1970s English bike restoration! The Condor Superbe

Nice bike, John! I just love coming to your channel. It takes me back to a better time. I just feel at peace when I drop by. Two days ago I rode my recently acquired ‘74 Paramount to the grocery store and back. Four people stopped me to comment on the bike. Same thing yesterday. A guy along my route saw the bike and commented on how beautiful the bike is. Bikes have changed a lot in the last sixty years, but I think bikes became their very best around 1969. I like my custom 1982, but for the rest of my life I plan to buy and ride old vintage steel.

I really like the white brake hoods and orange tape.

I loved my 70's Condor. A friend also had a Condor Supurbe. I still think about that bike. I hope it's doing well. Glad to know another one is in riding shape. Everest gold freewheel, wow, it looked like Campy grease in the BB. Great video! THanks!

The lugs the panto what a great looking Condor

This Condor is definitely a standout of this new collection. I’m sure the previous owner would be happy about how excited you are to be the new care taker.

My first race bike was a Condor built in Reynolds 531 with track seat stays. The paint was super thick and close to a luxury car for smooth finish. I’ve visited the original and current shops in Grays Inn Road in London.

Beautiful bike,welcome to the Condor owners club.I just noticed the arrow on the rear tyre seemed to be facing the wrong way.

Wow what a beautiful spot you have, very nice collection and setup

Luscious color on this frame, and the detail on the lugs is just the cherry on top. Especially the seat stays where they meet up with the seat clamp. I agree that the gum hoods will look better as the white hoods look too cold against the creamy warm paint. Thanks for sharing!

Incredibly beautiful frame! Is that a Brooks Swallow saddle? I would go full leather with this beauty, and put on leather handlebar tape. Very nice build👍

Great job as usual. It's very relaxing to watch you work. I have a Cinelli track bike that is the color of that Harry Quinn and it has olive drab bar tape that looks good. Gotta have the gum hoods on that Condor - they will match the copper rails on that saddle.

I have a private machinic and I was chatting to him once about Condor Cycles and I have had 3 of their frames over the last 20 years and he thought that Condor Cycles actually built their frames in house and they do not build any of their frames themselves, they get everything out sourced. In fact they probably have never built a production frame themselves ever. Also their quality control on their frame-sets pretty much does not exist anymore, they used to have a frame jig at their warehouse so they can check frames over and they went and sold it a few years ago, Fact. There're a strange bunch and that comes from dealing with them face to face. I ended up stopping dealing with them due to Q & C issues with two of the same frames I purchased from them and that is how I discovered the Q&C frame jig issue. Real shame.

White hoods and white caps work very well.

When I wrapped bars in the 1970s and early 1980s with Tressostar and Cateye tape, I would start from the top and work down toward the bar end, as John did in this clip. Then, in the 80s, alternate handlebar wraps appeared and many brands included two additional short pieces of pre-cut plastic tape. It then dawned on me that by wrapping from the bottom up and serving the loose end with tape at the top, I would get better wear from the wrap, because the overlap occurs to the top side of the wrap, like a higher clapboard or a course of shingles overlaps the lower one.

Sooo 70's 😎

What a beautiful frame. I am a regular visitor to Condor Cycles in London. Their attention to detail and commitment to racing remains to this day. Did you know back in the good old days, when Clincher was a dirty word, they'd write the received date on racing tubulars and store them, in the basement for a year, to harden the rubber. Only then would they sell them!

I enjoy this channel! Thanks for the care you give these cool old bikes. I’m almost 65 so these machines were drool-worthy when I was just a kid in school way back when. In the early 70’s I rode a Raleigh Record and could only dream of Campagnolo! The next project - your Harry Quinn - should get red bar tape.

Nice job! I think the white hoods look great with the white bar plugs 😊 On the Harry Quinn consider a harlequin wrap using light grey & black

What an absolute beauty. Great bike and great rebuild. Loved the Ferris Beuller reference to boot,, “Anyone, anyone”.

nice work! i usually add a touch of grease to the bushings in the derailleur pulleys.