Brooks 'Isle of Wight' saddlebag

Brooks of England (cycling) have come in from a different angle over the last couple of years by the addition of non-leather products to their range.

It started last year with the addition of the Cambium saddle that is made of vulcanised natural rubber and an organic cotton material on an aluminium frame. Although I have not experienced one myself these saddles have had great reviews. 

Brooks Cambium saddle

Cambium grips

Cambium handlebar tape

Of course once a saddle is made cyclists want to compliment the saddle with accessories made from similar materials. Brooks have taken this into account and manufactured handlebar grips and handlebar tape to match....well done Brooks!

I'm very impressed by their new range of saddle bags and holdalls. The new range of saddle bags and holdalls are not made of leather, but made of Bluesign, an eco-friendly textile that eliminates harmful substances from the beginning of the manufacturing process.

One particular saddle bag that fits right into the vintage theme is the 'Isle of Wight' saddlebag. The bags are made in Italy, and with the combination of Bluesign and leather strapping the bag will fit very nicely onto any vintage ride.

Dove, green, and black Isle of Wight saddlebags.

This is the 'medium' sized bag.

The 'Isle of Wight' comes in three different colours being dove, green, and black. Each colour is complimented with leather strapping.  There are three different sizes to choose from so there's an 'Isle of Wight' saddlebag to suit any vintage bike. The sizes are:

Small:          0.8 litres

Medium:     1.2 litres

Large:          1.8 litres

I have noticed that there are two differing styles, one has an aluminium Brooks name plate on the rear and the other has one that is made from leather. If this is of concern it may be best to consult your cycling store prior to purchase.

Until next time...safe riding.

James @ PVC  

My 1974 Raleigh Tourist DL-1 Roadster.

... extract from the 1974 Raleigh Catalogue.

In September 2009 I was lucky enough to come by a 1974 Raleigh Tourist DL-1 gents roadster bicycle. The owner was reluctant to sell the bike, however, he was downsizing his somewhat large collection of vintage bicycles and needed to sell some to make room in his house. I saw the bike and after a short ride I pretty well fell in love with it, it rode beautifully.

This DL-1 had a Sturmey Archer AG 3 speed dyno hub on the rear, with front and rear rod brakes. The dyno hub was working well and was coupled to a dry battery unit that was positioned on the seat post. The saddle was non genuine and was a little worse for wear. There were a few scratches on the frame and the chainguard, this was consistent with a bike that had been used sparingly considering it was a 35 year old bicycle.

I had always been interesetd in DL-1 roadsters - a commanding bicycle commonly ridden by English gentlemen throughout the ages. Raleigh started making them in the mid 1930's and continued to make the same model (with only minimal changes) until the early 1980's. They maintained the use of rod brakes on all DL-1 models throughout this time, even when more efficent (cable) braking systems were available.

The owner had brought it years before and had stored it for some time. Prior to storage he sprayed some type of wax over the whole bike to prevent any rust or corrosion......and prevent rust it did! The bike was in fantastic condition, although the rims and spokes had not been covered in wax and had deteriorated with surface rust.



Waxy coating.

.....the shine after wax removal.

After taking the bike home my first job was to take it apart, clean the wax off each component, regrease, re-oil, and then carefully re-assemble. Prior to re-assembling I re-chromed the big 28" x 1 1/2" Westwood rims and had the wheels re-spoked with stainless steel spokes....the wheels are big bully busters but they run as smooth as silk - love those chunky tyres! I was really impressed with the Sturmey Archer three speed AG dynohub on the rear wheel, it polished up beautifully......no rust here, and it worked as though it was brand new!  

Here we go with the before and after shots of the rear hub:

Rear hub with waxy coating.....

......and after re-assembly.

 ....put your sunglasses on for the next photo!!



