1947 Hobbs of Barbican Superbe build

The reason I give the links is to identify the possible sources of information, a carryover from my student days (such a long time ago)
Your end caps do strongly suggest Raleigh. But by 1960 Phillips and Raleigh had the same ownership.

The Credalux pedals had a solid steel centre (No. 101) and had alloy dust caps. Only the Philite Single Quill (No. 333) had the die-cast Aluminium Alloy steel barrel (with the stainless steel U type frame)
see the Phillips Cycle Fitments catalogue
Note that this catalogue is undated but it listed on the V-CC site as early 1960s. I question that as the dated catalogue for November 1960 has a fresher and coloured cover, no longer lists the 333 pedal.
So the undated catalogue is more likely a late 1950s version.
Your pedals don't look to have the solid steel barrel of the Credalux model.

Yes you have definitely helped prove that my pedals aren't Credalux. But at least now I know, and if I find any genuine Phillips Credalux pedals I'll know how to identify them.

I agree the undated Phillips Cycle Fitments catalogue seems older than the 1960s version. I'll certainly assume that its earlier.

The links you have given have been really useful. In the Brown Bros catalogue I've already identified the pump pegs I have (bottom left of page 194) and the pump (Apex Superlite, top of page 294).

Looks like I'm going to have to join the V-CC too :o)

By the way @Big_Block, I don't suppose you still have any of those repro ShockStops you got for @7ven do you?

As a member of the V-CC you get access to all of the News and Views and The Boneshaker publications. There have many very many informative papers. Whilst I am unable to attend any of the events; the publications, access to the Marque Enthusiasts as well as supporting a body that is offering such a outstanding resource as the online library justifies my membership renewal.

Yes I still have an ongoing stock of Shockstop 'honking' rubbers and the cable bands 1952 Brown Bros, p 24 left column. I am going to see if I can reproduce the Shockstop handlebar end plugs 1952 Brown Bros p87, right column from a NOS set I have recently purchased.

Great. I'll PM you for details.

The brookes saddle can be dated as brookes stamped two numbers into the rear saddle frame, these were the year of manufacture.

I have a Hobbs of Barbican that has been in my family from new (1951): my Wife's Dad bought it for a tour of the Loire. Mine has the rarely seen brass and glass enamel headbadge, and many of the original parts, those that were too far gone were replaced years ago - e.g Weinmann rims and Bayliss Wiley front hub...mine has it's original Brooks, GB 'bar and stem, seatpost, alloy bodied (rebuilt) S/A hub, and Universal brakeset, Bluemels 'guards of course.
It was purchased it from Hobbs, any details you need I'll be happy to help - if this thread is live still !
One poster was correct - although I've mentioned this many times over the years - about purchase tax - it wasn't levied on frames sold with just a chainset, and the Hobbs favourite was the ubiquitous Williams.
John.

just spotted this thread and what a machine always amazed when such creations last, can't add any tech info but I would go with much of the parts you have maybe change the front hub to a SA dynohub and perhaps an earlier SA shifter and would definitely keep the rear wheel as is, anyways best to ride and enjoy. thanks for sharing.

Hi @oldfella thanks for the Brooks info. I've looked on my saddle but can't find anything other than "Made in England" stamped into the saddle frame. However "6D9" is stamped into the underside of the saddle leather. I don't know if this means anything or not.

@roadking your Hobbs sounds fantastic especially as it has real family history and is mostly original. Having a brass and enamel badge as well is the icing on the cake. Its really useful people share their original bike configuration. It really helps the rest of us!

My uncle had a Hobbs in the late 40s/early 50s. I have a picture of him on it but unfortunately it disappeared whilst he was in the army.

Thanks for your interest @littleK. I'm probably going to replace quite a few things as I suspect that someone has sold some of the parts and then someone else has added replacement parts (probably in order to sell it to me!). But I'll do it over time as period parts turn up, and I'm riding it regularly. I'll post updates as I manage to find the parts.

Brooks saddles from 1958 to 1990 had date stamping on cantleplates in the manner set out in this note
Your stamp on the leather is the post 1990 system.
Before 1960 you need to look at the shape of the skirt impression (pre or post 1953), the style of the rear badge and when the saddle was in production. As the widths vary even with the same model name, a reference to the specifications listed in the early Brooks catalogues may provide some guidance.

The pre 1953 Brooks B17 Champion Narrow than was on my mostly original 1946 Hobbs when I purchased the bike. It has had a few treatments of Proofide and is stored.

Well I've had another look at my saddle (a B17) and according to @Big_Block's links it looks like my saddle dates from 1996 if I'm reading the 6D9 stamp correctly, certainly from the 1990s based on the badge design. So yet another item I will have to change at some point!

At the moment the only things I feel confident are age appropriate with the frame are the Lytaloy headset and the Chater Lea lamp bracket.

Even though the rear wheel is around the right age (stamped 1949) I don't think it is original as the frame has a braze on boss for a Cyclo or Simplex derailleur shifter fitted so probably never had a Sturmey Archer hub fitted. It is a nice wheel though.

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my last project, the 1952 EA Boult, had the original frame and forks plus the original Brooks saddle.

Dave (pictured and the owner 1952-2015) had worn out and replaced the components many, many times.
My aim was to restore it to period components and recreate the original paintwork

the thread
Dave approved the rebuild.

