I've got an Abeni track bike that is really well built. This one is ok, but not as well done I think.singlespeedscott wrote:The two Abeni's I had where well built.
Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby utedeej » Sun May 10, 2015 7:47 pm
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby ldrcycles » Sun May 10, 2015 10:16 pm
The original owner thought it was 76, but the stem and seatpost were the originals and stem is dated Jan 77.utedeej wrote:Do you know when yours was built?
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby grantw » Wed May 13, 2015 9:51 pm
Europa 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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 10:29 am
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.satanas wrote: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.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.
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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby singlespeedscott » Thu May 14, 2015 1:07 pm
Nice find Grant.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
Europa 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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby ldrcycles » Thu May 14, 2015 1:16 pm
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.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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 1:41 pm
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!ldrcycles wrote: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.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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby ldrcycles » Thu May 14, 2015 7:20 pm
And the rack mounts-
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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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 7:46 pm
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby grantw » Thu May 14, 2015 8:52 pm
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?
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby utedeej » Thu May 14, 2015 9:13 pm
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
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby swin1 » Fri May 22, 2015 5:23 pm
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.
Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby Ruckednee » Tue May 26, 2015 8:45 am
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby tony.kirk.904 » Tue May 26, 2015 7:40 pm
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
Europa by Grant White, on Flickr
Europa 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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby drubie » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:24 am
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
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby ldrcycles » Sat Jun 20, 2015 10:44 am
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby singlespeedscott » Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:13 am
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby applio » Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:42 pm
Hi scott2468 can you tell me where you order those abeni sticker ?Scott2468 wrote: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.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.
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.
So I bought these on ebay to keep everything original.
Then I stripped everything down. I glass blasted the frame and then etched and primed in two pack urethane.
During this process I stripped, cleaned and polished everything up.
Finally I top coated the frame in 1982 Vauxhall Green two pack.
Then I had a bit of fun and put everything together.
I have ordered the vinyl decals but they have not yet arrived.
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.
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby Aldavid » Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:58 pm
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 ... hrbblj.jpg[/img][/img]
[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]
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Re: Europa / Abeni / Elan appreciation society
Postby drubie » Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:50 pm
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
Please view this ad:
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