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Well First blog. I thought I'd start with a current project. This was sold to me as a Viking "Tour of Britain" approx 1955. Through no fault of the selling ebayer, I'm pretty sure that it's actually a Viking " The Hosteller Model" Probably meaningless to most, but from my point of view the first was the top of the range model, the one I actually have is the bottom of the range.
Still, a nice frame with okay lugwork, however it isn't getting the Argos cycle/Mercian full blown £250 respray. It's getting a £40 powdercoat from ESP powdercoaters in Glasgow, and is being built up with budget/scavanged/refurished components for a beater bike.
I pick up the frame today so I'm going to detail the rebuild, for my own interest more than anything. I wish I'd taken better shots, pre-coating, but these were for a polite enquiry into decal replacements from HLloyds. No reply from them whatsoever, and their published email address on their new website seems to reach an entirely different company. Weird.
Hi there, I just purchased a Viking Hosteller on Ebay, Im looking to turn it into a fixed gear bike, any suggestions? is it relatively easy!?
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks.
It's pretty easy. The rear dropouts should be 120mm, which as luck would have it means a standard track/singlespeed/flipflop hub will just slot in! The only real issue is finding 27" wheels with this hub. you can either build it or have someone do it. An easier alternative is to go for the now standard 700c rims. The only real implication of that is brake drop. The Hosteller frame has lots of clearance, so v. deep drop brakes are required. SJS cycles do these which are perfect http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Tektro-Tektro-R556-Dual-Pivot-Caliper-Brake-55-73-mm-Very-Deep-Drop-Nut-Fitting--Front-and-Rear-79.htm
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