Vintage 1970's Cyclery North Hellenic Touring Frameset + Extras

Greetings,

I'm selling this 1970's Cyclery North "Hellenic" touring frameset in great vintage condition.

ST: 60cm (c-c).
TT: 58.5cm
Rear hub spacing: 126mm
Seatpost: 27.2

Included in sale:
Omas threaded headset
Omas bottom bracket
Silca frame pump with Campagnolo head - painted and modified to match frame!
Blackburn rear rack - modified to fit seat stays

Some backstory: This frameset is definitely a survivor. I acquired it as a complete from a rural used bike shop southwest of Chicago, where it had been supposedly "donated" by the original owner. By the looks of the condition at the time of sale, it would appear that the bike sat in a climate-controlled environment for several decades. The cracked and flaking Specialized tires were from the mid-1980s, so that's my best guess as to when the bike was last in use. Obviously, I felt compelled to save this truly unique bike from a potentially dark fate despite the fit not being totally right for me. The bike has signs of use in-period, but overall the condition is shockingly pristine for a nearly 50-year-old bike.

This frameset is quite exquisite, with lots of striking and inventive little details. My favorite are undoubtedly the little pegs on the inside of the seat stays where the modified Silca pump locks into place. The fork is also interesting, with its Henry James crown to the repurposed shifter bosses intended for fitting a low rider front rack. The frame and fork are constructed of Columbus tubing (probably SP) with Campagnolo dropouts front and rear. The tire clearance for 700c wheels maxes out at around 28c due to vertical clearance. Personally, I think this bike would be a perfect candidate for 650b conversion, which would be my plan if I end up keeping the bike. The last two pictures back this point up, showing how the chainstays and fork crown would clear 42c x 650b tires. There are a couple of nicks, but overall the paint is in much better condition than even bikes I myself have owned since new!

Info on Cyclery North: a famous bike shop in Chicago from the '70s and '80s, which also produced framesets in-house for a select number of clients, predominantly local racers. One of the hallmarks of the shop were these "Hellenic" triple triangle framesets. Unfortunately, the shop no longer exists.

Anyway - here's your chance to own a beautiful and unique frameset from the golden age of American frame-building. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions that you might have!