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

Holdsworth Whirlwind.
This is lovely - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233583813635

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That HDiJ article.

On reflection I've realised it would make far more sense to post the article in the Autumn, when let us hope, we can plan for next year's rides. I feel the story may encourage people to go on the 2021 edition of the event.

I apologise if I seem to be teasing readers of this thread, but at least I think I've now established that the article has never been on the forum. If I'm spared it soon will be.

The Holdsworth is one of the few really convincing 'original' old bikes I've seen on ebay - it looks as though it's been stored, carefully packed, for the past 60 years.

I note the vendor's description is not completely accurate - the brake levers are Weinmann and I'm nearly certain that the hubs are Bayliss Wiley.

I think the rear mech is a Benelux Mark 7. It's very rare to see one that has survived on a bike - those that still exist are mostly to be found in parts bins!

I think the rear mech is a Benelux Mark 7. It's very rare to see one that has survived on a bike - those that still exist are mostly to be found in parts bins!

Lol, now you mention it, my Benelux rear mech (and matching 3-speed) came from a parts stash!

Autumn sounds good to me.

I imagine it will make good money for the seller, If recent sales of lightweights are anything to go by.

A year, almost, after the crash, I've dropped the frame to the Vaz brothers.
Winston will replace top and down tubes, whist Mario will re-paint it in british green with golden bands and lug lining.

tubes: £90 x 2 = £180
paint (2 colors): £120
decals: £20
lug lining: £40

£180 to each brother :)

I think that's how recall the prices we agreed upon this morning. I'd say it's quite a fair price!

Albeit in the end it'll be a costly frame, but I think it deserves it and I paid close to nothing when I got it anyway.

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sounds like it should be looking good when you get it back

Yeah the sound of the combo looked good. Hope it'll be close as to what I am imagining now :)

Oooh I'm looking forward to seeing the Gillott back up and running.
Will you be using the transfers from this guy on the Gillott Facebook forum as they look Pukka, also before they spray the frame, make sure you get them to send you pictures of the repairs. Once your happy with the work they have carried out, they can then go ahead and paint.
I did the same at Colourtech and it turned out they had fitted the wrong tubing. Luckily they hadn't painted the frame.

I am chatting with him over Messenger, might use his indeed.
Thanks for the hint, will ask Winston to send pics of the finished work. But not sure how to check what type of tube he used from a pic?
I'm sure though he'll be using Reynolds 531

Maybe I should have explained, I had asked and specified pencil thin stays and was told they would definitely be fitted. On inspection they were not pencil thin stays at all but some inferior stay. Anyway this was all years ago now and the issue was all resolved.

Any recommendations on the best places to sell older bikes. I’ve a late 60’s Falcon San Remo taking up space that I’m too scared to ride these days.

Edited for putting in wrong decade.

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Retrobike, or just list it here,-it looks nice so should go fairly quickly if well priced. If not, ebay I guess, but list it under vintage-that seems to help. (and to be honest things seem to be moving slowly on ebay at the moment unless they are from low start prices-I guess people want to watch the pennies at the moment)

That’s nice. Chrome headtube & lugs! I reckon a date would help, as most people (my age, pushing 50) associate Falcon with those fairly bog standard late seventies ‘racers’, mostly a bit heavy. Ernie Clements older ones, however, are definitely something better.

It’s one of these. ❤️

From the wrap around seat post ‘flatness’ and the lugs it looks to be late 60’s.

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ALL chrome (under that paint). Niiiice.

Fork rake is lush. I'd have it in a minute if I wasn't jobless and didn't already have shit loads of bikes, including two decent track frames.

ah I see, I can only hope he'll use the same 531 as the original.

Anyone have a good condition 1940s - 50s 26 x 1 ¼ wheel set with a 110mm rear hub for sale ?

This is not much of an offer but I do have a 26x1.25" back wheel you can have for nothing- although it's not in perfect condition since the rim is rusty. It's a Dunlop 'Special Lightweight' so it might be worth derusting and painting. The hub is double fixed (small flange) so it will be 4.25" wide (that's what I call 110mm). I can't remember how true is, it's a long time since it was used.

