Bikes do not get more original than this! Original owner, original paint and original components. After a 500 mile round trip, SB1861 is on the workbench.
SB1861 dates to late 1977/early 1978 (there will be more on the date in the next post); it is built from Reynolds 531 Double Butted tubing with all the features you would expect for this era 531 SBDU Ilkeston frame. Original frames like this are so important for confirming paint and features on my SBDU timeline.
This frame is probably going to adjust my SBDU date timeline, specifically the start period of 1978, but as I’ve mentioned, I’ll cover more on the date, it’s frame number and the ‘H’ ref in the next post when I take this bike apart. This first post is just going to look at what I’ve got and what needs to be done, and how big a task this may be.
SBDU 531 framesets typically came equipped from Ilkeston with a Campagnolo Record headset – and that is exactly what this frame has. The frame would also have been equipped with the seat binder bolt and rear end adjusters. All of these items have suffered from surface corrosion but will hopefully respond well to some gentle cleaning.
Frame Features
Before moving onto the spec of this bike, these are the features that make this a period SBDU 531 frame… a 4 slot BB, oversized seat stay caps, Prugnat lugs, Campagnolo 1010/A ends (not drilled), brake bridge stiffeners, semi-sloping 4 point crown (no blade stiffeners), top tube cable clips and band on gear levers.
Transfers
The paint and transfers are original. Some transfers have suffered while others such as the Reynolds frame transfer have survived really well. I’ve got a couple of frames were the ‘Team Raleigh’ top tube transfer has been rubbed. The down tube and seat tube transfers, together with the Ilkeston chain stay transfers are all ok. The head badge is tarnished but is only going to get a clean – it will be staying as it is so that I can preserve the overall look of this frame.
Handlebars and Stem
It has white Benotto bar tape, a Cinelli 1R (Record) stem and Cinelli Giro D’Italia bars.
All the components on this frame are a variant of the very popular Shimano 600EX group. The 600EX group spanned several years from the late 70s through to the mid 80s and had several incarnations. Most of the parts on this bike are from the 6200 group, often called the Arabesque group due to the ornate patterns engraved onto each component.
Brakes
Shimano 600EX BL-6200 & BR-6200 (Measured at a 52 mm drop)
Derailleurs and Shift Levers
FD-6200 28.6 mm Band On, SL-6200 Band On Levers, RD-6200 Short Cage
Chainset, Bottom Bracket and Pedals
FC-6200 170 mm 42/52, BB-6200, Spidel (Maillard 600), Christophe Special Toe Clips and Binda Red Leather Straps
Wheels
Mavic Speciale Sport Tubular rims, Clement Condor Tubs, Berg Union Chrome Spokes, Shimano 600EX Uniglide 6 Speed 12-17 (Straight through).
Seat Pin and Saddle
Laprade Brevete Seat Pin (Short Neck) 27.2 mm, Saddle marked on the rear as “CONCOR” and on the side as I.S.C.A Competition (I need to look into that one?)
Other items
Chain marked as “HKK Ultra-6”, Dura-Ace Brake Cable Clips, Emmepi (Steel) Bottle Cage
I think SB1861 has a nice specification, although a few will raise their eye brows over the fact that this bike is equipped with Shimano components; there is a large community who would suggest that this quality of bike should only have Campagnolo equipment. I hold the opinion that you should equip a bike with what you want to use. Early Shimano was overshadowed by Campagnolo, but it is excellent kit. Later years (mid to late 80s) would see Shimano come through and dominate.
Later 600EX groups appeared in the early 1980s with a seat pin and pedals included in the set, but at this point in 77/78, neither were available so the Spidel pedals and Laprade seat pin are good alternatives.
So that is what I have. I don’t think I need to describe what I’m going to do with this bike; hopefully if you read my posts, you will know that I try to preserve as much as possible. Surface rust on a frame doesn’t bother me, missing or damaged transfers don’t bother me, and certain areas of paint on this frame are in really good condition, therefore I don’t intend to repaint this frame. It is original and tells a story and shows how a period SBDU frame was painted and how the TI scheme was applied.
The rubber on SB1861 has suffered over the years. The tyres and brake lever hoods have deteriorated to a point that they are too far gone and they could never be restored and brought back into useful service. Chrome spokes look lovely and shiny when they are new but they suffer with corrosion – they can’t be fixed, they can’t be cleaned, they can only be replaced. The bar tape is the original Benotto and it is almost impossible to get genuine white replacement rolls. At the moment it is even difficult to get the cheaper replica shiny white bar tape. So I’m going to remove it and check it, checking to see if it has become brittle, checking for rips and see if there is any viability in refitting it.
Specification
Frame & Forks : SBDU Ilkeston Reynolds 531 Double Butted 54cm Frame Number : SB1861 "H451" Headset : Campagnolo Nuovo Record Stem : Cinelli 1R Bars : Cinelli Giro D'Italia 40 cm Bar Tape : Benotto (White) Group : Shimano 600EX 6200 Brake Drop : 52 mm Chainset : 170 mm 42/52 Pedals : Spidel with Christophe Special Clips & Binda Straps Rims : Mavic Speciale Sport 36 Hole Spokes : Berg Union Chrome Double Butted Tubulars : Clement Condor Cassette : Shimano 6 Speed 12-17 Uniglide (126 OLN) Chain : HKK Ultra-6 Seat Pin : Laprade Brevete (Short Neck) 27.2 mm Saddle : I.S.C.A Competition "Concor" Bottle Cage : Emmepi (Steel) Bottle Cage Cables : Shimano (Grey)
I’ll take the bike apart in the next blog post. I’ve already checked that the seat pin and stem both move, so my fingers are crossed that everything else comes off without a problem.
