Claud Butler Excel 1993(?)

[heymarge]

Claud Butler Excel



Picked this up a couple of years ago and it has been sat in bits getting in the way until now! Was in a pretty rough state when I got it and it seems to have had a hard if somewhat lowish mileage life.

It has been given a sympathetic (on the cheap) resto with a view to making it roadworthy. In doing so it has been kept pretty much original with a new BB and a replacement A20 front mech as the original was bent. Bars, stem and bar ends were rusty and so were rubbed down and given a coat of satin black, the seat was re-covered as the original was knackered and everything else was given a clean and fettle.

Not seen an Excel like this (in this colour), reckon it's 1993 due to the Altus A20 groupset. Oh, and it's got a Mint Sauce sticker on it which makes it instantly cool.


Frame: Reynolds 501 Magnum
Fork: Original, rigid, unknown material

Headset: Tioga
Stem: Claud butler branded crmo
Handlebar: Claud Butler branded steel of some description
Grips: Claud Butler
Barends: Unknown brand, assume original to the bike?

Brakes: Altus A20
Brake Pads: Jagwire
Brake Cables: Cheapo replacement front, original rear
Cantilever cable hangers: Shimano
Brake Levers: Altus A20

Shifters:
Front Derailleur: Altus A20
Rear Derailleur: Altus A20
Derailleur Cables: Cheapo front, original rear
Cassette: Original Shimano
Chain: Used KMC
Cranks: Altus A20
Crank Bolts: Original Shimano
Chainrings: Altus A20 (riveted)
Chainring bolts: N/A
Bottom Bracket: Neco
Pedals: Welgo

Hub Skewers: Original Shimano
Rims: Rigida Laser
Hubs: Shimano Exage
Nipples: Brass
Spokes: Stainless
Tyres: Bontrager Jack Jones
Tubes: Unbranded

Saddle: Original Vetta Gel (re-covered)
Seatpost: Kalloy
Seatpost Binder: Kalloy

Weight: Reassuringly solid

As bought:


Now:





Mint

 

[Peachy!]

What a transformation, top work!
I do love a good tip save…

Not sure about 1993, as that graphic style first appeared at the very end of 1989 and was dropped at the very (November I think) of 1992. But that doesn’t guarantee anything as they may well have had a bunch of frames they needed to sell off and they wouldn’t have bothered to re do all the graphics I guess.
Not seen an Excel before, we do have a black hole in catalogues for 1990 but maybe that’s too early for the Altus ?
Talking of which, have you checked the date codes? Should be two letters on the back of everything Shimano.

First letter the year, second the month.
O=1990, P=1991, Q=1992, R=1993
Months; A=Jan through to L=Dec

 

[Peachy!]

Just had a quick google ‘cause I was bored… :facepalm:
Looks like Jimo746 spotted an almost immaculate one on Gumtree last year…went for £39!!!

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=394639

 

[retrobikeguy]

Re:

just smacking the the brain cells with some black sheep ale....were these not just an empire catalogue renamed version?

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

just smacking the the brain cells with some black sheep ale....were these not just an empire catalogue renamed version?

I think you might have something there.....

 

[heymarge]

Re:

A 'Catalogue Claud' then

Cheers gents.

 

[jimo746]

Just had a quick google ‘cause I was bored… :facepalm:
Looks like Jimo746 spotted an almost immaculate one on Gumtree last year…went for £39!!!

Yeah I actually bought that one. I couldn't find any info in the CB Catalogues for it either.
You might be onto something about it being a "Catalogue-Claud"

 

[Peachy!]

Just had a quick google ‘cause I was bored… :facepalm:
Looks like Jimo746 spotted an almost immaculate one on Gumtree last year…went for £39!!!

Yeah I actually bought that one. I couldn't find any info in the CB Catalogues for it either.
You might be onto something about it being a "Catalogue-Claud"

Didn’t you get half your money back when you flogged me the bottle & cage? :facepalm:

 

[jimo746]

Re:

probably. I think it's now student transport around town. Not seen it since though.

Decent bikes though, my first semi-decent Mtb was a Claud, from one of my Mums Catalogues, so I have a soft spot for the brand