Gemini Randonneur

[Thoglette]

My gemini randonneur takes a 26.4mm seat post.

Thanks - remeasuring under better light (and better technique) says 26.0mm. Strange. Any others (mines a dark blue/black speckle 700C frame)

[LG]

Mine's actually an old Gemini World Randonneur built with Tange 900 tubing. It had been built for 650B wheels, but as posted earlier is now running 26inch. I seem to have misplaced my "before" photos, but this is what it's like now

[singlespeedscott]

I do like that. Why did you get rid of the 650's for? There's plenty if options out there these days for rims and tyres.

[LG]

I do like that. Why did you get rid of the 650's for? There's plenty if options out there these days for rims and tyres.

Why? A couple of reasons:
1. And most of all - I'm a cheapscate - I had one old araya 650B single walled rim to go with it, no tyres. I had plenty of spare 26inch wheels and a couple sets of appropriate tyres. It was cheaper to change the canti mounts than buy new tyres & at least 1 rim.
2. The paint was shot and I was going to re-paint anyway, so re-brazing wasn't going to screw that up.
3. The clearance between the top of a 650B tyre and the fork crown was surprisingly tight and I want to add mudguards.
4. The canti's can always be melted off again and re-sited if I ever want to go back to 650B.

It handle's pretty well with 26inch, the tyres on it are 1.3's but I also have a set of 1.5 slicks which are substantially bigger and fit quite well. While I was at it I re-spaced the rear to 132mm from 126mm. That way I could slide in either a modern road or MTB hub pretty easily. Currently an 8 speed deore hub on the rear and it works pretty well with the friction bar end shifters. The derailleurs are 1st generation deore.

[Thoglette]

While I was at it I re-spaced the rear to 132mm from 126mm. That way I could slide in either a modern road or MTB hub pretty easily.

Interesting - mine is already 130mm (8/9/10).

[LG]

These gemini bikes were sold over a considerable period of time. Going by the shifters, mines from the early 80s.

[austy37]

He is mine on a Canberra fire road jaunt

[hartleymartin]

quick update, ive done her up and she rides great

You can always get a taller stem. Nitto Technomic is quite a popular option amongst tourers and randonneurs.

[peachy]

You can always get a taller stem. Nitto Technomic is quite a popular option amongst tourers and randonneurs.

I sold her last year to an Irishman. Wish id kept it, its one of those regretfull sales.

[Stuey]

Yeah, he'll just drink lots of Guinness and crash it.

[xerlex]

quick update, ive done her up and she rides great

peachy, do you know what pedals those are?

[peachy]

Yeah, he'll just drink lots of Guinness and crash it.

A bit like their economy lol

peachy, do you know what pedals those are?

I think Shimano made them, great pedals they were very comfy.

[xerlex]

Cheers. I'll be keeping an eye out for a pair.

There is one of these guys on ebay right now (not mine). $100 BIN in Melbourne if anyone is chasing one.

[Mccubbins]

Seen this bad boy?



More at http://www.fyxomatosis.com/index.php/18 ... stop-watch

This made me laugh! I have one in that colour as well as a blue one. I was at the local tip shop trying to find some parts for my malvern star fixt when this woman rocks up and asks me to move my car, in exchange for this service I was given these 2 gemini's and lights, seats, pedals, racks and pretty much everything else you would need to go touring. Turns out her and her partner bought them new and toured New Zealand with them! Was going to spend $20 on a wreck to salvage parts from and came away with these gems. I use the blue one for riding about town with the youngest and the brown one I'm going to fix up as a CX tourer... I'm going to have to change the paint, horrible!

[Stuey]

I almost feel sick thinking about your good luck! Both look my size, too.

[Mccubbins]

Yeah couldn't believe my luck. Nor my wife who really, REALLY didn't want to believe my luck! they're both my size and have been well maintained.

I'm about ready to get underway with the rebuild on this one and may put some progress pics up if I feel like showing off.

