Claud Butler CBX Vantage

[Pipmeister]

This is just an up-date really from the Retro MTB Chat forum regarding my dear old Claud Butler.

It has been with me for nearly 20 years, but was retired from any Off Road activities a while back. Saturday before last it was hit be a car, see:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... highlight=

The driver of the car paid up, and I have replaced the damaged parts with vaguely suitable components.

I re-built the wheel using a Mavic XM 317 with D.T. Swiss 2.0/1.8 spokes back onto the XT FH-M737 hub. Doesn’t quite match the SUP 217 that was damaged, but good enough I guess.

Sadly… a Shimano LX M581 SGS to replace the beautiful XT RD-M739 Rear Mech. A few other nick knacks, and it’s back on the road as my Happy Shopper.

I was fortunate that the driver was co-operative.

Pip.

 

[bulldog]

nice one mate ,i always wanted one b.i.t.d

 

[Pipmeister]

Yeah, it's a lovely ride and surprisingly lightweight for what it is, even the rear triangle.

I think these earlier versions were better tubing - it has a 30mm Seatpost in a 34.9 Seat Tube. Later versions of the Vantage in one colour were 26.8 / 31.8, and definitely heavier. I did a build on one for a friend recently, and it just didn't feel like the same bike.

The guy I got mine from almost 20 years ago, is now in his 70's, and still rides. He got a Kirk Revolution in purple to replace the Claud Butler.

I would like to date it, and don't really have an answer to why I haven't done so already.

Pip.

 

[jimo746]

jeez that takes me back a bit, in the early 90's I had a Claud Butler Magna (2 in fact) which looked to be a very similar frame with the same paintjob, although I remember the Magna didn't have a replaceable rear mech hanger, as I found out to my cost.
Wasn't the Vantage the model up from the Magna? iirc I got my Magna from a catalogue, probably Grattans or something similar and remember seeing the Vantage in there too.
I think I had my 1st Magna in maybe 90' or 91', as by 93' I had moved on to an Orange Prestige.
Maybe I'll keep an eye out for one of these frames, aren't they oversize alu?

 

[Pipmeister]

jeez that takes me back a bit, in the early 90's I had a Claud Butler Magna (2 in fact) which looked to be a very similar frame with the same paintjob, although I remember the Magna didn't have a replaceable rear mech hanger, as I found out to my cost.
Wasn't the Vantage the model up from the Magna? iirc I got my Magna from a catalogue, probably Grattans or something similar and remember seeing the Vantage in there too.
I think I had my 1st Magna in maybe 90' or 91', as by 93' I had moved on to an Orange Prestige.
Maybe I'll keep an eye out for one of these frames, aren't they oversize alu?

Glad it helped you reminisce - I believe the Vantage was higher in the range. I would say that it's Oversized Aluminium, and would have been quite the thing back then! Mine didn't originally have a replaceable gear hanger.

The previous owner of mine has hands like shovels and had virtually stripped the frame's Aluminium thread for the Rear Mech.

I contacted Claud Butler in Brigg, and free of charge they sent me some instructions with a gear hanger, a 3.5mm drill, a 4mm tap, some M4 C/S stainless fixings and some touch-up paint - which was sweet of them.

Sorry about the poor pic.

 

[BobCatMax]

I contacted Claud Butler in Brigg, and free of charge they sent me some instructions with a gear hanger, a 3.5mm drill, a 4mm tap, some M4 C/S stainless fixings and some touch-up paint - which was sweet of them.

That's very cool. much respect

 

[antogoof]

i had one of these in about 96-97 i loved it, top bike mate.

 

[swos]

Nice bike I'm glad you managed to get it repaired

 

[legrandefromage]

there were cheaper versions of these that my jump mates used to buy, strip and then jump them to death back in around 1991.

The 18" frame does actually make a good bike to ride rather than build, ride and be disappointed with

 

[Pipmeister]

Nice bike I'm glad you managed to get it repaired

Cheers; it's nice to get it back on the road - I remember you asking on the day of the accident if I was o.k.

i had one of these in about 96-97 i loved it, top bike mate.

Yeah, I got mine a little earlier than that, and I'm guessing the bike would have been about 5ish years old when I bought it. I still occasionally bump into the previous owner, so I may be able to date it that way.

I recently read that a serial number that could date it, may possibly be on the fork steerer. I'll drop them out soon to re-grease the Head Set and take a look.

Pip.