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Post by busaste on Nov 5, 2017 16:06:37 GMT
I remember foolishly passing up one of Busaste's for sale Pro frames in that paint scheme years ago. Where did that one end up??!! Cheers, Michael It popped up for sale a few years later on the London Fixed Gear and Single Speed forum where it fetched big money! It had been turned into a nice but not very original 10 speed.
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 558
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Post by robt on Nov 5, 2017 17:16:10 GMT
So far, I have recorded two very original looking and unmolested Gran Sports with sealed bearing bottom brackets in the USA! It seems likely that Proactiv52's bike is the third of these to add to my mongrel Gran Sport collection although as I have been unable to find any former Viscount employees who knew anything about the companies frame numbering system I cannot be 100% sure that it isn't an Aerospace Pro frame as Michael maintains.
What I am 100% certain of though is that Viscount did make Gran Sports with the sealed bearing bottom bracket. That's one of the things I like about Viscount - you never quite new what they would turn out next, often for no fault of their own! Steve, Do you think that this could possibly this be another of the mongrel GS family? It was given to me as 'another Viscount frame' when I bought a Sebring Mixte at the vendor's asking price... DSC02556 by RMT@261, on Flickr Let me know if there are any particular features you'd like me to provide pictures of.
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Post by busaste on Nov 6, 2017 20:25:15 GMT
Steve, Do you think that this could possibly this be another of the mongrel GS family? It was given to me as 'another Viscount frame' when I bought a Sebring Mixte at the vendor's asking price... DSC02556 by RMT@261, on Flickr Let me know if there are any particular features you'd like me to provide pictures of. Phew, this is a tough one! All I can say for certain is that it is a Trusty Viscount Aerospace frame. The yellow frame paint colour and conventional BB scream 'Gran Touring'. But on close examination, the paint does not look very thick. These were powder coated frames and the thin paint looks like it might be a wet finish done at a later stage. If the paint is post factory then it could be any one of the aerospace range, especially if the BB shell has been tapped out for an Italian thread as was a common mod back in the day. However, if it looks to be a powder coat paint job and the BB shell is tapped for an English thread then we can be pretty confident that it is a Gran Touring frame especially as the colour does look very similar to examples of these bikes that I have in my vast photo album. I wonder if the forks are stock items. The original Gran Touring forks came with a feature cut box crown and half chromed legs so obviously not one of these. The fork crown looks similar to that used on Gran Sport forks but then I have never seen one of those forks with a boss welded on the right hand leg although of course Viscount could easily have knocked a few out like that! The absence of any paint on the forks doesn't help! That headset is definitely not stock! Wonder what happened to the handlebar stem? I hope no cyclist was hurt by that catastrophic part failure. 'Death Stem' in our midst? At least it wasn't made by Trusty Viscount (for a change ). Cheers Steve
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Post by wheelson on Nov 7, 2017 0:40:43 GMT
Variability was common during this time period, both in components and quality. I worked in a Schwinn dealership from 1966 through 1970 and again from 1974 through 1979. These were of course bike boom years in the USA. Another explanation for Schwinn variability believe it or not was their "no time limit guarantee". If a customer broke a frame or even pulled one out of a dumpster, Schwinn would replace it free. Higher end broken frames were returned to Schwinn where they were repaired and hung up for future replacement. If an order came in for a Sports Tourer replacement and a Superior frame was hanging there, that frame was pulled, painted the color of the day, and sent out. Thus, Sports Tourers without the standard built in kickstand (Superior), red Super Sports when none were catalog listed, etc.
I'm sure similar things happened at Viscount. "You need a . . . to fill an order? Here, take these frames and paint 'em . . .". Good stuff and makes life interesting. And sometimes produces a bit of rarity.
