurlow was one of the very top framebuilders in the UK during the 1950s to 1970s period. There are some other lovely touches - the curved chainstay bridge and reinforced seatstay bridge for example. The frame is in very sound condition though the finish has detoriated somewhat.

Bill Hurlow links:

• Vintage Lightweights UK
• Classic Rendezvous
• Kevin Kruger's '72 Hurlow Bike, with photos from Hurlow's workshop
• Kevin Kruger's Hurlow-built Condor track bike
• Bob Freitas' orange & yellow Hurlow
• John Pergolizzi's fancy lugged Hurlow
• Pergolizzi's Hurlow-built Condor, which has some interesting features.
• Pergo's S.W.Cotten is said to have been built by Hurlow too.