BTW, bike handles like a gem, and I do most of my riding on the blue one like I said earlier with the youngest, one up.

[hartleymartin]

This made me laugh! I have one in that colour as well as a blue one. I was at the local tip shop trying to find some parts for my malvern star fixt when this woman rocks up and asks me to move my car, in exchange for this service I was given these 2 gemini's and lights, seats, pedals, racks and pretty much everything else you would need to go touring. Turns out her and her partner bought them new and toured New Zealand with them! Was going to spend $20 on a wreck to salvage parts from and came away with these gems. I use the blue one for riding about town with the youngest and the brown one I'm going to fix up as a CX tourer... I'm going to have to change the paint, horrible!

I'm having trouble believing that someone would give away two perfectly good touring bicycles to a stranger!

[Thoglette]

My gemini randonneur takes a 26.4mm seat post.

Thanks - remeasuring under better light (and better technique) says 26.0mm. Strange. Any others (mines a dark blue/black speckle 700C frame)

Hmm, found a 26mm post and there's a bit of space. I'm going to dig up a 26.4mm post and see

[meganh]

Hi all,

I have one of these that was offered to me for $100NZ on TradeMe - just couldn't resist it!! It's the dark blue/purple model and takes a 26.4mm seatpost. I've upgraded the drivetrain to 9speed Deore/XT for our hilly terrain here in the South Island. I will have to take a new photo, here it is as purchased.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

Does anyone know what kind of tubing these were made from?

Megan

[peachy]

Hi Megan. Mine was made from Tange Mangaloy 2001, although yours looks like a later model. Does that sticker on the top of the seat tube (where the front derraileur is attached) say anything about the tubing? Hope that helps.

[Thoglette]

My gemini randonneur takes a 26.4mm seat post.

Thanks - remeasuring under better light (and better technique) says 26.0mm. Strange. Any others (mines a dark blue/black speckle 700C frame)

Hmm, found a 26mm post and there's a bit of space. I'm going to dig up a 26.4mm post and see

Yup. 26mm plus two layers of 0.1 shim works. 26.4 it is. Technique obviously sucks (actually, I had to gently spread the clamp to get the whole concoction in. But 26 was badly wrong)

[LG]

(actually, I had to gently spread the clamp to get the whole concoction in)

That can be a bit of a trap when measuring a seat post dia, when a smaller size post has been used for a while the clamp can then become squeezed (been fooled by that before). It's the dia a bit further down the tube which really tells the story

Hi all,

I have one of these that was offered to me for $100NZ on TradeMe - just couldn't resist it!! It's the dark blue/purple model and takes a 26.4mm seatpost. I've upgraded the drivetrain to 9speed Deore/XT for our hilly terrain here in the South Island. I will have to take a new photo, here it is as purchased.
<a class="vglnk" title="Link added by VigLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... theater</a>

Does anyone know what kind of tubing these were made from?

Megan

Hi Megan, I've only seen 4 or 5 randonneurs/world randonneurs and they've all been Tange, either mangalloy 2001 or tange 900 tubing. Either way is pretty good quality butted steel.

[Thoglette]

Well, having made up some 27" wheels on a HG hub I came across some cheap 29ers (spare from someone's flat bar city bike being bent). Complete with 35mm tyres and a 7sp megarange freewheel. So they're on the frame.

Shimano 600 stem (thanks Zues) and cinelli drop bars with early nine speed ergos. That' should shift Shimano seven with a shimano derailleur (with hubub method). Found a medium reach derailleur with just enough reach - might have to keep the eyes out for something else.

I'm a little concerned that the CN HG50 chain I have might not be long enough (52/42t biopace and 30ish at the back, plus long chain stays).

[Thoglette]

A quick shot - still working out what bit s will go where

[drubie]

Thoglette - the HG50 out of the box is fairly long - long enough for a 34 rear / 44 front on a loooooong mountain bike. I wouldn't be too hasty removing links though and the stingy shimano people only supply one joining pin, so if you're comfortable using a quick link then go that way.