Best, John "wheelson"
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Post by wheelson on Nov 29, 2017 0:30:52 GMT
It was 64degF today in Greensburg, Pennsylvania USA and, since my Viscount mutt was at the "getting there" stage, I decided to put forth the extra effort and try for a first ride. So after "borrowing" a 27" wheel set from my Schwinn Voyageur SP and a quick (?)installation of brake and gear cables, brake shoes, chain, setting up both derailleurs and saddle height and checking all the nuts and bolts for tightness, off I went for a short ride. And a nice ride it was! I updated my Flickr folder with a few new shots: www.flickr.com/photos/wheelson2011/albums/72157686445659881 Please forgive some unfinished items, namely bar tape (red cloth), brake lever hoods, toe clip straps, dressing the brake cables (a bit longer loops than I like), and a proper set of wheels with high flange Viscount hubs. I still haven't decided on 27's or 700c's, but I'm leaning toward 700c since there is virtually no room on the rear with 27's and I want to leave a bit of space for possibly adding mudguards. With respect to the large ring turned down to make a chain guard, I do have an unmolested 52t "holey" ring should I rethink things. I tend to slice and dice my aging body and, since I ride alone more often than not, it will likely stay. Comments? Please keep in mind this was never intended to be a true restoration as the frame had already had added braze-ons and a non-standard repaint. Best, john "wheelson"
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Post by velocipete on Nov 29, 2017 7:47:12 GMT
Looks good. I like the granny ring especially! I need low gears now,advancing age,etc!!!! I also like the colour. Cheers, Pete.
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Post by wheelson on Nov 29, 2017 14:19:23 GMT
Thanks, Pete. All my bikes have triples or have evolved into compact doubles. Most of my riding, even down to the local rail trail, involve climbing. I'm only 69 but grappling with some rather serious arthritic joint problems, and I want to extend my riding as long as I possibly can.
I intended this bike for some serious climbing, perhaps some Blue Ridge Parkway (VA-NC,USA) in May,'18. I wanted to keep it as light as possible but still build it in the spirit of Lambert/Viscount. I'm still a bit torn between 27's and 700c's, but I'm leaning toward 700c's for possible mudguard clearance and better tire availability. I like the feel of 27's, though, and have them on my Schwinn Voyageur SP and Schwinn Paramount. Perhaps a set of wheels in each size like my Austro Daimler Vent Noir ll (700c's and 650b's). Best, john "wheelson"
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Post by oldroadietehachapi on Dec 4, 2017 1:24:52 GMT
Thanks, Pete. All my bikes have triples or have evolved into compact doubles. Most of my riding, even down to the local rail trail, involve climbing. I'm only 69 but grappling with some rather serious arthritic joint problems, and I want to extend my riding as long as I possibly can. I intended this bike for some serious climbing, perhaps some Blue Ridge Parkway (VA-NC,USA) in May,'18. I wanted to keep it as light as possible but still build it in the spirit of Lambert/Viscount. I'm still a bit torn between 27's and 700c's, but I'm leaning toward 700c's for possible mudguard clearance and better tire availability. I like the feel of 27's, though, and have them on my Schwinn Voyageur SP and Schwinn Paramount. Perhaps a set of wheels in each size like my Austro Daimler Vent Noir ll (700c's and 650b's). Best, john "wheelson" Although I am only a youngster (age 67) I find I need much lower gearing on my bikes than during the good old days. I do think my long dead geology professor was in error. I was taught that our local Sierra Nevada Mountains rise one to two millimeters a year; this must be total hogwash! I have ridden the same roads for decades and found the climbs to now be much steeper than before Cheers Jim
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Post by wheelson on Feb 28, 2018 0:13:35 GMT
Well it's been a while but the unknown Viscount that started this thread is pretty much complete. I say "pretty much" because I still plan to build a set of 700c wheels around a pair of Viscount hubs to complement the 27's now on the bike and perhaps some mudguards. It's been a good workout for this bike mechanic / engineer / bike mechanic, but a nice winter project and perhaps a candidate for a planned May ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway around Fancy Gap, Virginia (USA). This is a resto-mod of an already modded frame that had us all confused of it's true identity. Please forgive the "poetic license", it's not a true restoration, but I tried to keep it in the spirit of Lambert / Viscount: Viscount centerpull brakes, stem, hubs, a Lambert crankset with a "holey" chainring cut down as a chainguard/base for the chainrings, and a Viscount saddle. I also kept the original type sealed bottom bracket bearings with a new axle as already described in my bottom bracket hack post. The bearings in both hubs were also replaced (whew! quite a job!). Flickr link is attached for your pleasure (or displeasure). If I have strayed too far, please forgive. www.flickr.com/photos/wheelson2011/albums/72157693177987474 Best, John "wheelson" Wilson Greensburg, PA USA
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Post by 54roadie on Mar 3, 2018 15:11:53 GMT
Hello, John,
I really like the way you've done you bike, especially the conversion of the porthole ring into a chainguard. Nice touch, and from the photo, looks to have been a near-perfect execution.
