'70s Viscount

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Frame / Size / Year:
21.5" Viscount, made in England

Handlebars / Stem:
(New) Schwinn Madison aero drops with Tektro levers, long-ass GB stem, carbon tape

Fork / Headset:
Fork of Death aluminum fork, OG

Front Wheel / Hub / Rim / Tire:
27" Rigida laced to Maillard, Serfas rubber

Rear Wheel / Hub / Rim / Tire:
27" Rigida laced to Maillard, Serfas rubber

Crankset / Bottom Bracket:
Viscount

Saddle / Seat Post:
Brooks B17, Birmalux candlestick

Pedals / Chain:
Kyotuto Top-Run steel, OG

Gearing / Chainring / Misc.:
6spd f/w/52t Viscount

Notes:

Fast bike, really tight on warm days with the dry weather tyres. Dia Compe 600's fore and aft (aft inverted per period), bars and levers off a new Schwinn Madison, original Viscount cranks a la TA. Suntour Vx derailleur. Very light. I used this bike to take silver in the 2008 Addison Cross-town Classic (8/31), suicide fork, bent front axle and all. (Axle has now been changed fork still suicidal).

People who friended this bike bio9, Italtrek, robertn, lo fi, JohnSC, Senri

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spindle

Submitted by robertn on 10/30/2008.

I just picked up a Viscount on craigslist and I was hoping to find a 123mm spindle for the bb and cartridge bearings. I found the bearings but no luck on the spindle. If you have any leads I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

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BB info

Submitted by night tiger on 10/31/2008.

Luckily, no problems with any of mine yet, but here is a link with some info:
http://bikecult.com/works/parts/bbViscount.html

Looks like you can use stuff from Phil Wood, might cost a bit, though. Another route is to tap the BB cup for Italian threads, but you also have to file out the tube ends that are coming into the bb cup. A pain in the ass, but then you can use standard stuff.

Where are you located? I know a guy in Chicago that can tap it for you.

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BB

Submitted by robertn on 11/05/2008.

I am in Columbus, Ohio. I found the press fit bearings, the only issue is the spindle. It is fine for now so I may just replace the bearings and hope the spindle lasts.

I appreciate your help, thanks!

Best-

Rob

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6003 bearings

Submitted by night tiger on 11/05/2008.

So, just started working on the two project Viscounts I had lying around and one of them has some grinding bb bearings. I found replacements (6003 sealed cartridge) for six bucks each at Alfred E. Bike: http://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=details&PageID=30&SKU=BB6003

I'm sure Smart Bike Parts in Chicago can get them, too.

Is that what you found it to be?

I say roll with the OG spindle. Do you still have the Quick Release fork on there? I keep them on all my Viscounts/Lamberts, but, accordingly, I don't ride them much or hard, so, you know, the spindle breaking is not much of a worry for me.

Cheers,
Paul

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Nice light frame

Submitted by Italtrek on 07/26/2008.

I had the low end model, with a CrMo fork and normal low-end components (a ball bearing bb and SR alloy cranks swaged to a steel chain ring, steel rat trap pedals, steel Suntour derailleurs). I bought it because it was the cheapest bike I could find with a lightweight frame. The filet brazing was really nicely done, too. I think it's pretty flexible, which gave it a comfortable ride on rough roads, but also allowed flexing in the bb. I used to make the chainring scrape the derailleur and I think also sometimes touch the chainstay if I pedaled hard, and I am no Thor Hushovd. I never understood it at the time, but in retrospect I think it was flexing of the frame.

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Funny you mention that, the

Submitted by night tiger on 07/26/2008.

Funny you mention that, the chainstay on the crank side is rather rusty right where the chainwheel would have hit it. I'm not sure what model this is (likely the cheap one, there is no model sticker) - I bought it covered in mud from a guy who had a bunch of '70s vintage Euro frames in his driveway (where it seemed they now lived). Most had cottered cranks, though he did have a Lotus, but it was huge, about 63cm, however this one I had heard of and it looked my size, so I grabbed it - twenty five bucks. And when I picked it up! It seemed much lighter than a six-pack! At any rate, I'm scrapping the Maxy's on there now for something with a naked spider and then a smaller chainring, maybe a 46t, less likely to hit the stay. Thanks for the info!!

night tiger

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I thnk those take the SOL

Submitted by SPedelty on 07/25/2008.

I thnk those take the SOL pedals if I remember right. eBay or learn how to get new forks. The latter is surprisingly easy.

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Thanks for the tip on the

Submitted by night tiger on 07/26/2008.

Thanks for the tip on the pedals! I'll look into that straight away, as I'd like to keep those Maxy's.

I'm waiting for a compatible fork to come up (I heard nashbar used to sell an affordable aluminum fork, but I can't find it now), I don't plan to ride it much with the FOD on it, but at least a few times.

night tiger

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SOL pedals

Submitted by night tiger on 08/01/2008.

I am going to assume that SOL means "shit outta luck" pedals, as I can't find a thing about Sugino's using non-standard threads. It's a shame, I really dig 'em...

night tiger

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I think I might've had one

Submitted by upthemaiden on 07/28/2008.

I think I might've had one of those at some point too. I remember the pressed in bottom bracket, it had a normal looking square bottom bracket, but there was no taper to it, which was obnoxious because i couldn't find a normal spindle to fit it. Mine was painted when i got it so I'm not positive but the fork looked the same as well.

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Luckily, this one has a

Submitted by night tiger on 07/28/2008.

Luckily, this one has a square-taper bb spindle and I have been able to put on a temporary crankset off my old Peugeot and I rode it as a fixed yesterday for the first time. It handles nicely. I'm guessing this is a later model due to the tapered spindle and the pinned fork.

night tiger

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'70s Viscount