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  • An afterthought.

    Here's the complete bike as I used it to ride over the old Bath Road 100 course. Obviously there's a fair amount of non original kit here, but 100 miles is a fair way to cover without a little help!

  • I bet that's an absolute riot to ride? I love the geometry, not great on hils I'm sure but once your on the straight it must fly, soaking up any pot holes and such like.
    Is that a constrictor rear brake caliper. Is that something you have added or was that part of the original set up.
    @veloham will love the chainset.

  • Duckett Brakes

    When I first got this bike it had an Ambra Superga calliper (front only). Since it had Westwood rims which seemed original I assumed this was a modification, and an unwise one since the rims didn't have a suitable braking surface. I thought I'd be more period correct and safer with the stirrup brake which you can see.

    However, I've since learnt that there was what might be called a transitional period when it was fairly common to use callipers on Westwood rims - they can't have been very effective. My Grandfather (b.1885) was convinced that Westwoods 'rolled' better than Endricks and probably he wasn't the only one who believed this. It's certainly true that a basic steel Endricks do not ride very well.

    The rear brake is a Resilion modified with a Mafac style straddle cable (because I hadn't got the right Resilion cable to hand). I added this when I used the bike for an 'Eighty Miles in a Day at Eighty Years of Age' clubrun organised to celebrate a clubmate's birthday. The bike was about the same age as the clubmate - both got round without problems.

    The chainset is anachronistic. I have got the original BSA set, but as stated elsewhere I don't like 6.5" cranks, especially not for long arduous rides.

    As to handling, all I'll say is -it's not too bad, once you've got used to it.

    If antone's interested I may by able to find the 1914 route card for the 100 and a pic of me riding the bike on that course.

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