woodrup #88042

Looks like any other hot pink road bike right?

woodrup 88042

To some yes,
to others,
it's a 1988 semi-custom Woodrup criterium race bike.

Well after 23 years this one has a bit of a story.
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And for a love story like this here's a good tune.

jerry garcia and merl saunders - second that emotion 7-10-1973

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A couple years ago I scrounged up a couple old road race bikes on craigslist.
The problem with getting old race or high performance stuff no matter what the sport
and who the manufacture,
is that equipment's not built to last - only to win.

woodrup frame

So while the frame was made with super light reynolds 531c tubing,

reynolds 531c

it showed it's age.

cracked head tube

Somehow the head tube had cracked.
There weren't any dents and the forks were straight,
and I contemplated welding it up or trying to braze a new tube in.
Nah.

At the time I was an ebayer and decided to pass it on.
The good thing about old race and high performance equipment
is there is usually a loyal collector that will save it from the recycler.

Fortunately for the frame,
it was built by a relatively small shop in Leeds,
that still maintains a devoted following.

Woodrup main
Woodrup Cycles: History

In typical ebay form the shipping was higher than the sale price.
I knew it was in good hands when T.M. sent me pics of the surgery.

lug

After 20 years I doubt Mr Woodrup would think someone
would be unbrazing or sweating? off the old tubes.
Fortunately it only showed off his perfectly notched fit.

ready for insertion

There's 2 things that really surprised me,
- somehow he saved the paint with a wet rag.
- he didn't even use a jig.

brazed up

This is the part that separates the hack from the obsessed,
the tedious filing to clean up the lugwork.

cleaned up

Again, I am amazed the paint was saved so close to the torch work.

cool lug cutout detail

I'm sure he had to machine the head tube to fit the bearing cups,
but i think it's a hand reamer.

test fit

I'm gathering that he had all this reddish colored stuff saved just for this frame.
If you notice the wrap on the handlebars,
it's actually a sew-up piece of leather.

woodrup 88042

So within 2 months after receiving the frame,
T.M. was able to get this thing on the road,
(with a mix of campagnolo and suntour parts)
and all the late 80's flare it was born with.

Pretty cool.

TP

(Note - I didn't do this work. Wish I did though!)