1990 Claude Butler Ventoux 400 LX "Survivor"

[dyna-ti]

Bought this from Boxxer today to use as a commuter.
So ive just copied and pasted his description to this thread

An interesting run home the 6 or 7 miles and pretty much down hill the entire way Naturally i started to rain heavily within 5 minutes of me picking it up and didnt stop for five minutes after i arrived home - This happens a lot for some reason :?
Riding through running water mostly, no mudguards and although i have some quality goretex walking trousers on id left both back pockets wide open and spent most of the journey with a cold wet 4r5e

At 22" C-C with a 22 3/4" top tube

Frame: Claude Butler Ventox 400 LX - Reynolds 501
Fork: Steel O/S legs stanped LUNG on Dropout

Headset: Claude Butler Oversized
Stem: Claude Butler
Handlebar:Claude Butler Steel
Grips: Tioga Biogrip
Barends: None

Brakes: Exage 400 LX
Brake Pads: Shimano
Brake Cables: Shimano
Cantilever cable hangers: Shimano
Brake Levers: Exage 400 LX

Shifters: Exage STI
Front Derailleur: Exage 400 LX
Rear Derailleur: Exage 400 LX
Derailleur Cables: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano - assuming it's a hyperglide, not threaded like uniglide...
Chain: Shimano
Cranks: Shimano Exage 400LX
Crank Bolts: Shimano
Chainrings: Bio-Pace Rings
Chainring bolts: Shimano
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Sealed
Pedals: Tioga Surefoot - Plastic

Hub Skewers: Exage
Rims: Rigida - Black Anno Lazer 40
Hubs: Exage (Rear-FH-HG50) (Front FH-RM5
Nipples: Generic
Spokes: Generic - Single Butted stainless
Tyres: Cheng shin - removed and replaced with Schwalbe hurricane
Tubes: Generic

Saddle: Vetta Gel - Slight tear -Replaced with soft basic spesh
Seatpost: Kalloy 26.8mm i think
Seatpost Binder:Kalloy

Weight: No idea , but its not huge and was less than i was expecting.

 

[dyna-ti]

The first job is the dirt. No point getting filthy while servicing it so nice to start with a clean bike.

 

[barry2017]

Very underrated, Claud Butler MTBs. At least these ones were; the later alloy ones are dull as poo by moonlight.

They were just too far behind the times, really. :-(

 

[dyna-ti]

...

 

[Ollie]

Nice! A shame that Claud Butler are nowhere as near as they used to be :/ .

 

[dyna-ti]

Finished pics
It was only ever a commuter and i'd rather be safe than have cantis so V's and working shifters were a must.
I decided to retain the cup and cone BB. Its the right size and is in fair enough condition till a UN BB comes along. Typically the wiggle sale doesnt have the size i need.
Rack as a must and as is typical of all my builds in that there were no frame mounts for one so some P clips served yet another purpose

As Boxxer said in the sale its in remarkable condition on the drive train with very little wear and not a lot of built in grime. The only problems it had were everything with bearings had been seriously neglected. I think the previous owner cleaned it often enough but didnt have the knowledge to service and keep on top of bearings etc.
So everything stripped, gt85'd and wiped clean then regreased ,reassembled and fettled.

Aye, overall its in great condition and ive not really lost much from the sti shifters(Exage and non functional left,partly functional right) and basic cantis.
Brakes to fettle, i admit its been a long while since ive ridden this basic . I seem to remember a torch is handy :shock:

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Looks good Dyna.

Strange that it has double bosses at the rear dropouts but no rack mount on the seatstays. :?

 

[legrandefromage]

for the love of small furry animals

its CLAUD!!!!

its even written on the down tube for you...


And the rack would fit onto the rear stay bridge along with any mudguards.

Heres another old Butler without rack mounts

 

[dyna-ti]

for the love of small furry animals

its CLAUD!!!!
its even written on the down tube for you...
And the rack would fit onto the rear stay bridge along with any mudguards.

Were that the case how would the cable route for the canti :?

I like the frame styling of the earlier mtb's


Built and out today to buy some security skewers and picked up a lower guide pulley wheel for the black lx mech Another job done well there
I locked the bike up for the shops and after fitting the usual two locks i remembered the security skewers and took one off. Ahh, the freedom only carrying one lock will bring

 

[legrandefromage]

Er, just like the one pictured, it would go under the straddle cable. Just like the reflector would have.