Raleigh Banana 531c Build.

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

I had an issue with the new headset being too high for the steering tube and tried a few options so I could keep the Dura-Ace 7410 headset. This sadly didn't work, so resorted to something with a shallower stack hight.

This will be little consolation to you but I had the same problem with a frame that I restored.
I decided that I wasn't going to be beaten so I bought another set of threaded forks. After some careful measurements I cut both sets of forks so that the top piece from the new set was longer than the old piece. Then I got a length of steel tubing which surprisingly enough comes in a standard size to fit inside the steerer. This gives support which you don't get welding the two ends together. Then the hard bit was finding a TIG welder - must be TIG welded due to the steel specification. I gave him the offcuts to set his machine up with and then he welded to two parts together. Cost me £20 plus a cheapo set of forks from the bay.

Cost me far more than it was worth but OCD rules and I could have a matching headset.
Somewhere on here is a you tube video of the whole process.

 

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

Here you are...

 

[m77wkd]

What a ball ache I would have just put the old headset back on and be done with it.

 

[m77wkd]

Caved into the pressure and decided to donate my ITM bar and stem combo I purchased for the merckx project. After fitting I wasn't happy with the look so went for a black stem and bars.

 

[m77wkd]

Sorted

 

[m77wkd]

Banana and Merckx.

 

[velocipede]

Lovely bikes & you definitely did the right thing with that stem!

 

[Glenn Wilson]

My Raleigh Banana build was completed recently and thought I'd share a few before, during and after pictures.

The bike started out as an ebay purchase and came with good paint and an original 105 / 6 speed groupset.

The plan was to improve the running gear so I decided on the tried and tested Dura-Ace 7400 group with a few modern twisted.
Hope you enjoy.

Hello

Did you have the original water bottle, im looking to complete my build the opposite to you I want my bike as original as possible and looking for the water bottle which is a Mavic in yellow also would you sell the wheels

Thanks

Glenn

 

[m77wkd]

Hello

Did you have the original water bottle, im looking to complete my build the opposite to you I want my bike as original as possible and looking for the water bottle which is a Mavic in yellow also would you sell the wheels

Thanks

Glenn

The bike didn't come with any bottles and sadly all the original parts were sold.

 

[Silk_RideR]

Great builds! On the topic of headset for a short steerer, had the same issue with my Scapin. Wanted to install a new Campagnolo Record on but the total stack height was too big, so I resorted to the trusted but ugly 105 headset. After a lot of research, I found that Tange Levin CDS have some of the smallest stack height and that’s what I installed. They’re pretty hard to come by though.