Pre 1950s rides of LFGSS: old bikes, vintage rats, classic lightweights

10 gears - 5 speed freewheel with double chainring cranks.

Yes- reflector

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I used to commute on 1920's/30s EF Russ occasionally, only 5 0r 6 miles and had to move it on as it was rather too small. Took some getting used too as it steered something like a wheelbarrow....
I now use a 1950 Paragon Andy Bone fixed time trial bike for summer commuting duties a good deal of the time... All parts period to the bike, really nice to ride.

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Is the 'steering like a wheelbarrow' mostly down to low head angle / high trail? Or are there other reasons?

Anyone on here had anything to do with La Perle cycles?
Looking at bringing one back to life after being left in a French shed for what looks like years!
It was going to be a quick clean and lube......but, on closer inspection, it deserves a proper refurb including respray ! Could be very expensive.......

Nope. But recall a ride i had once East London stumbled over a VCC-like ride and got to speak with one of them. He was riding a lovely La Perle and he loved it.
pics?

Pictures please

Thought I would post a picture of my "fixed gear" bike, currently having to hand make some spokes for it but enjoying the restoration anyway

Oh yeah, this is the sort of content I like. How do you go about making spokes for this bad boy?!?

Here are the photos of the La Perle before being stripped......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/67078169@N06/45925433224/in/photostream/

Buy some cold drawn mild steel bar at 3mm dia by 500mm long, form a rivet head on one end using home made die and ball pein hammer,cut to length required (402mm), thread other end using 5BA die, cut thread for approx 15mm, "spoke made" the inside of the wheel rim is dished to accept the rivet head of the spoke, the other end is screwed into the brass hub which is threaded (no spoke nipples), next project will be to make some period looking pedals then a period looking seat, no rush though, it's been sitting in a friends shed since 1958 so a few more months wont hurt

Excellent!

it was the head angle and trail yes. You kind of had to plan any any sharp turns at least a week in advance in order to make your way round the bend safely. Made for a lovely laid back ride mind, I did enjoy riding it a lot....

Please photograph your progress and update us as I'm sure plenty of people would be interested.

now that is nice....

Looks interesting, only one picture though?

Should be a few there........

This is how it arrived, in a box is a few original spokes,hub,home made pedals and a wooden seat


Steel frame and forks, and front wheel rim, rubber tyre came too but were not on the rim,took some getting the hub central when first fitting what few spokes I had but got there after a few attempts, frame a forks were wire brushed to get rid of surface rust then wiped over with an oily rag,didn't want to paint the frame as this would lose a lot of it's character, the pedals are a home made affair so the last owner (who was a short fella) could ride it in a 10k sometime in the early 60's (1960's) the seat is also home made from wood but I am hoping to change that to something that look closer to period, The bike is a Ordinary Junior from 1879/80 and from research so far I can get it to be a Empire Boys

Picture of rear hub, brass sides shrunk onto the steel hub center,the brass sides are threaded to accept the spokes
One of the spokes being threaded using a 5BA die

Thanks for showing interest

Great stuff!

Maybe flickr isn't working correctly, or do I need to have an account to view?

Wow, that's impressive. Please stay arround and share your journey with this bike / more if you have them!

Yes, there is a problem with flickr.....I can't even access the photos!

I took the pictures from my "Post Image account" if thats any help

Brilliant project!
It must be my old eyes, but I can't see the ball bearing tracks for the BB/Front hub...... So I guess it's just a man with a can each day !?

No ball bearings on this bike at all,I think it was mainly blacksmith made,the steering head has no bearings but cones inside cones to take out the slack, I will take a couple of pictures of the head set up, a picture might be able to explain it better than I can

This is a picture of the steering head adjuster

With the adjuster/locking nut removed to show the top cone shape on the end of the main frame,this part fits into the steering head,there is a cone shape at the bottom as well

This picture shows the head end of the main frame that enters the steering head,as you can see there is the cone shapes at each end and these sit in corresponding cones in the head,slack is taken out by turning the adjuster on top of the handle bar and locking it off with the lock nut

The rear hub works on the same principle,cones inside the hub and mating cones on the axle,as you can see from this picture there was a couple of broken spokes still in the brass hub,they created a bit of head scratching to get out but managed it in the end,this is a lovely bit of craftsmanship,sweating the brass outers onto a steel hollow shaft