Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

GrUmPyBoDgEr wrote:[quote="lotocone

Oh, you're making me think about my '72 Hetchins frame. It doesn't have the curly stays, but the fork crown is great. Too bad I crashed it in a race years ago and damaged the top tube. I might get that replaced if I can find the right person. There is a 70s Holdsworth Professional here that needs to be restored too.

Yes, happy riding!

Bob[/quote]

I just can't imagine how it would be possible to replace that top tube without pulling, at least the whole main triangle apart.
That would mean heating / releasing the braze at all of those joints / lugs at the same time. The building process the other way around is relatively simple but an alignment jig is invariably used for that.
I'm pretty sure that Reynolds 531 double butted tubing can still be sourced though.
Maybe just using that lovely frame as a conversation piece hung on the den wall is the easiest solution. [/quote]



Right, the den wall is where it might end up. There is a semi-retired framebuilder in my area who could probably do the work with 531 tubing, but I haven't spoken with him yet. It would be expensive and I probably wouldn't ride it much. I've got a modern road bike that works better all around. Too bad it's ugly compared with the Hetchins.

Bob

GrUmPyBoDgEr wrote:I'm pretty sure that Reynolds 531 double butted tubing can still be sourced though.

John,
Reynolds still supplies steel tubing in many steel alloys including 531:
http://reynoldstechnology.biz/our_materials_531.php
Some good things have not faded away.

lotocone wrote:Do you have any pictures of the Chris Chance or Peter Mooney frames? I've never seen either one. On Mooney's website, his frames look great.

Bob

Bob,
No photos handy but I'll take some soon. Chris Chance has been out of the business for quite a while. I did find this link that has images from his late 70s, early 80s brochure which is when built the road frame frame for me.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/ch ... cycles.htm
Peter Mooney is still very much in business.

Ha!

some of the good old things indeed don't fade away!
It seems that the majority of us Elan fans come from a similar era where push bikes were our main means of transport & of course sport as kids & teenagers & the better bikes were pretty smart kit with Reynolds tubing, nervex lugs & of course Campagnolo components for those with the ready cash.
I recall one Xmas when I'd asked my parents for a Camagnolo dereillieur oh sod the spelling, rear changer OK!
Back in 1960 that was an expensive ?5.
Unbeknown to me they'd bought me a 2nd hand record player so that I could play my only 45 RPM record----Cliff Richard "living doll"
The "Campag'" was just stretching their budget too much!!
I was like a dog with 2 tails on Christmas morning!

We Brit. Cyclists were so proud of the quality of Reynolds frames in comparison to the heavier (& more durable) continental frames made of Italian Columbus & French Vitus tubing.
Such a shame that GB was unable to make other bike components to compare with the great stuff that came out of Italy back then.

Ah! nostalgia just isn't what it used to be

GrUmPyBoDgEr wrote:It seems that the majority of us Elan fans come from a similar era where push bikes were our main means of transport & of course sport as kids & teenagers & the better bikes were pretty smart kit with Reynolds tubing, nervex lugs & of course Campagnolo components for those with the ready cash.

John,
Many of the Lotus people in my area began as cycling nuts and some remain so today. I remember well the moment I decided I had to have an Elite. I had owned my +2 for many years but on this one beautiful summer afternoon I was riding my bicycle on a winding country road and a white Elite went past. That was it, I was hooked.

Hmmmm, you lot were obviously already old men by the 70's judging by your choice of pedal power. I do not think any of those old man mobiles would impress the girls hanging outside my local chippy. My dream childhood bikes were a Chopper, a Grifter and then a Burner. Never had a Chopper, when others had Grifters I had a 2nd hand painted Chipper. As BMX came along I had a small "racer". Don't get me wrong I loved my bikes but there was always another I lusted after but I (well my parents) couldn't afford.

Already found a host of issues with my Golden Yellow beauty but thats a topic for a different forum.

Simon

'06 Specialized Rock Hopper
'71 Raleigh Chopper MkI

simonknee wrote:Hmmmm, you lot were obviously already old men by the 70's judging by your choice of pedal power.

How rude!

