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

Not me. I’d be all over a good set of 26”.

Holdsworth La Quelda in lovely condition, Collection from Sheffield - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265077506531

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Wow that's lovely

Yes I love the colour and looks like Allez cranks as well. Too big for me unfortunately :(

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Charles-Holland-Continental-1938-vintage-racing-bike-/124611343179?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
This has garnered some interest even with the missing front wheel. I can't say I'm familiar with Charles Holland however the bike is very nice.

Bit of information on Holland https://on-the-drops.blogspot.com/2017/03/raleigh-charles-holland-continental.html?m=1

Seems like this model was only made for a few years.

It's what the post war RRA is based on,
so I imagine it'll sell well. I've only ever seen one on ebay before, they're rather rare.

Re the Holdsworth La Quelda ... can't quite make them out but the pedals look interesting too.

I think they are Allez to match the cranks.

Thought I'd share something that has been confounding me for a couple of years / sums up this whole pastime.

I can't quite remember now, but I think I'd had a couple of medicinal brandies when I bought this blue anodised Chater Lea hub on Ebay. I've never seen another one, although searching on Google I've found a set of green ones. Also now a similar sort of green rinse, not sure if they were better coloured originally. Pretty sure they date to the mid 50s although I can't remember seeing the anodised version advertised (the unanodised appeared 1946/1947).

It seemed a bit gritty when I got it, but nothing a service shouldn't sort, so cleaned it up and looks pretty much unused - has been laced but still very good condition. I couldn't get it to spin nicely though and the cups have almost no bank to them. I thought I'd been done and it was missing cups or missing annular bearings or something. Put it on the shelf and fumed for a year or so.

Anyway, finally bought another set about a year ago planning to cannibalise the rear and potentially even anodise the front to match. Blow me over but the dust covers on this rear are both anodised, one green and one red. And I can't get them out. Luckily I've learned a few expensive lessons so haven't tried too hard to shift them. Any tips appreciated.

Tonight I thought I'd take some pics as someone offered me a spare CL hub, and taking the blue one apart again I thought I wonder if it's actually the cones. Swapped them over for the one with green/red dust covers and it spins like butter. Made my night (times have changed).

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Looks like it from the sideplates doesn't it. Too big for me too :)

A wise man once said to me "don't buy bikes that aren't your size", seems obvious but easy to see how you'd break that rule.

Damn that caminade is nice! I have a single piece of that bike 😅

if anybody has a drive side duprat octagon crank please send me a message.

Listed as a Hurlow Condor Superbe, Looks like a Hurlow but the lugs look different to other Superbe frames.
Very optimistic pricing.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384003709312

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It's gone.!
Sold?
Maybe it was the description that sealed the deal?

Blimey - Must have had a good offer.

Expensive all right, even with the components.

Holdsworth is too small for me!
Those are Allez pedals too, what a nice bike with really nicely preserved paint.

Did I see Chater chat on FB about mismatched ano on CL hubs?

Those are lovely btw.

I’m planning gearing for my Gillott.
Anyone know the max sprocket for a Simplex Juy 51? 24, 25?
I need to buy a 5s freewheel 14-whatever the mech will get on to.
Probably going to have 49/46 on the front.

@absurdbird not sure if you've got a cheeky 8 grand

Those Duprat cranks tho’

😳😍

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184697565272
I'm a sucker for Brooks Sprinter Saddles.

Expensive all right, even with the components.

He wasn't even offering much in the way of components - they were poorly matched and not all good quality.

As to the description, it includes one of my pet hates - describing a single freewheel as 'fixed gear' showing a complete misunderstanding of the term 'fixed' which surely, in the context of this forum, must mean fixed wheel as opposed to freewheel.

The paintwork looks like my very first attempt at frame spraying - we've all got to start somewhere, but beginners can hardly expect top money!

Anyone know the max sprocket for a Simplex Juy 51? 24, 25?

As I've mentioned above, the TdF mech struggles to get onto a 22 sprocket, although a 23 is said to be possible. I'd guess the JUY 51 is probably a bit better (no direct experience). I think it was a weakness with all those pull chain mechs which go into bottom with the cable slack

If you're mainly going to ride round London Airport, or you're a strong climber used to riding round the Chilterns on fixed, 46 x 22 would be fine, otherwise I'd be thinking about the possibility of a smaller inner ring, probably TA Cyclotourist.

It's one of the mysteries of 1950's bike racing - how did they manage to get up those climbs with bottom gears not much under 60".

describing a single freewheel as 'fixed gear'

I still hang on to fixedwheel in a curmudgeonly retro-grouch way.