That is a beautiful build @Big_Block and such an interesting back story. Particularly because the previous owner obviously used to live within a few miles of where I live now. He must have been very pleased that the bike he had lived with for so long is in such good hands.

It was also great to see how you created the Terry Clip. A great piece of work.

My point was that some bikes have the components swapped because they wore out; ridden for so many miles over decades. It would be nice to think your Hobbs was well ridden, and that is why the parts were what they were when you bought it.

You are right, it is a good point and I should probably think that. I am probably a little too jaded. I bought the bike from ebay and the pictures were taken in a way to obscure issues (squashed seat stays) and this was not detailed in the description. so I'm suspecting that the seller wanted to hide these and get rid of the frame. He certainly seemed to know about the important components.

I'm not complaining about it, although I probably paid more than I would have if I had known about the seat stays. But the superbe is rare and if I'm honest I was just glad to be able to get hold of one. I just don't have any faith in the seller.

I've decided that I hate old bikes! :o)

Nothing is ever straightforward on a 70 year old bike, not for me anyway! A few weeks ago @Big_Block went way beyond the call of duty in order to get a pair of his repro ShockStops, literally half way round the world, to me before Eroica Britannia. I was pleased as punch when they arrived and added them to my packing. I tried to fit them whilst I was at Eroica but I had recently rewrapped the handlebars and didn't want to take the wrapping off. I tried to fit them without removing the brake levers but, not wanting to damage them, I gave up. Pity as they would have been really useful on some of those hills.

Anyway, when I got back I found a nice GB Hiduminium stem and alloy handlebar set on ebay. They even had original Dare handlebar sleeves still fitted. Great I thought, I'll fit the ShockStops at the same time as I moved the brake levers to the new handlebars.

So today I fitted the new stem and handlebars and removed the levers form the old handlebars. Now one of the reasons I liked the new bars was because of the original Dare sleeves so I didn't want to damage or remove them. However the brake levers wouldn't fit over the sleeves to go onto the bars. Not a problem I thought, I'll just remove the straps that hold the levers on so that I can open them over the bars and then screw them back on again. If only life was so easy...

First, because I had fitted the ShockStops this made everything I did much trickier. Also, I found out that whereas with one brake lever it was easy to remove the brake cable as the hole that the pear fitting goes through is open on one side, on the other lever it is not open. Which means that I would have to thread the whole cable length back through the hole to remove it. Not a problem, but there are broken threads on the brake cable so if I remove it the chances are I won't be able to rethread it again (I known it needs replacing but I don't have a spare at the moment). So this cable simply added to the things in the way as I tried to refit the levers.

Another, and more intractable, problem was refitting the levers to the straps. There is a funny type of nut that is used to hook into either side of the strap and then the lever is screwed back into the nut. Getting the easier lever fitted back onto the strap was a nightmare as I had to use one pair of pliers to squeeze the strap over the nut, and with my other hand use a screwdriver to try and screw the lever into the nut. But eventually I managed it.

On the trickier side though it took forever to get the lever to fit onto the straps. However I finally managed it only to find that I was unable to tighten the lever sufficiently to fit securely onto the bars! After a number of re-fittings, each a nightmare, I compared both screws (without removing the other one) and saw that there was a washer fitted on the one I was having trouble with. Thinking about it, I went and bought some washers and added a couple to the screw to see if that would make it tighter. All it seemed to do was make it even more difficult to fit the lever onto the strap. Finally, however, I have managed to fit the lever and it does seem to be much tighter.

I can't believe I have spend over half a day fitting two brake levers!!

Anyway here is what it looks like now.

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Those gb brake lever nuts are a proper pain in the arse. I spend at least two days, several cut knuckles , and all manner of inventive swearingredients to fit them each and every time I do this. You need at least 3 arms

Phwoar, that looks great! Achieving greatness is never easy!

Good to read that others are challenged when fitting the brake levers.
I just thought I was mechanically inept.

Are they in the comfortable riding position?

I hadn't realised that others had had similar problems. I feel much better now!

I went out for a ride after I had finished yesterday and it all felt good. I have rotated the handlebars upwards (bar ends pointing downwards) from what is shown in my photo so that the brake levers are higher which makes using the ShockStops more comfortable.

If I simply fitted the brake levers higher on the handlebars I find that my short fingers can't reach the levers comfortably.

Things have been quiet on this build for a while but I have finally got some hubs. They are Gnutti 3 piece alloy and steel hubs, the rear is NOS. It came with a great letter telling me where it came from (the sellers father-in-law who had run a bike shop in Belgium.

Finding all the right parts, particularly at a reasonable price is really challenging.

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Currently the bike has 26 x 1 1/4rims but I'm probably going to try and find 27 x 1 1/4 replacements because they have a much better range of tyres available. I've recently looked for amber wall 26 inch tyres and just can't find them, not in 1 1/4 anyway. I have two VeeRubber ones on my fixed wheel Hobbs but they haven't been available in the UK for about 15 years apparently.

I've bought a few older complete bikes, with a mixed-specs, from the original retired riders. A nice term I've heard a few times is "clubman spec."

My latest purchase is a Simplex Tour De France derailleur.

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