LOOK KG86

[Robster914]

Re:

I'm back... so have spent last few months starting to pull together all the bits. Apologies for gratuitous photos of Dura Ace 7400 (and 7401) bits for 7 speed SIS group.









In the meantime have been rooting around on the web and have come to a very (un scientific) conclusion.

1st generation Look KG86 (TVT built) had the seat lug arrangement as per Chris's example on previous page. Along also with the brake bridge that looks 'clamped on'. This design was carried over to the Look KG96 'Team replica' so it looks like LOOK bought the rights to manufacture the KG86 off TVT to create the KG96.

Now curiously, the one I have actually appears to be a Look KG85 (TVT built) (many thanks to rather fortuitous posting of link in catalogues section for LOOK in Retrobike catalog section). This is certainly appears to be the same frame that Jean Francois Bernard and others used in 1987.

This is also the design that TVT went forward with for their own brand frames, only differences I can see is the later versions had added bolt through where the seat stays joined the seat lug.

of course this could be nonsense but makes sense to what I have found on the web..

Anyway, back to Dura Ace..

Still looking for mint or near mint so if any one has the following...
1. Dura ace 7400 Chainset (170 or 172mm)- with 52/42 rings
2. Dura ace 7401 or 7402 brake levers
3. Set of mint early Mavic GP4 (red & gold label) 32 hole

And one tech question: The Dura Ace quick releases I have got have what looks like the correct end nuts (with D ring) but curiously internally are only part tapped, so you can only screw them on 'half way' onto the skewers themselves. There is no chance I will be able to screw them up tight enough and for the quick release to clamp onto the drop outs- has anyone else seen this?

 

[Doubledee]

Thats looking good Robster, so glad you went with the Dura Ace, my recent TVT build rides brilliantly and the only real difference here is the rear end, my TVT has a one piece carbon wishbone with a small metal insert for the rear brake. I'd be interested to know if the forks are one piece carbon with a titanium sleeve over the steerer like mine?

 

[stringfellow1946]

Thats looking good Robster, so glad you went with the Dura Ace, my recent TVT build rides brilliantly and the only real difference here is the rear end, my TVT has a one piece carbon wishbone with a small metal insert for the rear brake. I'd be interested to know if the forks are one piece carbon with a titanium sleeve over the steerer like mine?

I've never seen a wishbone rear end on a TVT any chance you could post a couple of photos of yours Doubledee please.
Also can you explain a bit more about The Forks on yours i.e. "one piece carbon with a titanium sleeve over the steerer" again maybe some photos.
Thanks

 

[Doubledee]

Re:

The TVT wishbone well not exactly see my current build thread it's on the first page but what I meant to say was that the rear stays are all carbon including the rear brake bridge as opposed to the aluminium ones. The forks on the TVTs are one piece carbon but so a threaded steerer could be used they put a metal sleeve over it and pinned and bonded in place, when I took it to my friend Will at Wills Wheels he told me the sleeve was titanium

 

[stringfellow1946]

Re: Re:

The TVT wishbone well not exactly see my current build thread it's on the first page but what I meant to say was that the rear stays are all carbon including the rear brake bridge as opposed to the aluminium ones. The forks on the TVTs are one piece carbon but so a threaded steerer could be used they put a metal sleeve over it and pinned and bonded in place, when I took it to my friend Will at Wills Wheels he told me the sleeve was titanium

Ok I understand what you say re the Seat stays IMHO the steerer tube is steel NOT Titanium. (on all the ones I've ever seen) This is couple of photos of the rear Brake bridge on my Look KG86.
I think what Robster914 has is a 1st edition of the TVT (straight seat stays) as used by Greg Lemond & Bernard Hinault and some of the La Vie Claire team in 1986 except that there's were sprayed a Ice Blue colour. My look/TVT 86 is (I THINK) the 2nd type still with the straight seat stays & slightly different seat Lug. All the ones that came after 1988/9 had the the seat stays curve inward above the brake bridge, which by that time was a one piece moulded Carbon affair.
Had that been my frame I would have had it resprayed in the La Vie Claire 1986 colours & done a replica of that bike (I've never seen one available for sale) easy for me to say I know as I have 6 other versions of the Look/TVT bikes. BUT a 1986 one would be a very very rare bike indeed & this is the first one I've seen that matches frame exactly. There was another much later version TVT without the 2 alloy head lugs it looks like one piece of moulded carbon for the head tube.

 

[Robster914]

Re:

Hi all, sorry for the tardy response.
The steerer on my forks were definitely a dull metal that could have been titanium but unfortunately fitted the headset and thus forks to the bike so can't check. They certainly are light though!

Chris, many thanks for the great insight into the different versions.

As an aside there is some great correspondence from TVT in the Catalogues section here under 'TVT92'. Certainly the TVT92 F&F were approx. £1,000 in 1990! Someone with more time than me could probably work out what that is in todays Money, either way not cheap..

I have bolted a few bits on so will post some mid-build photos soon.

I know there are worse quandaries, but I have a Dura Ace stem, and a Cinelli 1R. I like the idea of having a complete Dura Ace 'Gruppo' on it, but it should really have a Cinelli 1R (or 1a) to be period correct as per the team bikes.



Either way, the Cinelli stem I have picked up is black, so will need some work. It is sitting in the garage covered in Nitromors at the moment, before and after shots will follow I am sure!

I have heard they can be a bit problematic with squeaking handlebars or not being good at securing the bars. If it was good enough for Lemond, Hinault et al I am sure it may fine..

 

[FINNEY1973]

Re:

Within the last week I have stripped a black 1R - turns out you don't need paint stripper, I sanded it very lightly and then used BBQ cleaner. Came off in minutes. Might just save yourself a lot of effort rather than the nitromors route.

Top bike by the way, cracking bit of kit, that will be a beauty when it's done.

 

[Robster914]

Re:

Hi Finney, thanks for the top tip.
I left the stem covered in Nitromors overnight and it hadn't even touched the finish!
I am sure they have changed the 'recipe' - it used to be able to take paint off anything- much like the Alien goo that could melt through floors on the Nostromo!

Not sure where I can find bbq cleaner in January but the hunt is on..

 

[FINNEY1973]

Re:

Wilko's oven cleaner; £3.00. Comes in a white box. I use it for everything I need to de-anodise. You're correct about Nitromors - stinks like it always has but doesn't cut the mustard like it used to.

 

[Robster914]

Re: LOOK KG86 - a dark day..

Ok so worst things have happened at Sea (etc) but have just found that one of the seat stays where it is glued into the seat lug is loose ! A**e!

I am surprised how I didn't spot this before. I guess this may be why on later versions that they were also screwed as well as bonded.

Does anyone know where I might get this re-bonded?
I have found a company - Carbon Cycle repairs who may know a thing or 2 about sticking stuff back together, but if anyone can assist I would be most grateful.

Suddenly this is looking like an expensive 'wall hanger'.... :facepalm: