Donnay Carbon Pro 8000

[DA-EVO]

I fetched this from a fellow retrobiker this weekend (fine fellow he is as well) and am starting work on it.

At present I am trying to put together something that will see me use new space-age technology such as Index gears and combi brake/shifters.

The frame is a Donnay Carbon Pro 8000 which looks similar to an Alan Record Carbonio, it also has some dedeccai (sp) forks. Previous use was as a pub bike but I will be putting it back to a road bike.

Martin (from whom I got it) had a few spares for me as well and I am sorting those out a bit at a time. Its work in progress for the next few weeks unless I get lucky and find some relevant bits via ebay etc.

 

[DA-EVO]

So far I have washed it and took it to bits, replaced the tyres. I put a few things back on and am shopping around locally for a few bits and pieces which is proving frustrating! I suspect most of the bits are going to be coming from here or ebay.

Here is where I am at right now with it.

 

[daccordimark]

That has to be the most awesome pub bike ever!

I look forward to it's return to road bike status though. The back wheel looks interesting, for one thing it's radial on the drive side and crossed on the non-drive side which is contrary to most designs.

Do you have a build plan or is a case of whatever bits and pieces come along?

Mark.

 

[1988_Ben]

Never knew Donnay made bike frames, only heard of their Tennis rackets.

The lugs look more like an early TVT to me...

 

[DA-EVO]

My build plan is pretty much whatever I can get to fit the parts I have - in a year or so I will probably buy a new road bike and I just want to see what I like in terms of brakes, shifters and so on - so this is going to be a bit of a test bed really.

Apart from a 3 minute ride of a new bike I haven't had any experience of index gears, dual pivot brakes, milled braking surfaces, bar shifters or carbon frames on the road so getting to know them all is going to be interesting.

At the moment I am hoping for 8spd Dura Ace or Ultegra parts, however if getting those parts is going to be difficult I will just get something to make the bike work and worry about the details later.

Frame says 'Made in Belgium' and whilst several of the lugs look like Alan, some also look like TVT as you said - Donnay was founded in Belgium so it could have been their own product - however I recall that lots of companies appeared to outsource their early carbon / alloy bikes back in the day - not a lot of apparent info on the web regarding them so far.

The wheels are laced in an interesting fashion but I have seen others similar - I guess the proof will be in the riding but I doubt I am going to be putting any massive amount of power through to test any skew! In my 'bag of spares' (I told you he was a very nice man) I was handed a spare set of wheels so I have parts etc for it. I also have a sinergy front but it needs an axle.

All work in progress so will update the thread as and when.

 

[Way2many]

.

That frame is exactly the same as my 'Alan', even down to the front mech hanger...wow, so sweet.

 

[DA-EVO]

I have been getting somewhere with this (a little).

I must admit I got foxed by a bad set of vernier tools - made for interesting measuring!

The handlebar stem on the bike was a 1" MTB stem which, coupled with the bad verniers meant I was buying handlebars that did not fit as it looked to measure up OK at 26.0 So I bought a different stem which is absolutely NOT on upside down (honest), I just like my retrobike stickers on the side of the stem (over the MFR's logo's) and a reminder of the torque settings on top. hmm. I also bought some Deda bars (not upside down).

Next was the seatpost - this was a 'use alien' item previously which had been cut down. I realised when fitting a longer post that it had been cut down for a reason as there is a bit of a restriction in the frame. As an addendum, following the stem incident I got this existing measured at a bikeshop - who informed me it was 25.4. it wasn't!

Anyway, so I now have a new seatpost which will need cutting down to fit properly but all things otherwise are moving along. 8sp cassette and chain arrived today along with Bars and Brake cables - so next its await the shifters and finish up.

Still haven't decided on the seat as yet or perhaps adding in another colour.


Edited for typo's and clarity

 

[DA-EVO]

A little more progress today...

It moves!

I have a few things to sort out on it but it goes, stops, changes gear and stuff.

I am looking for some black lever hoods and perhaps a slightly more red bar tape (although in normal light its not far from the red of the tyres).

Anyway. Here 'tis.

 

[CAADHEAD]

A pair of Wound Up forks would look the dogs on that

 

[DA-EVO]

A pair of Wound Up forks would look the dogs on that

They do look good but then I saw the price so they will look good on the shelf in the shop very nice but out of my budget for this bike. I suspect originally this had alloy forks as I think CF forks back in the day of this bike would have been too much witchcraft

Pic of it today.