1947 R O Harrison Lyta

Looks great @veloham

It looks brilliant @veloham well done.

Brilliant indeed. Lovely and it’s a push to finish my La Quelda

@crossedthread @SideshowBob @falconvitesse @anidel thank you 😊

Yep pretty pleased with it. I don’t know who is managing to put these together without chipping the paint! I’ve managed to only do it in unnoticeable spots at least.

A respray probably isn’t to everyone’s tastes but I do feel this works ok. Some of the parts are a bit patinated - I’ve de-rusted and polished but I quite like that look and I think the tobacco paint carries the new/old.

The only thing to go back on, from the parts I got with it, are the stem and bars. I really like that ‘Jean Aerts’ bend.

It’s unlikely a cyclist in the UK would have had the T.A. track adapter in 1947 but pretty sure they existed at the time. The perishable leather and rubber parts are all new but otherwise it’s period.

ROH were quite Continental looking, the 1930s catalogue has a fair amount of French parts specified. The ‘Lyta’ was specified with all alloy parts so I think the build is in keeping with how the builder intended.

I couldn’t find my camera today but it’ll take some more pics at some point. Looking forward to taking it out!

Oh I meant to say, a nice touch - I bought the wheels from Alexander von Tutschek, so they pass the period exam by default :)

Perfect barrels on the df Airlite, very nice Fiamme rims. I know he likes to dirty up stuff a bit to make it look more in keeping - was having a little laugh to myself cleaning them up to suit how I like old parts to look. Funny old game vintage bike fancying!

I do finally have a large flange pair of Blumfields I’m going to lace into 1950s Mavics at some point. These AvT wheels are destined for a Hobbs …

This is amazing, fantastic work!

Thank you 😊

I was going to ask if you had glued the tyres on and taken the bike out for a proper spin but it sounds like you still have plenty to do.

I did! Rides very nicely, not sure how to describe it but feels surprisingly solid and connected to the road, dare I say well built! I took some more pics beforehand just in case I chuffed it up …

Wheels are Airlite double fixed large flange, period Fiamme “Brevetto Longhi” tubulars, no mark on the spokes, Chater Lea nuts, single Villiers 16t 1/8” sprocket, Villiers lock-ring, Cyclo chain tugs (as described above) and Vittoria Rally tyres (slightly older logo that’s not as jazzy as the current one).

[Saving weight without the second sprocket and also seemed even more affected to have chain tugs with different tension required on both sides!]

Edit: the front spokes are actually period correct Robergel Sport, the rear have no mark / are unknown.

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Stronglight no “marque” 49d 170 cranks with period 2-pin dustcaps, T.A. track adapter with single 47t ring with old logo (have a nice selection of 1960/70s logo rings I’m going to swap to now pics are done 🙃), Lyotard Berthet platform pedals (I guess properly period have slight differences - dustcaps most likely but I couldn’t say for sure), Christophe clips with the old logo, modern Brooks straps, little leggings of leather I stitched on from a Velo Orange kit, Renold Elite 1/8” chain.

The non-drive side crank has just about bottomed out on the spindle 😬

Oh and period correct acorn nuts on the chainring. You know you have problems when you have period correct nuts!

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GB Hiduminium brakes - I think no logo on the callipers means a 1946 date (there were similar but with logo and knackered on the bike when I got it), Strata stem and Reynolds Jean Aerts bars (that are original), Le Coq alloy bell, Dare rubber grips and matching period brake cables (yes!), Shockstop honking rubbers.

I think the seatpost is original to the bike as well actually, Reynolds I think but shortened. Modern Brooks Swallow with copper rails and Apex Superlite pump (that does need work still - no pressure).

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Oh and Lytaloy headset, seatpost clamp and Chater Lea binder bolt 🙌

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What can I say..
Other than superb.

Thank you 😊

Maybe "spectacular"?

Enjoyed this thread, bike looks outstanding.

Set me off on one of my nerdy map missions to find out where the shop was as 23-41 Queens Road, Peckham, which seems huge! As far as I can tell the buildings no longer exist today but map is from 1951. I dont know London well, I imagine shop front was below residential? Photograph from 1955 suggests that was the case.

Anyway, maybe no one else is interested haha great effort on the build.

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Thank you!

I'm very pleased. Glad I persisted and restored that headbadge (close to) how I wanted it; also glad I replaced the vinyl decals with waterslide and the high gloss with a soft sheen lacquer. Just takes the edge off a bit.

I obviously tried hard for a long time, but it feels like the bike isn't trying too hard. Other projects and frames I've got a bit carried away with paint scheme, etc. But this tobacco is great and I'm sure is very close to the original frame finish. Phew! It was touch and go at times :)

Was chatting to @Digger about Gillot in the 50s how, according to his Dad, they had the site now occupied by Edwardes, and another nearby somewhere nearer Camberwell Green ish.

Perhaps Harrison had a shop and workshop, sort of thing, at two addresses 23 & 41, not all the addresses from 23 to 41?

In other news I saw an RO Harrison with mostly Simplex (and Red Lyotard pedals in good nick!) going for a song at Deptford market week before last. Red paint looked like 80s/90s redo, crap decals, frame more likely 60s at a guess. Anyone here pick it up?

Thanks that's great to see. I hadn't even thought about it but 23-41 does seem big! Rereading some classiclightweights articles (on the wayback, links below) there's this comment from his daughter:

"The business prospered and another very large shop was leased for retail trade at no. 23 Queens Road Peckham. This property provided spacious living accommodation which the family moved into in 1938, moving from their second house in Kidbrook."

Classic builders:
http://web.archive.org/web/20200124150141/http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/harrison.html

Reminiscences of daughter / grandaughter:
http://web.archive.org/web/20191226005704/http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/harrison2.html

The 1949 catalogue is here:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Harrison-RO_main.htm

I forgot where I'd seen the older catalogues for a minute there - 1935 and 1938 in the VCC library of course!

Not me. No. More. Bikes. For a bit anyway :)

N.B. final weigh-in was 9kg / 19.5lbs

Hmmm that would make sense then. 2 properties on the same street.

@Skülly I think I read briefly that Harrison stopped making bikes in the late 50's so maybe not a 60's frame. Literally going on the very brief bit of research I did earlier, so maybe wrong.

Glad I didn’t reply a couple of days ago - I really enjoyed reading about your little details 😃

Bike looks really good. I agree, you’ve put a lot of effort into it but it doesn’t look over-done. Sometimes people get carried away with accessories etc and the finished bike never really works overall. Not the case here!

Thank you! I do have some other bits and bobs like brake cable oilers but agree it all gets too much. I’ll start a thread on my Hobbs build at some point now this is done - that will be a jazzy paint scheme :)