Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

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utedeej
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Sun May 10, 2015 7:47 pm

singlespeedscott wrote:The two Abeni's I had where well built.
I've got an Abeni track bike that is really well built. This one is ok, but not as well done I think.

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ldrcycles
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby ldrcycles » Sun May 10, 2015 10:16 pm

utedeej wrote:Do you know when yours was built?
The original owner thought it was 76, but the stem and seatpost were the originals and stem is dated Jan 77.
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grantw
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby grantw » Wed May 13, 2015 9:51 pm

I've been looking for a steel frame with fender eyelets to set up as a rainy day bike and I'm now a proud member of the club :-)

ImageEuropa Eurosport by Grant White, on Flickr

It's pretty rough but straight and with the exception of the Modolo brakes my intention is to set it up with some older Ultegra 10 speed stuff I have lying around and some thermoplastic fenders.
Image

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utedeej
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 10:29 am

satanas wrote:
drubie wrote:Heh - Looks like all sorts of stuff showing up with those italicised kangaroos on it, - rebadged Centurions, generic Technotrat frames and now something funky from the mid-seventies given a do-over by the Europa boys.
This is both incorrect and unfair. In reaity, both Centurion and Europa Cycles sourced much of what they sold between the 1970s and the mid 1980s from the same Japanese trading company. While *some* Europa/Abeni bikes used the same basic models of frames as contemporary Centurions, the parts used were more often than not upgraded from what was sold in the USA. Later on, frames were sourced from Italy rather than Japan, mainly from Tecnotrat, although another Italian builder whose name now escaoes me made the higher end frames. However, when stock frames ran out or somebody wanted something a bit different or in a different colour, frames were built as needed at the local factory in Marrickville. Many thousands of frames were built there over the years, and Europa is still making frames to this day, although not so many.

Identifying the original frame shown will be extremely difficult. Europa had a large stock of Reynolds 531 tubing bought in bulk some time in the 1970s, which took quite a few years to exhaust. So, it is thus entirely possible that a frame built in the 1980s could have had 1970s Reynolds stickers. As far as I know, *ALL* frames with Reynolds or Columbus stickers were built from what was on the sticker!!! Haden semi-sloping crowns were commonly used on 531 frames, most of which would have had Campag horizontal dropouts, generally long (1010A, not 1010B), although some also had Suntour dropouts (SDC?) with offset seatstay tangs; few had vertical dropouts. Columbus SL road frames typically had 1010B dropouts, but lugs and crowns varied. Number and type of braze-ons varied with both the era and customer requests. There were also track and touring frames, etc. Lugs varied depending on what was available at the time and what the customer wanted, with long point, short point and Nervex style lugs used at different times. Very, very few locally made frames were chromed as this was (and is) difficult, time consuming and expensive to do, and results in a heavier frame that is more likely to corrode; chrome plating was actively discouraged. I cannot see anything that either proves the frame was made in Marrickville or otherwise; all of the parts were used at one point or another, although I do not remember that exact lug pattern - it's been a long time though and various long point lugs were definitely used. Given the almost total lack of braze-ons I'd say the frame was made in the 1970s, but could not say any more without seeing the frame, and possibly not even then. I would be very surprised if that frame was not made in Oz, by whomever; it is definitely NOT a frame made in Italy and imported by Europa IMHO.

BTW, if any frame is found with "Abeni" engraved on the seatstay caps or the fork crown, this will probably be a frame made in Italy with either Columbus SL or Reynolds 531 tubing. (Marrickville-built steel frames could also be said to be "Italian made" as the two builders were both Italian.)

Abeni stickers are unfortunately not definitive identification as these sometimes found their way onto other (decent quality) frames when they were repainted. FWIW, the stickers shown are from the mid 1980s or later, definitely not the 1970s.

Finally, Falk was a brand of Italian tubing, not a frame manufacturer.
Some interesting info here from satanas, it was in this thread viewtopic.php?f=23&t=46491, I've highlighted the bits that seem to relate to our bikes LDR.