Best regards, Frank
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,389
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Post by Jem on Mar 3, 2018 17:37:38 GMT
That is very tasteful indeed. I am loving the red accents with the tape, the cable covers and toe straps. Great looking saddle too.
I'm jealous of that the inner/outer combo on the front.
Great work John!
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Post by wheelson on Mar 4, 2018 2:14:35 GMT
Hello, John, I really like the way you've done you bike, especially the conversion of the porthole ring into a chainguard. Nice touch, and from the photo, looks to have been a near-perfect execution. Best regards, Frank Thanks, Frank. One of the members of the Classic Rendezvous board modified the ring. He had already done several modifications, and he did an outstanding job on this one. I think I ended up with a 46 - 28 on the crank. The Crane long cage rear derailleur and the Titlist front shifted very well with the original type Shimano 333 shifters. I rode it briefly on relatively flat neighborhood roads, can't wait to see what it will do with some serious climbs. A climbing bike for some serious mountain road riding was how I justified it as a n+1.
Best, John
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Post by wheelson on Mar 4, 2018 2:32:05 GMT
That is very tasteful indeed. I am loving the red accents with the tape, the cable covers and toe straps. Great looking saddle too. I'm jealous of that the inner/outer combo on the front. Great work John! Thanks, I tried to not go over the top with the red and was pleased with the outcome. I did a similar build in 2013 on a '83 Specialized Sequoia with my son for his 30th birthday. He's always been keen on the color red, and every bike I ever put together for him just had to have a significant amount of that color.
The saddle is an original branded Viscount that I see on many of the early ones. I have some red lacing for those saddle holes to try some shaping. However, it's hard as a rock, and I may have to swap out my Brooks B17 from my Schwinn Voyageur SP for serious riding.
I think the front gearing is 46 - 28, with the outer Lambert ring converted to a chain guard with teeth removed. Can't wait for some decent weather to try some serious climbing, that's how I justified this bike to begin with!
Best, John
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Post by triitout on Mar 5, 2018 1:35:46 GMT
John, you built yourself one esthetically pleasing bike with functionally pleasing customized gearing! Excellent result that will bring you many happy miles in comfort if you survive the saddle break-in. Is that a NOS saddle from Ebay that was from the estate sale a while back? I haven't dared put mine on yet from said sale for fear that's even too hard for me and I'll use just about any saddle.
Cheers, Michael
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Post by wheelson on Mar 5, 2018 12:38:35 GMT
triitout". "John, you built yourself one esthetically pleasing bike with functionally pleasing customized gearing! Excellent result that will bring you many happy miles in comfort if you survive the saddle break-in." Thanks, Michael. I'm happy with the results and can't wait until the weather improves and I can give the bike a proper shakedown. I fear there's not enough years left in my backside to break in that saddle. It's not NOS, I found it on US eBay. I will likely borrow my Brooks B-17 from my Voyageur SP or the Pro from my Paramount for Spring rides. Best, John "wheelson"
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