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Re: New Build - Carlton Cobra Some progress on polishing, decals now added. Now for some final polish and waxing and then ready for the kit.

Re: Re: Have in mind that this will be a period correct rebuild. GB bars/stem - Weinmann centre-pulls and levers - Huret levers/front mech, Svelto derailleur - Rigida 27" wheelset.

I've always found straight riser bars (mtb type) with Ergon GP3 bar ends as the ideal combination of comfort and variety for touring. I've seen the butterfly bars and they just look faintly ridiculous, can't see what they offer.

Re: New Build - Carlton Cobra This was a red 5 speed, although I realised that even the 5 speed had a braze-on stop for a front mech, so they obviously used the same frameset for both. Don't know why they didn't just sell them all as 10 speeds?

Re: New Build - Carlton Cobra The method and science is here: http://www.robertscycle.com/chrome-clean.html The addition of something acidy to the water i.e. lemon juice, vinegar or diet coke is also well documented. The slightly acidic flavour of the water enhances the reaction between the...

Been after a 22" Carlton Cobra for ages, found this in poor condition and purchased for £21. Stripped down and thrown away most of components apart from frame and a few other bits. Chemically stripped the whole frame, removing all decals and paint. Current state is after 5-6 metres of tin foil...

Worked even better on this P7 I did a couple of years ago, and it still looks really good.

Thanks. The P7 nickels had a protective clear coat over the chrome, which had become discoloured. I stripped the bike back to bare frame and forks and painted it over with a Nitromors type product which completely dissolved the coating leaving just the bare chrome which I then spent a couple of...

This is mine - 1998 Nitanium with Ritchey components.

Yes, over the top pricewise, it's not even one of the higher end Saracens. They were damn fine steel bikes in the late 80s/90s. I picked up a pristine condition Saracen ProTrax SE that was the top of the 'Sport' range (below the higher end Kilis), and it only cost £120. It was a pretty good deal...

Re: Retro MTB Touring. Touring on a Retro MTB, now that's my kind of thread. Recently finished my Orange P7 tourer, after selling a much heavier Thorn Nomad Rohloff. I think the result is about 99% as capable at 10% of the cost, and I got the pleasure of building it myself. Heading to the...

Re: Re: LOL, yes, you have no idea how much research went into the dreaded midge season - while still trying to enjoy some warmth!

Re: Re: Will be touring very soon, the first of many on this bike I hope. Have a 3-week tour of the Scottish highlands and western isles planned for late May.

Yes, it's Ritchey's Nitanium tubing. Whatever that means, it's a lightweight frame and feels pretty good to me.

Recently acquired for a modest sum - about a third of the price of a BSO from the high street - something I can never quite get my head around! I think a bike like this is a work of art, a properly built, properly designed bike with great components and years and years of use ahead, unlike the...

I'll put my Bob Jackson in then. Bought as a bare frame a couple of years ago, and decided to build up with Shimano components, cinelli bars and stem and stitched on some leather wrap.

Great bike, steely goodness. Just picked up a great condition example from eBay, and am in the middle of servicing it, and replacing a few parts. The one I have ('98 - Blue, same as yours I believe) is awash with Ritchey stuff - rims, saddle, seatpost, bars, headset, hubs

I used to have a full-spec top-of-the-shop Thorn Rohloff Nomad Mk II which cost a ridiculous amount of money, but it was very heavy and best suited to full-on, multi-year touring in the back of beyond. So I sold it for £1800 and bought this frame and rims for £150 - it only took another £200 of...