tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post8252914095738461813..comments2024-03-28T11:56:48.304-04:00Comments on The Retrogrouch: New Old Bike Project - FinishedBrookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-62664841556923227002022-01-19T18:49:13.985-05:002022-01-19T18:49:13.985-05:00It was DuPont automotive pant, and I don’t remembe...It was DuPont automotive pant, and I don’t remember the code or number or anything, but in the DuPont color charts, the color was literally just called “burgundy”.cicli1966https://www.blogger.com/profile/11710846318704651567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-85845972511738216242022-01-19T18:40:44.218-05:002022-01-19T18:40:44.218-05:00Greetings.
I'm restoring a 1985 Expedition and...Greetings.<br />I'm restoring a 1985 Expedition and love your paint job. Do you happen to recall which paint you used?<br />Thanks,<br />Kevinkevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11450529572486098911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-16677916572167220452020-05-25T16:09:01.091-04:002020-05-25T16:09:01.091-04:00I was not aware that Specialized offered that bike...I was not aware that Specialized offered that bike with 26-inch wheels -- If so, then it's news to me! I've only seen them with 700c wheels. But if that's the case, can you put 700c wheels on a bike made for 26"? I strongly doubt you can make such a large change work. Going 27" to 700c (or the other way around) no problem. Going from 700c to 650b is do-able if you can get long enough brakes. But 26" (559 mm) to 700c (622 mm) is a big jump in rim diameter. And even if the wheels will fit in the frame without hitting the fork crown or seat-stay bridge, I am not aware of any adapters for cantilever brake posts that would let you make such a large change.<br /><br />About the bottom bracket - yes you need an English threaded bottom bracket - but the length is much more dependent upon the brand and model of crank than it is on the frame. You'll need to find the right fit the spindle to the crank -- not to the frame.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155391319606812982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-21052535631901398072020-05-25T02:16:19.572-04:002020-05-25T02:16:19.572-04:00hi Brooks,
i am in the process of securing one SE ...hi Brooks,<br />i am in the process of securing one SE 1984 to rebuild for coming touring, i believe originally this SE is equipped with 26 inch wheels. May i ask your advise, if 700c wheels can be adapted? if yes, any effect on the existing cantilever brakes to the braking surface since 700c is higher.<br />Also, it needs a bottom bracket, what is the actual dimension to source for please. English 1.37 x 24T x length??? <br />Really appreciate if you could reply me.<br /><br />thanks,<br />Brendan Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02783082297020652230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-82335794312318481432020-02-07T17:12:52.160-05:002020-02-07T17:12:52.160-05:00Thanks Brooks - trimming is one way to handle the ...Thanks Brooks - trimming is one way to handle the problem for sure. I really like that color you chose to paint yours (and the paint job as well). Can't wait for the snow to melt and take this bike out for a maiden voyage. NM Field Biologisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11733411349599313236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-38182202800734077732020-02-06T13:46:54.257-05:002020-02-06T13:46:54.257-05:00The brake shoes I used on this one weren't the...The brake shoes I used on this one weren't the KoolStops. They were made by Aztec (and are no longer available, but I had a bike's worth). They were similar to the kool stops but not as long. I have noticed that the long kool stops can interfere with the fork, but I have trimmed them with a razor blade to help.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155391319606812982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-22478518377491395442020-02-05T15:07:28.540-05:002020-02-05T15:07:28.540-05:00Beautiful bike! I picked up a nice 1985 Specializ...Beautiful bike! I picked up a nice 1985 Specialized Expedition late last year in about 75% original condition. Original owner had replaced SunTour MounTech rear derailler to Shimano 7-spd XT, SunTour Superbe shifters to Shimano 105 index/friction, and (ugh) Suntour Superbe brake levers to aero Shimano 105. I'm just now finishing up a restoration/relube/repair/replace consumables and doing some road-worthy maintenance. I bought some new brake shoes (Kool Stop dual compound) for the original Shimano BR-MC70 cantilever brakes. Installing the rear shoes was easy. then I got to the front and quickly realized the 'extra' long Kool Stop shoes wouldn't clear the fork when opened. Other than mounting the shoes backwards (these are longer in the rear, shorter in the front) which defies the engineering that went into the shoes, I was wondering if you found the same clearance issues and if so/not what replacement shoes did you use? ThanksNM Field Biologisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11733411349599313236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-63659311870994044282018-01-06T15:43:53.528-05:002018-01-06T15:43:53.528-05:00Hi Kevin -- yes, that threading made it a challeng...Hi Kevin -- yes, that threading made it a challenge to install the rack. There may be certain styles of racks for which the threading in the fork crown would be an advantage -- the old Jim Blackburn ones from the '80s, for example. In any case, I did drill the hole out -- I don't recall what size drill bit I used, but it was just enough to remove the threading without really enlarging the hole any. I did that before I sent the frame/fork for new paint, though if you're careful, I can't see any reason it couldn't be done on a fork with paint you wanted to preserve.