Restoring a Gitane 1982 Road bike for my daughter

[Wayne]

Well Wayne my daughter finds the current seat a bit uncomfortable, so any thing that looks like a razor blade she will wince 
I might just get a turbo one seems comfortable and soft?

The charge spoon is more comfy than the turbo, I do around 4000miles a year on them

Might be? But has to be period correct It would look odd with the style of 1982-83

A lot of people use them on retro builds and they tend to look ok.

[clipperjay]

Just don't know mate the seat is still alright TBF it might have to be put on back burner she might not like riding the road bike which would mean it would hang on the wall as a bit of art for me 

A few more bits and she is nearly there some Shimano brake cable came in the post schessse the cost of the kit is not cheap and even gear cable wasn't cheap!But quality is there so much cable I had to waste 

[Sam]

Well Wayne my daughter finds the current seat a bit uncomfortable, so any thing that looks like a razor blade she will wince 
I might just get a turbo one seems comfortable and soft?

The charge spoon is more comfy than the turbo, I do around 4000miles a year on them

Might be? But has to be period correct It would look odd with the style of 1982-83

A lot of people use them on retro builds and they tend to look ok.

I have just bought a charge spoon and it is comfy as hell (and you could buy 3 for the price of 1 stelle) and it looks the part on my 1980s Raleigh Milk race frame. The turbo is pretty big but also quite deep so may look a little odd, also the word 'turbo' falls off after a few miles anyhow.

Spoon

EDIT: Also have a look at the 'scoop', its looks are more classic

[clipperjay]

Well Wayne my daughter finds the current seat a bit uncomfortable, so any thing that looks like a razor blade she will wince 
I might just get a turbo one seems comfortable and soft?

The charge spoon is more comfy than the turbo, I do around 4000miles a year on them

Might be? But has to be period correct It would look odd with the style of 1982-83

A lot of people use them on retro builds and they tend to look ok.

I have just bought a charge spoon and it is comfy as hell (and you could buy 3 for the price of 1 stelle) and it looks the part on my 1980s Raleigh Milk race frame. The turbo is pretty big but also quite deep so may look a little odd, also the word 'turbo' falls off after a few miles anyhow.

Spoon

Okay Sam I'll go look and see, need to see before buyeee!

[Sam]

My edit got lost in between responses... have a look at the 'scoop' instead, much more classic looking.

[clipperjay]

[clipperjay]

Having issues with rear brake binding I think the mounting nuts on the caliper is too tight 

[Sam]

The bolt been too tight will be the problem, not a lot else to go wrong with old roadie breaks. Just loosen it off the caliper face and lock the two nuts together (if it has that setup) but ensure there isn't too much flex in the arms when you brake. Makes more sense to do it than describe it haha

[clipperjay]

I couldn't be arsed to tweek Sam so I replaced the rear brake with another and it still binding less, but I has re-greased the cable and sprayed some GT into the levers and think the washers were still new and tight on the dual handles, but I have full stopping power on the little bike now!
Derailer and chain next, but waiting for a Park tool chain splitter to arrive.
So start with smallest gear cog first? 
 

[Sam]

Twop twip for putting the chain on... bend an old spoke over at 90deg at each end and put a slight curve in it too, you can then pinch the chain and hook it through either side of your pinch point (creating a slack hanging bit of chain). This keeps the derailleur under tension but allows you to work on a slack chain and it doesn't ping off/fall off.

As for setting up gears, I do it via trial and error messing about with the limiter screws but this seems like a fairly decent guide if you can be arsed to follow through a set of instructions.

http://www.lifecycleuk.org.uk/sites/staging.lifecycleuk.org.uk/files/files/gears.pdf