1948 Rotrax - latest project

Here's that hub. What a star it has been, love it. Wisest £41 I think I've spent.

And an old John Bull rubber cable tie. I didn't trust myself to not break it by putting it on properly.

That looks great. I would have loved to keep the original paint on my ‘53 Shirley but a rattle can respray in the late 70’s put pay to that.

That is a lovely bike. You have done a great job with it. I'll keep an eye out for you at Eroica Britannia this weekend.

Not done Eroica for a couple of years now, got a bit too big for me. (And expensive - our 50's campervan took a while to get there, and cost a bomb in petrol, then add the Eroica camping costs to that it smarts) Happy trying a few of the European rides. La Savoureuse last year was good, Retro Ronde this year, Anjou Vintage Velo next year.

you need some of these

Yes I do! The shockstops work great on my Jim Guard Philip. Not sure they will fit on the Rotrax in it's current set up, but the cable ties are a great idea.

The start of our Retro Ronde weekend. We parked up in Dover and rode down to the port, and boarded a ferry for Dunkirk as cycle tourists. Behind the Rotrax is Ben's lovely original 1939 Claud Butler.

Apart from the usual running adjustments this was the only issue we had the whole trip, one flint puncture!

Our ferry didn't get in until 3.30, and we had to try and reach our accomodation 80 miles away by 9.00, so we didn't have time for any sightseeing, but we did pay our respects at the Menin Gate in Ypres, conveniently halfway en route.

Riding along quiet rivers and canals from Menin to Oudenaarde.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1625725075

Saturday in Oudenaarde for the Retro Ronde. We had signed up for the 25km Paterberg & Koppenberg ride (it was only an extra €3).

I'm totally ignorant, my knowledge of Flanders cycling is nil, so I had no idea what the Paterberg and Koppenberg actually where ...

Graham nailing it on his single speed 1923 Automoto ...

A few shots from the 160km ride on Sunday. I didn't get much chance to take snaps, I'm not a quick rider and we wanted to try and get around before 5.00. In the end we rolled in at 5.10!
Well organised and clearly signposted, with plenty of marshals, and good food stops. It was a great day, but I found it tiring in the afternoon heat. I've never drank so much before, but none of it made it to my bladder ... I sweated buckets!
Total mileage for the day was 124.5 miles, including our ride in and out of town. Lots of cobbles and gravel sections too! Rotrax went like a dream over it all.
Ride was €40, which seemed really good value, but I was very surprised there was no goodie bag at all when you registered, you just got your race number and a few pins, and a small sticker at the end of it. I assumed you always got a feed bag at least, and it's a great bit of advertising for the event when you use it on other rides? That was the only disappointment about the event though. (I used my bag from the first Eroica Britannia, which is still going strong despite years of abuse)

https://www.strava.com/activities/1630215528

The Rotrax post ride ...

Lovely. Great pics. Well done!

Im very jealous, that looks amazing and the bikes look fab, I really need to get off my ass and do something like this.

Any film lovers here? Just uploaded a few 35mm shots I took on an old Voigtlander VitoB rangefinder.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/albums/72157697651460234/with/43046765982/

Thanks for sharing!

^ is my favourite.

This is making me want to do this next year. Maybe we should all organise something...?

Yes. Would love to sweat it on my Hokdsworth.

Cheeky little overnighter on Chiselbury Camp, an Iron Age hill fort on top of Fovant Down, famous for its Great War regimental cap badges carved into its 30° chalk slopes.
It's 40 miles from me. I left after tea, cutting it fine to make it there to see the sun go down. I rode along the old cattle drove that runs from Salisbury to Shaftesbury, picking it up at Salisbury Racecourse. My map reading skills failed me though and in the dusk, and more worried about staying upright on a top heavy loaded bike on loose gravel and ruts, I rode past the fort and on another couple of miles! I retraced my steps and set up camp at 10.30.
It was a fantastic night! No moon and really clear, I had a wonderful view of the Milky Way.
Up with the sunrise for a quick mooch around a couple of the restored badges, then back on the road before it got too warm, cycling back mainly along Cycle Route 24, back to town.

Looks like a great overnighter and what a view this is!

A heads up on a local Southampton Heritage group on facebook made me take a trip out to the old Rotrax shop in Shirley last week. The previous tennants had moved on, taking their cheap plastic shop sign with them, revealing an old sign underneath.
I was surprised to see there was no hint of a Rotrax sign though? And who was 'W. HARVELL.' ??

Some googling refreshed my memory. Bill Harvell was a lightweight cycle specialist from the 30’s through to the 60’s. He had a couple of shops, one in Hillsea, Portsmouth, and this one in Shirley, Southampton. After the war ended he sold this to the recently RAF demobbed Freddie Prince. (Freddie and Bill raced and time trialed together before the war)
Freddie then set up Rotrax Cycles here. (So this shop sign is from the 1930's!)
Bill carried on with his small but popular cycle shop in Hillsea.

Bill had an outstanding career as a cyclist, competing at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1934 Empire Games in Manchester, winning bronze medals in each.

For more info on Bill there are a couple of excellent online articles I recommend you read -

www.missmargueritewilson.com/blog?fbclid=IwAR1lwkHe4CJuVS...

www.classiclightweights.co.uk/harvell-watts-reminiscences...

1932 Los Angeles Olympics by Mike, on Flickr

Bill Harvell, cycle shop sign reveal by Mike, on Flickr

Bill Harvell, cycle shop sign reveal by Mike, on Flickr

I’ve seen those posts on the FB page too. Posted pics my ‘53 Shirley on there.

There's been some good posts on the facebook page. The photo of the 1949 Rotrax Team is superb! I plan to ride over and see the old chap who posted that as he's a mine of information.

save that sign !!!!

Yesyesyes

A bit more info about his Hilsea shop here
https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/readers-remember-bill-s-bike-shop-1-4200598

5 London Rd
https://goo.gl/maps/PZU3DmtoGcU2

Thanks Forty45.

Making some bike shed art ...

The start - this awesome 1949 photo of the Rotrax team in 1949, shared by William Bolton on the Rotrax facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/225473751578010/

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Choosing colours. Rotrax shop front was always red I think.

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

After working out the rough size, I found a scrap piece of ply in the shed, from my precious 'come in 'andy one day' pile my missus is always moaning about.

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

After tracing over the sign digitally, I printed this linework out and used it to trace around.

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Now the fun part, laying down the paint! I'm using 1 Shot signwriting enamels, so these will be fine out in the elements.

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Adding the border, from cheap B&Q arcitrave.

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Ta da!

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr

Reproduction 1949 Rotrax Cycles sign by Mike, on Flickr