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So pissed off I missed that.

The paint will be classic Witcomb Lilac & Black, but slightly different from original. I want black bands on the seat tube.

Groupset will be mainly Dura Ace EX. Slightly heretical I know, but I have more or less a full group in NOS. Also, this bike will sort of match a similar Witcomb I (actually Union Cycle Works) built for Mrs Jangle a couple of years ago, and that had a Dura Ace group.

Saw this in the flesh today - 'tis truly a beautiful thing.

My latest 'project' is the restoration of a vintage 57cm Witcomb, which I will hopefully have ready to take to L'eroica in October.

I have had the frame kicking around for ages - in fact, I had planned to have it ready for L'eroica 2012, but my timing slipped a little.

Anyway, here it is, as of today:

The frame is straight, and structurally sound, but there were a few alterations I wanted to have made. There were braze-ons for mudgaurds and pump pegs that I wanted removing and, as is common on such old frames, there was only one shifter boss of the downtube. I needed this removing, and replaced by a 'nib', as the groupset I have earmarked for this build has band-on shifters.

The work was done by Matt at Talbot Frameworks - Coldharbour off here. He was a pleasure to deal with, and has done a superb job - definitely worth seeking out.

The next part of the project involves paint. I am fairly sure I am going to use Mercian. As they are currently operating an 8 week turnaround, this thread will most likely be quiet for a while - save of course for getting some wheels built.

In the meantime, here's a couple more pics....

In between the showers, I've been having a tinker with a Gios today.

I put the Royce Bottom Bracket in as few weeks ago. Went in without drama - easy to adjust, expensive, but worth it compared to the amount of time and money I've spent on eBay pissing around with vintage Campagnolo parts. If I ever do this again (and I will), it'll be Royce from the off.

Anyway, last week I attempted to fit the brake levers using the socket set I had bought for just that purpose, but it turned out the sockets were too wide to fit between the nut and the inner walls of the levers. Scanning through this thread this morning, I saw Rive Gauche had recommended a nut spinner, so this afternoon I found myself riding through a downpour to London Power Tools, South East London's finest purveyor of (in this case) hand tools.

£3.99 got me this:

Within minutes, this simple tool had enabled me to achieve this:

Clearly 'on a roll', it was time, for the umpteenth time, to offer up a crankset to a bottom bracket. But this time, we were dealing with a bottom bracket made by Royce Engineering, and this time, at long last, we tasted success:

Next, I stuck my hand in the parts bin, and out came a pair of down tube levers, and without further a do, on they went:

I think I might, just might, have all that I need to complete this build. I could be out riding this very soon. Best I have a cuppa...

I like the choice of the Nitto's.

Got some on a couple of bikes - loads of comfortable options.

Sold,

In record time, to Hilly Ben.

Beautiful Geoffrey Butler track bike.

White, with red decals and lug lining

Nervex Lugs

TA Crankset

Campagnolo High Flange Hibs, Mavic Rims, Tubs.

Cinelli Criterium Bars

Milremo Saddle

The front wheel is slightly out of true. This can be easily sorted at your LBS, but doesn't matter anyway, as I am including a spare set of vintage track wheels with this sale.

Please note: the rear bridge is not drilled for a brake.

Seat Tube 57cm ctc
Top Tube 57 cm ctc

£325.00

Collection only from Greenwich, SE10

Great post Jingle Jangle. Three points:

1. You need to find an analyst who understands the need to retain them all.

2. I can point my wife to your posting and say 'See, I have an incredibly small number of bikes, hardly worth mentioning'.

3. I like your Trevor Jarvis Flying Gate in the line up. I'm looking for one with a 62/64cm frame, preferably coming with a justifiable reason to own one as I have no real need to have one, I'd just like to have one - this, apparently, isn't good enough.

1. The current plan is to remove, to make space, and re-stock.

2. Mrs JJ is a very understanding woman - but what she spends on shoes and handbags puts by bike addiction to shame.

3. My Flying Gate is surprisingly practical - in fact it is my main ride for the daily commute.

Cheers

Went to Story last night, 6 ppl, cocktails and 1 btl wine - £90 each.
10 course menu (£65). Bitterly disappointed.
Bread and dripping ain't a course.
Great nibbles.
Very nice scallop sashimi & then a beetroot dish.
Amazing lemon desert - highlight.
Hideous mackerel and strawberry with seaweed.
Poor raw onions, apple & gin & thyme consume.
The mash and separately, the Lamb were ok.
Prunes, lovage and milk - another weird-ass combo which didn't work
3 bears porridge needs more cook-time on oats, tasted fine.