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singlespeedscott
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby singlespeedscott » Thu May 14, 2015 1:07 pm

grantw wrote:I've been looking for a steel frame with fender eyelets to set up as a rainy day bike and I'm now a proud member of the club :-)

ImageEuropa Eurosport by Grant White, on Flickr

It's pretty rough but straight and with the exception of the Modolo brakes my intention is to set it up with some older Ultegra 10 speed stuff I have lying around and some thermoplastic fenders.
Nice find Grant.
Image

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ldrcycles
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby ldrcycles » Thu May 14, 2015 1:16 pm

utedeej wrote: Some interesting info here from satanas, it was in this thread viewtopic.php?f=23&t=46491, I've highlighted the bits that seem to relate to our bikes LDR.
Very interesting, thanks for that utedeej. I'm tossing up whether or not to remove the seatstay rack mounts on mine, you'll understand why when i finally get a pic of them up.
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utedeej
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 1:41 pm

ldrcycles wrote:
utedeej wrote: Some interesting info here from satanas, it was in this thread viewtopic.php?f=23&t=46491, I've highlighted the bits that seem to relate to our bikes LDR.
Very interesting, thanks for that utedeej. I'm tossing up whether or not to remove the seatstay rack mounts on mine, you'll understand why when i finally get a pic of them up.
Have a look for a serial number too on your bottom bracket non drive side. Just found mine under some grease and it says JA 3385, built by the man himself then!

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby ldrcycles » Thu May 14, 2015 7:20 pm

This is all i've got under the BB-

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And the rack mounts-


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They don't look so bad in the photo but in the flesh it looks like something that was slapped on by a bush mechanic. Hell maybe they were. I would certainly like to think they weren't original.
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utedeej
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 7:46 pm

If they're straight, i'd leave them for sure. You'd never notice when a rack is attached anyway. Same bb shell as mine tooI think, with that seam across the bottom.

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby grantw » Thu May 14, 2015 8:52 pm

Just spent a fun hour stripping it down and cleaning grime. It once had a really nice opalescent finish by the look, got thinking that a respray would be nice but that's out of scope at the moment.

It's got the EOetc serial number on the rear of the seat tube though the forks are stamped "AKISU88". Does anyone know what that means?
Image

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utedeej
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 9:13 pm

Hope the paint scrubs up well - it always looks different out in the sun. Akisu made a bunch of different types of forks I think and some BMX stuff.

I'm guessing 88 is just the model of forks, the ones in this link are a model 83.

http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Vintage-AKIS ... 1790993078

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby grantw » Fri May 15, 2015 7:09 am

Thanks for that ute :-)
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby swin1 » Fri May 22, 2015 5:23 pm

Here is a Europa frame from a bike I bought on ebay. Someone had it powdercoated brown! So thick you can't even see what the dropouts are.

Pretty sure it's Falck 4130 tubing, this is what was included in the listing, and the frame weighs 1.99kg and fork .78kg which is consistent with 4130 weight if butted at least.

Not sure what to do with it. Nice Gipiemme strada special bottom bracket was included but non of the other parts are original.

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Ruckednee

Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby Ruckednee » Tue May 26, 2015 8:45 am

My Abeni has a lot of similarities to your utedeej and idrcycles - very same decals with the campag globe on the headtube, and brazed rack mounts. BB is stamped 8442 - I got an email from John saying that it would have been built 'around 84'...interesting that mine has the year of manufacture reversed to your ute.

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby tony.kirk.904 » Tue May 26, 2015 7:40 pm

As found at the tip shop
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Now done up with bits and pieces lying around as a pub bike.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby grantw » Sat May 30, 2015 6:29 pm

Turned this one around in record time (for me :-)), took it for a spin today and was quite pleased with the ride quality and it seems to climb ok.

