CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Katie Moorfoot and the Falcons

(129 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by I were right about that saddle
  • Latest reply from gembo
  • This topic is resolved

12…5

  1. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    So my pal is moving house and clearing out various things from various places. He asks if The Bike Station will be interested in his old tourer. Says he'll bring it round and I can do what I like with it - it's been in his folks' garage for a decade at least.

    He drops it off and it is a tired Falcon Moorfoot. Mid-range tourer from 1988, used hard and stored wet. Cables and mudguards and tyres and chain and freewheel are junk but the bike isn't. The paint has gone in all the usual places but the frame is a hand-built English 531 and quite sound. Fork also 531.

    My pal comes round with more junk and admits that he loves the bike. Her name is Katie and he toured the Western Isles and used her as a student. Happy days.

    Now, I have stripped the whole thing. I will have it painted and rebuild it and give it back to him. He is a good guy and has tried valiantly to teach me guitar. Fair exchange, no robbery and that.

    Here is what I will need. If anyone has any of these bits in good nick going spare I will buy them here rather than E-bay.

    1) Black rubber hoods for Shimano road brakes.
    2) Black bar tape.
    3) Front and back 700C alloy touring wheels with stainless spokes. Rear one threaded for a freewheel.
    4) Set of silver 700C mudguards with stainless fixings.
    5) Stainless single bolt rack bracket. (ie goes on central brake mount.)
    6) Selle Italia style suede 80s saddle.

    All hail CCE.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  2. gembo
    Member

    i have @sheeptoucher’s wheels, Alex Rims, I am sure he will gift, but they are not Quite the spec you require And yet will be available for sure

    Posted 3 years ago #

  3. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Has to be old school freewheel hub on the rear. Six speed you see?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    “Has to be old school freewheel hub on the rear. Six speed you see?“

    I assume it wasn’t indexed in ‘88?

    If it is now, 6 speed indexed would work on a 7 speed cassette.

    Maybe @sheeptoucher’s wheel is more than 7.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  5. gembo
    Member

    Aye, fraid sheeptouchers wheel is nine speed

    Posted 3 years ago #

  6. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @chdot

    The Moorfoot was clearly a step up in the catalogue from the Westminster I bought the year before. My bike had weedy side-pulls and no indexing. Katie is indexed on the rear. Six nice clicks.

    It's unlikely anybody here has retained such stuff. How many have even changed gear using a down-tube shifter or owned a freewheel?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    “It's unlikely anybody here has retained such stuff. How many have even changed gear using a down-tube shifter or owned a freewheel?“

    Depends.

    Some of that is age related - there was a time when all that sort of stuff was standard.

    There are niches of devotees (eg erotica cult).

    The practical realities of Katie depend on how much you/owner want a ‘restoration’ or (potentially) upgrade.

    Key thing is rear dropout width. Probably 126. Can be ‘cold set’ a bit wider. Maybe enough for a 130 freehub (or play with the washers).

    A six speed downtube lever will cover 6 gears of a 7 speed. Top gear will probably be the same (existing block likely to have a 14T smallest sprocket.

    Probably to 28. Lower gears available if rear mech is changed.

    Could buy these - or move to handlebar controls.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  8. chdot
    Admin

    Some people go to great lengths...

    “

    Stunning Vintage Falcon racing bike - Size 23.5” (60cm)

    Fully restored to a very high standard and 'Eroica' ready.

    Resprayed frame / Reynolds 501 tubing

    Shimano 600 Arabesque 10 speed groupset

    Weinmann brakes with drilled dual levers

    Araya 27 x 1 1/4 alloy wheels with Shimano QR levers

    ITM special handlebars

    SKS Chromo Plastics Mudguards

    Fitted with new: period correct tyres and inner tubes; inner & outer cables; Clarks chain; Clarks brake pads; Velox Guidoline handlebar tape.

    The bike was build for my son, but is too big.

    “

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Falcon-Racing-Bike-Fully-Restored-Eroica-Ready-/124191015464

    Posted 3 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    he/she went to great lengths but forgot to measure their son?

    255 pounds is not that bad but I have bad form with down shifters on my version of this bike where I put the rear mech through the back wheel. Wish I had kept it now but it only cost me 20 quid from a Canadian chap called Dan who came to Scotland on a tanker and indeed returned to uS continent the same way.

    I didn’t have room for it in Edinburgh move but also thought it might be a little jinxed my pal in Cambridge was sent flying over a hedge during a botched overtake from a driver. He was ok and the driver took him back to Glasgow from Carbeth Inn. I was on the white 60cm Reynolds framed white bike. Think was a raleigh though. Also clearly too big for me.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  10. Morningsider
    Member

    @IWRATS - the cheek! The first bike I bought with my own cash (Raleigh Super Equipe - the "super" being Weinmann alloy rims) had down tube friction shifters.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  11. Arellcat
    Moderator

    there was a time when all that sort of stuff was standard.

    My first 'big' bike was a nondescript Gitane ten-speed whose finer details are lost in the mists of time, but it had typical components, including suicide brake levers and a freewheel. The only part I still have from it is the Shimano 600EX downtube gear lever, because I thought it was a lovely thing.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    “The only part I still have from it is the Shimano 600EX downtube gear lever“

    Original on a 10 speed?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  13. Arellcat
    Moderator

    It's what it came with, but probably wasn't original to the bike. My Dad and I made it a ten-speed again with some cheap downtube levers. Not sure I have any photos of it; I cycled everywhere but my knowledge of bikes back then was not much more than how to pump up a tyre.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    From 1968 to 1998 the winners of the Tour de France who rode with Campagnolo group sets totaled 27

    Only 2 winners on Campagnolo since then.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  15. wingpig
    Member

    [center]Hmm. The Shimano 600 rubber hoods from my old 531 frame's brakes were perished even years ago. Miiiight have a freewheeely rearwheeel unless it's the one steveo or crowriver had years ago...

