Shedload of bikes

I thought this title would be rather suitable as my collection of Viscounts seems to grow by the day. Yesterday, I was on my first ever bike jumble, mainly to pick up a frame I sort of got through ebay, in addition to a Viscount hub, which I hoped I'd be lucky to find, too. Needless to say that I didn't come home with only those two items. Nope. I also bought a rather nice Brooks Professional saddle in black, down tube Shimamo gear shifters, really gorgeous vintage Lyotard pedals, a Shimano front derailleur, another no-name hub, two inner tubes and a can of GT 85, because I'm running low on mine.

The combined finds

So after plenty of chats and a big smile on my face, I brought my finds home, just to receive a phone call from my trusted bike shop and learn terrible news: the bolt for the crank has broken, and that inside the bottom bracket! I had brought the bike to them to see if they can manage (gently) to get the spindle and bearings out, so it can all be cleaned and replaced, but they chickened out. Rightly so, because I'm an overprotective girl who loves her bike, and I'm also very fond of this very special press-fit bottom bracket. The guys were worried that they'd fuck it up and I'd come with my boxing gloves ... (just kidding); they were, however, concerned and passed on the job, for if they'd make a mistake, it would have been irreversible. Yes, that's how sensitive this BB issue is. Kudos to them, that they've been so honest to admit defeat. Nevertheless, when screwing back on the left crank, the bolt went 'crack' and now I'm trying to think of a solution to get this damn broken bit out of the spindle. It looks like I have to drill a tiny hole into it, then carefully pull it out. Watch this space; operation Save The Spindle is underway.

Broken bolt in Viscount spindle

When I got that call I was close to crying. I mean, this bike means a lot to me: it's my very racer and I wanted one since I was a kid. Plus it's a special one: A Viscount Aerospace Sport, super lightweight and super fast (I overtake people even when I'm not pedalling). Not being able to ride did upset me. A lot. And because I hate being without a functioning bike, I went to the Shoreditch Market-- where I bought my MTB five years ago--determined to get myself a new (new as in factory new) racer to cycle on while I'm bringing Shawn to back to life. Unfortunately I didn't like the new Fixies and moved on to the neighbouring vendor, just to stumble over a red racer, old, with a very familiar brand on it. Yep, got myself a Viscount Sprint, even with original Viscount Saddle. The Sprint was the 'low end' of the Viscount bikes, the entry level of racing if you will, but with a beautifully lugged frame. It's a little on the heavy side, but still, riding it back home was a bliss. Although it was strange to ride without the safety suicide levers as I tend to rest my hands on the top middle of the handlebar, so the vintage brake levers were always a nice and quick solution in case of a 'slight emergency'. Of course I managed just fine without them.
This means I have now two Viscount bicycles and the MTB (have someone interested in the latter) in the shed and the Tony Doyle (probably also a former sprint ) frame in the bedroom. I've decided to ride the Sprint until Shawn is back with me on the road, then make the it pretty and sell it to someone who'll care for the bike as much as I do. Likewise with the Tony Doyle as they're too large for me with their 24 inches (60cm).
But here's a photo of the newest member of the family, and the frame is in quite a good nick, too; it needs a proper cleaning, though, parts and all.

Viscount Sprint 80s