Alan Richards Fixed. Now with Photos!

Hi

Im new to this forum, well actually im new to fixed gear bikes altogether.
Very fun to ride!!

Ive just been given an Alan Richards fixed gear bike. I know very little about it.
It seems old ish, but ive never heard of the make. Has anybody ever heard of this make, my grand father says Richards used to race and build frames from a shop in birmingham?? Not to sure if this is true??

I will put up photos of the bike when i get chance.

Any info would be great!
Many thanks
Guy

i think he may have had some links to major nichols - who made amazing bicycles, only aboout 60 of them survive, i know a guy who just got his grubby mitts on one.

i think he worked in tower cycles.

I think u might be right, there are tower cycles stickers on the frame and rims?
Here some pictures

Enjoy

oooh, thats nice. Road/path? Nice lugs.

Chris

Nice frame, liking those lugs!!

Guy I think u might be right, there are tower cycles stickers on the frame and rims?
Here some pictures

Enjoy

very nice. definitely looks like a road/path frame. very similar to early 60's late 50's holdsworths or claud butlers. if you want to swap to 700c's and sell the 27" 's let me know ;)

Hammo oooh, thats nice. Road/path? Nice lugs.

Chris

Road/path? I dont understand? Im very new to all this.

Yes the lugs are nice (i now know what lugs are)

Guy

that's purty, don't ever sell it you will regret it.

a lot of the older track frames 50's 60's vintage were available as a track only frame or a sort of allrounder track/path frame, with marginally more relaxed geometry ;)

Path is the old name for the track, so a road/path bike is like dual purpose: lower bottom bracket, slacker angles, more clearance, but track ends. Nice frame, lovely lugwork.

Major Nichols

Alan Richards is mentioned here...

nice bike - you lucky boy

oh , and welcome to the forum of coyurse

A mate of mine is a big friend of Alan Richards. I rode the Raid Pyreneen with both of them a few years ago.

AFAIK Alan ran a bike shop (and may still do) called I think, Tower Cycles in Birmingham.

it has similar paint job to major nichols. it's lovely!

love the combination of A and R in the Alan Richards logo. looks like cyclist with 4 legs.

BTW: you could maybe fix some of the paintwork with model paint. Don't re-spray!

Nobody gives me anything. Certainly not nice bikes. I mean, that's just so jammy. It's got track ends and everything. Why did the previous owner want to part with the thing? They do know they've "given" it to you, right? :-P

How many teeth does the chainring have? It looks quite big to me. You'll have colossal thighs and knee trouble in no time.

Beautiful bike.

It was a part of my grand fathers small collection of bikes. Hes getting old so he is parting with some of his bikes.
This was the only fixed wheel there tho, most are touring type bikes with gears etc....
It fact he has never even ridden this bike, he bought it 10-15 years ago from a charity shop and put it in to his garage and it has stayed there till about 5 days ago. When i pulled it out.
All it needed was some air in the tires to get it working i rode it for a couple of days. i then decided to check it was safe, i pulled the back wheel off to find the locking ring was loose and also found a crack in the chain this made me think back to the day before cranking down a large hill in traffic!! So a quick service and a new chain was all that was needed.

I was going to get it re-painted if i could get hold of some new decals but i think that maybe a little problem??

The chainring is a 48 the backs a 20. Which feels really slow, Im thinking 48-18??

Thanks for all the coments
Guy

Guy It was a part of my grand fathers small collection of bikes. Hes getting old so he is parting with some of his bikes.
This was the only fixed wheel there tho, most are touring type bikes with gears etc....
It fact he has never even ridden this bike, he bought it 10-15 years ago from a charity shop and put it in to his garage and it has stayed there till about 5 days ago. When i pulled it out.
All it needed was some air in the tires to get it working i rode it for a couple of days. i then decided to check it was safe, i pulled the back wheel off to find the locking ring was loose and also found a crack in the chain this made me think back to the day before cranking down a large hill in traffic!! So a quick service and a new chain was all that was needed.

I was going to get it re-painted if i could get hold of some new decals but i think that maybe a little problem??

The chainring is a 48 the backs a 20. Which feels really slow, Im thinking 48-18??

Thanks for all the coments
Guy

If you're gonna be running a brake I'd suggest using 48:16 or even 50. I use both - currently on a 48. If your going fixed I'd use 48 or 46 on with a 18 or 19 - easier for skid stopping. All personal preference though, trial and error

Yeah the brakes there as a emergency last resort. I might take it off when im used to riding fixed and my legs are a bit stronger.
I think im gonna get an 18 and just try it. Where is the best place to get a 18 tooth from?? Theres no shop near me so it will have to be mailorder or some kind fellow on here maybe???

Guy

Ooh, a family heirloom. That's pretty cool. I've got my grandpa's magnifying glass - the one he used to light cigarettes during the summer. But given the choice between a bike and a magnifying glass, I think most folk would plump for the bike. I hope you get lots of use out of it.

I thought the chainring was bigger than a 48. I suppose I'm just thinking with my legs. It's more than I could manage
with a 16 or 15-tooth sprocket. Might be quite spinny with a 20, though. If you ride on it for a wee bit, you'll soon know whether you need less or more.

Hi
Ive just found out some more very interesting information.
The frame seems to be Rotrax "Vel D’Hiv" Track frame from 1955
Information here; http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/designs/rotrax-hs.html

According to the kind gentleman who helped me with this, it was quite common for shops to repaint and add their own decals to others frames. It seems to be the case here.

I have been recomended to restore it as a Rotrax rather than a Alan Richards.

Guy

Guy
Love the paintjob on that red Rotrax!

There's a guy who sells all the old decals, you may already have been put onto him, called Nick Tithecott. He's probably got Rotrax transfers, ask him he's helpful too, these old lightweights buffers are coool. .

nick_at_lloyds@compuserve.com

Hope it goes well,