Vintage French randonneuer's and porteurs.

Guinessisgoodforyou said:
Really enjoyed this chaps story. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here. Very nice bike at the end too. Translation below.

In the beginning was the desire. The desire to want... a relatively old bike, even if it's a bit rotten and therefore cheap, but that with a lot of willpower, I'll manage to make it run so that it takes me as far as possible.
I might as well say it straight away: I have two left hands. And every time I undertake a manual job (sanding shutters, changing the oil in my motorbike, painting the ceiling...), I either stop in the middle of the job or I give up and hand the baby over to someone I think is more competent. In short, I'm not a handyman, and even less a bike restorer.

I found on Leboncoin this old MBK Grand Touring model (circa 1984), complete but a bit messy. It had been stored in a garage for several decades and if it seemed to be complete, it was difficult to know under the layer of grease and dust if it was still functional. I only knew that it was about my size and that it wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg.
The deal was quickly concluded (I still drove 250 km to get it but I had put my Trek in the station wagon to go cycling in the surrounding passes to justify this not at all sustainable trip).
I then undertook to dismantle it completely, taking care to photograph each part, almost each screw, which I then stored in a small plastic bag so as not to lose anything before the big cleaning and then the fateful moment of reassembly.
In the meantime, it was necessary to wash, degrease and remove rust. And re-grease everything that has to move on it or that has to be screwed or unscrewed. I managed to keep the original chain (I still broke my chain drive trying like hell to remove the hard point). hard point). I also almost lost all the balls of the headset (I didn't know how it all worked, so there were some surprises).
The big investment was the Brooks Team Pro saddle, the Ritchey classic handlebars and the Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x32C (my only fear was that they wouldn't fit... but I wanted good big tyres). I adapted as best I could some Cane Creek cups and, luckily, they fit without getting stuck in the double brake levers.

I like the result, and above all, it allowed me to restore a certain confidence in myself :) The only thing I had done was the adjustments (and the installation of the handlebar, I wanted it to be done properly), which I had done by my favourite bike shop, Luberon Bike Shop (Apt, 84).
I was a bit ashamed to bring them my old-fashioned spad, as they sell 4000 bullets carbon bikes (with very ugly colours). But they were as nice as they were competent, and even a bit... benevolent (not everyone wants to have to deal with the adjustment of the center-pull brakes, but I was nice, I had provided them with the original cables so they wouldn't have too much trouble).

After that, it was only missing four and a half panniers. A set that I found on LBC. And that I was able to test last week on 50 kilometres between Rustrel, Bonnieux and Saignon. 31,5 kg of happiness on the scale! It's too much and I'm going to lighten it up but it was important to test the whole thing loaded like a jackass because I plan to go to Tuscany with it this summer in autonomy. The gearing is great for this type of ride and only the Brooks needs a little work because for the moment it's the one that's still bothering me. Within 900 km, everything should be back in order!

In short, all this to say to those who would have two left hands like me and a nice and passionate bike shop not far from their home to fine-tune, that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible!
And now, I feel like taking out this old mountain bike that's rotting in the cellar to make it into... something completely different than what it is. But first, I'm going to pedal a bit...

Thanks for your feedback (it flatters my ego, that's good). 31,5kg yes with luggage of course. I had put everything in the panniers (even a bottle of white wine to make weight, even if I won't go to Tuscany with that, they have very good chianti, it would be a shame...). It was just to see how much it was bearable, and even if it was bearable, I admit that I pushed it a bit. The bike weighs "only" 15kg. I could remove the lighting, yes, and also the stand. But in the first case, I think it's a pity because I think they're nice, these little lights. And in the second case, I find it very practical to be able to stand on the stand without ruining my bike or its equipment.
I note for the position of the saddle. Indeed, I will follow this advice until I find the ideal position. And for the tyres, it's quite true too. It was originally mounted on 28s. I wanted to give in to the fashion by fitting bigger tyres but I admit that it's limited in terms of mudguards. I will inevitably go back to 28s.

Thanks for your feedback. I note for the tyres (brown sidewall, class!) and the grease concerning the Brooks, I will try to find that. In the meantime, I've just done a full-scale test over two days of riding (with just the front panniers, i.e. a set of bike and luggage weighing "only" 25kg :) it took me to the top of the Géant de Provence (I look constipated on the photo, but it's not easy to keep smiling for the photographer when you've got the wind in your face and your legs are in a knot). Strange, he was the only one of his generation... (although there were older people than me who pedalled faster!).
Click to expand...
Hey
I’ve had an mbk gt since 1989
Still going strong with just one new wheel and a new gear cassette to go with the wheel
Last trip 3 yrs ago was jasper to banff in canada
People kept admiring the ‘vintage bike’ - i thought that was weird as I am NOT vintage.
Having found retrobike though perhaps I am vintage as I am 25 years older than my vintage bike
 
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