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-76696978348410076322018-01-06T12:27:53.803-05:002018-01-06T12:27:53.803-05:00How'd you mount the Nitto front rack on your E...How'd you mount the Nitto front rack on your Expedition? My rack is threaded all the way up, and the mounting hole in the fork is similarly threaded. This means that I have to spin the entire rack in order to screw it into the frame, but about half-way through the process, the tombstone part of the rack gets blocked by the canti posts and prevents any further progress.<br />Did you drill out your fork hole?<br />Thanks,<br />Kevinkevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11450529572486098911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-50523544275279143312016-05-17T08:19:29.757-04:002016-05-17T08:19:29.757-04:00Another vote for the Panaracer T Serv tires. They...Another vote for the Panaracer T Serv tires. They are foldable, light and very responsive. <br /><br />I'll vote AGAINST the Paselas. I thought they'd be a good choice in gumwall, but they felt dead to me.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07849007956190360786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-74748455815036394792016-04-28T09:25:12.966-04:002016-04-28T09:25:12.966-04:00Beautiful! Funny thing about those Blackburn racks...Beautiful! Funny thing about those Blackburn racks (the ones with the built in front eyelets) - they were fit to each frame size. If the rack is not original it's hard to find one that fits and is level. I like your build! cobrapatrolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15188061128448644738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-22952768498687634312016-04-27T23:44:29.880-04:002016-04-27T23:44:29.880-04:00Another vote for the Paselas. They offer a good c...Another vote for the Paselas. They offer a good combination of toughness and suppleness.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-4141535415963476192016-04-27T19:38:40.716-04:002016-04-27T19:38:40.716-04:00Oh man Brooks when I see gems like this I get all ...Oh man Brooks when I see gems like this I get all warm and squishy. What a lovely thing. Have a soft spot for Expeditions. It's the only long trail tourer I would sell my first born for. Here's my touring buddies: https://www.flickr.com/photos/24722971@N05/3694892823/in/album-72157621053287922/<br />If you're looking for a less harsh ride I'd go with the Pasela wire bead over the PT's. Vittoria Randonneurs are also good if you run them around 60. There IS a big difference once you convert to Compass "Blah Blah" Passes though. They'd be good for pavement but if you hit dirt with camping loads the Paselas would be minimum given the sidewall issues with Compass tires. Now go out and scratch it up (slowly). Mr. Crankyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08362337902997354490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-81922857209262316882016-04-27T17:33:28.819-04:002016-04-27T17:33:28.819-04:00I guess that fender experience is one of those &qu...I guess that fender experience is one of those "advertised vs. reality" deals. To be honest - I did have one get caught once and act exactly as it should. It popped out and sort of "folded up" but not in a way that jammed the front wheel. I was able to get it back sort of into shape and pop the stays back in place to get home, though it sure didn't look the same after that.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-87336379253265020402016-04-27T17:29:27.285-04:002016-04-27T17:29:27.285-04:00I'm 6' even. I generally feel best on fram...I'm 6' even. I generally feel best on frames that are about 60 - 61 cm tall. Funny how that changes, because back in the 80s I would have mostly gone with slightly smaller -- like 58. Though those were mostly racing bikes, and everyone always said to go smaller. Nowadays, that would really hurt my back and neck.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-2749163685669530822016-04-27T17:00:47.672-04:002016-04-27T17:00:47.672-04:00Excellent build... thanks so much for documenting ...Excellent build... thanks so much for documenting this process. I've learned a bunch and have a renewed appreciation for 'vintage' specialized components.<br /><br />The frame is larger than I had thought... out of curiosity, how tall are you?Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16624842835301474891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-79301271317704822902016-04-27T15:40:18.033-04:002016-04-27T15:40:18.033-04:00I am using Panaracer TServe 35mm. They measure 36m...I am using Panaracer TServe 35mm. They measure 36mm on a 22mm rim. They're probably not a quite as supple as Compass tires but they are comfortable and fairly light enough and so far very durable. I like them.Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09710715433883677736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-50874155563724508422016-04-27T15:25:39.045-04:002016-04-27T15:25:39.045-04:00Brooks, you've succeeded most admirably. I agr...Brooks, you've succeeded most admirably. I agree with you completely regarding that color. As to the SKS fenders, my experience has been that yes they do have a safety feature but only after the fender has broken loose and wrapped itself in a knot bring the bike to an immediate halt. I really, really think that you did a beautiful job with the Expedition. The Specialized Expedition deserves it. <br />Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09710715433883677736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-703104901770791822016-04-27T14:10:40.807-04:002016-04-27T14:10:40.807-04:00Very beautiful bike! I've never had nor ridden...Very beautiful bike! I've never had nor ridden a touring bike, but it seems that is a smooth and nice ride. Cheers from Colombia!acidrums4https://www.blogger.com/profile/16089496036312294382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-4678375972839762402016-04-27T13:06:27.404-04:002016-04-27T13:06:27.404-04:00Thanks for the step-by-step and all the details. I...Thanks for the step-by-step and all the details. It was a pleasure to follow. I admire your vision, patience, and follow-through. If the bike rides and performs as well as it looks, and as the specs would suggest, it must be a lovely ride. Enjoy.Ponderohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16042079750126434523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-78801041217418707212016-04-27T13:06:09.307-04:002016-04-27T13:06:09.307-04:00Very nice! I have an '86 Schwinn Passage set...Very nice! I have an '86 Schwinn Passage setup almost identically (In spirit, if not actual components.) I would seriously consider swapping out the bottom bracket generator for a front dynohub, and use one of the modern LED front lights if you actually plan to do a lot of night / early morning riding. When I first set my bike up, I used a Soubitez bottom bracket dynamo that by all accounts is the equal of your Sanyo. It generated plenty of power for my B&M IQ Cyo Premium headlight, but also plenty of noise, and a decent bit of drag. The drag wasn't horrible, but it probably knocked .05-1 MPH off my cruising speed. I finally bit the bullet, and bought a Shimano 3N80 front dynohub. It's fantastic -- I run the front and rear lights all the time now for safety, as I can't discern any difference in drag on/off. (I average about .5 mph slower on this bike than my mid 80's race bike, despite full fenders and a ~12 lb. weight disadvantage when it's front bag is loaded.) <br />As for the light, the IQ Cyo Premium puts out a ton of light, but more importantly, it puts it all on the road in a nice rectangular-ish wedge just where you need it. I would rate it about 70-80% as good at illuminating the road as a modern car headlight headlight, and probably 2x better than any rechargeable LED headlights I've tried. (The rechargeable lights are available with crazy brightness, but they're all pretty much round beams, that wind up over illuminating the near field and/or blinding oncoming traffic.)Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05692668229337925074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-46290845741765967422016-04-27T12:05:22.919-04:002016-04-27T12:05:22.919-04:00The generator mounts just behind the bottom bracke...The generator mounts just behind the bottom bracket and clamps into place onto the stays. Like those old "bottle" type of dynamos, it is driven by the bike tire -- but unlike those, which can damage the sidewall if not set up properly, it doesn't scrub the side of the tire, but runs off the middle of the tread. There's a lever on the side of it that either moves the drive wheel away from the tire, or against the tire. <br /><br />If you were really agile, you might be able to flip the lever while moving, but it's much easier to do while stopped (though you don't need to dismount the bike to do it). I've seen a few old French constructeur bikes that used similar generators but they put an extra shift lever onto the back of the seat-tube (like the ones that would normally mount to the downtube) so one could engage/disengage the dynamo "remotely" and on the fly.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-32964662456070331202016-04-27T11:39:45.311-04:002016-04-27T11:39:45.311-04:00+1 for the Pasela PT 35mm tires, I have found them...+1 for the Pasela PT 35mm tires, I have found them to be plush and durable. Can you tell us more about the bb generator? How does it mount and how do you engage/disengage it?accyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12293792612093731852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-11378150864864798672016-04-27T11:29:57.476-04:002016-04-27T11:29:57.476-04:00700x35 will fit. I've got 32s on there now, bu...700x35 will fit. I've got 32s on there now, but there's room to go a little larger.<br /><br />About the generator -- I think the E6 does have some overvoltage protection, though I could be wrong. I'm kind of viewing the generator as an experiment, though. I like the idea that the bike was designed for it, but if I decide at some point that I'm not satisfied, I can always remove it and go with something else. Unlike some of the newer generator systems and lights, I don't have a lot of money invested in it. <br /><br />I did use it this morning, and the light isn't as bright as with the best new LED lights. But it gets light outside a lot earlier now, so it was hard for me to tell if that would be a problem. I did not notice the drag to be too bad when in use (and there's no drag whatsoever when it's disengaged). Anyhow - it's an experiment, and I'll see how it goes.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-14508245954696410192016-04-27T11:11:08.793-04:002016-04-27T11:11:08.793-04:00That bar tape really is a good match for the saddl...That bar tape really is a good match for the saddle.<br /><br />The bike looks great, and I'm glad to hear it's such a nice ride.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.com