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

2nd time this one has been listed. Not as glamerous as the track model but nice original finish non the less

How about these.!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-NOS-1950s-Granby-Alloy-Cranks-And-Chainring-Lytaloy-Holdsworth-Allez-/203740829509?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Ah, will have a look, ta.

Those Granby cranks are pretty special. I can only imagine it's going to be eye watering to watch though ...

@anidel I'm a little surprised the 1948 Hobbs hasn't gone at that price. With a little bit of tlc that could be very nice. Wonder what the original pedals are :)

It is lovely but it's been stripped of most of its original parts and replaced with stuff from the parts bin by the looks of it. Still, the frame and paint is superb.

Readers of this thread may be interested in my post in the 'Cycling Books' thread:

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/248501/?offset=75#comment16299949

This book has a lot of photos of just the sort of bikes that this column is interested in.

Granby Cranks

Never seen anything like that before.........I wonder if there's some reason aluminium cottered cranks didn't catch on?

Hi, Any help with an ID on this frame would be appreciated. Brazed construction, probably on the cusp of 40's/50's but thought someone might be able to assist. Frame Number E2496

Steel cotters being a bit harder than the aluminium, stretched the holes and eventually split, several around with nasty cracks.

You’ll have to post a pic. Brazed frames usually point to Claud Butler but I don’t think your frame number tallies with them. See here: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/claud-butler-frame-number-identification.392124/

Cranks best left in their box then!

Any help with an ID on this frame

I don't think you've provided any image, if you attached a lot maybe try doing less, in a few posts.

E2496

I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s a Hobbs Clubweight made in May 1952 🙃

That would only mean 496 frames by May though hmm, my Hobbs were in to the 800s by March in 1948. Anyway that’s my guess based on limited details… post a pic!

Photo 1

1 Attachment

Photo 2

2 Attachments

photo 3

2 Attachments

My vote is still Hobbs, that’s how the frame number was marked on the non-drive side dropout. Here’s pics of mine.

2 Attachments

There’s a 1952 catalogue on Bruce’s Bikes http://brucesbikes.blogspot.com/p/brochures.html?m=1

Peter Lowry is the VCC marque enthusiast and will most likely be able to add more certainty.

Is the top tube 1” diameter? I’d still guess Clubweight.

FWIW this is a confirmed Hobbs 1950 Clubweight I had a few years ago.

6 Attachments

Cranks best left in their box then!

My question was rhetorical.

Now that I'm not trying to compete I don't use aluminium cranks very often - even with the best, breakages are not all that rare.

One of my clubmates broke his leg badly when a crank failed - he ended up with one leg slightly shorter that the other. He was a first class mechanic, so it wasn't bad maintenance.

Recently I had to reject a Campag crank from my own road bike because it had a crack starting at the pedal thread - I was lucky to spot it in time.

Even steel cranks break occasionally - I have seen a Chater crank which had snapped in the middle for no apparent reason. But let's not get too panicky - it's impossible to get through life without some risks.

So don't overtighten your square taper cotterless cranks too viciously, and keep a look out for cracks when cleaning.

I've had several cranks break-on set of BSA steel double fluted-but I think they had a noticed fatigue crack under the old chrome that I could not see, and one set of TA pro vis 5's-both sides of which split (at different times) around the pedal thread-but the previous owner had let the bike they came of get quite rusty so perhaps not that surprising (and one side may have had damaged pedal threads from using newer pedals with a slightly longer/wider diameter axle). Thankfully no really bad injuries , just a broken thumb on the last one that was more of a nuisance than anything as it took a while to heal. I think it can happen to any older cranks really, steel or otherwise, as you can't often know what they have been through with previous owners....

It must be really bad luck to break BSA cranks - where did they break?

That broken Chater crank was shown to me by an ancient bike shop owner, and his take on it was that he was really surprised it had happened.

I doubt if these breakages are really a feature of age - quite often it happens with relatively new kit. As for abuse,the most likely problem is hitting a kerb or falling off, in which case the crank will usually be bent and should have been disgarded. I suppose it's always possible some one may have straightened a bent crank and left it weakened, but it will take a lot to persuade me that steel cranks are not safer than ali.

The bsa broke about 2/3rds of the way down, just above the pedal thread. I felt a twisting motionwhen pedaling, got off the bike and it had started to split/tear across the width of the crank. The pair I have on my Paragon now seem solid though...(famous last words!) I forgot, my RRA crank did the exact same. They were famous for breaking though it seems. Maybe I'm doing something wrong...

Thanks Veloham. I think you have nailed it! The frame was sold to me as a Higgins Ultralight, but was obvious very early on that it was not. I have 2 x Hobbs Criteriums which I'll have to date, now I know where to find the frame number and can work back from there. What happened to your Clubweight? Is there any value in my frame do you think? Ta C

Just out of interest. I brought this one back to life a couple of years ago, 'The Leader' a Leader track frame from I believe 1948. If anyone has any info on Leaders - old not new! Then I'd be very interested to hear.

2 Attachments