Friday, August 12, 2011

Comparing the Supabike and the Sport resto



ever since I discovered the Viscount Dura Ace race bike
I've felt it was a direction the VA Sport resto should go in.
for fun here's a comparison.

below is the "Supabike's" spec sheet.


here's a side by side list of what was on the Supabike
and what will be on the Sport when it's done.




                              Supabike                            Aerospace Sport Restoration


FRAME:             fillet-brazed, lugless              fillet-brazed, lugless cro-mo with
                            cro-mo with sealed                Italian threaded bottom-bracket,
                            bottom-bracket bearings        Shimano Dura Ace* bottom
                            Shimano dropouts with         bracket set, Shimano dropouts.
                            adjusters


FINISH:             brushed satin chrome              zinc base powder coated
                                                                          "flame red"


HEADSET:       Steel, unknown make             Shimano Dura Ace Cro-mo steel


FORKS:             polished aluminium                lugged crown cro-mo steel**
                           with sloping crown                 fully nickel-chrome plated
BARS &
STEM:               polished alloy with allen         polished alloy Viscount stem
                           key adjustment with black      with allen key adjustment, Nitto
                           cloth tape and black plastic     alloy Dove bars in reverse position,
                           plugs                                            tape and plugs TBD.
SEAT                
PILLAR:           machined aluminium alloy     integrated Shimano Dura Ace aluminium
                          micro adjustable                         alloy seat clamp and seat pillar
                          26.8mm dia.                                26.8mm dia.


SADDLE:          black suede                            Ideale 70 Competition leather saddle
                                                                             with cro-mo rails
GEAR
CONTROLS:     Shimano Dura Ace               Shimano Dura Ace twin d/tube. Satin
                            twin d/tube. Satin black        silver finish with fingertip
                            finish with fingertip              adjustment
                            adjustment
FRONT
SHIFTER:          Shimano Dura Ace,              Shimano Dura Ace, silver finish
                           satin black finish
REAR
DERAILLEUR: Shimano Crane, satin            Shimano Crane, silver finish
                           black finish


CHAINSET:      Shimano Dura Ace.              Shimano Dura Ace. Black series crankset
                           Satin black finish.                 with silver finish chainrings. 42/52T
                           42/52T


FREEWHEEL:  5 speed, close ratio.               Shimano Dura Ace Oro 5 speed, medium
                           14, 15, 16, 17, 18.                    ratio, 14-24.


BRAKES:          Shimano Dura Ace side-       Shimano Dura Ace side-pull. Silver with
                           pull. Satin black with             Dura Ace top tube clips.
                           top tube clips.                      
                                                                              Shimano Dura Ace levers and gum hoods.


                                                                              Kool Stop brake blocks.


RIMS:               Alloy tubular sprint rims       Sun CR18 alloy box wall clincher rims


SPOKES:          Double butted                       Double butted


HUBS:                Quick release large flange     Shimano Dura Ace quick release
                            aluminium alloy, sealed         large flange aluminium alloy,
                            bearings. Satin black             free bearings. Silver finish, 36/36 spoke.
                            finish. 36/36 spoke.


TYRES:              Tubular road racing               Panracer Pasela Tour Guard
                                                                          Kevlar-reinforced wire-beaded tyres,
                                                                          27 x 1" (ISO 630 x 25)


PEDALS:            One piece alloy/ satin            MKS Sylvan alloy road pedals,
                             black finish, needle               all silver finish
                             bearings.


TOE CLIPS:        "Cato's"                                 MKS


TOE STRAPS:    Quick release, black            MKS quick release, brown.


CHAIN:               Nickel-plated chain              Regina "Superleggiera"
                                                                              nickel-plated chain


                             Brazed-on TA bottle            Brazed-on seat tube clamp collar
                             fittings and bottle carrier,
                             separate seat pillar clip         Brazed-on head tube
                                                                               reinforcing collar


MUDGUARDS:  none                                     Honjo smooth finish 35mm
                                                                          aluminium alloy mudguards and
                                                                          lightweight mounting hardware
                                                

*wherever Dura Ace is listed for the Sport restoration, it is first generation
same as the Supabike.

** a future addition will be the same sloping-crown cast aluminium forks as Supabike.

the only specs that are higher on the Supabikes are the tubular rims with sew-up racing tyres
which are totally inappropriate for my needs anyway
and the axle adjusters on the drop-outs.

the chrome finish on the Supabike is a bit of an unnecessary weight gain.

the Sport's frame will have been considerably better finished than any production frame that came out of the Potter's Bar factory:

  • the anti-rust treatment inside all frame tubes.
  • the zinc base coat before the main powder coating
  • the supporting collars for the head tube base and seat tube clamp
  • the careful reaming and chasing of the bottom bracket
  • the resetting of the frame stays and fork blades for the DA hubs' narrower 120mm width
  • the higher tolerances on all parts fittings such as bottom bracket shell spacers


and now, just for fun, a recap of what all the resto parts look like separately...























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