Restoring a Ken

General Post your ride
1

Sooooo I’ve been waiting a long time for a track frame to pop up to build for my brother.

When RadioDog posted this up in the eBay section. I took a stab and bought it knowing that there were no panto’s on the frame at all.

[SOLD] Track Bike. Track Bikes - Bicycling Classifieds

I received it today and dismantled the bike to have another go at seeing if this could still be a real Ken.

After having a chat to the man himself he informed me that his earlier bikes didn’t have pantographs as the technology wasn’t around to do so and that the matching serials is something that Ken did to establish it was a frame/fork set. Also the use of Campag on both front/rear dropouts. So unless that wasn’t Ken on the phone or someone else can prove otherwise, I think I just obtained a real Ken without knowing and am stoked!

Anyways plans for the restoration, Ken recommended a bloke in QLD I believe named Malcolm, he said he usually gives to Malcolm for restorations/spraying of the frame and that he would usually send decals up to him as well. Anyone have any feedback on Malcolms work?

Plans are for a restoration in White (brothers choice) and dura ace parts. I’ll update the thread as it comes along.

Pictures:






2

Mal McPherson? aka theframedoctor on bicycles.net.au, built with Ken, made the Qld built Kenevans’

3

Great! I know it’s in good hands then. Can’t wait for him to get back to me, I want to get this show on the road!

4

250 bucks with Sugino cranks…Great buying!

5

I’m assuming you are going to replace the decals once repainted? Coz that would be dope. And silly not to.

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Yeah apparently Ken sends them directly to Mal to put on before the clear coat goes on :slight_smile:

7

That is what I want to hear. Keen to see photos once it is done.

8

Good to hear it is going to Mal, looks like a nice frame. Make sure you post some photos of the frame when refinished

9

Should be good! Have you see this restored one in kinda the same colour yours is now? I think white will look clean and classic though.

10

Alright so this is what it was like when it came back from Mal, the paintwork is flawless and pictures really don’t do it justice.

So today I built it, each to their own but my brother wanted everything to be white. I would of done it all differently but at the end of the day it’s for his birthday present so as long as his happy. Now to pull it apart to pack and send to Hong Kong!

Components List:

Kenevans 53 (Stamped 1146)
Hatta BB/Headset
Nitto Jag 80/B201 Chopped/Champ
Nitto Jag Seatpost/Concor
Dura Ace 165 44/Dura Ace 16/DID
MKS Pedal Combo/Toshi
Araya RC540 laced to Dura Ace High Flange/Gran Compe






11

^ Looks a bit ghost bike, doesn’t it? Still, you’ve done a great job and that paint is amazing. It’s gonna get dirty real quick!

12

This is probably the only colour coded bike i like, Looks pretty cool but id go gumwalls, your bro will love it.

13

^ yeh gumwalls will break it up nicely, adding some class to the all white theme.

but as you say, as long as your bothers happy.

hopefully we wont see tenys or other cheapo wheels being thrown on

14

Yeah it didn’t come out as badly as i had imagined in my head when he said he wanted white on white. Thanks for the idea of the gumwalls, as soon as the gran compe’s become “black” i’ll change it to a set of gumwalls

Would never put anything of those on any of my builds and if he did want them, i’d be sure to slap some sense into him.

15

Nice work.

16

the white doesn’t do it for me, but pretty amazing restoration never the less.

17

Yep, tyres. Still like.

18

nice work