Girl on reception was wanting to ride, I referred her to us on lfgss ladies forum. ding!

Dissapointed to read this, as I have just booked a table for June.

Have been riding past every day since they started the build, anticipating something good. Must admit, the girl who took my booking, while really friendly put me off a bit by harping on about 'new cooking techniques'.

Chef's these days seem much more interested in playing about with gadgets, rather than learning how to cook, developing a palate and serving great food.

Oak, that's a London builder:)

Surrey (sorry).

I would say no. (Great builder though).

Hmm,

Quick, Youngs, Gillot, Witcomb, Paris...

I'd need a bigger shed for that.

Sorry, can't help.

Witcombs were the original cause of my addiction, so will be the last to be sold.

I am always looking, so if I see something, I'll let you know.

Alternatively, could be worth speaking to the lovely people at Union Cycle Works in Deptford.

Good luck.

This isn't one of mine, but worth a look:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Witcomb-London-bike-bicycle-cycle-frame-Purple-Lilac-1963-Campagnolo-/140967213097?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item20d24cf829

How tall are you?

My analyst has told me I need to face my problems square on, so I have decided to endeavor to catalogue the contents of my shed prior (hopefully) to begin the process of 'letting go', and slowly easing myself back to the ranks of normal society.

My primary aim is to fix my addiction to components, but as accounting for that is a bit of a ball-ache, I've started with bikes and frames.

here we go:

Colnago Super Colnago Road Bike
Flying Gate Trevor Jarvis Road Bike
Vigorelli Bob Jackson Road Bike
Gazelle Chronometro Gazelle Road Bike
Colnago Super Saronni Colnago Road Bike
Magnum Opus Hetchins Road Bike
Lilac / Bare Steel Witcomb Road Bike
Cottingham Chronometro Cottinham Road Bike
Gunmetal / Spiral tube Benotto Road Bike
Full Croque D'Aune Daccordi Road Bike
Olympiade Chesini Road Bike
Novus Ductor Hetchins Road Bike
Cream / Lilac Witcomb Road Bike
Paris-Roubaix Gios Road Bike
RJ Quinn RJ Quinn Road Bike
Black / Gold Stan Pike Road Bike
Benotto Chronometro Benotto Road Bike
Jan Janssen Jan Janssen Road Bike
White Track Geoffrey Butler Track Bike
Blue & White Colombus SL Witcomb Road Bike
Blue, Nervex Lugs Witcomb Road Bike
Green Fillet Brazed Jack Taylor Road Bike
Blue & White 50's Witcomb Frame
Red Colombus Roberts Frame
Green / Yellow Reynolds Gazelle Frame
Brown / Gold Barber Pole Witcomb Frame
Red / White Vintage Bob Jackson Frame
Lilac / Black Vintage Witcomb Frame
White - Large Witcomb Frame
Blue & White Vintage McLeans Frame

A fair bit of this stuff will be making an appearance in the classified section in coming weeks and months, as I begin the slow, painful process of rehabilitation.

Loving the Witcomb. Started to restore one myself at the weekend - would be delighted if it comes out half as good.

Did Mario Vaz provide the decals, or Lloyds?

seriously, you think the main reason is to protect the money? The money is insured. I'm pretty shocked to see that you don't realise it is to protect the people carrying that money. They get held up at gun and knife point far too regularly. I'm sure I could find more instances of cash transit drivers/workers being injured by robbers that cyclists who have been injured as a direct result of their parking. There are far fewer of them than there are cyclists so the percentages would be even higher.

Don't be so naive, unless you can suggest a safer way to carry the money then you will just have to ride around them and take some responsibility for yourself.

I'm sure if there was a back or side entrance they would park outside that instead of having to be on a busy street, bit you would probably find some minor inconvenience in that also.

I do believe it's about money. They deploy as few staff as possible, and park wherever is most convenient to themselves, regardless of the danger to other people.

I do not live in dreamworld, I realise that sometimes causing an obstruction cannot be avoided, but at other times it can. Whilst I accept that there is a danger to drivers of security vans that they may be attacked, it is logically incoherent to ameliorate this threat by putting other people in danger. It is only the dangerous parking, at or on busy junctions that I am particularly incensed about.

Dibs. PM

Fuck that.

Honister: Awesome. Takes me back.

Matt (Coldharbour) already has my Witcomb. It's a 'project' for L'eroica, and I'm sure he'll do a superb job.

Barrie Witcomb is still around, but something tells me Matt / Coldhabour / Talbot Cycles is worth a bit of support. He's also sort of in your manor Skully.

Cool, will do.