Up for sale, a very nice but cosmetically challenged "aero" frame and fork from spanish builder Nortel.le (no longer in business unfortunately).
I'm unsure of the tubing used, but Nortel.le usually built with columbus, so I would think it's probably columbus. Seatpost is 26.8mm, rear spacing 130mm, seattube is 54cm c-c, toptube 56cm c-c, headtube 13cm, chainstays are 40cm (centre of bb to centre of dropout slot)
Plus points:
- lovely lug work, especially on the headtube and top of seatstays
- drilled (countersunk really) campag dropouts
- internal brake and gear cables
- slightly flattened fork blades and seatstays
- rear of seattube is shaped to allow the rear wheel in closer
- the paint! lovely black, dark blue and yellow "snakeskin" effect
minus points:
- the paint! it's paint on chrome, and badly flaking in some places
- some pitting to the chrome, and larger rust spots under the toptube at the front.
- BB is french threaded. The frame comes with french threaded record BB cups and lockring (the thicker, rifled cups). Cups are in decent condition, no pitting, so should run fine with some decent bearings and spindle (I might be able to find some if needed) I haven't been able to take the fixed cup out, but then my bench vise isn't the best in the world. Alternatively, there are other options - threadless BB (cheap) or velo orange, phil wood, etc french threaded BB (expensive!)
- headset is french threaded. I'm sure I have a headset that will fit if required, otherwise a standard english headset with french lockring (or even some teflon tape at a stretch) should work fine.
I've been resisting the urge to get the whole frame and fork repainted, or at least the main triangle, just because the paint is so original. The chrome on the rear stays and forks is respectable, if not perfect. It's the paint that's the main problem. Reproducing the original paint would be costly if not impossible, so I think the best options would be either to touch up the existing paint, or get the whole lot redone.
Considering the originality of frame and the condition of it, I think 135 GBP posted (from Spain) is a reasonable amount to ask, but that's open to negotiation of course.
A quick pic taken this afternoon before my phone battery gave out - more pics tomorrow!
SOLD pending payment
thanks, Andy
I'm unsure of the tubing used, but Nortel.le usually built with columbus, so I would think it's probably columbus. Seatpost is 26.8mm, rear spacing 130mm, seattube is 54cm c-c, toptube 56cm c-c, headtube 13cm, chainstays are 40cm (centre of bb to centre of dropout slot)
Plus points:
- lovely lug work, especially on the headtube and top of seatstays
- drilled (countersunk really) campag dropouts
- internal brake and gear cables
- slightly flattened fork blades and seatstays
- rear of seattube is shaped to allow the rear wheel in closer
- the paint! lovely black, dark blue and yellow "snakeskin" effect
minus points:
- the paint! it's paint on chrome, and badly flaking in some places
- some pitting to the chrome, and larger rust spots under the toptube at the front.
- BB is french threaded. The frame comes with french threaded record BB cups and lockring (the thicker, rifled cups). Cups are in decent condition, no pitting, so should run fine with some decent bearings and spindle (I might be able to find some if needed) I haven't been able to take the fixed cup out, but then my bench vise isn't the best in the world. Alternatively, there are other options - threadless BB (cheap) or velo orange, phil wood, etc french threaded BB (expensive!)
- headset is french threaded. I'm sure I have a headset that will fit if required, otherwise a standard english headset with french lockring (or even some teflon tape at a stretch) should work fine.
I've been resisting the urge to get the whole frame and fork repainted, or at least the main triangle, just because the paint is so original. The chrome on the rear stays and forks is respectable, if not perfect. It's the paint that's the main problem. Reproducing the original paint would be costly if not impossible, so I think the best options would be either to touch up the existing paint, or get the whole lot redone.
Considering the originality of frame and the condition of it, I think 135 GBP posted (from Spain) is a reasonable amount to ask, but that's open to negotiation of course.
A quick pic taken this afternoon before my phone battery gave out - more pics tomorrow!
SOLD pending payment
thanks, Andy
