Super U/Castorama Team Replica - Being used in anger!

[tarloone]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

Lovely

Guy in my club had one - a proper castarama '2080?' frame with the same C Record groupset back in the day, about 1991! How I bloody loved that bike

 

[Matt_wood55]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

That looks amazing - will be happy if mine is 70% of that!

 

[Elev12k]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

This bike is exceptionally cool.

 

[bigfatron]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

ooooooh, soooooooo sweet!
she's an absolute beauty, and makes my ridden daily 653 (20 nice miles in the sun this lunchtime, shorts and short sleeved super u shirt!) look very tatty in comparison!

questions, questions.....

you've done a very nice job on the bar tape, have you used double sided tape or just heated the ends to get such clean lines?

are the bottle cages ta?

what freewheel have you used?

have you made the white wolber decals or were they on the rims? which i assume are clinchers after our previous discussion?

i don't think i could ride alongside with you on this bike, i'd feel like an austin allegro beside a jensen interceptor!

i'm afraid i can't help on the super u shorts - i have two pairs, the only two i've ever seen, both bought on ebay.
i have a nos pair of waist shorts in size 4 and almost see through bibs in size 5, but the lycra has lost all it's stretch now in them!
i am however wondering if i could get some white lycra screen printed for the side panels and then have corinne dennis knock up a few pairs of bibshorts in a 6 panel style - any interest if it happened?

richie

 

[Penfold6290]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

Thanks Richie. glad you like her, I'm really chuffed although I'm still thinking I should have waited for a frame without the wishbone rear stay. If you don't mind I'll answer your questions within your quote below?

ooooooh, soooooooo sweet!
she's an absolute beauty, and makes my ridden daily 653 (20 nice miles in the sun this lunchtime, shorts and short sleeved super u shirt!) look very tatty in comparison!

questions, questions.....

you've done a very nice job on the bar tape, have you used double sided tape or just heated the ends to get such clean lines?

Neither, well that's not strictly true. I wrapped the whole bar in white starting at the top and finishing just short of the end. Both ends were secured with a little bit of double sided tape but only at the ends. Then I wrapped the colour on top - the blue starts on the bend and is held on by tension and goodwill and is finished with some blue insulation tape. The red also starts on the bend and tucks inside the bar and is held with the plug. It's too early to say how long it will hold like this but 48 miles so far!

are the bottle cages ta?

No, they are the old style cages that you could get in Raleigh packs with the 'team' bottle. Made by Mansfield according to the embossed lettering on the plastic bit

what freewheel have you used?

Regina America 92 13-23, I also have a Regina America 15-28 for an upcoming Sportive, not sure if it's going to fit/index properly, we shall see

have you made the white wolber decals or were they on the rims? which i assume are clinchers after our previous discussion?

Yes, they're clinchers (NOS Michelin HiLite Supercomp HD 700x23) - the rims are Wolber TX Profile. I ordered the lettering, it came via a sign maker in Cardiff who had a font closest to the lettering I have seen in press photos and on a wheelset for sale on Ebay. PM me for details if you like.

i don't think i could ride alongside with you on this bike, i'd feel like an austin allegro beside a jensen interceptor!

i'm afraid i can't help on the super u shorts - i have two pairs, the only two i've ever seen, both bought on ebay.
i have a nos pair of waist shorts in size 4 and almost see through bibs in size 5, but the lycra has lost all it's stretch now in them!
i am however wondering if i could get some white lycra screen printed for the side panels and then have corinne dennis knock up a few pairs of bibshorts in a 6 panel style - any interest if it happened?

God yes, count me in...a set of bib shorts with the Raleigh U colouring would be perfect

richie

 

[kettlo]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

Count me in for some shorts as well! I can do up the artwork if thats any help....

Stephen

 

[Penfold6290]

Re: (Yet another) Super U/Castorama Team Bike -New Pictures!

Hi folks, on Sunday I rode this bike in the Wiggle Jurassic Beast sportive and very well behaved she was too! I had to substitute the C Record rear dérailleur for the Athena (D100) one off my other bike to cope with the 28 tooth sprocket on the freewheel I chose to cope with the nasty hills in South Dorset, I was very glad I did! The happy coincidence is that both rear dérailleurs use the same blue indexing insert in the Syncro II levers and the Athena dérailleur indexes better than the C Record one!

I had a number of complements form guys on the way round, most of them as they rode past me but my excuse is I was slowed by my companion who neglected to take on sufficient calories in the days preceding the event! I saw very few 'retro' bikes among the riders which was a little sad, but I'm glad to say that mechanically everything worked perfectly and my 20 year old Michelin HiLite Super Comp HD tyres remained puncture free for the entire 67 miles.

We're now booked for the Bournemouth Sportive in June, so let's see some more retro bikes out there! Below is a pic of me churning a 41T/25T gear up Tyneham Hill out of East Lulworth, you may just be able to tell that it was hurting a bit but I enjoyed every second of it!

Martin

 

[Rich34]

Re: Super U/Castorama Team Bike -Being used in anger!

Classiest bike of the ride by a long shot I should think...!

 

[Penfold6290]

Re: Super U/Castorama Team Bike -Being used in anger!

Classiest bike of the ride by a long shot I should think...!

Cheers Rich, I'd agree with you of course! There was no shortage of seriously expensive carbon fibre bikes and a few I saw with Campagnolo's EPS gear shifting systems but if I'm honest nothing really shouted "You need to own me"!

I was very taken with a Bianchi of similar vintage to mine running 8 speed Record components, in that distinctive green they use, I would have liked to have taken that home!

Martin

 

[Matt_wood55]

Looks like a tough climb that!! Great pics. Will have to get off my arse and do a Sportive one day.

Matt