Quest for a perfect bicycle - Batavus Champion frame alignment

A common problem on a steel vintage racer is a lack of frame alignment. There are a few factors that cause this issue, but basically a major one is rear fork alignment. As a result of bad rear fork alignment bicycle may have a problem with handling, uneven tires wear, loss of driving energy.

For fixing this issue, we needed: string, ruler, two old rear wheel axle and a peace of wood as a leverage.

You can closely see on the drawing below what was the problem with Batavus rear fork. The wheels are in red. The rear wheel is out of alignment with the rest of bicycle.

 

 First we stretched a string from one rear drop, crossing head tube, and backed to other rear drop. Then we measured a distance from seat tube to each side of a string - if there is a difference bigger than 1 mm, bicycle can have driving issues.

After making a measurements, rear fork on Batavus bicycle was 5 mm tilted to right.

On the next picture you can see how the process of bending a rear fork works. We were doing it in small increments, patiently, aiming to get a perfect position as much as we could. 

After string measurements showed satisfying results, it was time to check and correct rear drops alignment.

...and after a couple of hours, the result was straight frame :-)

Flying Dutch - Batavus Champion late 80s

This is a story about famous Dutch race bicycle from the end of 80s. Holland is also known as the Land of Bicycles.

there are three pictures where you can see how it looked when we bought it. Badly damaged paintwork, lot of surface rust, wheels in a bad shape, rusty brakes, broken saddle - complete mess :-)

But we were ready to move up to a higher level of creativity and our one month trip was started...

 Brake calipers before and after polishing

a paint job was finished and it started to be shiny again

Missing "Exage" hand livers joined to the groupset

covering a saddle with dark red leather

leather handwork on the brake levers

 

and finally!!! Our new Champ!

The forgotten ace - Raleigh "Record Ace Moderne"

Back in 1989, in one of the first bicycle factories in the world, Nottingham, England. Skilled craftsmen, inspired by the idea to attract customers by offering them a high quality product, they made this road runner - Raleigh "Record Ace Moderne".

At a time when this factory was producing the bikes specially for Tour de France and Giro di Italia races, this "flag ship" model appeared. It had Reynolds 653 tubing and elliptical "Biopace" chainweel.

...

A quarter of a century later, we accidentally ran into it. It was almost ruined. Many hours have passed from the moment when all seemed hopeless till the elation that I have felt on the first test ride - it was worth it, this bike has pushed the limits!

- I feel bad when I remember the yellow-blue, hand painted frame :-(

- who else has ever seen a bicycle with the seat :-)

- in order to see what the original color was and how seriously it was damaged by corrosion, we had to peel off most of its paint

- this is what left from the original sticker - it shows this is the Reynolds 653 tubing

- the front sprocket and pedals after two days of sanding polishing

- the frame after sandblasting

- the frame after painting and lacquering :-)

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- in the meantime, we purchased the following parts: racing white SMANIA seat, new cables, new chain, white Fizik Performance handlebar tape and Continental Ultra Race tires

...

- and here's how it all turns out :-)

- and in some different ambience...