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

I normally keep quiet about this stuff but last night found myself trying to explain to my wife how great it is. Let alone the immaculate original paint Gillott Spear, but every component is rare, amazing and perfect. And some Alumlite rims on the side 🤮

Whatever it sold for was a bargain.

Yeah. I’m looking forward to it too.
Now I’ve reengaged with the project, I’m getting caught up again in the details.
It’s a lot of fun, and a good distraction from winter doldrums.
I have a Gillott stem in v poor condition I’m going to get repaired and rechromed. I’ve now drawn up a full set of decals and my mate has started scanning and tracing them (I need to work out how much ‘texture’ to use).

I’m not in a hurry.

I think the only part I need is a Simplex 50t alloy ring - if anyone has one.

Custard yellow though!
😖

Requires a repaint obviously.

That alloy cottered chainset;
Listing references Caminargent, which are these crazy bolted together aluminium bikes from the 30s.
Gotta love the French.

Pics snapped from my copy of the Competition Bicycle (Jan Heine)

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Requires a repaint obviously

😂

Definitely and while.your at it some modern brazeons.

Those cottered (a clavettes) ali cranks - very rare, and there could be a reason. I suspect they tended to break. An ali ring on steel cranks works fine, probably best to stick with that- especially at those prices.

I note that all these five pin crank sets look compatible with the original 1904 BSA version.

The Caminargent in the pic. appears to have cotterless cranks.

I understand that Caminargent owners today regard their bikes as too fragile to ride on anything but the smoothest surfaces. They are certainly very elegant, but I don't think I'd want to bother with a bike I dare not ride.

Yup. Stronglight 49d by the looks.

The Hobbs Lytaloy cottered alloy cranks were prone to break too apparently.

Were BSA the first to use that 5 bolt pattern? What BCD is it?

(Edit, just googled; same as Stronglight/TA etc.)

Personally, I think the Caminargents are butt ugly. If you want a pre-war French aluminium bicycle, it has to be a fillet brazed Barra ...

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/vintagebicycle.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/809/amp/

Just beautiful.

These French floozies are devilishly attractive, but I think I'll remain faithful to British steel.

I wonder if the name 'Garin' relates to the winner of the first TdF ? Maurice was still very much alive when this bike was made, although I doubt if he really had any imput. He claimed to ride every day well into his eighties - against doctor's orders, but was still using his 1903 machine, brakeless, fixed!

I'm glad you were able to find that BCD on line - although I've been using the set up for decades I've never needed to know the size - we just said 'five pin' and that was enough.

I've always understood this was a BSA design, but they do say: 'originality is undiscovered plagiarism', so it's hard to be absolutely certain.

Won the first Tour, caught a train during the second. 😂
(cheating and the Tour‽ quelle surprise!)
It’s possibly the same Garin.
Barra was making bikes under his own name before this, I guess it was war-time expediency building for someone else.

I think those Mid Century French bikes; Reyhand, Herse, Singer, Barra etc are astounding. But they were the playthings of the bourgeoisie, I prefer British bikes’ more everyman vibe, also I can afford them.

Anyone have experience of Constrictor Asp rims for ‘wire on’ and modern tyres - like the Pasela which is available in 27 x 1-1/8th.
Do they ride ok without hooked rims?

Re cottered ali cranks ... I guess the pressure point of the cotter isn’t doing the cranks any favours.

Don’t worry I’m not buying those, just enjoying looking at them!

Re aluminium bicycles ... that Barra is (still) nice. I can feel Constructeurs drawing me in 😬

Very nice. This book looks great but so expensive https://www.ebay.fr/itm/383952015441

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Yeah and it’s all in bleedin’ French.
Some of the Japanese books are lush too.
The Golden Age of Hand-built Bicycles is v good, but I’ve just seen it’s out of print and used copies are more than that one ^
Crazy.
I wish I’d looked after my copy better.

You’ll need really deep pockets.
If I was still buying more bikes -(😖) I’d maybe go for a fully equipped fillet brazed Jack Taylor camper.
Proper British Constructeur.
Probably still under-valued.

I was going to say “but it’s a rabbit hole / money pit I hardly dare look down” but thought I shouldn’t be too negative :)

I need to finish existing projects and probably sell a bike or two before getting any more.

There are so many nice bikes out there ... agree re Jack Taylor, there was a reasonably priced, original paint, white tandem frame on Ebay last year that nearly did me!

This short wheelbase Claud Butler is another tandem I keep coming back to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Tandem-Bicycle-Claud-Butler-Reynolds-531-lightweight-racing-tandem/264648327843

Wax that frame and freshen up the components, what a great project.

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Huh coincidentally just chanced on this https://www.flickr.com/photos/35932968@N08/3577584487/in/album-72157615625927171/

Caminargent 1937 catalogue with nice toe clippery amongst other things.

Quick release roller toe straps @clubman 1937.

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Also a bend similar to my Strata bars I’m trying to identify. Unfortunately unnamed.

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Actually mine have longer drops and ramps I think.

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