NG Tingey / Bobbie Tingey Project

First off, I haven't built a bicycle before - as will probably become obvious very quickly!

Having found bicycle forums after researching my Raleigh Twenty that I picked up because it was funny looking and the same age as me, I decided I wanted to build my own bike "proper sized" bike to cycle to work on. I liked old bikes because they had a history, but I couldn't seem to find one that appealed enough to buy it. Or they were too big, or too expensive.

Then I found a bicycle advertised on here that was the right size (54cm) and the right price, and it had a lovely story - it was built by a frame maker called Norman Tingey (NG Tingey on the frame) for his wife who was a competitive cyclist called Bobbie Tingey of Marlboro AC (as on the frame). Bobbie rode from the mid-fifties to the mid-sixties, and I decided this would be the bike project for me.

Heres a link to other photos of the frame:http://imgur.com/a/7A4PS/

I can't find anything out about the frame - it's got 117 stamped on the bottom, so I suspect this might have been Norman's 117th frame. But it could mean anything. I think it'll take normal sized wheels, and the bottom bracket says "Bayliss" on. I thought originally it had the paintwork it had originally had, but closer examination suggests that it's been "restored" with probably lots of enthusiasm but little skill by someone called J. Lee - who has stuck stickers on in places. But it's very sweet!

So as far as I can see, I'm going to pretty much need to do everything, the bits to make it go, the bits to make it stop, the bits to steer it and the bits to sit on :).

I want to try and keep it relatively period looking (I do like some of the flashy looking kit from the 1990s, but it'd look out of place), and I'd also like to keep it reasonably well priced (so unlikely to be any eye-wateringly expensive NOS) and I'd like to do the frame justice (so it's going to be a slow build, I guess).

However, I know very little, so any help will be appreciated. I don't really know anyone who knows about bikes either. The LBS is friendly but when I took it in to get some sizes, pushed Velo Orange stuff and H and Son wheels, which I'm sure are lovely but turn it from a fun affordably project into ruinously expensive. So it's going to be me and any help from you guys!

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The LBS also recommended changing the bottom bracket as the flanges might be an odd size. A good close look shows the part on the outside to be labelled Bayliss Wiley - Made In England, but taking it apart shows the big part that runs through the middle to say Made In France with the letters A and 18 engraved in it. The grease in there is still white and the bearings all roll about nicely, so I think I shall be keeping it :)

Do some measuring before you buy things.

You'll want to know the frame spacing. Probably a 96 up front and the rear will tell you whether its 5 or 6 speed hub you need.

Don't buy a seatpost until you know the exact diameter, paint and age can make this a hassle and it's best to not resort to shims.

Most likely the canti bosses are for 27" not modern 700c, shouldn't be a problem but will determine the reach needed when you buy a brakeset and have to master centering :)

Also determine if you want to run a single or double crankset, the bottom bracket is important here as you chainline will get messed up if it is wrong length.

Thanks :). I've been having a read of the Classic Lightweights site and that's helping clear things up a bit :). Just wish there wasn't such a variation in sizes!

I think - although I don't know - the bottom bracket might be original, could that help me work out what the bicycle used to run with (i.e. a single or double)?

Double chainset, it has the braze-ons