Centurion Carbon-R Build!

[munga]

For what it is worth, Manly Cycle Centre back then was run by a French bloke who was an old pro mechanic.
He was knew his stuff and was one of the first shops in Sydney to really click in with the growing demand for fast light bikes which could be run as tri bikes. Sold quite a few fancy lugged aluminium Vitus and Alans back then and always had a range of Centurions. Many complete bikes bought back then would have been rebuilt to suit a rider. He also built good wheels. Really a boutique shop and had some good stuff and he was way ahead of the normal bike shop back then.
If I think hard I can almost remember seeing bikes like this in the shop window…..

my vitus carbone is ex-manly cycle centre too.
28h mavic gel 280's on superbe pro hubs, so you're bang on the money.

nice of you to post that info, baabaa. cheers!

[Lots of steel bikes]

plus I was running out of buffing tips

Very nice work. Could you detail your polishing technique? Thanks, Steve.

[QuangVuong]

For what it is worth, Manly Cycle Centre back then was run by a French bloke who was an old pro mechanic.
He was knew his stuff and was one of the first shops in Sydney to really click in with the growing demand for fast light bikes which could be run as tri bikes. Sold quite a few fancy lugged aluminium Vitus and Alans back then and always had a range of Centurions. Many complete bikes bought back then would have been rebuilt to suit a rider. He also built good wheels. Really a boutique shop and had some good stuff and he was way ahead of the normal bike shop back then.
If I think hard I can almost remember seeing bikes like this in the shop window…..

Any information is worth a ton to me, and this is really intersting. Good to know the history of Manly Cycle Centre. Wonder if they were the main seller of these lugged CF frames. Guess the final thing to find out is from the original owner regarding if he got it built up with RSX.

plus I was running out of buffing tips

Very nice work. Could you detail your polishing technique? Thanks, Steve.

Thanks. Ill get some pics/vid of me polishing up the groupset or the lugs on the Giant, maybe tomorrow.

Anyway, it began raining last night and today, so I couldnt really do much. Just begun cleaning up the group set. Mishap with the RSX cranks though. I assumed they were the standard 52/42t sizes, but it turned out to be small as at 46/36t. So I had Biopaces around, but they dont fit! I guess Ill just run 105 cranks with the Biopaces.

[QuangVuong]

Decals finally drawn up. PNG, JPG and PSD files are here:
https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=A95 ... i1mAOZkKOo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now need to find a printing service. Hopefully can get them on the bike by the weekend.

[QuangVuong]

plus I was running out of buffing tips

Very nice work. Could you detail your polishing technique? Thanks, Steve.

Yep here it is. Example with polishing my stem.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=63420&p=957986#p957345" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dan]

[Lots of steel bikes]

plus I was running out of buffing tips

Very nice work. Could you detail your polishing technique? Thanks, Steve.

Yep here it is. Example with polishing my stem.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=63420&p=957986#p957345" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for that, so for what application do use the buffing tip ?

[munga]

for the fully-baked low-down on polishing alloy components, have a look at this blog.
http://smutpedaller.blogspot.com.au/201 ... g-101.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ghettro built a beautiful randonneur and then took off for old blighty. i don't think he gets on here much these days.

there's a lot of info on this forum if ppl take the time to find it.

back on topic, looking forward to seeing this one finished, Quang.

[familyguy]

There's a great thread on bikeforums.net about polishing. Oven cleaner and beer is involved. Should come up on a google search.

Edit:
Here's Khatfull's mighty thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... ing-Thread" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And the FGG version: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/articles/polishing/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't seem to locate the exact one I'm thinking of...it'll come to me...

If you want to offload those 36/46 cranks, I'm possibly looking for some...PM me.

Jim

[QuangVuong]

Very nice work. Could you detail your polishing technique? Thanks, Steve.

Yep here it is. Example with polishing my stem.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=63420&p=957986#p957345" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;[/quote]

Thanks for that, so for what application do use the buffing tip ?[/quote]

In hard to reach areas/smaller surfaces. Or if youre lazy, its possible to use it for the whole part, but its likely youll get an unever polish.

The frame and groupset are ready to be put on. All Im waiting for are decals to be printed. Looks like the local signwriters here dont do clear decals. So just messaged a whole bunch of bike decal printers to see what they can do.

[QuangVuong]

Got working on the wheels today. Ceramic grease + ceramic balls for absolutely no reason. Wheels seem to spin as well as the RX100 hubs with standard balls and lithium grease. I could chuck the wheelset on the Peugeot for a test.


Rubinos on!


And polished hubs as best I could.

[QuangVuong]

So I managed to win a 600 groupset. Now, Ill prob go find some 600 STIs to complete it.


No progress, as I am still in the process getting the sticker printed.