ImageEuropa by Grant White, on Flickr

ImageEuropa by Grant White, on Flickr

Still a bit of fettling to do and I think I'll get some new brakes but otherwise it's very useable.
Image

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby drubie » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:24 am

Another Europa with bar end shifting and centurion-alike frame. This is the third one of these that has turned up at the tip. Suicide brake levers and suntour arx gears.
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So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby singlespeedscott » Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:45 pm

Nice pickup Drubie
Image

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby ldrcycles » Sat Jun 20, 2015 10:44 am

Just got mine back from the sandblasters the other day, and with the paint gone it turns out the cable guides on top of the BB are Campagnolo, i never knew they made those bits. I did cut off those rack mounts, i'll never use a rack and it looks a million times better without them. Not sure on paint scheme yet but atm i'm thinking the brightest red i can get over a chrome base, and then ABENI in gold chrome with black outlining on the downtube :) . If i'm to use it on the housewarming ride i've got pretty much a week to get it all together :) .
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby singlespeedscott » Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:13 am

Look forward to see it. I'm in the process of getting my housewarming ride sorted. Hopefully it will have a few rides under its belt before Sunday.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby applio » Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:42 pm

Scott2468 wrote:
commando wrote:Excellent link, thanks guys! Looks like the rear is either a 990 or 980, but I'll have to get the bike out this weekend and take a closer look at everything.
That is a 980. Campagnolo released this in Sep 1980, thus with incredible imagination, they called it the 980. It was in production to 1985.

Your bike appears almost identical to mine.

Well worth restoring for the experience, fun and end result.
Scott2468 wrote:This is the Abeni I was given. It has early to mid 80s Campy gear throughout except the crankset and brake levers.

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So I bought these on ebay to keep everything original.

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Then I stripped everything down. I glass blasted the frame and then etched and primed in two pack urethane.

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During this process I stripped, cleaned and polished everything up.

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Finally I top coated the frame in 1982 Vauxhall Green two pack.

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Then I had a bit of fun and put everything together.

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I have ordered the vinyl decals but they have not yet arrived.

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Last of all I am hunting around for some Campy wheels to match the set. At the moment it has shimaNO 105 hubs on it.

The bike rides like a dream. Yesterday I couldnt take the smile off my face.
Hi scott2468 can you tell me where you order those abeni sticker ?

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby utedeej » Wed Jul 15, 2015 3:55 pm


Aldavid
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby Aldavid » Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:58 pm

Hi all, dont get on here to often so miss lots of goings on.
Tthought I posted this b4, looks like not :(
Here are some pics of my Abeni. As you will notice it has the Abeni pantographs. She was orignally partly red over chromed Reynolds 531. I stripped the paint with the intention of a respray but found the chrome was too good. The wheels are non original new Alex Rims which I like the look of. F & R derailluer are not original campagnola so I have hung the 600 Arabesque I had lying around till i find some 980 campag or similair. I have a pair of Brooks saddles of the right era but prefer the look of this carbon race saddle.Everything else is as she was made..
I have spoken with John Abeni on 2 occasions and came way more confused than before. My best info is from the original owner who says she purchased it in new 1982. All other info I have sort of confirms this.
Out of interest I have a 2013 full carbon Felt roadie, weighs 7.2 kilos, has $3000 wheelset and running Ultegra groupset. This Abeni is a better ride in every way. Havent ridden the plastic bike in 9mths, I prefer the Abeni.
Hope you like her.

[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... qr4o2u.jpg[/img][/img]
[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... x691hr.jpg[/img][/img]
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[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... plsitc.jpg[/img][/img]
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[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... cv5xef.jpg[/img][/img]
[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... x2thnm.jpg[/img][/img]
[img][IMG]http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y47 ... xjgz4s.jpg[/img][/img]
If you dont know where you are going...how will you know when you get there !

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby drubie » Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:50 pm

Oddball Europa. 27", cantilever brakes, triple front shifter but no triple crank. Not sure if it's a homebrew conversion or it was sold like that.
ImageImage
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society

Postby tomalophicon » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:55 pm

Someone should jump on this.

Please view this ad:

Professional Road Bike + Trainer,
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/kiama-do ... 1103011225" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Price: $150.00

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