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'91 Chas Roberts White Spider

5K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Srexy 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's my baby. I love this bike - custom built to my specs and my measurements.

Columbus Nivacrom OR tubing for the main tubes and Reynolds 753 for the rear triangle. Ovalized at stress points and fillet brazed. Originally specced w/Deore XT throughout and Manitous - I have upgraded over the years with a few choice pieces including the Syncros bars and a Syncros seat post.

Not sure what fate will befall Robert. He may end up being restored completely or converted to SS but for now he is taking a rest (and losing parts to his successor)








And here's his successor:
 
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#2 · (Edited)
My Roberts

This was taken at the time of the original build and it looks a bit more like yours today up overhead in storage! Have to dig it out and get a pic of it sometime when I get around to it. In fact I think that it has an IRD Ti fork on it currently.

The frame was shown at the Interbikes in the U.S. at some importers booth in 88 or 89 I can't remember exactly, but I got it off a sales rep that had it in the trunk of his car for $250. I had a Campy Euclid grouppo languishing in my display case and I think it took me all of about 2 hrs after the guy left to build it up. Some good rides on it and never could bring myself to sell it at the shop and ended up with it still. Perhaps someday it will live again! ;)
 

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#4 ·
Djuc Wun said:
Dude, do you have a pic of the fork, or some info on it? see my post about the very fork a few down (or up?)

any info/pics appreciated......

are you guys in the ststes by the way? I guess Roberts are pretty rare over there.... not that there not in the UK though....

Ta, Djuc
Yes - moved over here 8yrs ago from London. Bought the bike new from Roberts' Croydon shop in '91. I previously had an '87 Roberts (my touring partner and I both had Roberts build us bikes that would stand up to the rigours of a South American tour) that was used primarily for touring but was unfortunately stolen from my flat in Belsize Village (thieving *******s)
 
#5 ·
is that the original manitou 1 on there? even if the performance on those things is pretty poor compared to what's out there today, you really have to give it to them for making something that can be ridden hard for 13 years.
cool machine tech brakes, too. i used the cantis for awhile and would love to find another set.
tim
 
#6 ·
uphiller said:
is that the original manitou 1 on there? even if the performance on those things is pretty poor compared to what's out there today, you really have to give it to them for making something that can be ridden hard for 13 years.
cool machine tech brakes, too. i used the cantis for awhile and would love to find another set.
tim
It's the original Manitou I fork. I've replaced the elastomers once with the correct parts - unfortunately either due to the heat here in AZ or incorrect grease - the last time I did it the elastomers ended up as treacle. I was able to source some MCUs from my lbs but they just don't fit properly even after cutting.

What's even more astounding is that the headset is the original too - it's a campy threaded headset and has withstood 2 seasons of sport cat racing as well as plenty of rec rides.

The machine tech brakes were great when I first put them on - somehow the springs have ended up galling over time and that's why I have a Nashbar cheapie on the front. One of my favorite items on it is the Kooka 1 finger brake lever set. I really can use 1 finger for most of my braking save the prolonged downhills.
 
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