Which is the Best ?

[David B]

Laz thats quite a collection ! Do you have a shed, garage or aircraft hanger to house your finds
Personally I'm liking the Motobecane - very stylish and it will be travelling home. Also the Claud Butler too. I like the split / twin top tubes designs.

Which is the best? There's only one way to find out - F....erm, no, that's not it. Must be thinking of something else.

I'd go for the CB - 531 and a mixte design to boot, which gives a wee bit more rigidity than the other style of "open" frame if not going down the route of building up a conventional diamond frame.

David

 

[stevevw]

If you decide against the CB do you want to sell it?

 

[Lazarus]

Hi Hazey "Not off topic at all ... a hello is always a welcome thing on a post" . I was unfamiliar with the true extent of "Merchies" ethos, but was pleasantly flabergasted at how professionally organised they are. From main speaker throughout the whole ceremony to the pupils, awards, choir, setting, presentation, I found myself humbled & honoured to be there. Quite taken aback by it all to be honest

My daughter only started a few months back, (Full Scholarship) and I am finding the whole experience simply "life changing", as likewise my daughter is. It is not a school they run, but a sanctuary for those who wish to get on in life without the "distractions" of what I call the "Baptism of Fire". My little 1 suffered horrendously before they came along.

I hope your own connection's to these amazing people is also as uplifting as my own Perhaps in the near future we can digress more, and cycle perhaps ? My best to you, and please, "by no means remain a stranger ". I only joined here about 6 months ago, but have found the place quite down to earth and an absolute Gold Mine of information & friendly advice / outlet for my own at times, ... cycling fanatisism. Without here, my own cycling momentum might have diminished back to its very insular existence.

"Small world indeed my friend " ... "The world is so small that my sister was touring Australia 20 odd years ago. She arrived at Ayers Rock, went to the top, entered the cafe, asked for a tea, got talking to the old woman serving her, only to find it was her friends nan :shock: " Thats how small the world can be My best to you, Laz.

..........................................

Back to the matter in hand

" I don't own any of these yet, but will soon, depending upon which I decide to acquire. I may yet drag about 3 or 4 of them in, and decide on the ground so to speak. Unless the bidding gets very silly, I'll be chasing them all in 1 form or another "

I am being drawn to the CB, but the Batavus has some beautiful detailing too and appears to be in good cosmetic condition. I can imagine either frame with a 3arm chromed Campagnolo chainset on it, surrounded by Gran Sport / Nuovo Record groupset components. Slowly, the more I look at the frames in a line on here, and listen to posts from fellow cyclists, the more the correct frame is presenting itself. Sometimes its easy to overlook a frames + / - points, sharing thoughts brings them into the open

TBC, yours Laz.

PS: The Buter looks quite large to me ? And I'm starting to get a feeling that the bike in pic 12 is a little gem ? Don't know what it is, but the seatpost to headtube CC looks small to me, "just what I'm after". The varying geometries are quite stark after a long hard look at them all side by side. I have already ruled out the Townsend & Alu Ridgeback, both are simply not classy enough / too low end. The modern type pics are most unlikely to happen.

 

[Lazarus]

I now own a Batavus & an Enfield. 2 down, 2 to go. After the Butler next, then the Motobecane. I'll see which is best suited when there are all in my hands. I will of course update as they arrive, & upload build pics Thanks for all your help so far my friends, yours Laz.

 

[Rich34]

I agree with David, the Claud Butler looks good. It looks like a more serious bike than some of the others. Those centre-pulls might take a bit of getting used to if your lady is used to modern calipers but it's only a case of adapting to what you're using.

 

[terryhfs]

All things being equal, go for the 531 - but with the age of the frames condition is far more important. Which one isn't likely to lead to an ex-girlfriend with a broken collar bone?

 

[Some Guy]

Apologies for hijak Lazarus..

I've just bought an unknown "twin top tube" 531 mixte frame, to build up for a christmas pressie for my lady friend, for I admit purely asthetic reasons (i think they're are prettier).

Are there any benefits or disadvantages too a "twin top tube" over "single top tube" for a ladies drop top tube frame bike?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

go for the claud butler mixte frame. mixte frames are generally stiffer than normal step through frames…

 

[hirameuser]

Townsend used to point to the value end of the market and 531 tubing was there top range, there would be lots of mentions on the frame if that was the case. I have a couple of there trail 531 bikes and the frames are pretty good. Firstly though which of the frames will fit the lady then narrow it down from there. Id go for the claude butler then the motobecane if they fit,

If they cross to Dieppe they have a tamaced old railway line that runs for about 40k good ans smooth.

Cheers

Phil

 

[Lazarus]

Thanks for the posts everyone, tis apreciated All thoughts make my life easier. Sadly ... I fell alseep and missed the Butler ... isn't that always the way with ebay, you track something for a week, blink, and its gone :-( Only £45 to boot :-( Never mind, I'm a firm believer in fate and "what is meant to be shall be".

Though I loved its appearance & quality, it looked to be on the large side to me, guessing at about a 5'8" type person by the length of that seattube. Got a nice feeling about the Batavus. Still got 3 others to chase, so its all still to play for

Hi SomeGuy For me personally the single tubed frames look "racier" especially after building the Faggin for the wife. The toptube is placed midway on that frame, whereas many are about 1/3rd up (lower step on point). The rear stays for my mind strengthen the seattube sufficiently, and the lower the toptube the easier it is to get on in a ladylike fashion

Before building the Faggin, I built her a Raleigh Wisp. It had MA40's on, and was almost complete Camapgnolo grouped. The wife loved the feel of it, and still comments on this when I write on this thread. The Wisp is a mixte twin tubed construction. I would say that the single tubed are "whippy" and the twin tubed mixte's are "less whippy", perhaps lending to a slightly stiffer ride. All said and done "the Faggin is Columbus SL tubed" and the Wisp "steel tubed of an unknown calibre". The Faggin is hand built & pantographed all over with chromed forks & stays, the Wisp, an off the shelf mass produced item. I guess its there we draw the distinction, ... Pure hand built quality / mass produced run of the mill.

So my friend, single tubed look better IMHO, Mixte - twin tubed are more practical / stiffer, but ultimately the brand & its quality, as with all bikes, makes a frame what it is. I'd rip an arm off to acquire the Stunningly Beautiful Gazelle posted above simply because it is Class As a final note, "check out the manner in which Gazelle have joined the stiffeners to the seattube, and thus to the single toptube. Only seen 1 of that kind before, nearly bought it too, but then the price got heavy and I backed off, much to my regret. For my mind, that subtle touch of class makes the frame Beautiful

Later my friends, yours Laz.