A worse problem is that it will have to wait until the virus crisis has died down a bit more before I can go and retrieve it.

Are you really sure you want 26" wheels? Have a look at Anidel's crashed Gillot above - you will notice that the front brake blocks are at the bottom of the adjustment slot even though it looks like a medium reach calliper, which tells us that the frame would look better (and was probably intended for) with sprints. 700's are the same size as sprints, and if you can find suitable old 700 rims (probably easier than 26's) you can have nice tyres and decent braking without really spoiling the look of the bike.

The only reasonably satisfactory 26" tyre you're likely to find nowadays are the Schwalbes which Anidel was using. I've got some, and although they're not bad, they are really a roadster tyre and a bit out of place on a lightweight. Most of the others explode if you put more than about 50psi into them. I find it sad to see a lovingly restored lightweight fitted with terrible tyres because the owner thought that 26" was correct 'period' for his bike.

Thanks very much for the offer @clubman.
The 26" wheel search was for my 47' Holdsworth and trying to restore it to the specification offered by Holdsworth at the time but when I finally get it running I intend to use it rather than look at it.
The points you raise sound very valid and I think I will now look for sprint's or 700s.
Sprint's - Would I be looking for Fiamme or early Mavic ?
700s - What should I be looking for to suit ?

Thanks for advice.

Fiamme would be easier to find I guess, Mavic sprints form that period seem VERY few and far between. There is quite a few 26 1/4 Dunlop Light Alloy (Dunlop LA) rims for sale on ebay at the moment, these are nice clincher rims and ride well from what I remember (I had some on the EF Russ that I had a few years back), so you could build (or get built) some wheels up. This would be my choice I think. Apparently they are hard to get a tyres on but I can't remember if I found this the case or not.

I've seen some Dunlop LA rims for sale on eBay but not in that great a condition.

Which Rims?

Mavic Module E look pretty much like old sprint rims - that was probably the maker's intention.

I expect you have a 40 hole rear hub which you intend to use and this may cause a problem since
most of these rims are 36's

As I mentioned above, I'd guess that there are more unwanted 40 hole sprints out there than 700's.

So far as the make is concerned, I don't think it's very important - there's not much difference in appearance. For your purposes I would try to avoid anything super light, for example Super Champion Medaille d'Or, which were excellent for best TT wheels, but too fragile for normal use.
Fiamme were very common and would suit you pretty well.

I'm glad to hear you're intending to ride your Holdsworth - there doesn't seem much point in restoration if the bike is never used.

@SideshowBob There's a 40h Module E2 on Ebay at the moment (has been for maybe a month). IMO £80 is a lot to pay, so I have been doing my best to ignore it! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-NOS-MAVIC-MODULE-E2-700c-40-HOLE-CLINCHER-RIM/392463508327

Other 40h sprints do come up, not a lot and not often sexy ones. There are a couple of 70s/80s Monthelery Route listed at the moment https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-Mavic-Monthelery-Route-Tubular-Road-Rim-Silver-40H-700c-622-21mm-390g/333142231526?hash=item4d90d309e6:g:BxIAAOSwOVlcAA7h and it should be relatively easy to find matching 32h fronts. Again IMO these would look good with decals removed and a bit of a polish - they are at the more robust end for sprints.

Regarding the period Fiamme and Mavic, as mentioned above the Mavic seem really hard to come by. I have been looking for a 32h to pair a nice 40h I have for months, possibly even a year. Hilary Stone does have some, but unless he's unearthed more since I was there, what he has would suit builds with more patina.

If you haven't seen this, there is good info on trying to get the 'right' Fiamme for your build https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/781480-fiamme-red-timeline-start-please-join.html

As far as I remember without checking, the Longhi patent expired in 1959 - so #2 would be good to around then plus a few years for stock to run off. The later versions #4-6 come up reasonably often, especially 36h, but good condition #2 and #3 are hard to come by.

Repro decals are available from a few places, but as far as I know Cyclomondo do the best, you'd want H for #2 http://cyclomondo.net/USERIMAGES/Fiamme%20B(1).jpg