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

Excellent, lots of photos please

I assume you're talking about the 'Stokes of London'.

It looks a great find - if I were buying any more bikes I might have wanted it.

One small point (which you probably know already): The Benelux rear mech - a key bit of originalty on this bike. They can be made to work but they are a bit fragile.

It is very easy for the cage to end up in the spokes with terminal results, so make sure there's enough clearance and keep in mind that if the bike falls over on its right hand side the gear can get bent. It certainly happened in the past that bikes were knocked over (when the owner wasn't present), picked up with nothing said but with the derailleur disastrously bent.

Ah, noted, will check that (and thank you)!

Selbach

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276788760305?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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Sold for 800 notes!

That was quick

Amazing.

It looks like a genuine Selbach frame which is desirable, certainly, but apart from the saddle and the Sturmey, all the kit looks later than the frame or poor quality.

It must have been another completist!

BuildRestore thread for the Stokes of London is over here (apologies all :(

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/totally-stoked-stokes-of-london.488459/

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BB is stamped 03907… August 1939?

03907… August 1939

July would make more sense

Ha ha! Doh.

Saxon twin tube

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326389327939?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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Same seller as above,with a Baines Flying Gate

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326389351691?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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I can't be certain, but I think the Saxon has a Chater bottom bracket. That's fine - if you've got the bearing to fit, but you cannot use any other BB since it's oversize.

These bearings are difficult, if not impossible, to find.

Good to know and could then be difficult to get it built up.

Are they not just 5/16ths? You can get these online I think. I'm sure I had some that I bought online for a Carlton Flyer

Are they not just 5/16ths?

The ones with 5/16" balls use 1.45" cups. Yes, if the cups are good it's easy to get new balls, but if the cups are worn out you need to think of a way to get some sort of available BB into the 1.45" shell. It's possible if you have a lathe 🙂

https://philwood.com/products/square-taper-bottom-bracket-cups include Chater Lea threading. I have used them with a UN-71 BB in the past. No doubt other BBs would also fit. Phil BBs can be purchased with asymmetric axle positioning to match old cup and cone BB dimensions, if you like that sort of thing.

Rotrax
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387779055385?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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1939 Bates
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335753265923?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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