    Have a pair of Miche-hubbed Mavic-rimmed wheels, rear one threaded for freewheel... Tweeted you them as it's quicker than Flickring...

    Posted 3 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    “not much more than how to pump up a tyre“

    A valuable skill - especially understanding the various valve types and pump attachments.

    Many people are still mystified by presta valves.

    When I went into schools, a variation on this was quite common -

    ‘What’s wrong with your bike?’

    ‘It’s got a puncture’

    ‘How do you know’

    ‘It’s flat’

    ‘Have you tried to blow it up’

    ‘Haven’t got a pump’

    Posted 3 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    “Have a pair of Miche-hubbed wheels, rear one threaded for freewheel...“

    Now there’s a fine offer!

    Posted 3 years ago #

  18. wingpig
    Member

    Free leaves and organic debris amongst the spokes from having been outside for a couple of weeks whilst the shed was built. Rear hub needing some bearings and cones and spindles but the front one rolls and has been used as a spare in-between functional dynamo hubs.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  19. steveo
    Member

    Miiiight have a freewheeely rearwheeel unless it's the one steveo or crowriver had years ago...

    Weren't me gov.

    Last screw on freewheel I had was from a bso when I were a child.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  20. wingpig
    Member

    I think crowriver took another old wheel for truing practise. I still have another spare rear wheel if anyone fancies either replacing the freehub or persuading the largest sprocket to stop biting into the splines enough to be removed.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  21. acsimpson
    Member

    Although I used to ride both freewheel and downtube shifter I have never had either as an adult. Unless you count my kid's bikes.

    I do have a front front disc hub with I think 32 or 36 hole. I had to drill out a disc bolt so not much use with disc brakes now. It's certainly not period but destined for the skip unless anyone wants it. I also have 2 matching disc rims.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  22. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Morningsider

    No offence intended or even imagined. We OK?

    @chdot

    You win the cigar. Nazi micrometer confirms 126mm rear dropout.

    @wingpig

    I'll take 'em thanks very much. You may have any amount of Sterling, beer or haikus that you desire.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  23. Morningsider
    Member

    @IWRATS - of course, all in jest. I'm sure you are right that most people haven't used down tube shifters, but on CCE...

    Posted 3 years ago #

  24. ejstubbs
    Member

    @IWRATS: How many have even changed gear using a down-tube shifter or owned a freewheel?

    Ah, now you're talking. I bought my first adult bike from a classified ad in the Derby Evening Telegraph IIRC, would have been 1976 I think. It was a Raleigh something-or-other with a Reynold's 531 frame. 'twas only a five-speed at that point. Using Richard's Bicycle Book as my bible and visiting backstreet bike shops that I never even previously heard of* to source components I rebuilt it as a ten speed with Weinmann centre-pull brakes (I think they were the "in" thing at the time - or more likely I was just misinformed). Refurbed the bearings, trued the wheels etc and painted the frame in purple and orange dazzle camouflage with the idea that it might deter thieves. It took me on a summer holiday tour down to Devon and Cornwall one year, and went with me to Cambridge where I proceeded to dice with the tourists on Kings Parade and Trumpington Street on a daily basis for three years.

    Sadly, I can't remember what I did with it after I left uni. It might still be mouldering in a forgotten recess of one of Trinity's cycle stores for all I know. I bought a brand new bike with one of my first paychecks but somehow I never enjoyed it as much I did that one.

    * Think back to the Yellow Pages TV adverts - that kind of thing.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  25. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Morningsider

    That's what I figured. Glad we are cool.

    @ejstubbs

    Tying the footnote into the first word of the post is neat. We notice these things.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  26. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Took frame and fork to Hendersons yesterday for a bit of shot blast and metallic flake blue action. Usual genial chaos.

    Picked up @wingpig's wheels on the way home. They have polished up a treat. Gorgeous in fact. Hammered a ding out of the rear rim and dressed the braking surfaces, but they are otherwise impeccable.

    Also got gifted a pair of 700C x 28 Gatorskins which I scrubbed and dug the glass dagger out of. Perfect.

    Cheers!

    Posted 3 years ago #

  27. gembo
    Member

    @Iwrats, your pal will be round to get that back shortly

    Posted 3 years ago #

  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    When it's done I'll suggest a wee ride out and turn up on Katie. Make him hate, hate, hate me. Make him think she can be bought.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  29. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Decided to re-cover the saddle. I am serious about this restoration.

    Stripped old synthetic suede and cleaned, repaired the foam underneath. Brushed it with PVA to seal it.

    Got a piece of suede off Ebay. Soaked it in warm water to stretch and soften. More PVA on the foam and the leather. Slap it on and mould, mould. Many clothes pegs. Looking good. Will dry overnight and continue gluing, trimming.

    https://twitter.com/overlandertheb1/status/1293572253888778241/photo/1

    Posted 3 years ago #

  30. gembo
    Member

    Like an episode of Repair Shop

    Posted 3 years ago #

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