And, I have noticed on the rims that there are stress marks around the nipples. The nipples looks like they are wanting to pull from the rim. When I got it, spoke tension was relatively low, and so this must be from some long and hard distances. Now, shall I just get some new rims for this? Or stick with the Velocity's til they die?

And Dayne, have you had a chance to catch up with the original owner? With the 600 stuff, I guess Ill be going back to factory spec.

[Dan]

Group looks good, Quang. I know of some seven speed 600 STIs for sale - good luck if you're trying to find a cheap 8 speed though.

I wouldn't ride those wheels based on your description. Experience tells me, however, that you're going to ignore any opinions you don't want to hear and ride them anyway, so wear a helmet.

[dayne]

No not as yet but may see him today,
May be post up some photos of the rims if possible and we can have a look.

Did you re tension the wheels ?

[QuangVuong]

This is the one that's worst off. There are about 3-4 other spokes on the rear wheel showing a very slight bulge, but its not as bad as this one. Front wheel has about 2 spokes very very slightly pulling.

I trued and tensioned by feel. I couldn't have excessively tensioned it as the nipples would've stripped.

[Dan]

... I couldn't have excessively tensioned it as the nipples would've stripped.

I don't entirely agree with this. Grab a copy of Roger Musson's wheel building book, read it, then see what you think.

In any case, I still wouldn't ride that wheel. Cracked = broken as far as I'm concerned - especially so with rims.

[munga]

the rim will usually split before the nipple threads strip

[QuangVuong]

Meant the nipple heads(place where you place the spoke tool), and not the threads.

And good news on the stickers. A mate from the US knows of someone who's gonna get my stickers printed. So within the next few weeks, Ill should be ready to finish off the bike. Since, Ive got 600 parts, I may as well do another lightweight build. This frame is about 1.2kg, with the relatively light 600 components, Ill find some light/low spoke rims for it.

[Dan]

Best remove that link to copyrighted material, I'd suggest.
[/lecturerhat]

[QuangVuong]

Decals from Velocals on their way over. Hopefully they didnt stuff up the blues for the Carbon-R logo, and the 100% Carbon logo.

[QuangVuong]

Velocals indeed did stuff up the blue. It is much darker than original and kinda hard to see on the carbon frame. Scale is very slightly smaller than original as well.


Spent the day polishing seat post and stem. Only really managed to put on the stickers, and attach the fork. Chucked the Fulcrum 5 wheels on for a test fit


Will clean up the 600 groupset tmw ready to go onto the frame.

[QuangVuong]

Having issues, so I stopped. I usually cross chain without issues, but this is the first time Im having the chain rub on the large chainring. Now Im thinking there are 2 causes; a BB thats too short, or my dodgy 8s cassette(made from a 7s 13-21t cassette with an added 11t cog). Would I be able to resolve this by chucking on a wider BB? Or would the cassette be the problem?


This is what it looks like from the back


And what I got done today. Its hanging on the scale measuring at 9.46kg atm, so not bad.

[ldrcycles]

I'm not sure but I have a feeling 7 and 8 speed cassettes have different spacings between the cogs, so your shifting won't work. The smallest cog should still be in the same place though, so the chainring rub would be the BB axle being a bit too short. But the other side to that is I would then expect your large chainring might just be ideally placed to line up nicely with virtually the whole lot, which is what I try to aim for with my bikes.

[QuangVuong]

7s spacing is 5mm, whereas 8s is 4.8mm. My Peugeot has 8 speed shifters running with a 7 speed cassette fine, so it should work alright here as well.

Spent most of my time on the STI rebuild. The 600 levers are chromed, which would be nice if it hasnt flaked/corroded away. Went from this


To this


Anyway, got it mostly together. I jumped on for a short test ride. Cant say much since I only went a couple metres and the saddle/seat post was off, but it seems to be holding up fine.


Havent fixed the BB issue yet. As can be seen below, the BB is most likely too short. The original BB(Shimano BB-CS11 cartridge) is a 115mm one, but when I pulled it out today, it was very weird. The fixed cup is on the non drive side. I remember pulling it out like that, and assumed someone installed it incorrected. Today I had a look again, but the non drive side fixed cup was marked L. Ive never seen one like this before.


Chainline. If the chain was on the next smaller cog, then the chainline would be straight.


Tomorrow I will probably try spacing out the current 113mm BB with a lock ring. Thatll move the BB to the right 3-4mm, hopefully fixing the issue.

[Velo13]

Mishap with the RSX cranks though. I assumed they were the standard 52/42t sizes, but it turned out to be small as at 46/36t. So I had Biopaces around, but they dont fit! I guess Ill just run 105 cranks with the Biopaces.

I got rings galore. What do you need? Send me a PM.

And those "11" BBs are rubbish (and very heavy). Just don't use the small-small.