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

30s Freddie Grubb with early CL pedals -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265095909091

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I recognise them too but I can't put my finger on it!

@absurdbird - I am a member of the group, but in the middle of a Facebook ban right now so I can't post anything for a couple weeks 😅 frames definitely been modded a little..

@Crispy there is a number on the non drive dropout, NL1373

That's a very nice tandem! Great condition and a bargain

@Nbenja3 the headlugs look a little like Jack sibbit spearpoints, but the frame number would appear to negate this. Nice frame though!

in the middle of a Facebook ban right now

😝

Thanks! The mystery continues... I sent some photos across to a mate who's a walking bike encyclopedia, il update the thread if he can identify it!

@absurdbird I need to stop taking the mick out republicans 😂

I need to stop taking the mick out republicans

I gave up Facebook and wine for January, it was good for me. I only look at bike related stuff on there atm.
Arguing with strangers on the internet >>>>>

MacLean?
https://www.picuki.com/media/1709687192912407748

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153176007212

Anyone have any experience with these?
Non machined (it looks) available 32/40

I’m going to be building a new set of wheels and I’m tempted to not try and track down a set of original rims in decent condition.

Although if anyone has a pair of 50s Fiamme/Mavic/Super Champion 32/40 in great condition - let me know.

Oh balls. They’re machined.
🙄

Nice machine, but if anyone’s interested in it and looking for a 100% original paint job, beware that this does not fit that particular bill: the Freddie Grubb decals and badge are most definitely not of the period.

All Grubbs were simply “F H GRUBB” prior to about 1950 when “Freddie Grubb” began to seep in after the great man himself had died.

It’s got quite a lot of similarities with my 1938/1939 Parkes. Seatstays and seat cluster are the same, fork crown is the same and the frame number is the same format as a Sun or Parkes (same company). N-prefix would put it 1946/1947 which is about right for that frame to my eye. Only glaring inconsistency for a Parkes is that all the Parkes frames I’ve seen have head clip headsets right up to the mid/late 50s; however it does have correct integrated headset cups for a head clip and the fork threading is the same as a roadster style headset, so it’s not hard to change. All the other bits like the bottle cage bosses, brake cable bosses and those odd mudguard eyes could have been added later. Osgear dropouts would have been requested by the buyer because Parkes frames of that age were ‘lightweights’ and custom built to order.

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Early Bates
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363330026708

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Lovely but a bit expensive for me.

The early badge is great-

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‘Ere John. Can you draw a bat?
I’ll give it a go.

Great, that’s a bat right?

You should on no account buy those Kinlin 27”s. I know you’re not going to. One completely tacoed on me trying to get some tension in it.

I know you’re not going to.

Of course I’m bloody not.

Great, that’s a bat right?

Yeah yeah, tubby little fellers. Short legs.

And the bones in the wings?

Yeah, just like that.

It looks like a fairly absurd bat.

🙂

I’ve been looking through the VCC library (Jesus that could do with a bit of reorganising).
What sources are available for info on components available in UK post-war?
The Holdsworthy Aids catalogues end 1939 and the first post-war on VCC is 1951 (edit 1950)
The early 50s HW catalogues are mostly reprints of the year before anyway and I think aren’t that representative of what was becoming available.
The two things I’m trying to find out is when Gnutti hubs with QR skewers were first readily available in the UK (or FB or ‘Tabucchi’) and when the Simplex Competition double chainwheels were available in in alloy.

Any suggestions of where to look?
Is the VCC ‘library’ easier to use on a pc rather than a tablet?

There's a 1949 HA isn't there?
I think there's a 49 Ron Kitching as well but I can't find it online anywhere, I think the VCC have it but it's not scanned.
The Fonteyn 1950 catalogue in the VCC is a good one, as far as I remember without checking FB hubs are in there.
I've got a repro of the 1955 Ron Kit, I'll have a look later but I think hubs they sold were all Milremo and chainrings TA.
I think the Brown Brothers tend to mainly by British manufacturers although I think I saw Christophe and Lapize in the 1952 when I checked a while ago, but might have misrememberd that!

There are editions of Cycling magazine which can be good.
1952 Brown Brothers Catalogue as well.

There's a 1949 HA isn't there?

On VCC? It’s so disorganised I probably missed it. I have to open the PDFs to see the year published(!)
Even so there was a lag between components being available and them appearing in HA - they don’t have the Simplex 51 until 1952 or the 53 until the next year (I know these were available in 51&52 respectively)
The Fonteyn 1950 is v useful- then there’s a gap I think the next one is 1955 and a lot of the components I’m interested in are no longer being offered but cheaper versions seem to be - I guess Fonteyn went mass market.

🤓🤓 (I think I’m going to change my avatar to this guy)