70's Europa but not the one most of you are thinking of

[allenh]

As I've been acting as occasional labourer for the guy putting our conservatory up today I've managed to get away with being out in the garden all day and in between lifting and carrying tasks managed to get some work done on the Europa.

So wheels stripped, parts polished, axles stripped, cleaned and re greased and then re assembled with all new spokes and nipples. And then proper bike assembly has begun.

 

[allenh]

Now the crank (like many other parts on this bike when I got it) was in a disgusting state. I stripped it all down and managed to save everything except the outer ring which I managed to pick up a used replacement for on ebay.

The arms and spider though did need a refresh as the paint was very worn and scratched so a quick prime, silver coat and then clear coat for protection and it all looks a lot better.

 

[allenh]

So waiting for the crank arms to dry enough for assembly I start on the rest and now its starting to look like a bike.

 

[allenh]

And finally a complete bike that I suspect has just done it's first few miles in a good few years and a bike that is the most well travelled that I own.

I've tried to keep it as original as possible and the only things to deviate as far as I know are the saddle and seat post, the seat post had to be sacrificed in a smoky, bubbly chemical reaction to get it out and the original San Marco saddle has a big rip so for now it will get this suede jobbie which is still Italian, the front mech which whilst still Ofmega is slightly farther up the Ofmega food chain than the original, the shifters I'm not sure about as it came to me with the Shimano Altus that it has on it now but I would have thought it had Ofmega's originally, and then of course bar tape, tyres, tubes and the pedals.

Then only other thing I might change is the brake lever hoods as the originals are a little worn and I do have a new old stock set of exactly the same hoods but in red. Apart from that this one is done and all that's left is to put some more miles on it.

 

[Peachy!]

Lovely, any more photos in the pipeline?

And yes I’d go the whole hog and put the red hoods on!

 

[allenh]

I'll take some more photo's when its had a proper polish and I get it out in the sun, so probably next weekend.

And yes I think your right Chris I'll fit the red hoods as I doubt I'll use them on anything else but I might change the bar tape to match the saddle.

 

[allenh]

I managed to get home from work early the other day when the sun was out so I got the Europa out in the sun for its first proper ride.

I'm still waiting for the brown bar tape to arrive so I can re tape the bars and put the red brake lever hoods on and I'm going to change that chainset to something else at some point as it's a bit bent and getting replacement rings for it isn't going to be easy but I'm quite pleased with how it rides and how it shines in the June sunshine.

 

[allenh]

I decided the original equipment Ofmega chainset was just too bent to use long term so had a dig about in the parts box and found a couple of nice old SR chainsets.

I was going to ask for opinions but in the end I had a bit of a cogitate over a cuppa on which one to use and finally decided I'd go for the blingy drillium and found some show off crank bolts to go with it.

 

[Peachy!]

Yes, good choice....

 

[vtwinvince]

Great project, very much enjoyed the thread.