1974 Sturmey Archer AG Dyno-three rear hub.

I didn't re-fit the dry battery unit as it was tarnished and it cluttered up the majestic clean looking frame. I replaced the original lights (front and rear) with an old 1950 Sturmey Archer set that I had collected sometime prior, although as yet I still haven't re-wired the lighting system.....another job for another day. The older set of lights look so much better than the original 1974 retro jobbies. 

I was lucky enough to locate a "new old stock" black leather 1974 Brooks B72 saddle, the type of saddle that was original equipment when the bike was first manufactured. The chrome on the underside of the saddle is perfect and compliments the rest of the chrome on the bike. And of course I couldn't resist getting a new Brooks Millbrook saddle bag to suit - a reproduction copy of the original issue holdall saddle bag.



Brooks B72 with Millbrook saddlebag.

I think the most unique feature of the bike is the locking mechanism on the steering column. I don't know why this idea hasn't been picked up by manufacturers for your daily ride. The key elevates a rod from the top of the front fork crown that restricts the travel of the handlebar so you can't steer correctly when it's locked in the upright position....a great idea that's been lost through time. 

Steering lock mechanism.

Anyway, less chatter, have a look at the images of the bike below;



The stylish DL-1 roadster

Heavy duty chainwheel with chain guard.

Dyno hub connections.

Beautiful chrome on Raleigh stamped handlebars!!

Under side of rear hub.

28" x 1 1/2" Westwood chromed rims.

1974 Raleigh Tourist DL-1

Happy roadstering, and above all be safe!!

An unfortunate incident!

1970's Legnano Olimpiade

The Legnano bicycle company was founded by Vittorio Rossi in 1902 who began producing bikes in 1906.

After WWI, the company was bought by Emilio Bozzi, who also owned the Frejus and Wolsit brands. In the late 1970's or early 1980's the brand was sold and licensed to Bianchi. This included sponsorship of a professional team lead by Maurizio Fondriest. 

A classic brass Legnano head badge.

The logo of the Legnano brand is based on the warrior "Alberto da Giussano". Alberto da Giussano was a legendary Italian Guelph warrior during the wars of the Lombard League against Frederick Barbarossa in the 12th century.

A tradition, probably created by the 14th century Milanese chroniclers, attributes to him the deed of forming the "Company of Death" that defended the Carroccio of the League at the Battle of Legnano. The first historical citation of his name was recorded in 1196. You can see the statue of Alberto da Giussano in the Piazza del Monumento.

Here is a pristine example of one of the Legnano brands classic 1970's road bikes...the Legnano Olimpiade. This particular example has been built with a 1970's Campagnolo Super Record groupset - the most advanced Italian built groupset of the period!

This is an impressive bike from early 1970's that would be an ideal choice for a l'eroica ride....and of further interest are the specs listed below... 

• Handlebar: 3ttt, Superleggero, 405 mm, rare, NOS
• Tyres: Continental Giro, tubular tires, 22 mm, new!
• Stem:  3ttt, 105 mm, NOS
• Saddle: San Marco,GI-Lux 312, NOS
• Seat post: Campagnolo Super Record, NOS
• Cranks: Campagnolo Super Record, 170 mm, 53 and 42 teeth, the only used part on this bike, but in really good condition!
• Hubs: Campagnolo Record
• Bottom bracket: Campagnolo Super Record, NOS
• Shifting levers: Campagnolo, NOS
• Head set: Campagnolo Super Record, NOS
• Rims: Fiamme Ergal, polished, NOS
• Brakes: Campagnolo Super Record, NOS
• Brake levers: Campagnolo Super Record, NOS (the left hood is a little cracked)
• Front dereilleur: Campagnolo, NOS
• Rear dereilleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record, Pat. 76, NOS
• Bar tape: Textil Tape, black, new!
• Chain: Regina, NOS
• Cog Sprocket: Regina Oro, 6 gear, NOS
• Quick release: Campagnolo, straight levers, NOS
• Tube set: Reynolds 531, the fork also
• Weight: 8,97 kg !! (without pedals)
• Seat bolt: Campagnolo, NOS
• Bar ends: Legnano, aluminium, NOS, rare to find!