One does upgrade you know. The Paris is my Elan equivalent. My Kona represents my X type....

I find off road a bit safer these days. Only horses and dog walkers to avoid!

simonknee wrote:Hmmmm, you lot were obviously already old men by the 70's judging by your choice of pedal power. I do not think any of those old man mobiles would impress the girls hanging outside my local chippy.

oh dear Simon, whatever can we do with you young whippersnappers ?

I was just searching for a photo of my '67 Pat Hanlon (which is currently hanging like a work of art on the garage wall) until I read the latest posts and decided something more modern might be needed. Although even this probably can't compete with a genuine Raleigh Chopper for impressing the crowd outside the chippy....

Brian

Shouldn't you all be lusting after one of these.......

That's a pretty tall diff...

Got this one at the dump (tip), it lives outside along with the other dumpers. its on the heavy side at 23 or 24 lbs but is rides ok. Two of the parts bikes need to get returned, they are pretty good about excepting my cast offs. The ones that I use get oiled and the tires filled in the spring. I use to ride it a lot when Beau was a puppy but he got old and started to beef with the other hounds in the local state park. I guess some folks have to much time and money

Gary

piss-ant wrote:Got this one at the dump (tip), it lives outside along with the other dumpers. its on the heavy side at 23 or 24 lbs but is rides ok. Two of the parts bikes need to get returned, they are pretty good about excepting my cast offs. The ones that I use get oiled and the tires filled in the spring. I use to ride it a lot when Beau was a puppy but he got old and started to beef with the other hounds in the local state park. I guess some folks have to much time and money

Gary

canondale.JPG

Gary,

Maybe you can find a sidecar for Beau . I know my old dog could use one. He can barely walk around the block anymore and he used to want to run everywhere.

Bob

lotocone wrote:

piss-ant wrote:Got this one at the dump (tip), it lives outside along with the other dumpers. its on the heavy side at 23 or 24 lbs but is rides ok. Two of the parts bikes need to get returned, they are pretty good about excepting my cast offs. The ones that I use get oiled and the tires filled in the spring. I use to ride it a lot when Beau was a puppy but he got old and started to beef with the other hounds in the local state park. I guess some folks have to much time and money

Gary

The attachment canondale.JPG is no longer available

Gary,

Maybe you can find a sidecar for Beau . I know my old dog could use one. He can barely walk around the block anymore and he used to want to run everywhere.

Bob

Hi Bob

Beau likes riding in the F250 and the Elan, So do I for that matter. I think I had the bicycle out twice last summer. I was kind of busy with a certain sows ear and didn't get to play much. It's supposed to be near 50 tomorrow, maybe Beau and I will take a drive up to the park and do a bit of riding. Beau use to run about 50 yards ahead at the start of the ride and about 4 miles into the park he would be about even with me and it would be time to turn around and head back. By the time we got back to the truck he'd be 50 yard behind. At no time was I riding fast, he would always set the pace and when we got to a junction he would stop and wait to see which way I was going that day. Then he would set the pace again.
I used to have the knobbies on the bike, the off road stuff was a lot of fun and not a lot of pavement riding when with Beau
.


Large map
http://friendsofwompatuck.org/Wompy_Map_2011.png

The park was a munitions manufacturing and storage facility during WWII and much of it was still intact when I started riding there in 1970. They have removed all traces of the manufacturing but there are still some bunkers but the entrances are filled with earth. 40 years ago my friend and I had his Honda 450 in a few of them doing burn-outs. Spent a lot of time there over the years. Lot of great memories
Gary

Jan 8th 2:30pm

Well started out early enough and got some air in the tires and oiled the cables and chain. It may have to go inside if I can find a place for it as after a day in the park it is riding nicely and the water that poured out of the steering head probably is not helping those nasty 105 Shimano bearings. In any event Beau and I made an hour and a bit ride in the park, Some ice, some bare pavement, roots, rocks water and maybe some other terrain too. Beau hurt so bad I had to let him have a cold bath before we left the park, he didn't want to leave but I coaxed him back to the F250 and he managed to jump up into the cab without my help. maybe we'll go again later in the week.



Gary