Nice Restoration project that my Dad took up (Eclipse)

[mattraisin]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reasonrj/s ... 125852812/ The bike as far as I am aware is towards the end of the 1970's. Reynolds 531 tubing. Campagnolo chainset, rear and front mech. Brooks B17 Champion. Originally I think it had a sticker on it saying Eclipse, any information on what this bike could be would be greatly appreciated, anyone know of any own brands called eclipse. It is a very nice bike.

[CREPELLO]

Verrrry nice Luverly shiny bits too. Reminds me I should get my ol vintage mystery frame sand blasted to see whether it's gonna be up for a beautiful rebirth. Not sure what parts I'd dress it up with though.

[Russell160]

Quality. I think bikes (like this) in single plain colours without lots of logos look really beautiful.

[asterix]

Eclipse was a name used in the early 80's for two models retailed by a shop in The Strand. IIRC the more expensive bike was called the 'Eclipse Routier' for faster rides and the cheaper was the 'Eclipse Countryman' - a tourer - that was also available in mixte form. I think that the bike you illustrate is very similar to the more expensive version, the 'Routier'.

In 1985 I bought the 'Countryman' for commuting, day rides and my first tour. The reviewers of the time were enthusiastic about the bikes and I certainly enjoyed owning mine. Unfortunately it was stolen in the late 90's.

I still have the original brochure from when I bought the bike but unfortunately it is in the UK whereas I am in France until the end of June! If you are interested, I'll look it out when I return and send you a scan of it.

[mattraisin]

A scan would be great whenever you can, thank you.

I will get on to my dad to see if he can remember when and where he bought it, I'm sure he can. I know it was expensive as he bought it on insurance money received after his old bike was stolen and he claimed individually for the many upgrades he had bought for it plus the total cost of the bike originally. I can not find a thing on the internet. Local bike shop owner believed it was most probably an own brand.

[asterix]

Matt you have mail..

[Tail End Charlie]

Nice bike there. There's something about fettling with old bikes and giving them a new lease oflife I find immensely satisfying and encouraging in this age of disposable things.

[Pete C]

I have only just registered on this forum so all of this is "old hat"!

I bought my Eclipse Countryman in 1986 from Bike UK, York Buildings, near the Savoy Hotel in London. Needless to say they are no longer there and York Buildings is unrecognisable!

I selected the Countryman from the Bicycle Buyers' Bible as a good choice for a tour from Bishops Stortford to Corfu via the French and Swiss Alps and back. There were 4 Eclipse bikes available at the time; the Countryman, Routier, Desperado and Canyon Ltd at £275, £355, £399 and £525 respectively. The Countryman proved to be an excellent choice - 5,000 miles of trouble free touring and the engineer, Mick, at Bike UK did a great job of customising my gear set including a 23" "granny gear" for battling up the Alps fully loaded with 4 panniers - very impressive engineerinring from only 2 chain rings so if you're still out there Mick - many thanks! The Countryman spec. was excellent, at the very least as good as the Dawes Galaxy (£280) but with better, Wolber, wheel rims.

The BB Bible said that "on paper the bike really ought to cost more" and on the strength of that they put the price up!!

It seems like any bike built with Reynolds tubing was a magnet for thieves in those days but I kept mine and it still rides like new, 25 years on. The frame is showing signs of weathering - hardly surprising - it was exposed to the elements for 5 months 24/7 during the tour to Corfu and more recently it has been standing on the back of my campervan for 8 months for a rather more leisurely European tour!

Pete

[afa]

I also owned an Eclipse Countryman bought 1985 as did my husband, both used for daily commutes and cycle touring in the uk, both unfortunately also both stolen in London late '80s early90's the bike shown in your picture does look rather more svelte than my Countryman. http://www.flickr.com/photos/afadams/se ... 175205339/

[robert11]

Hi.
I worked as a mechanic at the Charring Cross branch (and later all branches and then Mosquito) of BikeUk just after this bike was replaced with the new version.

This was the top of the line

That bike would have been built by Mick or Rick from the frame up in that damp cold wine cellar workshop
All the bearing faces would have been milled and the seatpost honed. It was built with care and love:)
Those wheels look like the original wheels from what I can see.

Here are the some of the specs of the original bike that I can remember.
The wheels were built in house (at the time). Sam the Wheels took over wheel building pretty soon after as he blew every wheel builder out of the water.
Reynolds 531 double butted frame, forks and stays

Wheels used Swiss DT spokes
Stronglight 99 chainset.
Sedis Silver chain
Suntour Cluster
The rear cluster had a 30 or even 32 tooth large sprocket on it. This is why the campag Rally was fitted.
I am not sure if it had the "Jim Blackburn" rack on it at that time

The Brooks B17 was an added extra.

The were only two Ecipse bikes when I was there.

Then the price went up!
The countryman was fitted with the full Campag Victory groupset and again a full Reynolds tube set. Great touring bike.
The routier was mostly Specalized groupset and was a seriously lovely bike.

There was another bike sold in small numbers which was built from Reynolds 753 and was their attempt at race bikes. This bike was replaced when they did a deal with Cannondale.
The Canyon came after I moved shops.
Hope that helps

They were both great bikes but for about 6 months the wholesale frame builder substituted the rear stays with poor quality non Reynolds stays on the Countryman . It took us a little while to detect this in the workshop and a few bikes escaped us as they had left the country.

[jamesroseuk]

Matt you have mail..

Asterix or Matt, I've just found this discussion as I too have an old Eclipse and would love some information on it. If possible would you mind sending me a copy of the scan?

Thanks

[Vorpal]

Matt you have mail..

Asterix or Matt, I've just found this discussion as I too have an old Eclipse and would love some information on it. If possible would you mind sending me a copy of the scan?

Thanks

Neither has logged in to the forum in a couple of years. We can hope they still have a look now and then and will see your post.

[bainbridge]

Amazing to see how little bikes have changed over the years.

Lovely bike.

[swanonctc]

A scan would be great whenever you can, thank you.

I will get on to my dad to see if he can remember when and where he bought it, I'm sure he can. I know it was expensive as he bought it on insurance money received after his old bike was stolen and he claimed individually for the many upgrades he had bought for it plus the total cost of the bike originally. I can not find a thing on the internet. Local bike shop owner believed it was most probably an own brand.

New to this Forum. I noticed your reply about an "Eclipse countryman" Do you have the manual or a pdf? I need to know the chainring sizes. Ta Dave

[Keezx]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reasonrj/sets/72157624125852812/ The bike as far as I am aware is towards the end of the 1970's. Reynolds 531 tubing. Campagnolo chainset, rear and front mech. It is a very nice bike.

Certainly a nice bike, but chainset is Stronglight.