Carlton corsa strada

[bjl35]

Going to strip bike down and make a winter fixed wheeler, are the parts worth selling or should i just throw them into the back of the shed, maybe bike is worth something- i am not clued up on retro kit, any ideas how much bits or complete bike are worth before i decide what to do with it would be appreciated.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4929762085/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4929771771/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4929776203/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4930368740/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4929783039/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47956239@N04/4929783039/

 

[Goldie]

1) T-cut
2) Polish
3) Add replacement cream bar tape
4) Proofide Brooks
5) Ride, and wait for happy grin to develop

Lovely as is. You won't even see the surplus gears when you're riding it. If you really want to single speed a Carlton, I've got a horrible Grand Prix in my cellar just waiting for redemption...

 

[Spokesmann]

Id like to see some pics of it!

The Corsa Strada isn't too common, Im thinking late-60s-early1970s. Id keep it as is, by all means do it up, but if it were me Id forget the fixie nonsense!

Depend what sort of parts you have on the machine, as I say would love to see the images of the bike as it stands now.

 

[Spokesmann]

Doh, Ive just see your links!

Too long in the shed yesterday!!

 

[Spokesmann]

Nothing really testing to do on the machine. A bit of TLC, elbow grease, a good metal polish and proofhide as mentioned. Repack the BB, wheels and check all parts are sound...

Thats a nice looking bike and will look top notch once cleaned up. Some good white bar cloth tape will finish it off nicely!

 

[bjl35]

Thanks for advice guys, i think you have persuaded me to keep it as it is and probably given me something to do in the long winter nights, by the way, wont the braking be quite poor, by modern standards,with the steel rims or is that just part of the retro scene . What type of riding do you guys do on your restoration projects, don't think i could imagine doing 80-100 miles on the Carlton?

 

[Spokesmann]

Thanks for advice guys, i think you have persuaded me to keep it as it is and probably given me something to do in the long winter nights, by the way, wont the braking be quite poor, by modern standards,with the steel rims or is that just part of the retro scene . What type of riding do you guys do on your restoration projects, don't think i could imagine doing 80-100 miles on the Carlton?

Why not?

 

[Goldie]

The Weinmann alloy centre pulls on my 69 Claud Butler are really well set up and are ridiculously good - I can feel my wobbly jowls stretching out in front of the rest of me when I haul on the anchors. I've owned plenty of bikes where I've been too lazy to set the brakes up properly or too tight to replace worn blocks, and some of them have been terrifying. But you'll be grand if you spend a bit of time making sure the cables are nice and tight and everything lines up right.

I'm with Mike on the distance thing. I've never owned a properly nice modern road bike, but the vintage ones I've got are much more comfortable for me than my aluminium framed Raleigh ATB, which has got a sprung seat post and suspension. Carltons are particularly nice because they have a fairly long top tube. I'm dead lanky on my top half, so that stops me putting too much weight on my arms. I've managed to turn my legs to jelly plenty of times, but never knocked a ride on the head through being uncomfortable. And you've got a worn in Brooks on the old lass - perfect.

 

[bjl35]

carlton

Thanks for replies, how long does it take or what is involved in bringing the old Brooks saddle back to life- it has really dried out, screw underneath looks like it hasnt any adjustment left on it, unless i am looking at it wrong, also which are best brake blocks to replace with, cheers.

 

[Spokesmann]

Re: carlton

Thanks for replies, how long does it take or what is involved in bringing the old Brooks saddle back to life- it has really dried out, screw underneath looks like it hasnt any adjustment left on it, unless i am looking at it wrong, also which are best brake blocks to replace with, cheers.

Plenty of proofhide will sort the saddle, provided its not too cracked, the Proofhide (Made by Brooks) need time to penetrate the dried out leather.

As for Blocks on my Weinmanns I still use open ended red blocks - can still be picked up on evilbay and specialised sellers. St John Street do old nutted brake blocks too.