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

Exquisite. Bar the front rim, looks to be in great condition.

lovely.
a friend has one, in Adelaide, Australia.
please make a separate thread for this project!

Thanks very much for the information, I'll look into what will suit me best.
I'm currently just using my Gillott and only use 2-3 gears for most of the time and will check what these are as the AM could be good for me.

Sturmey Archer Service Manuals are available at Sturmey-Archer Heritage - Product archive

Thanks :)

That Thanet

The chrome on the frame has survived wonderfully, especially when compared with the Simplex rear mech and the (Gnutti?) chainset.

I note the front changer appears to be a cable operated Huret, presumably controlled from the double lever on the down tube - quite a rare feature.

The tyres look like John Bull 'Speed' which I haven't seen in the flesh for about 50 years. I would be tempted to try to use them if I kept those rims. As you know from my comments above passim I would have a pair of 700's or sprints in this machine if I were going to ride it anywhere other than a Veteran-Cycle Club event.

The Dayton saddle is obviously not original and also clearly poor quality.

Unusual in a small businessman Les Cassel (Mr. Thanet) declared himself to be a socialist - hence the red star in the Thanet badge (seems to be missing from this one). Clearly a one off character with a bit of a genius for publicity; I'd be interested to hear what happened to him after 1958.

One small point - those Weinmann calipers are anachronistic (black plastic centre covers). They seem to be the only modern replacement on the bike.

Anyway, I'm sure this remarkable find will give a lot of pleasure.

Clearing some shed space so these are free to whoever wants. Collection from ascot or Sunbury-On-Thames or anywhere in between....
40h Fiamme sprint rim
36h super champion competition arc-en-ciel sprint rim
32h French sprint rim marked ‘Sprint’

Pair of clincher Dunlop chrome 26 x 1 1/4 Both 40h though one looks marginally smaller than the other
Pair of 27 x 1 1/4 chrome clinchers 32h Dunlop + 40h marked “jointless made In England” it’sa bit dinged
Also a27” rear wheel with Raleigh chrome rim, atom hub and knackered World tour tyre

Sprints
Used for tub stretching (do people still do that?)

3 Attachments

@Rik_Van_Looy Ooh, could I have the 27 x 1 1/4 chrome clinchers? Could I pick up next week? Ascot is on my normal ride loop from Egham so could pick up during a ride.

You certainly can
I’ll pm my deets

Arc en ciel were cracking rims.... Lightweight jack of all trades lol

Look. At. That.

Lovely bike, great project. "Slow and careful" is bang on, be prepared for slow, frustrating, probably expensive :) As @Big_Block says, a separate build thread would be nice but ask questions here or on that thread. Any vintage bike fancier will help you get the best out of this frame.

@SideshowBob I am on the same journey. I had come down tentatively on an FM as I wanted a low gear for the hills around me. @clubman good to read the alloy shells don't save much weight. I thought you'd said it was the weight from a lamp boss stopping you getting 59:59 for a 25, but reading back you blamed air turbulence :D

Edit: in case you haven't seen it, this is useful http://genetics.mgh.harvard.edu/hanczyc/pdfs/satriggersjuly06.pdf

Does anyone know why there are 2 different diameter Airlite Continental front hubs?
76mm and 80.4mm as shown on http://classiclightweights.co.uk/airlite­s.html

I know everyone was losing sleep over this one, I've answered my own question by reading the article more carefully. There is ~ 4mm difference in diameter between the cups of the barrels of the solid 5/16" axle barrels and the rear barrels re-used for the drilled quick release axles.

LoL. Finally I can get my life back together..!

Heh :)

That Granby is back as a stripped frame. Boo https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Granby-Bicycle-Frameset-1930-s/114234890496?hash=item1a98ee1900:g:vcEAAOSwI4Veyptr
[The headset came out in 1948 so unless fork steerer was cut I think unlikely it’s 1930s, but who knows.]

This is intriguing, I know next to nothing about Osgear etc. so no comment on what or how unusual it is ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-PRE-DERAILLEUR-GRANBY-CAMPAGNOLO-CYCLO-OSGEAR-SIMPLEX-RESILION-ETC/383560696293?hash=item594dffc1e5:g:y4MAAOSw~vZeytZh

Amazing "Hurlow" Condor -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193480087325

Seller has loads of other lovely frames

1 Attachment

My oh my, hovering over that Hetchins.

This seller seems to have a great collection and every now and then sells just the greatest frames.

I love this "flying gate" Jack Taylor he sold a while back https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193347527967

Love the moody spacious empty building backdrop too.

Love the clown bike. I can imagine someone riding through London Fields on that.

The weird 'pre-derailleur'

I don't know what this is, but I suspect it's an amateur bodge up. I'm certainly no expert on this period, but I think at least some of it is a Vittoria 'Baguette' - see drawing on Disraeli Gears.

I suspect the pipe which appears to go to the changer fork is nothing to do with moving the chain, but is an oiler from a reservoir in the seat tube (Oppy's bikes used this system).
The fork itself looks superficially like a changing fork, but the whole thing seems too flimsy to move the chain.

The chain tensioning pulley is in a position which just doesn't seem to make any sense.

As for 'pre-derailleur' this makes no sense, because this mechanism, if it could ever work at all, must be about 'derailling' the chain.

Decent looking set of FB 27" wheels
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143614439641

1 Attachment

This Holdsworth Zephyr has been a tempter for me, I asked size - 22.5" ctc, so a little on the big side for me, a little expensive, and in Coventry and I am not Dominic Cummings.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352986512062