1970 Vade Mecum III deluxe













































Vade Mecum III deluxe
touring bike
Tottenham, 1970.


This bike was originally ordered by a man in California; it changed hands ten years later and was restored by Hetchins to original spec. The original documentation can be seen, too.

The original 1970s groupset is intact: TA triple crankset at the front: 50/40/28. Nuovo Record gear changers front and rear. The front gear changer has been lightened on the seat tube mount. The rear gear changer has a specially fitted long cage to take up chain slack when riding on the small front chainring. Originally it came with a steel one made by Spence Wolff of Cupertino bike shop; this has been replaced by a more elegant design in aluminum. Suntour 'ratchet' type bar end shifters are fitted to a Cinelli bar and stem. Otherwise, the bike has the complete original Campag NR groupset, incl. hubs, brakes and levers, black-cage Strada pedals, and twin-bolt seat pin. The cut-away saddle with aluminum frame is by Ideale and requires Zeus mounting bolts to be fitted to the Campag seat pin.

The paint is purple flamboyant with gold blush on the seat tube. Originally it had half-chromed stays; during restoration, the chainstays were chromed full-length to avoid chain chips. The VM iii headstock is particularly lovely.

This bicycle is currently on display at the Golden Age Cycles Gallery in Oxfordshire.

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