Swallow Griffon

[retrobikeguy]

This came to me about a year or so ago from corduroyboy, they are a rare bird indeed so I was super chuffed to get hold of one.



The one we all remember is of course the one from the MBUK magazine that had full campagnolo with double u brakes plus the option of cantilevers too, this was beautifully brought back to life by Coleman who's thread is here.

1989 Swallow Griffon - MBUK Test Bike... Finished - Page 12

After the Formula I fancied late 80s british steel again so I started reading through old bike mags for inspiration. One make kept coming up in the 1989 buyers guide – Swallow, the brand seemed to vanish in later years which interested me. I had an article on from MBUK in 1989 where they were...

www.retrobike.co.uk

I can't do a better job than that as it's simply perfection but it will get a makeover that I can live with .... And chainstay u brakes I can't live with!
The Shimano will be replaced with a suntour XCD or XC-tree as some called it because of the tree in the logo, it's becoming one of those disappearing groups that in my opinion was nicer than XC-Pro



That metallic grey was cooler than the polished stuff even if it looked a little like the budget XC-T in some areas.



TBC

 

[27motorhead]

What a bike! Another great project to come out of the @retrobikeguy stable!

Who could forget Paul Hinton in his stripy tights and that lovely Griffon with shiny new Centaur group… Convinced me enough to start collecting Centaur bits for my bike.

Suntour is a nice choice. Assume this means some cool roller cams?!

 

[gtturbo]

It's a nice bike that. I picked it up for Corduroy a few years back now and had a butchers at it before I boxed it up for him. Look forward to seeing it in all it's glory.

 

[Tootyred]

Did you find the date? Its stamped onto the bottom bracket....it should be....well...the date...ie the day it was finished.
Mines something like 030486 3rd april 1986.

 

[Mace4130]

XCD 6000 is one of my all time favourite groupsets, bike is going to be awesome.

 

[retrobikeguy]

080590

Makes it late for the 18 speed Deore kit that was on it

Did you find the date? Its stamped onto the bottom bracket....it should be....well...the date...ie the day it was finished.
Mines something like 030486 3rd april 1986.

 

[The History Man]

That’s lovely. And a proper size.

Checking in.

 

[Tootyred]

Maybe the owner got it cheap or had it already....shimano still offered 6 speed in 89....so its not that unlikely i suppose.

 

[Tootyred]

Mine had an option welded in for rear drum brake, which i think one of the others guys on here has too (the blue one...forget who's it was)....which was pretty old hat too by then!

Maybe swallow customers were a little more traditional and conservative

 

[bold stelvis]

XCD 6000 is one of my all time favourite groupsets, bike is going to be awesome

agreed - I had a muddy fox explorer BITD which came with a complete XCD 6000 groupset (unfortunately including the U-brake)
despite the fact it looked great and was functionally better than my mates gear who had deore LX stuff on their rockhoppers, I used to get mercilessly teased because mine were 'suntour' which to ignorant teenagers of the late 80s was OBVIOUSLY just shit compare to shimano