(For those non-eBayers - NOS - New Old Stock)

Thanks for taking the time to have a look.

Until next time...ride safe. Happy New Year!!!

James @ PVC 

Spurcycle bell

An effective bell is a must have for any urban cyclist. It is very uncomfortable when approaching a pedestrian from behind not knowing how they will react when you pass. At least a good bell will give you half a chance of passing without incident.

Here is a finely crafted and great sounding bell that is equally at home on a modern bike as it is on your favourite vintage ride. It's an all metal bell made from high quality stainless steel. The ringer is made of brass, which is a really nice touch.

It's not the cheapest bell on the market......but it will certainly last a lifetime. The plain steel version is US$39 and the matt black version is US$49. Shipping will vary depending upon the buyers location.

It is very cleverly engineered  and comes with two stainless steel straps, either of which will comfortably fit the diameter of almost any handlebar.

There are two colour options....no need to get too complicated with colour choice, it's a bell!! There is a plain (raw) stainless version and a matt black version for dark coloured handlebars. I opted for the raw version. The bell sounds great, and being manufactured in the US makes it a high quality long lasting product.

The Spurcycle bell looks great on my Ciocc San Cristobal. You can purchase one at www.spurcycle.com 

Ride safe,

James @ PVC.

My Ciocc San Cristobal 2014 (Part 2)

After purchasing my Ciocc San Cristobal steel frame the project continued with the accumulation of parts for the build. 

I was after a mix of old and new parts. Old classic parts to recapture the feel of cycling in the 90's and new parts to ensure the ride was as smooth and reliable as it could be.

I decided that the older parts were to be the seat post, the stem, and the handlebars. My desire to keep the Italian theme limited me to very few options. None the less I was able to source a NOS Cinelli XA stem and a NOS Campagnolo Super Record seat post at a reasonable price. 

I previously decided that the group set would be Campagnolo Chorus and when I went to buy the set I was pleasantly surprised to find that the new 2015 gruppo was readily available. 

The 2015 Campagnolo cranks have caused quite a stir with traditional Campy fans - the classical 5 arm spider is now a thing of the past. It has been replaced in 2015 with a new 4 arm version, not unlike the 4 arm Shimano crank set introduced a couple of years ago.

I was a little hesitant that the new crank set was a little too modern looking for the build, but my concerns diminished when it arrived in the post and I saw it in the flesh for the first time. The new 2015 carbon crank set is amazing. In fact all of the 2015 Chorus components are stunning.  

Here are some images of the finished build with specs below:

Frame & Fork	Ciocc San Cristobal 2014
Front Derailleur	Campagnolo Chorus 2015 - braze on
Rear Derailleur	Campagnolo Chorus 2015
Shifters	Campagnolo Chorus 2015
Crankset	Campagnolo Chorus 2015 - standard 39/53
Brakes	Campagnolo Chorus 2015
Headset	Campagnolo Record - threaded
Bottom Bracket	Campagnolo Record - Italian
Stem	Cinelli XA quill - 90mm
Handlebar	Soma Highway One - 420mm
Chain	Campagnolo Chorus 2015
Cassette	Campagnolo Chorus 2015 - 12/27
Wheels	Mavic Ksyrium Elite 2012
Tires	Continental Grand Prix Classic
Seat Post	Campagnolo Super Record 27.2 - fluted
Saddle	Brooks Swift - black
Pedals	Ritchey Paradigm - black
Cable guides	Campagnolo standard

Of course this style of build is certainly not for everyone. I was after a steel framed bike that maintained a vintage look and feel, yet had the reliability, efficiency, and smoothness that new bikes have to offer.

I'll post a review of the group set in due course.

Until then, safe riding.

James @ PVC.