the Arragain has waited to be worked on long enough! I guess I just needed the right parts to commence? It has been updated with the MAFAC Racer centrepull calipers, NOS MAFAC brake components to go with the already fitted MAFAC inverse brake levers. I used the old outer casings with the calipers as they seemed to be in good shape. The seat post was changed as the previous one was a bit undersized and the binder bolt could not hold it well enough! The addition of a Stronglight 49D 5 vis double chainset alongside the 1953 Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleur, Valentino front mech and the band-on gear levers have now made this French bike a lot more usable. The cables are routed through NOS Huret chromed guides. It now has TA alu quill pedals and Christophe clips. I am using a stainless Velo Orange "porteur" rack as the bike has taken on more of a Criterium Des Porteurs des Journaux-look, of the period 1940s to early 1960s. I have retained the narrow leather Pearl saddle and I have learned a bit more about the frame's features. It appears to have Nervex (of St.Etienne, France) "Legere" series 110 lugs and the dropouts appear to be similar to Stallard dropouts, or Oscar Egg, the type similar to those used on a 1950 Hetchins Nulli Secondus. It seems PT Stallard was a huge fan fan of the Continental style, in effect, championing the European style in his framesets, I believe he could have liked this so much, he copied this style of dropout. They feature a double position for either fixed wheel use or by flipping the rear wheel over for another fixed gear ratio, or for use with a bolt in derailleur as the bike was fitted. The dropouts have the same style of "spur" at the very front of the dropouts. An Alpex (of Birmingham, England)featured in the "Fixed" book has similar dropouts. It will have a Normandy front 36spoke and rear Maxicar hub on alu rims soon, im using Panaracer 32mm Pasela tyres. It has lighting now, the front is a Soubitez "golfball" and the rear is a NOS Soubitez.
No comments:
Post a Comment